ORGANISERS of a major real ale and cider festival and West Somerset Railway are blaming each other that the festival, traditionally held on the platform at Minehead Railway Station for the past 16 years, will now stop.

Negotiations between organisers Somerset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and West Somerset Railway (WSR) broke down over the 2016 September festival. Previous festivals saw around 3000 visitors converging on the platform.

Now Somerset CAMRA says it has been taken aback at the suggestion safety issues were the reason WSR has decided to stop the event being held there in future.

But WSR says CAMRA caused the cancellation due to its “total lack of flexibility” and insistence that the festival should be held on the platform.

“The event has run for 16 years without incident because it is well managed,” said Barrie Childs of Somerset CAMRA, who is also a West Somerset Railway shareholder.

“Concern over numbers attending is a red herring. In recent years attendance has not increased and if numbers really were an issue, we could have restricted them.

“Entry only by advance ticket works well enough at other festivals and this wasn’t suggested because the issue wasn’t raised. In reality the only issue WSR did raise with us was concern over falling revenue,” he said.

Somerset CAMRA had proposed a solution that WSR operate ticket barriers during the event and charge those not travelling a £5 entry fee.

Mr Childs said: “We are confident this would have generated between six and seven thousand pounds additional revenue for the Railway. There are very few CAMRA festivals that are free to enter; attendees normally expect to pay an entrance fee, but unfortunately WSR declined this suggestion.”

WSR’s suggestion that CAMRA hold the festival in a marquee outside the station was “utterly impractical logistically” and would most certainly not have the same attraction, he said.

A plea from Somerset CAMRA that a final festival be allowed to go ahead as planned for September 10, 2016, as it had already been agreed and advertised, was turned down.

“WSR plc had already agreed with Somerset CAMRA to stage a festival on these dates, which has already been advertised to our customers and their passengers and upwards of 100 regular attendees have already booked their Minehead hotel rooms as a result.

“Unfortunately this request was turned down so we can only apologise to the many folk who may lose their accommodation deposits.

“WSR plc have recently released a three-year business plan. It is full of fine words about their relationship with stakeholders and the need to increase revenue. As always, actions speak louder than words.

“As a West Somerset Railway shareholder and the original proposer of this event I am very disappointed. The festival was successful from outset and Somerset CAMRA had wished to continue with it indefinitely.

“Bottom line is the plc had decided they didn’t want us anymore. It’s a shame because it brought so many people to the West Somerset Railway who would never have otherwise considered it.”

However, WSR said in a statement this week that the CAMRA festival in September had always been considered a valuable addition to the visitor experience.

Richard Lillis, WSR marketing and communications director, said: “Contrary to the statement by CAMRA that the WSR cancelled the festival, it was in fact CAMRA that caused the cancellation due to their total lack of flexibility, stating quite clearly that if is not on the platform they are not interested.

“The WSR have offered a perfectly feasible alternative, by using an area on the station, adjacent to the platform with an additional secure area next to the station building and linked to the festival for non-alcohol related facilities – i.e a food court. This area will increase the footprint of the festival, benefiting the visitors.

“During the period of the festival weekend, the railway will be running a scheduled service. Therefore, we have to consider our passengers, their safety and enjoyment.

“Over the years, passenger and festival visitor numbers have grown considerably and are now at a level where the WSR believe that the CAMRA festival has outgrown the existing site.”

He said that, having been made aware of WSR concerns regarding potential overcrowding on the platform and with full knowledge of the increases in passengers and festival visitors, it was disturbing Somerset CAMRA’s only comment was that there had not been an incident over the last 16 years of the festival.

“The WSR believe that we have offered a perfectly viable alternative which will offer both visitor safety and will not detract from the overall enjoyment of the event,” he said.