Call to put city back on beer map

Organisers of the Birmingham Beer Festival are challenging entrepreneurs in the city to set up breweries as there are currently no local beers.

The Aston Students Guild in the Gosta Green area of Birmingham is staging the event which boasts nearly 100 real ales and ciders from around the world.

Since Ansell's, Davenports and M&B in Cape Hill closed, Birmingham has no locally brewed beers.

However, a Warwickshire brewer is in the Good Beer Guide after only a year.

The Purity Brewing company, based in old farm buildings at Great Alne in the south of the county, supplies local hostelries.

A spokesman said they are proof there was still a demand for quality brewed ales.

Mark Haslem, from The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in the West Midlands, said having a brewery in Birmingham would be a welcome addition to the city.

the Birmingham Beer Festival runs to 16 September from midday until 2300 BST.