Scores of new breweries open

The number of breweries in Britain has increased four-fold in 40 years, with scores opening in the past year.

The Campaign for Real Ale said there were now a "staggering" 767 breweries operating in Britain – four times as many as when the group was founded in 1971. The group's Good Beer Guide reported yesterday that 78 new breweries have opened in the past year, a net increase of 56 after some others closed.

Editor Roger Protz said: "Against all the odds, craft breweries continue to sprout like mushrooms at dawn. The main reason is a simple one – craft brewers are responding to genuine consumer demand. Beer in pubs may be expensive compared to cheap supermarkets but drinkers are prepared to pay a bit extra for beer with taste and quality."

Camra also published a list of its top 16 pubs in Britain, including the 160-year-old Dove in Bury St Edmunds.