New owners Greene King, who took the company over in a £271 million deal in August, announced the news on Tuesday, sparking anger and dismay from local people.

Greene King boss Rooney Anand said: "We concluded with regret that it doesn't make economic sense to continue brewing at Kimberley and sadly this means that the brewery will close at the end of the year."

Brewing and administration will end at Kimberley but the cellar service and distribution will continue.

Cllr Colin Epton, chairman of Kimberley Town Council, said: "It's a very black day for Kimberley. It will really rip the heart out of this town.

"It has been here for so long. It's the heart and soul of Kimberley.

""I feel very sorry for the people who are losing their jobs - especially before Christmas."

Mr Epton believes it was Greene King's plan to close the brewery from day one.

He said: "In my opinion they only ever wanted the pubs and they never wanted the brewery at all.

"It was obvious to me that they were only interested in the bottom line. They are just greedy.

"I feel that it isn't just Greene King that have betrayed Kimberley, but the family members of Hardy and Hanson who have sold this town down the river.

"I don't know how they can sleep at night.

"I pleaded with Rooney Anand to reconsider. I said to him that this was a profitable company, it still is a profitable company and it could be made more profitable."

Now a question mark hangs over the future of the 70 remaining jobs on the site.

Rooney Anand said: "Around 80 of the company's 2,200 jobs are at risk of redundancy and we are committed to minimising the final number and offering the best possible support to those affected."

Councillor Richard Robinson said: "I trust that Greene King will honour their commitments to give favourable redundancy packages to workers from Kimberley, also that Greene King will give maximum help and assistance to those employees who may wish to relocate."

Campaigners from Greasley District Civic Society and the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) tried to influence the new owners with petitions, publicity, meetings and a post card campaign.

Society chairman Mark Leivers said: "The brewery is a vital part of our local heritage and economy and we have fought hard to maintain it.

"We are naturally hugely disappointed by Greene King's decision and hope that any future developments to the site will respect the heritage of our area."

Now the society are urging Greene King to grant access to Kimberley's heritage with organised tours of the brewery before the closure.

Mr Leivers said: "This is the last opportunity to see brewing in our historic environment and may kindle a little respect for our heritage if a properly supervised tour was permitted."

Andrew Ludlow, of the Save Hardys and Hansons Brewery Group, said: "We have not given up and we will continue our campaign until Greene King reverses its decision."

Mike Benner, CAMRA's chief executive, said: "We regard this as an unnecessary loss. "Despite a history of brewery closures, Greene King has shown with its acquisition of Belhaven that it can integrate other breweries into a growing empire.

"We urge them to follow this approach with the Kimberley Brewery.

""Britain's brewing heritage is being slowly eroded by a seemingly endless string of closures through consolidation and drinkers across the UK need to join us in opposing this destruction."

CAMRA is calling on beer lovers and its 84,000 members to support its campaign to keep the brewery open by sending postcards which condemn the closure to Greene King, or by signing its petition at www.camra.org.uk.