Beer festival organisers plan for a cooler Friday evening

The Hull Real Ale and Cider Festival will be returning to the Mortimer Suite at Hull City Hall in what is the 40th anniversary year of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

Festival organisers have now selected 70 real ales, 25 ciders and perries and 20 Belgian and German bottled beers for the three-day event starting on Thursday September 29.

The event traditionally pits some of the UK’s champion beers against the best efforts of local breweries in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Tickets for the ticket-only Friday night go on sale on August 1.

Organiser Stewart Campbell said they had decided to hold this September’s festival a couple of weeks later than last year as it had been so hot then that on the Friday night people were leaving before the end.

However from next year, the event will be held every March at Hull City Hall, now that the organisers have negotiated a permanent date with the council.

Mr Campbell said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Camra at what has become our spiritual home – the Mortimer Suite in Hull City Hall.

“We now have a permanent date in the calendar in March so this event is a wee bit smaller.”

This year, real ales will cost £2.80 a pint across the board, reflecting increased VAT on beer and having to pay VAT on the room hire.

“We are trying to keep to a single price – the stronger beers will be better value for money”, added Mr Campbell.

The advance tickets for the Friday evening session will be available from three pubs in the city centre – the Hop & Vine on Albion Street, the Wellington Inn on Russell Street and the Lion & Key, formerly Nelly’s Bar, on Scale Lane in Hull.

Entry to the festival is free at other times.

The principal sponsors of this year’s September festival will be the Co-operative and Great Newsome Brewery.