Last Piece Of The Jigsaw
I'll say this until I'm blue in the face.
“The Independent Salford Beer Festival isn't flash. It isn't fancy. It isn't ‘hype’.” It's a Grassroots beer event, stripped back. Just simple, relaxed, easy going, friendly.
It's what - and who - we are.
Keeping it simple removes complications. And we don't do complicated.
Keeping it simple means that people who've been before know exactly what to expect next time. And - generally speaking - once someone has been to ISBF, they come back.
That also rings very true for sponsors.
A few weeks ago, I had A Facebook “memory”. That thing you get from exactly a year before.
This particular “memory” was encouraging people to sponsor a beer.
What struck me was that whilst in August ‘23 we still had sponsorship opportunities, at the time the “memory” popped up, ALL of the sponsorship opportunities for 2024 - except one - had been taken over 2 months before.
They'd all gone in June.
And when that happened, I was astonished. It showed the love that there is for this event and what it is here for. Yes, to bring you 80+ beers that you've never had before. But the main reason, the reason that this event continues, is to support a cause.
And START Inspiring Minds is one of the finest.
Like I said above, ALL of the sponsorship opportunities had gone back in June.
Except one.
Glassware Sponsorship.
Since 2015, we've had a Glassware Sponsor every single year. Just one sponsor per year. (Like I said earlier, I like to keep things simple - no multiple labels on our Glassware!)
The sponsors have always been small independent bars or Micro Pubs.
This year however was different. Lots of interest from bars, lots of enquiries, but nothing was firmed up. Each enquiring bar would have been a perfect fit, but hospitality isn't in the place it was. For what we were offering, the money wasn't there.
And I was OK with not having a sponsor. Took me back to Year 1. We didn't have one then either, didn't think anyone would want to. So didn't ask.
But one evening, 2 or 3 beers deep on a Zoom call, I remembered an email exchange from a couple of years ago. So thought “**** it. What have I got to lose?
So I sent an email, with the subject title - literally - starting “Worth A Shot”.
And I received a broadly positive initial response. THAT started a conversation.
And then there was another interest that came in, following a conversation from a month previously……
And then, one evening a couple of weeks ago, I received two messages in the space of 3 minutes. (I kid you not!)
The first was really interested, but couldn't do this year, they didn't need the Glassware ATM, but next year, they'd be very interested….
The second came in with a positive.
YES!!!!! (You couldn't even START to believe what that meant!)
BOTH companies mean so much to me (Jim) personally. The fact that both were interested at all was incredibly humbling.
But yes. The final piece of the sponsorship jigsaw.
We have a Glassware Sponsor ❤️
The Pub/Bar in question is owned by a Yorkshire Pub company that has 6 pubs/bars.
One of which isn't in Yorkshire….
I've been in awe of some of these pubs since the 90s. Beautiful interiors and great beer do that to me.
But there was one in particular that grabbed me.
The one that's not in Yorkshire (because it's closer)
I first went with some colleagues in the mid 90s. I have clear memories of sitting outside, looking across the valley towards the Pennines, drinking some exceptionally well kept beer that was exotic - because it was from an independent brewery (Free Houses were fairly rare in those days) - and just thinking that I wished I had somewhere like this closer to home.
In later years, because I worked near a public transport hub, when I fancied somewhere to get an exceptional pint, that wasn't in Manchester, I’d jump the train and head over….
It helps that it regularly stocks some of my favourite cask breweries. Mallinsons, Redwillow and it's the easiest pub to get to to drink North Riding.
Always a tug on my heartstrings…. Have you guessed yet?
I popped over yesterday. To get some pictures, drop some posters etc. And the place never changes.
Exceptional beer. Tick.
Friendly service. Tick.
Busy. Tick.
Multi-Roomed. Tick.
Friendly - got chatting to the couple next to me - Tick.
If you live in either Lancashire or Yorkshire (arguably even Cheshire), love beer and have travelled between the two by train, chances are…..
Have you guessed yet?
Joining the ranks of some of the best bars in The North (which means - of course - THE WORLD! 😉)
Heaton Hops
The Brink
Torrside Tap
The Northern Type
House of Hops
Petersgate Tap
The Nook & Cranny
Tom's Tap & Brewhouse
The Old School Taphouse
We've got….
Yup, it's……
..... and I couldn't be more thrilled….
I simply adore the place. And the fit with ISBF.
Classic. Independent. Huge supporters of Micro Breweries.
They'll do for us.
Thank you to Barry, the team at Beerhouses and the team at the mighty Stalyvegas Buffet Bar!
Well. That's the sponsorship jigsaw complete.
Next up, let's talk about Collaboration Brewdays!
But that's for the next post……
Come join us, grab your tickets here - while you still can!
Back soon.
Be kind to one another.
Jim. X