Pack Horse Inn pub in Ellingham to reboot Pack Fest beer and music festival after five years

Pack Fest will be hosted at the Ellingham bar on July 22 and 23 and will be free.

The event will feature live performances from local musicians, activities for children, and a range of locally-brewed beers. It was last held in June 2018.

Pack Horse Inn co-manager Kirsten Sutherland said: "The last Pack Fest was so special because so many people got involved in the set up, the event itself, and the clean up.

“Most of the village popped along and we saw loads of faces we had never seen before. We even had a hen do.

“If this Pack Fest brings as many smiles to as many faces as it did in 2018, our mission is complete."

A number of local businesses have sponsored the event to help keep it free and to allow for the possibility that it could return next year.

Kirsten added: “I think it is good for a small community to have the opportunity to get together, and that is what the local pub used to be all about.

“People did not communicate every day on their smartphone or chat over the internet, people used to go to the pub.

“The village hall in Ellingham is doing a fantastic job of putting on regular community events and we want to put something on that is accessible for everyone in the village and beyond.

“There is not really a better reason other than 'because we can and because it will be an absolute blast.'”