Tendring CAMRA is disappointed to announce that this year's Harwich and Dovercourt Bay Winter Ale Festival has had to be cancelled.

The decision was taken last week when it became clear that the intended venue for the festival, the Kingsway Hall in Kingsway Dovercourt, would not be available.

The Kingsway Hall has been the venue for the Harwich Beer Festival since it began in 2002 and it had been booked for this December's event. Unfortunately, the Trust operating the venue has recently vacated it having concluded that it is no longer viable. This means that the Kingsway Hall is no longer available and it has not been possible to secure a suitable alternative venue at short notice.

Chairman of Tendring CAMRA, Jeff Luesley, says

"The Harwich Beer Festival is a favourite for many real ale enthusiasts who travel from far and wide to enjoy it. It is also seen as the start of Christmas in Harwich and we are bitterly disappointed at this turn of events. It has been completely beyond our control and all we can do is begin work to ensure it goes ahead next year."

The team of local CAMRA volunteers who organise and run the festival are determined that it will only be a one year absence and that the Harwich and Dovercourt Bay Winter Ale Festival will be up and running again in December 2016.

"The team was incredibly upset at having to make this decision but there was simply no choice," continued Jeff Luesley. "We will now be working towards the 2016 festival and everyone is determined to make it a very special event."

5th October 2015

To anyone who took part in our 2015 Pub Passport trail and was planning on redeeming their passport, they will be accepted at next year's festival.

For the record, Tendring CAMRA is delighted that local landlords are organising a Harwich Winter Ale Trail and CAMRA will be promoting it and supporting it. What we could not do was help to organise it. With events like the Sausage Festival and Richard Oxborrow's excellent Historic Pub Trail we believe Tendring CAMRA has shown that it always does what it can to support local pubs.

We'll add any details that we receive here nearer the date.

Last Year's Festival

Last year's festival page is available here.