THIS year’s Worcester Beer Festival was on the brink of being cancelled before an emergency organiser stepped in, he has claimed.

Fred Carter, from Bromsgrove, is unwilling to head it again next year as he believes it needs someone from the city, so the festival’s future is in doubt.

An emergency meeting was held in February “with one item on the agenda – should the 2018 festival go ahead?” said Mr Carter.

The 54-year-old is a member of Bromsgrove and Redditch CAMRA and initially attended the meeting as a spectator, but by the end had nominated himself as head organiser.

Previous festival boss Steve Chase stood down following the 2017 event, instead taking on the role of site manager, with numerous committee members also leaving.

Several issues had led to a “lack of interest” in the festival behind the scenes, according to Mr Carter – including a date clash with CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival, taking place over the same weekend in London.

He said many committee members traditionally also attend that festival, but that was the only date Worcester Racecourse had available.

Mr Carter said there were also delays in getting the budget approved by CAMRA, partly down to the fallout from having so many committee members leave from last year.

Around 19 members were in attendance at the emergency meeting, and with no one putting their name forward as organiser, Mr Carter stepped in.

“Rather than see the festival fail, I volunteered my services for 2018 only and those of my wife – who was not in attendance,” said Mr Carter, with wife Tracy becoming cider manager.

The decision to go ahead with this year's festival was then passed by one vote.

“I didn’t mind stepping in for one year, but my thinking is it should be someone from Worcester who carries it on in the future,” said Mr Carter, from Bromsgrove.

Around 7,500 tickets were sold for the 2018 festival, but Mr Carter said it will be unclear how much money was taken until the end of September, while various invoices are dealt with.

The housebuilder, who was working 60-hour weeks as well as organising the event, was full of praise for his committee and the legion of volunteers who supported him.

Visit worcesterbeerfest.org.uk if you would like to get involved with 2019's festival.