Bean Fest organiser’s double delight at Rotherham Music Awards win

Bean Fest — the Rawmarsh music festival which is due to make its final appearance in current form next Saturday — was crowned Rotherham’s best festival for the second year running in this year’s Rotherham Music Awards.

Festival organiser Simon Hartley, who was named Rotherham music champion at the awards last year, put the win down to “a lot of hard work”, calling it “an amazing way to close our big festivals”.

He added: “Thank you to everyone and looking forward to one last hooray this year.”

Andy Ducker, of Kiveton Park Folk Club, was named music champion of the year, beating Ben Soa, of Soa Music, Ivor Hillman, of Echo Beach and Mick Hill from The Cutler’s Arms.

Other winners included: Andi Rae for best educator; Ella Foxton for best up-and-coming talent; Duran for best tribute; Brandon Walton for best solo act; Kiveton Park Folk Club for best community group; Oakwood High School for best junior group; At the Arcade for best band; Random Dot Dot Dot for best composer and The Cutlers' Arms for best venue.

Awards director Martyn Howells called the event, which featured live performances from The Banned, Redscope Voices, West End star Nik Page and At the Arcade, called the event “a fantastic success”.

More than 150 entries were received for this year’s awards, and musician and record producer Andy Beaumont from 80s band Vision returned to his home town to help judge the candidates alongside Fiona Radford, business manager for the headline sponsors, Rotherham Schools Improvement Service.