CAMRA confirmed the announcement to The Morning Advertiser, followed reports in The Guardian, that this came as the group launched a cost-cutting drive to address “budget shortfalls”.
In an email seen by the national newspaper, CAMRA said it was responding to a “stark picture” of its finances, as a result of stagnant membership numbers and rising costs.
Next year, the festival, which as been running since the 1970s, will be cancelled as well as its counterpart in winter.
Previous cancellations
The move came after the 2025 event failed to attract enough visitors to make it viable, according to the organisation.
CAMRA chair Ash Corbett-Collins said: “It has been an incredibly difficult announcement to make.
“The Great British Beer Festival has a rich 50-year history, but we simply did not get the numbers through the door to make it viable. I had to take decisive action to safeguard CAMRA’s future but we will not slow our campaigning efforts.
“The Chancellor must use the Autumn Budget to support our pubs. We want a cut in VAT and beer duty for pubs, grossly unfair business rates addressed and national insurance contributions eased.
“Pubs are closing at an alarming rate as the whole beer and pub trade grapples with rising costs and changing trends. Without meaningful Government action, our communities risk losing more of their social hubs for good.”
This isn’t the first time CAMRA has cancelled the festival. The event had a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and last year, it did not take place.
Event history
However this summer, the event was held at Birmingham’s NEC - the first time GBBF was held in the West Midlands since 1983.
The event aims to celebrate the best of UK brewing and beyond with a range of different beers and bars dedicated to real cider and perry and cocktails under one roof.
It also hosts CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition, an award that was presented to Mild by Penzance Brewery this year after battling against a number of other finalists to be crowned the winner.
The Morning Advertiser understands the competition will continue.
