Downpours set to leave Pub in the Park out of pocket
Telford's first ever Pub in the Park event proved a washout, and the low turnout due to bad weather is expected to have cost organisers “thousands”.
The two-day event at Telford Town Park suffered after torrential downpours on Friday and throughout most of Saturday morning and early afternoon, with grey skies remaining for the rest of the day.
A large array of beer, cider, gin and rum were on offer at bars circling the venue, with brewers and creators on hand to tell punters how it was made. There was also a big variety of food from local vendors, with everything from doughnuts to pizza to Carribbean and more.
There was a comedy tent which included sets from Tom Glover and Junior Simpson which proved popular, and live music from several acts including Bouncing Betty and the Paprika Blues Band.
But it wasn’t enough to draw out the masses, and those who did turn up ducked for cover under a giant wigwam in the middle of the park and under various shelters while they drank their pints.
This was the first time the event had been put on, and Shropshire Festivals organiser Beth Heath said she was not sure if it would go ahead next year.
She said: “We were kind of hoping for Shrewsbury Oktoberfest but in the summer in the sunshine, but it’s not quite worked out like that.
“We’ll probably lose thousands from it. These things cost a lot of money to put on. I’m not sure if we’ll do it again next year. I don’t know if it’ll be financially viable. It’s always a gamble with the weather. It would probably have been packed if it was sunny.”
Pub at the Park took 12 months to organise.
The next Shropshire Festivals event will be the Shrewsbury Food Festival at the Quarry, which runs on June 29 and 30.
