Continuing work at Skipton Town Hall has meant a change of venue – and date – for Skipton Beer Festival.

The annual celebration, which usually attracts more than 2,000 people, will take place at the town’s Rendezvous Hotel from Thursday May 29 to Saturday May 31.

T-shirts and glasses had already been printed when organisers heard from Craven District Council that the number of people allowed in the main hall had been drastically reduced due to a structural problem with a fire door.

Initially Keighley and Craven branch of the Campaign for Real Ale thought the festival would have to be cancelled.

But having explored alternative venues the committee has decided to go ahead with it at the Rendezvous, which has plenty of space for customers and a bus stop outside.

Hotel owner Malcolm Weaving said the festival was an important event for the town and the hotel was glad to be able to offer its facilities to CAMRA.

The new venue is also convenient for the festival’s main sponsor, Copper Dragon brewery, which is based just over the road at Snaygill Industrial Estate.

Andy Moore, the festival’s organiser, said it was now full steam ahead with planning the festival to make up for lost time.

He said: “The festival will be run on similar lines to when it was at the town hall, apart from the fact there is much more space.

“That allows us to offer more seating, which is what our customers have been asking for, and the additional parking space will mean coach parties can be catered for.”

The festival will offer more than 80 British real ales, mild beers, real ciders, perries, British wines and foreign bottled beers and Rendezvous will be serving food.

This year’s logo incorporates a “pirate sheep” so, following this theme, there will be spot prizes for the best pirate fancy dress on the Saturday.

More information is available at skiptonbeerfestival.org.uk