A popular beer festival that has been running for more than 25 years has been cancelled after organisers blamed restrictions which have made it “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to host this year's event.

The Bishop’s Castle Real Ale Trail, based in and around the town’s pubs serving a large selection of beer from Shropshire breweries, was planned to take place on Friday, July 7, and Saturday, July 8.

The festival’s committee said “this is not the end, but hopefully the start of a new beginning” as it looks to hosting the event in a different format in 2024.

A statement posted on June 17 by The Castle Hotel announcing the cancellation was made three weeks before the event was due to take place.

County Times: Nev Richards pours the beer and cider inside the Six Bells at the Real Ale Festival. in 2007Nev Richards pours the beer and cider inside the Six Bells at the Real Ale Festival. in 2007 (Image: Kate Elliott/Powys County Times)

The festival committee said: “After a thorough and extensive consultation we are extremely saddened to announce the cancellation of the 2023 Real Ale Trail in Bishops Castle on 7th and 8th of July, this decision was not reached lightly, and all parties involved in the hosting of this event are bitterly disappointed.

“However due to the current nature of the Real Ale Trail and the ever increasing and extremely onerous restrictions and requirements placed upon it by local government departments as well as subsequent failures to secure adequate insurance and permissions from the various bodies, we have regrettably reached the decision that in its current format the annual Bishops Castle Real Ale Trail cannot go ahead. These limitations placed upon small unique events like this now make it extremely difficult, if not impossible to host such events.

“We would like to apologise to anyone who was planning on attending this year’s event and we would also like to thank all and everyone who has enjoyed the Bishops Castle Beer Festival/Real Ale Trail over the 25 years of its existence.

“As a committee we have agreed to look at hosting this event in the future in a different format, details of which will be discussed with an event in 2024 in mind.”