Museum to host beer festival's comeback

Derby's Museum of Making is hosting the event space with no hiring fee

A beer festival is returning to Derby following a four-year absence.

Covid lockdowns and a shortage of affordable venues led to the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra)'s Derby branch being unable to put on its traditional festival since February 2020.

But now the group has announced the renamed Derby Heritage Beer Festival will be held at the city's Museum of Making later this month.

The event will feature more than 180 real ales, ciders and perries plus food and live music.

Museum bosses have made the ground-floor space available with no hiring fee from13-17 November - just agreeing to split the profits afterwards.

Derby Camra publicity officer Heather Knibbs said: "For the festival to be truly sustainable we need to keep our costs down but still have a realistic hope of profit.

"I don’t think there’s another beer festival in the country that can boast that they have a seven-tonne jet engine suspended from the ceiling."

A festival marquee will be installed on the ground floor of the museum

The event coincides with the 50th anniversary of Camra's Derby branch.

“We often call ourselves the real ale capital of Britain," said Ms Knibbs.

"We’re so long established, we have many breweries that are still going strong – Torrside, Thornbridge, Shiny Brewery.

"We have pubs closing down every month across the country, so to have a festival like this that celebrates brewing is important."