Delme Arms in Fareham hosts beer and cider festival

The Delme Arms is once again staging its much-anticipated four-day festival – its the first since the Covid pandemic hit.

Two days into boozy bonanza and the Delme, in Cams Hill, Fareham, has had a great success after already welcoming more than 400 eager punters through the doors since Thursday.

Landlord, Neil Mathews has spent months preparing for the event and had to have all of the local bands booked up to a year in advance.

The pub, which was filled with people, was filled with 31 ales and 46 ciders, with the Pina Colada cider proving most popular and selling out on the first day.

Neil said: ‘It is great that the community have bought into it.

‘The brilliant thing is it is for the whole community. It is a local community event.’

Previous festivals at the pub have seen hundreds of punters flocking to the boozer to try out the selection of real ales and ciders and revel in live music.

The Delme is expecting to see more than 1,500 people turn up across the remainder of the weekend.

Today and tomorrow will see live performances from local bands, including Dan Turner, Supersonics and One Man Festival.

Neil said that this year’s festival had cost anywhere between £15,000 and £20,000 to organise, which included the cost of all the flavoured drinks specially bought in for the spectacle.

‘If it goes wrong we are in for a big hit,’ Neil added as he appealed for the public to come and join this weekend’s action.

The pub had a patriotic marquee set up to ensure that the event would happen come rain or shine, and that all of the regulars can enjoy their tipple of choice.

Bradley Whitaker, 51, is one of the Delme’s regulars and loves attending the festivals.

He added: ‘We have known Neil for a very long time.

‘He is a great man. We make sure we support him,

‘He has been stressing out for months about this.’

As the punters tucked into the selection of beverages, music from the popular One Man Festival, was maintaining the high spirits that filled the garden area – despite the looming threat of rain in the sky above.

Jock Watson, 51, a loyal supporter of the pub, said: ‘If you have a wander around there are people that only come to this pub once a year, and it is for this.

‘You get welcomed in and have a giggle it is just lovely.’

Steve King, 56, added: ‘It is a local pub and everyone knows everyone.’

Last night’s action was rounded off with a live music gig by some local talent.

Neil hopes the weekend’s showcase will be just as busy as the bank holiday’s.

The tickets are £5 per day, or £12 for all four days of the sought after event.

Neil added that, after the first day, they have sold a number of tickets for the remainder of the weekend which has left the pub landlord feeling hopeful.