Why are you charging for beer when the brewers give it to you?

All the beer has to be bought by us. We not only have to pay for the beer but also we don't get the discounts large regular customers can obtain -- however, we also aim to keep our prices very competitive.
 

Why do you charge for admission, pubs don't?

Sadly, we have very high overheads -- paying for the hire of the hall, cask storage, transport, equipment, entertainment, etc. All these costs have to be recovered in one week, unlike a pub which is open all year. Without charging for admission we would be unable to run the festival. All admission prices have been held as low as possible. However, if you are coming for a number of sessions, why not join CAMRA and get free admission to all sessions?
 

Why do you use beer cards instead of real money on the beer and cider bars?

Beer cards make it much quicker to serve you at the bar, avoiding the problems of working out and giving change.
 

Why are there sometimes so few people serving on the bars?

All the staff working behind the bars are volunteers. Some have taken the whole week off to work at the festival, but others can only spare a few hours. As a result the number of staff available can vary quite a lot.
 

Do I have to be a CAMRA member to work at the festival?

No, you don't have to be a CAMRA member to work at Norwich Beer Festival. Many CAMRA beer festivals only allow members to work there, but Norwich welcomes non-members.
 

Updated May 28, 2023
© Norwich & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
URL: http://www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/festfaq.htm