A POPULAR Bolton brewery is set to host its first beer festival in July.

‘Monkey in the Woods’ by Northern Monkey, which runs a bar in Nelson Square, Bolton, is to take place on July 3 as part of Bolton’s Beer and Cider week.

The festival is to be hosted at Barrow Bridge car park, off Barrow Bridge Road, with half the tickets already sold for the event.

A range of locally brewed beers, ciders and Bolton gin will be sold at the event, with live music and food also on offer.

Thirty per cent of the proceeds from the event will be donated to The Woodlands Trust, Smithills Estate, to help them to continue preserving and maintaining the estate for years to come.

Ryan Bailey, co-owner with Liam Convey, said they are very excited to host their first beer and cider festival, and is especially happy to be raising funds for The Woodlands Trust.

He said: “We’ve been with Rivington Music Festival every year and been at some others but it’s great to host our own festival now. We’re local to Smithills so it’s great to be doing it at Barrow Bridge where the trust does some great work. I’ve got a fire service background too and remember the moorland fires so anything we can do to help them is great.

“It’ll be great to have the community out again, this will very much be local people supporting local businesses at this event, we are very much looking for sponsors to get involved too.”

“Selling half the tickets in one day was great and the support we’ve received so far is amazing. This event is some way of us giving back to The Woodland Trust who do so much for the area and to the local community who have supported us throughout the difficult Covid time. Lots more annoucements and collaborations are to come in the build-up. We can’t wait.”

The Cakery, based in Walker Fold, will also be serving up toasted paninis and local band Radio Edit is set to headline the music side.