Shifnal’s pubs celebrated with Ale Trail
Shifnal's pubs were celebrated earlier this month with the Shifnal Ale Trail taking place on September 6th and 7th.
The trail had 8 stop-offs in different Shifnal venues where ticket holders toasted beers from the region in a bespoke ale trail glass tankard.
Those taking part voted Jaspers Arms as their favourite pub on the trail. Kings Yard Micropub came second, and The Anvil was in third place.
Norrie Porter from Shrewsbury & West Shropshire CAMRA was one of the expert judges.
He said, “Shifnal is lucky to have such great pubs and deserves to be a destination for ale drinkers from near and far.” The judges crowned The Anvil the winning pub who served Salopian Brewery’s Lemon Dream.
“For the discerning pub-goer, The Anvil Inn is the full package. Well-kept beer (and real cider) served by knowledgeable and friendly staff, welcoming locals, proper bar snacks and traditional pub games.”
Beth Heath, Shropshire Festivals’ Director of Fun, said, “Thank you to all the pubs who were involved in Shifnal Ale Trail at the weekend - it was great to see people flooding into the town to enjoy local beers and fill the venues.”
Boosting footfall in the town
The festival was hosted by Shropshire Festivals who so far this year, has delivered three different events for Shifnal to boost footfall in the town. Shifnal Town Council and Love Shifnal enlisted the event company’s services to help champion local businesses, create community cohesion, and attract visitors.
On May 6th, Shropshire Festivals hosted Shifnal May Day. The free family-friendly celebration had a traditional feel with dancing around the maypole, stalls, live music, circus skills, and the involvement of local organisations.
Throughout the summer holidays, families explored the town while completing the Shifnal Discovery Trail. The main event was on July 20th with actors bringing the history to life. Participants were tasked with solving a case centred around the true story of Victorian Britain’s largest banking fraud in Shifnal.
Beth said, “Delivering events for Shifnal Town Council and Love Shifnal this year has been a pleasure. They've trusted us to come up with the ideas to hit multiple demographics and have been brave enough to invest in events which will boost visitors to the town centre. Thank you to all the businesses, performers, and visitors who have made these events such a success.”
"We're delighted with the success of the events in Shifnal this year,” adds Sally Themans from Love Shifnal. “Love Shifnal is here to put the town on the map and involve the town's businesses and local community, and these events have certainly achieved that.”
The final event of 2024 will be Shifnal’s Christmas Lights Switch On taking place on Saturday, November 23rd. From 1pm there will be live music, stalls, street food and a bar on Cheapside, plus visits from Father Christmas. The light switch on will be at 6.45pm.
Email Fun@ShropshireFestivals.co.uk if you’re an exhibitor, community group or charity who is interested in getting involved.
