Camra cancels Britain's biggest beer festival next year amid budget shortfalls'

"Camra, the real ale enthusiasts' group, has cancelled Britain's biggest beer festival amid an existential crisis as it launched a cost-cutting drive to address budget shortfalls. In an email to members of the Campaign for Real Ale, seen by the Guardian, the embattled organisation said it was responding to a stark picture of its finances, caused by rising costs and stagnant membership numbers."

"The decision comes after this year's events failed to attract enough visitors to cover the rising cost of running Camra, accommodating the volunteers who run the event, and hiring venues, resulting in a substantial loss. Ale enthusiasts at the festival at the Olympia exhibition centre in London, 2022. Visitors can sample about 900 beers at the event. Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian"

Camra has cancelled next year’s Great British Beer Festival and the winter counterpart after festival events failed to cover rising operational costs. Rising costs, volunteer accommodation expenses, venue hire and stagnant membership produced a substantial loss. Camra will launch a three-year strategy, review internal budgets and prioritise core objectives while cutting discretionary activities. The organisation has about 150,000 members and promotes cask ale. The Great British Beer Festival, running since 1977, typically attracted tens of thousands of visitors and offered around 900 brews as well as the Champion Beer of Britain awards.

Read at www.theguardian.com