'It's the last brew they'll ever do for us, which is sad' - Banks's Brewery's farewell at beer festival before it closes Wolverhampton brewery for good
Banks's Brewery is to provide its final beer to a Wolverhampton festival ahead of its departure from the city.
Wolverhampton CAMRA Summer Festival of Beer & Cider has been running for 50 years - and has always featured beers from Banks's.
But this year will be the last as the company is closing its historic brewery in the centre of Wolverhampton.
It was announced in October last year that the Brewery on Bath Road would be closing in Autumn 2025, putting 97 jobs at risk and removing a recognisable part of Wolverhampton city centre in what would be the brewery's 150th year operating.
Festival organiser Charlotte Coxon said there was a lot of significance to having Banks's doing a final and, as of now, unnamed beer for the festival.
The event will be providing beer and cider lovers with three days of real ales, cider, perry and a range of entertainment and food at the Wolverhampton Arts Centre on Newhampton Road.
She said: "We're excited to be able to hold the 48th edition of the festival as a lot of other festivals have stopped happening due to pub's doing their own festival, whereas the Wolverhampton festival keeps going and is one of the longest running in the country.
"One of the most notable things for us is that Banks's are doing us a brew, but it will be the very last time they do a brew for us and while I haven't been told what the name is, I've been told that it's going to reflect the fact that Banks's is going to be 150-years-old this year."
Ms Coxon said she was saddened to see the demise of Banks's Brewery, saying that it had always had a good relationship with the festival.
She said: "We've always had a very good relationship with Banks's and, years ago, we had what were called brewery liaison officers, who would link with and send someone from that brewery, such as Bob Jones, who was linked to Banks's for years.
"Banks's also sponsored our festival for quite a few years and we had t-shirts done from them, so we always had that close relationship.
"It's just a great shame to see them go, it really is."
The event, which runs from July 24 to 26, will be the 48th edition of the festival and will feature beers, ales and stouts from across the region and further afield, all served by members of the Wolverhampton CAMRA branch, as well as a wide selection of bands and artists in the outside marquee.
It is an event which started 50 years ago and which has been a popular part of the real ale calendar in the city and, in 2025, there will be a symbolism to the festival as it will feature a beer brewed by Banks's Brewery for the final time.
