The Floating Fish Beer & Music Festival 2010 @ The Marquis of Granby in Sompting

Beer, music, beer, dancers, beer, comedians, beer, alternative poets, beer, food and more beer is on the menu for the first Floating Fish Beer & Music Festival, which will be taking place at The Marquis of Granby in Sompting over the weekend of Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September 2010.

Acts confirmed so far, together with videos where available, are now listed on these pages:


There will be a large range of real ales and traditional ciders to sample together with a BBQ plus a fantastic line-up of entertainment both during the days and into the evenings provided by local bands and performing artists in association with the Floating Fish Cabaret.

The Marquis of Granby has recently undergone a complete refurbishment bringing a contemporary design whilst maintaining the atmosphere of a local village inn and are generously donating the use of their marquee and beer garden for the festival. We have two additional marquees to erect if the weather requires their use, so don’t fear!

There are plans for some children’s entertainment in the afternoons, which with the garden’s play equipment, will help to provide a real family atmosphere.

Mike Cottee, Doctor WatsOn Webmaster, Chamber Newsletter Editor and Lead of the Festival Group, explains, “I first suggested the idea because before moving back to Sussex I had become joint main sponsor of Somerset’s largest Beer Festival, which had been set-up by the P.T.A. committee of the North Newton village school to raise funds.

By the time I became involved, the Newt Beer Festival was raising over £25,000 a year and enjoying live music in a real family atmosphere helped along with some good beers just seemed like a fantastic way of raising funds.

We don’t expect to raise anything like that in our first year, but as the Newt started off from similar humble beginnings it does give us a target to aim at in future years, as we hope to make the festival an annual event.”

The Chamber would like to thank Tony Whiting from the 'Floating Fish Cabaret' and local band 'The Logical Hairs', who has arranged the booking of all the acts that will be performing from lunchtime to late into the evening on both days. From bands to dancers via alternative poets and comedians they are all generously donating their time for free, so thanks to each and everyone of them.

Mike continues, “I would also like to thank both Chamber member Keith Gallis and Chamber Vice-President Karen Simporis, who with Tony and myself form the Festival Group, for their continuing hard work in helping to put this event on. Final thanks goes to the Marquis of Granby for donating the use of the venue and the sponsors for their generous support – all we need now is a few more hands to pumps!”


The fund is being established to support small local community groups and charities that struggle to raise their own funds & this year is subject to a government grass-roots match funding scheme, which means for every pound raised - it is doubled by the government!

Read more about the Worthing & Adur Fund