Oakwood beer festival on the move

The popular Oakwood Real Ale and Music Festival will up sticks from its long-term base at Oakwood Technology College and head for a new home at Magna in 2011.

Organisers said that the school, which had been earmarked for redevelopment until the Government pulled the plug on funding two weeks ago, was no longer big enough to safely hold the event, which pulled in more than 12,000 thirsty punters in February.

A date has not been fixed for next year’s event but it will take place in February or early March and definitely not during school half-term holidays.

It will lose the word “Oakwood” from its name and could become the Rotherham Magna Real Ale and Music Festival, although a new name has yet to be formally chosen.

Jim Charters, who has played a key part in the event since its early days, said: “It is the end of an era but it is also the start of a new one.

“Magna Trust, which is a charity in its own right, has offered its facilities and

support and the festival will remain a voluntary event with profits going to other local charities.

“It is intended that the festival continues to grow and become one of the major festivals in the country with a particular emphasis on Yorkshire and its heritage.

“The past history of the event has taken it from a small, very local community based event to the fifth biggest in the UK and the biggest handpull festival in the world.”