After many years of sterling work in organising the Cotswold Beer Festival, Martin Parker, Patrick Phair and John Barrett have stepped down from their roles and earned a well deserved break.
Martin, Patrick and John are seen receiving engraved glassware from the current organising chair, Rob Coldwell. The presentation took place at the CBF-23 Helpers buffet on Wednesday 25th October at the Sandford Park Alehouse.
Said Rob: “The Cotswold Beer Festival is believed to be the oldest CAMRA festival running continuously in the same location throughout its life and the fact that it has continued for so long from the CAMRA side is mainly down to the hard work and commitment of four people. John Barrett, Martin Parker, Patrick Phair and Geoff Rosam. (Geoff managed to step back from his treasurer role a few years ago).
John Barrett was involved from the start. Shortly after CAMRA Gloucestershire came into being in 1975, they started looking for a suitable site to hold a beer festival. Various venues were considered, including both the Town Hall and the racecourse in Cheltenham, but everything seemed either impracticable or too expensive. He then heard about the Postlip Community through a work colleague who was a member of the community. After some initial discussions, they agreed to go ahead with a festival in Postlip Tithe Barn in July 1977. If you were starting the festival today you probably wouldn’t choose a barn in the middle of the Cotswolds to hold it, but the Tithe Barn at Postlip is perfect for a beer festival, with the thick stone walls keeping the beer at a perfect temperature even on the hottest summer days. John has been involved in the organisation of the festival ever since, chairing both the Gloucestershire branch and the festival for many long years and is the only active member who was involved in the first festival 42 years ago. John was responsible for brewery signs, keg labels, beer taps & buckets and electrics-lighting & more, plus offering storage in his garage. His tenacity and attention to detail often kept the show on the road, every year.
Martin Parker was first involved with this festival over 40 years ago, initially as an ordinary helper behind the bar. He was persuaded to join the organising committee three years later. He has been involved ever since and was chairman for nearly twenty years. Martin has been responsible for stillage, staffing, the festival Programme including its advertising.
Patrick Phair attended his first couple of Postlip festivals as a punter, after seeing a poster on the notice board at work. This was in the early 80s and Patrick has helped for almost 40 years. He was responsible for beer ordering and beer layout and pricing, all of which present interesting challenges.
Over the years they have had to deal with various adversities, including foot and mouth disease cancelling one festival and the floods of 2007 when the festival still went ahead with any undrunk beer being donated to the Army as a thank you.
For many years, Martin and John also used to do the cooking for the after festival thank-you barbeque held at the Jolly Brewmaster. One thing that the new organisers have subcontracted to the professionals!
On behalf of all at Gloucestershire and Cheltenham CAMRAs, we thank them for all the hard work. The festival would not exist without them.”
Photograph – Veronica Emary