Fox Friends raise £400 at CAMRA festival

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

A benevolent bar at the CAMRA Mayfest beer festival in Halifax pulled in another £400 to help create West Yorkshire's first co-operative pub.

The Fox Friends, who are bidding to buy the Fox and Goose real ale pub in Hebden Bridge ran a guest bar at the festival in Square Chapel. They sold four barrels of beer donated by the Rossendale Brewery in Haslingden, the Cuerden and Bridestones breweries in Blackshaw Head and Bridgehouse brewery, Oxenhope.

Festival-goers were keen to sample all the beers and got a rare chance to try the Margery's Tiddlywink in a venue outside Hebden Bridge, as it is brewed exclusively by Rossendale for the Fox and Goose.

Fox and Goose regulars were CAMRA's guests at the festival and some travelled to Halifax on a "beer bus beano" aboard a minibus provided by Chapel's Taxis of Hebden Bridge. All the proceeds will go towards the professional fees associated with buying the pub.

Fox Friends Chairman, Councillor Dave Young, said, "We'd like to thank CAMRA for inviting us to share in this excellent event. As well as raising money to help us save this unique traditional pub, it gave us chance to meet real ale lovers from all over the local area and to give them a taste of the sort of quality beers they can get at the Fox and Goose each week.

"After all the hard work preparing for the festival the Fox Friends had a great time helping to empty the barrels – as they say 'it's a tough job, but someone had to do it'."

The Fox Friends have another reason to celebrate. The project has been accepted by the Cooperative Enterprise Hub, a national programme of advice and support provided by The Co-operative Group – the UK's largest mutual retailer. This entitles the Friends to four days free specialist advice on organisational matters like setting up the Industrial and Provident Society and launching the community share issue.

The Mayfest proceeds take the Fox Friends funds to £2,266 and a prize draw will be made shortly to thank everyone for their personal donations.

But the Friends have just one logistical problem to worry about – what to do if the winning ticket belongs to a certain Mr L Butler who called in on Saturday lunchtime and put £20 into the campaign fund.

Barman Drew Magiera explained: "Mr Butler commented that he last came to the Fox and Goose over 30 years ago and it had not changed in all that time, then he made his donation. I said I did not have the receipt book to hand so would have to post his prize draw ticket out to him. He quipped that we were highly unlikely to get in touch with him, then he finished his beer and left."

"I was a bit baffled," said Drew, "so I looked at the address he had given me - and realised he lived in Bayswater, Western Australia. Of course we will send him his receipt as promised – but if he wins the draw, we might just have to invite him to call in and collect his prize!"