This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 19 March 2019. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE first ever beer festival in Church Hanborough, Oxfordshire, has been declared a huge success with organisers already planning a repeat event next year.
The event was a collaboration between St Peter and St Paul's church supported by other local churches), Churchhanbrewery and the Hand and Shears pub in Church Hanborough.
The event which was held in the church saw around 1,000 people come to the sample local beers from Church Hanborough, Freeland and Hook Norton. The festival was rung in by bell ringers who were followed by children from Freeland CE Primary School choir who sang.
The festival ran from noon to 10pm and throughout the day live music was on offer from local musicians. By the end of the night many of the 16 barrels had run out and the festival is expected to have raised thousands of pounds which will be split between restoration work at the church and the Oxford-based charity for bereaved children, Seesaw.
The Revd David Tyler said: "We could not believe how many people came.
We were aware the weather wasn't great and the rugby was on the television, but we could not have been happier with the number of people who came. So many people have said how much they enjoyed themselves and are asking us if this might become an annual event. We are also delighted that so many people were able to enjoy our beautiful building". Watch a short video produced by Witney TV here.