Princess Anne to open National Brewery Centre in Burton

Dray shire-horses are part of the attractions at the National Brewery Centre

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, will perform the official opening for the National Brewery Centre in Burton-upon-Trent in late September.

The museum which had been closed for nearly two years re-opened to the public in May this year. It includes the former Bass Museum and Coors Visitor Centre. Bass was bought out by the American firm Molson Coors in 2001.

Activists from within the town had been campaigning to see the site re-opened.

Princess Anne visits on 21 September.

The MP for Burton Janet Dean was one of those who led the campaign calling for the museum to re-open. She was joined by the local branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale

Princess Anne

Mike Stickland, chairman of Planning Solutions Ltd, the developers now responsible for the National Brewery Centre, said: "It's fitting that The Princess Royal carries out this role, as I understand that she opened our first incarnation, The Bass Museum, on its inception in 1978."

Planning Solutions are also behind the nearby Conkers visitor attraction in the National Forest.

Molson Coors are providing the buildings and artefacts at a peppercorn rent, along with seed money.

The Brewing Centre incorporates interactive displays and live actors portraying figures from the past. The history of the Bass family is recounted, and the famous Bass dray horses have been brought back.