CAMRA Axes Great British Beer Festival as Financial Pressures Mount
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has taken the drastic step of cancelling its flagship Great British Beer Festival for 2025, marking the first time in nearly five decades that the event will not take place.
The real ale advocacy group, which boasts 145,000 members nationwide, announced the shock decision alongside plans for a comprehensive financial restructuring programme designed to address what officials describe as serious budget shortfalls.
CAMRA Chair Ash Corbett-Collins confirmed that both the summer Great British Beer Festival and its winter counterpart have been scrapped as the organisation grapples with mounting operational costs and declining visitor numbers.
The cancellation follows disappointing attendance figures at this year’s festivals, which failed to generate sufficient revenue to offset rising venue hire costs, volunteer accommodation expenses, and general operational overheads. The resulting “substantial loss” has forced CAMRA’s leadership to reassess the viability of its largest public-facing events.
“We are conducting a thorough analysis of why these events generated losses and extracting key learnings for future planning,” Corbett-Collins explained. “A comprehensive evaluation of all CAMRA festivals is now underway to mitigate further financial risks.”
The decision represents a significant shift for an organisation that has championed traditional brewing methods and beer culture since the 1970s. The Great British Beer Festival, which debuted in 1977, has traditionally served as both a showcase for independent brewers and a major revenue generator for the campaign group.
“Our future operations will necessarily be more streamlined,” Corbett-Collins acknowledged. “While regrettable, we must discontinue peripheral activities and concentrate resources on our fundamental mission.”
The organisation faces dual pressures from stagnant membership growth and escalating costs across its operations. Industry observers suggest these challenges reflect broader issues facing traditional trade associations as consumer habits evolve and operational expenses continue rising.