West Dorset CAMRA’s October Beer Festival will take place as planned at the Ocean Room on Friday and Saturday 4 & 5 October, following fruitful negotiations with the new lessee of the Pavilion Complex. This is one of the first events to be booked there since the community takeover.
“The Ocean Room was always our first choice venue, so we delayed booking an alternative venue in the hope that Phil Say and the new community interest company would receive an early green flag from the council,” comments CAMRA spokesman Michel Hooper-Immins. “It will be our third October festival at the Ocean Room and CAMRA members come long distances to enjoy Weymouth. Many will stay for the weekend and their wives shop in the town- so it’s a useful economic boost for Weymouth.”
“It was easy to decide to hold our popular October beer festival at Weymouth Pavilion again,” comments CAMRA West Dorset Branch Chairman Dave Harris. “It’s an excellent venue. The Ocean Room has a lot of space and much more seating- more of which will again face the panoramic windows this year. Comments last year were overwhelmingly in favour of the new layout and the magnificent views of Weymouth Bay out of the windows comes free!”
West Dorset CAMRA’s October beer festival was held for eight years at Brewer’s Quay, but closure of the Hope Square attraction in early 2011 forced a move. Moving to the Ocean Room in 2011 meant more real ale drinkers could be accommodated and last year some 1300 tickets were sold for the four session event, spread over two days. Around 75 different casks of real ale were on offer, plus ten ciders and perries.
Michael Hooper-Immins
