Barrels will roll out for Lye ale festival despite cricket club fire

The club is still picking up the pieces after flames tore through the building during the early hours of Sunday.

But officials today said they would not allow the setback to disrupt events and announced the beer festival, due to start next Thursday, would still take place.

Measures to compensate for the loss of facilities ravaged by the fire have already been arranged.

Usually a single marquee is set up for the event to provide seating and a bar for visitors.

But this year a second tent will be used to accommodate extra seating and for spectators to watch cricket games taking place as part of the event.

The club has also arranged for temporary toilets to be installed for the duration of the three-day festival.

There were fears the event would have to be postponed but members of the club said they were determined it would go ahead.

Club secretary Jake Hanson, 22, of Pedmore, said: "Arrangements are already being made for the festival and we know what we are going to do.

"We are still dealing with the aftermath of the fire but we wanted to ensure this event would go ahead."

The beer festival will run until August 24 and is run jointly with Sadler's Ales.

A clean-up has already started at the club following the fire but officials have said it would be a 'long road' to get the club back up fully on its feet.

Debris from the gutted building has now been cleared away and officials have met with insurers over the last few days.

Building firms in the area have also been contacted to give quotes on the costs of rebuilding and repairing the heavily damaged pavilion.

Mr Hanson said: "It is a matter of picking up the pieces and trying to get everything back to normal as quickly as we can.

"We have made real progress but there is still a lot of work to be done."

An earlier pavilion had been destroyed by fire in August 2007.

It was rebuilt in 2010 after members successfully applied for grants and raised funds for the work.

The club have played cricket at the ground in Stourbridge Road since 1858 and are currently leading Division 3 of the Worcester Border League with just a couple of weeks left of the season.