manchesterbeerfestival

Issued 10th May 2015

For Immediate Release:

MANCHESTER BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL TO PEDAL TO PASTURES NEW

British Cycling prevent flagship festival’s return to Manchester Velodrome …

Despite attracting over 20,000 beer fans to the Manchester Velodrome over the past two January’s with visitors travelling from around the world to attend, the Manchester Beer & Cider Festival will be moving on to pastures new. Although organisers The Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) had hoped to take the regions’ premier celebration of malt & hops back to the National Cycling Centre in 2016, the centre’s management have been unable to come to an agreement with main tenant British Cycling over a date for the 2016 event.

Festival organiser Graham Donning said “This is extremely disappointing. The Velodrome has made an excellent setting for Manchester’s premier beer & cider event and both CAMRA and the NCC management wanted to continue to build on the success of the event.”

“Over our two years, we did everything we could to accommodate the wishes of the Team GB coaches and minimise any disruption to their training programme. We were prepared to do so again, including moving the event to a time when the team was away. Sadly, despite the efforts of the NCC management to negotiate and our willingness to be flexible, we have to accept that British Cycling are the main tenants and effectively have a veto on which events are held in the Velodrome.

The 2015 festival featured over 500 beers & ciders from breweries across the region and beyond – ranging from exciting new microbrewers like Silver Street & Thirst Class to historical names such as Robinson’s and Thwaites. Over 11,000 people attended, an increase of 1000 over the 2014 inaugural event, with comments on social media lauding both the quality and range of beers on offer and the spectacular setting.

Graham and his team are looking to bring a similar exciting range of beers to a new home for 2016 and are already in discussions with a number of venues across Manchester & Salford, including exploring holding the festival in marquees to accommodate the numbers. They are also inviting potential venues who could accommodate over 2500 visitors at a time to bid to host the event.

Graham added “Manchester is known nationwide as a hotbed for the renaissance in British Brewing and we are determined that our event will continue as the region’s biggest showcase for the amazing beers now being produced in Britain. When the National Winter Ales Festival was held in Manchester, it moved venue twice and carried on. We will do the same.”
He concluded by saying “We would like to express our thanks to Jarl Walsh, Nicola O’Neill and all their staff at the NCC for all their help in making the festival at the Velodrome such a success.”

Notes to editors:
1) The Manchester Beer & Cider Festival is organised by the Greater Manchester Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
2) The 2015 festival attracted around 11,500 customers over 4 days from 21st – 24th January 2015.
3) Potential venues need to be able to accommodate a minimum of 2000 visitors at one time, with a floor space of at least 2500 square metres. A ready supply of potable water and a power supply capable of providing 300A peak load.