Organisers of the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival – to take place at Manchester Central in January – are advising visitors to the festival to be prepared for bag searches at the venue to ensure everyone attending is as safe and secure as possible.
Following police advice all attendees will be subject to a bag search – with sharp objects such as scissors, picnic knives and nail files banned from the venue. Visitors bringing liquids or food into the venue will not be affected.
It follows the Great British Beer Festival which had a similar security policy at Olympia in London this summer – which saw a successful and safe event with little impact on visitors entering the venue.
Festival organiser Graham Donning said: “This year the venue, Manchester Central, will be operating on the basis that there will be 100 per cent bag searches due to the recent happenings at Manchester Arena and in the advice of the Police. They will not be allowed to bring such implements into the venue – including any sharps (scissors, nail files etc). Basically, best leave bags at home and don’t have anything on your person that would not get through airport security – liquids and food are okay.”
The MBCF returns to Manchester Central from 25-27 January 2018, with a special preview evening on Wednesday 24 January for members of the licensed trade and media, and free to CAMRA members.