Pompey beer festival under threat

[Farway]

THE FUTURE of Portsmouth’s annual beer festival is under threat after this year’s event was postponed for being a financial risk.

Up to 3,000 real ale fans come to the event, which has been running for more than 30 years

[trainman]

Unbelievable. Has anyone ever been to a beer festival that could be considered a financial risk? And anyway, such occasions should be supported even if the council did have to contribute a minimal cost - I'm sure it would spread a lot more happiness than a volleyball court. Love the comment "Claire (Looney), your surname says it all...". Cultural transition project manager? Yep, I think that says it all!

"Give my people plenty of beer, good beer and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them" - Queen Victoria

[RogerB]

I think the problem with things like this are the security, insurance and 'elf & safety issues that are forever becoming more and more ridiculous. We lost the Catford Beer Festival because they apparently were forced to employ specialised security staff (despite there never being any previous problems) and the costings eventually became too much. We used to have a great festival in the park in Dartford that was very popular and ran for many years. That too went the same way because the costs of Marquees, security, insurance etc went through the roof and the price of a pint to cover it all would have been too high to attract anyone.

[Farway]

RogerB has fair points, but in the case of the Pompey beer festival it is always held in the Guildhall, which is the seat of City Council, so security, 'elf & safety, insurance, building are all ready in place I would think, the only claim that was made was when Mr A Hitler destroyed it in the 1940s

I think Trainman has probably spotted the root cause Cultural transition project manager? Yep, I think that says it all!

[oldboots]

.... Pompey beer festival it is always held in the Guildhall...

weren't the first couple held under one of the stands at Fratton Park? Are there any alternate venues (short notice I know?)