The Great British Beer Festival won’t return to London
The annual beerfest, which has been held in London for the past 33 years, will not return for the foreseeable future as it’s moving to Birmingham.
Organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), their first large scale beer festival was held in 1975, in Covent Garden. Based on the success of that, the first official Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) took place a couple of years later, in Alexandra Palace, and has been an (almost) annual event ever since.
Not always in London though, as it’s been in Leeds, Birmingham and Brighton, but mainly in London — and mainly in Earl’s Court or Kensington Olympia. The festival was cancelled in 2020-21 due to the pandemic and was cancelled again this year due to lack of space at Kensington Olympia.
The next GBBF will therefore be held in Birmingham, and the National Exhibition Centre – back where was held in 1983.
The NEC Birmingham will be home to the GBBF from 5th to 9th August 2025, and tickets are already on sale here so you have plenty of time to plan hotels and the like if neccessary.
The NEC is a short walk from Birmingham International railway station. When it eventually opens, it will also be a short shuttle ride from HS2’s Interchange Station.
GBBF Timeline
| Year | Location |
|---|---|
| 1977 to 1980 | Alexandra Palace, London |
| 1981 to 1982 | Queens Hall, Leeds |
| 1983 | Bingley Hall, Birmingham |
| 1984 | No show held |
| 1985 to 1987 | Metropole, Brighton |
| 1988 to 1989 | Queens Hall, Leeds |
| 1990 | Metropole, Brighton |
| 1991 | Docklands Arena, London |
| 1992 to 2005 | Olympia, London |
| 2006 to 2011 | Earls Court, London |
| 2012 to 2023 | Olympia, London |
| 2024 | No show held |
| 2025 | NEC Birmingham |
Hmmm. Bingley Hall was in the centre of Birmingham, on the footprint of the International Convention Centre and the NEC is not situated anywhere near. It is around 12 miles to the east, and actually in Solihull, not Birmingham (as is Birmingham International and Birmingham Airport).
Thanks, that’s been corrected.
One tiny correction – Bingley Hall was in central Birmingham, where the International Convention Centre now stands.
For even more confusion, there is a New Bingley Hall in Hockley, just outside central Birmingham, which is where The GBBF Winter Beer Festival was held on a number of occasions.
I see others have already stepped in to confirm where Bingley Hall was actually sited in central Birmingham. Probably a more hospitable location for a beer festival than the NEC.
My timeline:-
75 Covent Garden
77-80 AllyPally
81 Leeds
91 Docklands
12-19 Olympia
Leaving London just the once for GBBF!
Going in fits ‘n starts.
My – nearly 50 years.
Showing my age now!
Alexandra Palace would be amazing, why haven’t they ever gone back there? It’s bigger than Olympia – I guess transport and access for punters and brewers is the issue?
Camra was trying to the hard sell on the move time will tell if the punters are happy with the decision if not they will not go to it we will see