Hucknall beer festival to be postponed until July due to financial risks sparked by rising Covid concerns

The event was due to take place over the weekend of February 10-12 at the John Godber Centre in the town.

But organisers say that, at this time, they feel there are ‘too many uncertainties and risks at the current time to go ahead in the new year’.

However, the good news for beer lovers is the event has not be cancelled completely and instead just postponed to the summer with plans to instead hold the festival over the weekend of July 28-31.

In a statement on it’s website, the John Godber Centre said: “The costs associated with the festival are funded by the trading arm of the John Godber Centre, St Mary’s Trading Company.

"Both the Trading Company and the John Godber Centre, like so many businesses in the hospitality and events industry, have had a turbulent couple of years with multiple closures and restrictions and even now, both continue to feel the ongoing impact of Covid.

"This is having a detrimental impact on the charity’s resources and though both remain financially stable there is an unacceptable level of risk in committing the thousands of pounds upfront that is necessary to host the festival.

“To go ahead in February would require decisions and financial commitments to be made now, to the ordering of glassware, to brewers, particularly for those creating ales to enter into the annual CBoN competition.

“An added complication is that real ale is not like other drinks offerings, once tapped and vented it cannot be moved and sold elsewhere.

"If the worse should happen and the event needed to be cancelled there would be a lot of cash to pour down the drain in disposing of the cask ale.

"Having done this for the centre bars once already, and seen our colleagues in the hospitality and brewing industry forced to do this multiple times due to Covid, as a charity this would be even harder to bear and unethical to take that risk with charity finances.”

The festival will return to its usual dates in 2023 when it will take place from February 9-12.

The statement continued: “We’re very fortunate that local Hucknall brewery Lincoln Green Brewing Company has kindly offered their fundraising support to the 2022 festival already and we’re pleased to share the news that they will be brewing a special beer to be released in February for the festival’s original dates.

"Ten pence from every pint sold will be donated to the festival which, along with other fundraising activities, sponsorship and the Trading Company’s usual financial commitment, will ensure the summer event is able to go ahead with reduced risk to the charity’s reserves.

We’re pleased that things have been moving to a more positive and normal place for the events industry but having worked so hard to keep the charity going we feel delaying the festival by a few months will be the best possible option to allow us to host a great Hucknall Beer Festival in 2022.”