Pub in the Park - the tantalising food and drink festival headed up by two Michelin-starred chef, TV presenter and Britain’s best-known publican Tom Kerridge – has announced Greene King as the official brewery partner for the 2018 festivals.
As the largest cask ale brewer in the UK, Greene King’s beers - such as Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale - are some of the nation’s favourites. From its historic brewery in Bury St Edmunds, Greene King is at the forefront of beer innovation creating new and interesting beers; from craft beers to its recently launched Heritage range, which uses rare malts and a recipe from the archives to recreate a typical 1880s Suffolk ale.
Greene King has 1,800 managed pubs, restaurants and hotels and 1,150 tenanted and leased pubs within its portfolio, including Tom’s pub The Hand and Flowers. Located in the beautiful Georgian town of Marlow, it is the only pub in the UK with two Michelin-stars.
In November last year, Greene King also worked with Tom to open its first Joint Venture pub, The Butcher’s Tap, creating a hybrid pub and butcher combination in Marlow alongside master butcher Andy Cook. The innovative new programme for its Pub Partners division sees the pub company and brewer team up with the best entrepreneurs and innovators who have the courage to be bold and try something new.
Clive Chesser managing director, Greene King Brewing & Brands, said, “The success of our partnership with Tom Kerridge over many years has been largely due to our shared love of the great British pub, and of course the exceptional quality and customer service that his businesses offer.
'We are thrilled to join forces as the official brewery partner of the 2018 festivals and will be showcasing our best known beers alongside a specially created festival ale, exclusively for Pub in the Park.”
Tom Kerridge added, “I’ve successfully worked with Greene King for many years, so I’m delighted to announce them as the official brewery partner for Pub in the Park 2018. Together we plan to celebrate some of the best food, drink and music the UK has to offer in a fantastic festival setting.”
After the inaugural Pub in the Park festival in Marlow in 2017 sold out all 18,000 tickets in 24 hours, three new sites have been announced for this year. With a stellar line up of chefs, pubs and chart-topping music – including the likes of Razorlight, KT Tunstall, Scouting for Girls and Melanie C – Pub in the Park will now also be coming to Bath, Tunbridge Wells, and Knutsford.
Tom and his fellow chef mates will be visiting the four English towns across the country, bringing his Michelin-starred pubs - plus a selection of other top UK pubs and restaurants - to serve their most popular dishes.
Every event will celebrate the very best food the country has to offer, combined with great live music, chef demonstrations, top quality shopping and other festival fun. On top of the national chef and music names, each event will celebrate the local community in the form of brilliant local artisans, pubs, local foodie heroes and musicians.
At every event, Greene King will be serving a range of their most popular beers, including Abbot Ale, Greene King IPA, East Coast IPA and a limited edition Pub in the Park ale, just for festival goers.
Pub in the Park will be taking place on the following dates at the following venues: Marlow, Higginson Park 17-20 May; Bath, Royal Victoria Park 8-10 June; Tunbridge Wells, Dunorlan Park 6-8 July, and Knutsford, 7-9 September.