Peterborough pub bosses draw up plans for beer and cider festival

With the plug being pulled on Camra’s hugely popular Peterborough Beer Festival on The Embankment because of the uncertainty cause by the coronavirus pandemic, plans for an “alternative” indoor event are being drawn up by city landlords.

It would feature real ales and real ciders and be a showcase for local pubs and local brewers, said John Lawrence, one of those behind the idea.

A venue has already been tentatively booked and much of the infrastructure in place for what would be a three-day event, plus a provisional summer date has been identified.

However, organisers are waiting on Government announcements on social distancing and other public gathering measures before finalising arrangements.

John, who runs The Frothblowers micro pub and the Blue Bell pub, both in Werrington, was optimistic the festival would take place.

“PBF is a massive undertaking and a fantastic, huge thing for the city,” he said.

“What we are planning is something quite different - no gin, no wine and no big stages with bands - a more raw, pulled back version that would have been in addition to the PBF before it was cancelled. Now it will be something for people facing a long wait until next year for the beer festival.”

He said landlords from six pubs were currently working in the background on what would be a “festival run by pubs, for pubs.” And in time any local pub that wanted to get involved could be.

He added: “An indoor venue has been agreed with early August provisionally the date for a Friday to Sunday event. Because it will be indoors the weather is irrelevant and if measures aren’t relaxed any time soon we can hold it later in the years or next year.

“It will be a showcase for local pubs and brewers - they will each have a stall and run it themselves, so there will be no need for us to have big teams of volunteers on standby.

“We have identified more than 20 local brewers and so far all have been very enthusiastic about the idea.

“It would be ticket only to limit numbers and payments would be contactless. We are, of course, still waiting on the next Government review and announcements regarding coronavirus, but if necessary we could put measures in place to test people’s temperatures as there will only be one entrance.”