We’re only here for the beer!
Date published: 23 March 2009
Jeff Royales, Irene Royales, Stephanie Simmonds, Howard Sutcliffe enjoy the beer festival
HUNDREDS of beer lovers packed the Queen Elizabeth Hall for what has been described as “the best ever ale festival”.
Around 700 people packed the venue on Friday night, with 800 on Saturday.
The 23rd Oldham Beer Festival moved to QE hall from Werneth Park in 1999, and has seen a steady increase in interest.
This year’s festival, organised by the Rochdale, Oldham and Bury Branch of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) featured 75 cask ales, ciders, perries, local brews Greenfield Dobcross bitter and Greenfield Monkey Business, fruit wine and foreign bottled beer.
Festival organiser, Mike Robinson, said: “We had the best Friday night ever with a record 700 people attending.
“It was the best ever Oldham Beer Festival, but it is too early to say how much money has been raised.
“We sold 6,000 pints. We sold out all the ciders and perries, and had to get more stock in for on Saturday.
“Very popular was ossete light ale, along with Greenfield Dobcross bitter and Greenfield Monkey Business.”
He added: “Overall it was a very successful event and I hope everybody enjoyed themselves.”
Live entertainment raised the roof, with two evening sessions with Rockability Fever on Friday and performances by Jog the Memory on Saturday.
Proceeds from the event will go to Oldham Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar’s charity appeal.
