17 October 2007
Demand for Eastbourne’s fifth annual Beer Festival hit an all time high this year with tickets completely selling out on both Friday and Saturday night, as more than 3,500 visitors flocked to the festival over the three days, drinking an average of three pints each.
Capacity for the town’s Beer Festival peaked at 1,235 on Friday night and 1,234 on Saturday night as festival goers packed into the Winter Gardens to sample more than 120 different ales plus a wide selection of ciders, perries, fine wines and bottled beers. In total drinkers downed more than 11,500 pints during the festival and tucked into good old fashioned pub grub including 120 curries and 450 gammon baguettes.
Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “It’s brilliant to see so many people come along to taste a huge selection of beers with several produced locally. The festival is a really fun event and people were tapping their feet along to the local bands, supporting the new musicians in the jam nights, and enjoying a pint at the same time.”
Dark Star’s Hophead scooped Beer of the Festival with TBS Waverley presenting the award to head brewer, Mark Tranter, and Ginger Tom from FILO brewery in Hastings won CAMRA Sussex Microbrew of the Festival.
Local beers went down a storm on opening night with casks running dry almost straightaway. Beachy Head Brewery’s new addition to the festival, Beachy Head Original Ale, sold out in just three hours with more casks rapidly drafted in. Old festival favourite Harvey’s Star of Eastbourne was just as popular too this year with supplies completely sold out.
The Saturday day session saw 566 customers turn up making it the best day session in the event’s five year history. Customers enjoyed a day of beer tasting with entertainment from Band of Two, Long Man Morris Dancers and Hunters Moon Morris Dancers.
Budding musicians grabbed the chance to play at Eastbourne’s leading performance venue in jam nights held every evening during the festival. This was the first year that jam nights ran for the whole length of the festival and local bands including The Purple Bubble, Faye and Ben, Glam Ryze and The Blues Kings jumped on stage and entertained festival fans in the Gold Room.
Eastbourne also held its second food and drink festival last week, Feastbourne, which saw an unusual location being picked to host a Farmers Market. Eastbourne railway station welcomed 3000 visitors to try specialist cheeses, wines and local produce from 20 different stalls.
Eastbourne Beer Festival will return next year from 9-11 October. For more information visit the Beer Festival website or telephone 0871 663 0031.
