Manchester beer and cider festival had ‘strange atmosphere’ and 'nobody there'

Attendees of a beer and cider festival held in the city centre over the weekend have dubbed it ‘the Wonka of beer festivals’ after reporting a ‘strange atmosphere’ and an alleged minimal selection of beers on tap.

Held for the first time, the International Brewing and Cider Festival took place at Depot Mayfield on Friday and Saturday (March 22 and 23). With more than 100 brewers and cider mills said to be attending the event, the festival was poised to feature 'the largest collection of beers and ciders in the UK, if not Europe'.

Sharing their reaction online to the not-for-profit event, where tickets started at £20 each, some attendees described the festival as having ‘no atmosphere’, whilst one person described it as ‘one of the worst events for beer that I have ever been to’.

READ MORE: 'I drove 100 miles to get the viral Bruce cake with 12 chocolate layers you have to make an appointment to buy'

On X, Richard Leonard wrote: “I don't think I've been to a worse organised event. The term 'Couldn't organise a **** up in a brewery' was made for this festival. Mid-session there were less than 100 people. The signs on the cask and keg were too small to read at any distance.

“People pouring on the bar had no knowledge of any of the beers & no info in the app. For the entry fee of £20 to drink out of plastic, beer costing 'town prices', & some of the brewers had packed up and left hours before the end, left me feeling like I'd been ripped off.”

Mark Christie said: “Exceptionally well presented as an international beer festival but in actual fact one of the worst events for beer that I have ever been to. International is a joke, my ticket got me to the "special beers" and all the beers were from UK."

Speaking to the M.E.N,