Local Lib Dem MP Norman Baker has added his name to a petition campaigning to keep the local beer, Harveys, in the Lewes Arms following plans by the brewery to remove it from sale and raised the matter with Greene King at a meeting in London today [Monday].

Suffolk based brewery, Greene King, took over the Lewes Arms from Beards some years ago and now intend to replace the popular, award winning local beer, Harvey's, with their own ale, which has been re-branded with the name 'Lewes Arms'.

At a meeting in London today attended by both Norman Baker and senior management at Greene King, the local MP raised the matter, made it plain that the move to remove Harvey's was unpopular amongst locals and asked the brewery to reconsider their decision.

The Lewes Arms has been selling beer to residents of Lewes since the early eighteenth century. Harveys has this year alone won the Silver Award at CAMRA's 2006 Champion Beer of Britain competition and the Gold Award in the category for Best Bitter.

Commenting on Greene King's decision, Norman said: "I am surprised and disappointed that a brewery which claims to support local pubs and local communities is trying to remove the popular local beer from sale just to try and make a fast buck from selling more of their own. This is exactly the kind of poorly thought out business decision which is giving Greene King a bad reputation in the area.

“The Lewes Arms is a lovely traditional pub which serves up excellent local beer that is brewed only a few hundred yards away down the road. Harveys is far and away the most popular drink in the town so to not sell it is indefensible. I don't' see why Greene King can't just continue serving up Harvey's alongside their own ales."