Beer festival’s bitter rent row

Bitter blow . . . Mike Robinson, Oldham beer festival organiser, with Jo Potts, landlady of the Ashton Arms

A funding wrangle has thrown plans for Oldham’s legendary beer festival into turmoil.

The festival, which celebrates its 24th year next March, has raised more than £100,000 for local charities but is in jeopardy after Oldham Council removed its concessionary status.

The full council backed a budget option which sees the festival as a commercial venture and will charge rent for the use of Queen Elizabeth Hall, the event’s traditional home.

Mike Robinson, who has organised the festival for 23 years, said: “Unless we can find an answer in the next couple of weeks the festival will just not take place.”

Pro-festival campaigners argue the event, the largest money earner for the Mayor of Oldham’s Charity Committee, raises around £7,000 — 25 per cent of the year’s total with Dr Kershaw’s Hospice and Oldham’s Young Carers as this year’s main beneficiaries.

Initially, it is believed council bosses wanted to charge the charity £12,000 for hire of the hall but Mayor, Councillor Jim McArdle, protested and the charge was cut to £8,000, still all the profit.

A long-standing committee member, who did not wish to be named, said: “This is a devastating blow. We are prepared to pay hire costs for two days of the festival itself, but it’s unreasonable to charge a commercial rate for the three days prior to event when the hall is empty because there are no bookings.

“This is our main charity event and hugely successful because of all the work by volunteers. The last festival attracted over 1,500 visitors. Local companies sponsor casks of beer making sales profitable — the Mayor’s charities will be the big losers.”

Councillor McArdle and Mayoress Kay Knox, have tried to persuade the leader of the council, Howard Sykes, Councillor Lynne Thompson, cabinet member for finance and the town’s chief executive Charlie Parker to reconsider the decision.

Councillor David Jones, the mayor elect, who is pressing for the event to continue, said: “The financial threat to the festival is a shock.

“I am looking forward to pulling the first pint at next year’s festival and we planned commemorative glasses and other souvenirs to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2011.”

Jo Potter, landlady of the Ashton Arms, Oldham’s flagship CAMRA pub in Clegg Street, provides free interval food for festival-goers. She said: “We get crowds of people from out of town — it’s a great way to showcase Oldham.

“The council should have a rethink or find another town centre venue the charity can afford.”

Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy leader of Oldham Council, said: “Letting and promotion of the hall is a joint arrangement between the council and a private company. This is run as a commercial venture with the partner organisation charging fees to operate the hall.

“There would be no restrictions on that partner should it choose to make a gesture in reducing its fees for a charitable cause.

“The council is fully committed to maximising the use of the hall and operates a clear pricing policy.

“Including the time it takes to set up and take down the beer festival activities, the hall is in use for seven complete days.

“This year the council has had to turn down two weddings and three other inquiries to use the venue while this is going on.”