While no final decision has been made on whether the festival, one of the biggest events in the Peterborough calendar - will be called off or not, today organisers said it is ‘unlikely’ it will be able to go ahead in August. The event attracts thousands of visitors to the Embankment, and is one of the biggest beer festivals in the country. It is due to take place between August 25 and August 29. A statement from the organisers said: “Given the current circumstances we are all experiencing due to the Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 pandemic; it is very unlikely that Peterborough Beer Festival will take place in August 2020. “The organisers of PBF 2020 are continuing to monitor the situation with our key suppliers and partners; however the underlying feeling is that, even if the situation were to come to a positive conclusion at the end of June, this may not give us an acceptable time frame in which to hold the event. “This is not an easy decision on our part as we know that thousands of you look forward to the Peterborough Beer Festival every year, but there are a number of commercial and social factors that have to be considered even at this early stage. “Currently, we have no idea of the effect the pandemic will have on our suppliers and contractors ability to supply to us, similarly we have a social responsibility to the city’s publicans to help them through this period of time when they will need all of our support to get their business’s back on their feet. “We understand that many of our volunteer staff book annual leave and make other special arrangements for the duration of the festival, so this is really suggesting caution in your planning. “No one can be certain of the direction our lives will take over the coming weeks, but be assured if there is a favourable outcome in the short term and timescales allow, then we will review the situation. A further update will be issued at the end of April.”
