In 2010, Pat Neal and Simon Parr were running a number of events in the Welling United FC bar (Band Nights, Race Nights etc.) but were always on the look out for something different.

Suggestions were sought and the idea of a beer festival was one of them. Realising this was a big task, they put together a small committee of enthusiasts and work started.

Meetings started and it soon became evident of what a big task lay ahead. Decisions had to be made on how much beer should be ordered, times, branded glasses, food, entertainment, programme, staffing, methods of payment, sponsorship, promotion etc.

It was also evident that we all enjoyed real ale but none of us had much experience in how to look after it and have it ready to be in the best possible condition on the day.

Whilst in Gravesend in June 2011, Dave Budden spoke to the licensee of the Jolly Drayman, and arranged to introduce her to Pat and Simon.

She hosted a meeting for the committee in her pub and told us that she, and her partner, had all the equipment necessary for us to hire, plus experience of setting up a festival and keeping the beers. She was also able to have the beers delivered there and stored in their cellar and she could get the beers discounted from her regular suppliers.

Although we may have been able to hire the equipment a little cheaper, using them for the  complete package seemed the better option, expecially as it included at least one of them being present on the day of the festival to oversee the occasion and resolve any problems.

Members of the committee then undertook the footwork of going out and obtaining sponsorship, advertising and raffle tickets whilst publicising it heavily with posters and beer mats.

The first festival, at the end of October in 2011, was a resounding success with the majority of the 10 barrels of ale drained along with the two ciders and perry.

Many annual beer festivals are held on the same weekend every year but the Welling United festival has to take place when there is a home fixture on the following day so the second one was held a week earlier, and the third, another week earlier still.

There was a further challenge for the 2014 event as an alternative venue had to be found as the Wings Sports Bar was unavailable. An agreement was reached with Erith and Belvedere F.C, and the festival was hosted in their bar.

This one was our first to be held in the month of November and, once again, was close to a total sell out.

A different problem beset the committee for the 2015 festival. Fixture scheduling meant that there was no guaranteed home match from the end of September until the third week of November so it was the latest ever held.

Some things have changed over the years. For the first three festivals, there was ‘live’ music but criticism suggested it wasn’t enjoyed so that has been abandoned. The promotional beer mats have been replaced with business cards, and the licensees we met no longer run the Jolly Drayman. However, Dave Budden, Mark Doig and Mark Yarrow still remain on the committee with Pat and Simon, having been on it from the start.

Paul ‘Charlie’ Drake does still own the equipment necessary to run a beer festival (including cooller and jackets’ and is keen to continue hiring it out along with his expertise. Therefore he was contacted again for the 2015 event.

He arrived at Park View Road last Monday and built the stillage. We then brought the beers in, which had arrived at the club one week earlier, and hoisted them up onto the structure.  He then knocked in the spiles and they were left to settle.

Next morning, we returned and he tapped them in. We had our first tastes and it was clear that we had some beauties.

Wednesday was a rest day for the helpers but we were back on Thursday to put up the signage and erect the ‘pop-up’ gazebo at the entrance.

That left minimal preparations on Friday, other than setting up the food area and the ‘front of house’ before the first drinkers arrived.

Whilst you cannot please all the people all the time, the vast majority of those who chose to comment said how good the choice and range of beers was.

Franklin’s ‘Mama Knows Best’ was the first beer to sell out at around 20:15 so claims the unofficial beer of the festival award.

By 20:15, 360 degrees ‘Pale #39’, Pheasantry ‘Dancing Dragonfly’ and Pennine ‘Amber Necktar’ had also gone and by 21:30 there was only one beer, one cider and perry that had not sold out. All the wondeful chilli and filled rolls went, as did the beer glasses.

Had there been any beer left, permission had been granted to sell it before the game against Southport with the proceeds going behind the bar, but that turned out to be unnecessary with the only job left being dismantling the structure after the weekend and returning the empties.

At some point over the next few weeks there will be a debrief meeting to discuss what was good, what could have been better, and 2016.