From the Dover Express, 8 February, 2001

"We ran out of beer"

ORGANISERS of this year's White Cliffs Festival of Winter Ales promised it would be the biggest and best event ever - and they did not disappoint.

A record 1,300 beer guzzlers downed 5,040 pints until the last was pulled at 7.30 pm on Saturday evening, three and half hours before closing time!

Sixty-eight different types were on offer, from the Orkney Islands in Scotland to Tipperary in Ireland.

A long queue formed outside Dover Town Hall before the doors opened on Friday evening and organisers noted a constant stream of real ale enthusiasts throughout both days. Festival organiser Dave Green, and member of the Campaign for Real Ale said: "It was a huge success, so much so we ran out of beer! A lot of people travelled down by train to sample the different types of beer. The place was heaving on Friday night when there were more locals in."

The winners of our recent competition for free tickets to the festival were: Mr. S Wayte from Dover; Michael Hamilton, of New Romney; Sian Wells, of Dover; Alison Saynor, of Eythorne; Neil Garden, of Stevenage; Zen Waghorn, from Seabrook; Roger Vine, from Shepherdswell; Mike Dawson, from Dover; Colin Barnes, from Etchinghill; S Long, from Folkestone.