Hucknall Beer Festival got underway last night (Thursday 9 February), with a special ticket only preview evening.

The event which is being held for the first time in three years, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, will continue over the next three days, opening at 11am this morning (Friday 10 February).

The John Godber Centre on Ogle Street is once again the venue, with proceeds from the event set to be invested back into the building to help develop its facilities to allow the registered charity to continue to be a community hub.

Speaking to Hucknall Nub News about the return of the festival, Kim Pears, manager of The John Godber Centre, said: "It's absolutely amazing, we're really chuffed to have it back. The preview night's really nice for us because it means an opportunity for new staff to practice and train, and meet some familiar faces.

"We've got a lot of breweries here that've come down, it's always nice to see them, because we got into the habit of seeing everybody every year, but it's been a few years since we've done it. We're so excited to have it back and really looking forward to the weekend."

The preview evening was a chance for owners of local pubs and businesses to sample some of the finest beer from Nottinghamshire and beyond, with over 70 different beers on offer as well as a selection of ciders too.

It also provided an opportunity for members of local breweries to gather and support the festival.

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, Anthony Hughes, founder of Hucknall brewery Lincoln Green Brewing Company, said: "It's absolutely fantastic, Hucknall Beer Festival is one of my favourite beer festivals of the calendar year, it's absolutely stunning. It's a lovely venue, it's in a great town, obviously I would say that because we're brewing in Hucknall, but it's about the choice, it's the number of beers that are here, it's fantastic."

Asked if it was special to have an opportunity to showcase beer at a festival held in the same town in which he lives and brews, he added: "Of course and the fact that it's all supporting a great charity is even more meaningful as well, so hugely fond of Hucknall Beer Festival and the fact that it supports a great community centre as well, it's great."

Some of the biggest breweries in the county are represented at the festival, including Blue Monkey Brewery which is based in Giltbrook and runs four pubs, all called The Organ Grinder, three of which are in Nottinghamshire.

Ian Wesley commercial director of the brewery, said of their decision to be involved with Hucknall Beer Festival: "Every beer festival in the locality, we see as our major shop window not only for next year but for the future. Hucknall is a great one, it's been going on for years. We've been in it since the year we started; we're proud to support it. This, I think is probably the best small beer festival in this area, I'd go as far as to say that."

For more information about Hucknall Beer Festival, please click here.