A BEER and music festival will be held at Butterknowle Village Hall next month in an attempt to raise funds to keep it open.

The event, the second of its kind following a pilot last year, has been organised by the Butterknowle Village Hall management committee.

Klara Whiley, the committee’s secretary, said the three-day Mid Summer Beer and Music festival, is in aid of the building which costs about 16,000 a year to run but has not received any grants from Durham County Council for the first time this year.

Musicians set to perform on the Friday night, from 6pm, include Easy Life, Button Hole Jam and Robson Field while on Saturday Frank Williams, Phil Cox and The Heavily Brothers will be appearing from 4pm.

Sunday will also see Alan Hall, the Counterfeit Cowboy and Old Age Travellers take to the stage from 4pm.

“All the musicians are giving their time for free and we have managed to get some sponsorship from local businesses and friends and family,” Mrs Whiley said.

“This is the first year that Durham County Council are not giving us any grants or funding but it’s such a vibrant village hall and it is used by a lot of people but it costs between £13,000 and £16,000 just to keep it ticking over so obviously we have to make sure we get that each year.”

The festival is due to be held from June 19 to 21 and all are welcome.

Tickets cost £2 and there will also be a wide selection of beers, ciders and snacks to choose from.

For more information search for ‘Butterknowle Village Hall’ on Facebook.