Pubs and brewing group Greene King is carrying out a major refurbishment of its visitor centre and museum in Bury St Edmunds which will see the creation of a “beer café”, alongside a new gift shop and historical exhibitions.

The popular attraction will be closed until early spring while the work is carried out, with the nearby Brewery Tap becoming the temporary home of the gift shop and the meeting point for brewery tours, which will continue as normal.

The new café will be open from Monday to Saturday, serving Greene King and Belhaven beers, homemade food and locally roasted coffee, with the offer including beer tastings and food pairing platters.

A centrepiece bar and café will occupy the ground floor, with a glass window offering a striking view through to the working brewery cellar, alongside a shop selling Greene King beers and merchandise. The first floor will become the new space for the popular beer tastings that conclude the brewery tours.

Cathy Truin, Greene King brewery visitor centre manager, said: “The new café will be the home of great beer, food and hospitality in the heart of Bury St Edmunds.

“Our brewery tours are already extremely popular among locals and tourists and these changes will give people even more reasons to visit us and the town, whether for a tour, beer tasting in the café or just for a coffee and catch up with friends.

“We are confident our customers will love the new look and we cannot wait to show it off.”

Greene King is a member of the EADT/EDP Top 100 listing of the 100 largest companies in Suffolk and Norfolk.