GBBF attendance falls by 10 per cent

The Great British Beer Festival has been hailed a success by organisers despite a 10 per cent fall in attendance.

Around 59,000 people visited the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) event over five-days at London's Earl's Court last week.

A CAMRA spokesman said: "There has been a 10 per cent decrease since last year, but our view is that, in light of the credit crunch and the problems facing the industry, it's not a bad drop at all. We see it as a success."

He added that more than 1,000 new members joined the campaign during the course of the festival, including 250 people who chose to volunteer despite not being members before the event.

He said: "Particularly on the Friday and Saturday, there was a great atmosphere between the suits and the beards - it was eclectic and diverse. And, from observation, there was a great deal of women drinkers aged under 30 which was refreshing."

Female-friendly taster tours by beer expert, Melissa Cole had attracted more younger women to the festival, which added to a "great atmosphere", he said.