Fundraising festival will have 60 beers on tap

THOUSANDS of ale-lovers are looking forward to the return of the Oldham beer festival to the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The two-day extravaganza will return to the hall this spring — and locals are being urged to help make it a storming success.

Sixty cask ales will be available, as well as continental bottled beers and traditional ciders and perries.

The festival’s return, on April 27-28, means 1,000 beer fans can be accommodated per session, with seating for 500. The annual event has been hosted elsewhere for the past two years following the then Lib-Dem council’s decision to ask maximum rent for hall hire — slashing the amount given by the organisers to charity.

New council funding has reduced the cost of the hall and will help to raise thousands for the Mayor of Oldham’s charity appeal fund.

Beer-lovers will be able to make the most of two separate sessions during the weekend. Admission prices are £2-£4.