One Direction ousts beer and cider festival

Boyband One Direction has forced the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to cancel its annual beer and cider festival in Wales after the group booked a last minute gig on the same day at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

According to reports in the Welsh press, CAMRA was set to host its Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival in Cardiff on 6 June – an event that has been running for 20 years – with Onc Direction set to play the night before.

However due to tickets for the pop concert selling out the boyband decided to add a second date, on 6 June, forcing CAMRA’S beer and cider festival to step aside.

In a statement posted on its website, CAMRA’s cardiff branch confirmed that the event would not be taking place at the stadium, and that it was looking into holding a “more modest” festival later in the year.

“In response to enquiries as to whether or not the GWBCF is taking place this year, it has now been decided that it will not be happening in the Millennium Stadium in 2015”, the statement said. “CAMRA regrets the disappointment that this will cause to people. However the desired dates proved to be unavailable and we would not have had sufficient volunteers to organise this event on the alternative dates. Meanwhile we are investigating the possibilities of a more modest festival later in the year.”

The festival has been running for 20 years and features more than 70 independent breweries from across Wales.

Speaking to Wales Online, festival organiser Duncan Ward said: “From the point of view of the Millennium Stadium it is an understandable commercial decision and they will make a lot more money. The festival is completely run by volunteers and we couldn’t find another date at the stadium when enough volunteers could take part.”