Some shopkeepers complained that their turnover on the day plummeted as their regular clientele shunned the festival; some tourists complained that they had travelled to the quaint little town, only to be confronted with a barricaded street, and the shops and restaurants off limits unless entry into the festival had been paid; and some locals also complained that some festival-goers, many seemingly from out of town, were alcohol-fuelled and anti-social.

While many other shopkeepers, tourists and locals hailed Bitter and Twisted as a huge success, the staging of the festival in Morpeth degenerated into a he said-she said slanging match involving Maitland City Council. It was a sad ending; especially given that Morpeth had already lost its once-popular jazz festival.

The bottom line was that the plug was pulled on Morpeth as home of the festival and a new venue was found. And what a terrific venue it is.

This weekend's second Bitter and Twisted Beer Festival will be held at Maitland Gaol and with 5000 people expected it should be an outstanding success.

Maitland Gaol is going from strength to strength both as a tourist destination and as an events venue; the boutique winemakers' dinner that was held there recently is just one example of what good use the old prison has been put to since its closure.

This is truly Maitland's chance to shine. There will be a lot of out-of-towners here for the event, bringing with them money that will be spent on accommodation, food and other items around our city. Given the troubled economic climate this is good news.

It is hoped that the festival goes smoothly; that people drink responsibly and that the near-by residential areas are kept free of any anti-social behaviour. If, on the other hand, it goes awry for whatever reason, this second beer festival could very well be the last.

The Hunter has a long reputation for producing some of the best wines in the country but with beer shaping up to be the new chardonnay, here's cheers to a successful festival. And if beer isn't your cup of tea then you can always pop on down to Morpeth – it's still a terrific little place.