Top folk festival aims to be first past post

Beverley Folk Festival, which has helped put the East Riding market town on the map for decades, with acts ranging from Paul Carrack and Billy Bragg, to Steeleye Span and Joe Brown, is moving to Beverley Racecourse.

The festival says it has outgrown its old venue at Beverley Leisure Complex, but wants to replicate the intimate and eclectic ambience they are known for at the racecourse.

Artistic director Chris Wade said: “We are hoping it will attract more people; there’s an awful lot of facilities people can use; there’s a lot of cover if it rains – and we have got it to ourselves, we won’t be sharing it with swimmers and the gym.

“The council has been really supportive over the years, but we all feel we have outgrown that particular site and location and the racecourse was very keen for us to move, because they want to have more events other than races.”

She said they were already getting inquiries about next June’s festival, after getting the Proclaimers on board as a headline act.

People can get an idea of what the racecourse will offer this Saturday when some of the artists performing next year, including Edwina Hayes, David Ward McLean and the Duncan McFarlane Trio, will be appearing as part of a race fixture, as well as a beer festival run by Hull and East Yorkshire Camra.

Sally Iggulden, chief executive of the Beverley Race Company, said: “We hope that our partnership will bring something new to the racecourse and events centre and provide a long-term home for the festival itself, which, like us, helps to attract visitors from all over the country and beyond to our historic market town.”