[Official Press Release - January 2009]

Sussex CAMRA Branches are proud to announce that the 19th Sussex Beer and Cider Festival will be held at Hove Centre, Hove on 12th-14th March 2009.

Sales of real ale are increasing so to cope with the expected big demand, a record number of beers, well over 220, will be available this year plus a large selection of ciders, perries, country wines and British and foreign bottled beers. The downstairs bar has been designated as the Sussex Bar and will be selling only those beers from breweries in Sussex.

The festival sessions with ticket prices are as follows:

Tickets for the Festival will be available at the usual outlets (Brighton & Hove: Hove & Brighton Centres, Bell, Evening Star, Sir Charles Napier; Shoreham: Buckingham Arms; Horsham: Beer Essentials; Lewes: Gardener's Arms; Worthing: Selden Arms, or by post from SCBCF Ticket Sales, 13 Rudyard Road, Woodingdean, Brighton BN2 6UB (Tel: 07784 944277 ). For postal applications, please state the session(s) for which you require tickets, and enclose an SAE with your payment, which should be by cheque or Postal Order made payable to “CAMRA Sussex Beer Festival”.

To avoid disappointment on the day it is advisable to buy tickets in advance particularly for the very popular Friday and Saturday evening sessions which always sell out. The ticket price includes a souvenir programme and, for CAMRA members, beer tokens worth £2 on presentation of their membership card. For the Saturday evening, a £2 concession will be available to students buying tickets at the Hove Centre on production of a Students Union card.

There will be no live entertainment on the Friday night but Copperhead will be playing in the Main Hall on Saturday evening.

Hot and cold food plus vegetarian options will be on sale in the balcony area as well as soft drinks, teas and coffees.

This year the festival charity will be SUSSAR, Sussex Search & Rescue.

The Hove Centre has full disabled facilities and is a short walk from Hove Station.

For further information call 07784 944277, or email sxbeerfest.logo@btconnect.com or go to www.sussexbeerfestival.co.uk for further information.

Ursula Lockyer
Festival Organiser

January 2009