A BEER festival with a difference is set to be held at a Walthamstow pub as CLAIRE HACK found out.

The Nags Head, in Orford Road, Walthamstow Village, like any other pub, has its regulars.

But some of those regulars are different to the average pub-goer – as they have four legs, whiskers and a tail.

A number of cat-owners frequent the pub and their feline friends often follow them in, sparking the idea for a cat-themed beer festival.

Landlady Flossy Parsons, 52, said: “Some of the regulars live just round the corner, so their cats often follow them in and sit in their laps with them.

“We've become known as a cat-friendly pub.”

The festival is to take place later this month and will include a real ale brewed specially for the occasion called the Itinerant, as well as Black Cat and Old Ginger.

The Itinerant is named for a stray cat who often stops by the pub – aptly called Tetley.

Ms Parsons said: “He's a Norwegian forest cat and when he's not with us in the pub, he spends his time in Vestry House Museum, sitting on the antique chairs that say 'do not touch'.”

The festival will also include a notice board with the details of cats housed at a rescue centre in Kensal Green and a wall dedicated to cat-themed lino cuts and silk screen prints.

“They're by Carl Harris and Kirsten Schmidt – they're local artists,” Ms Parsons said.

Ms Parsons and her partner, Roger Carter, took in their own cat, Billie, a stray, two years ago, after their previous pet, Big Blackie, died.

She said: “We had a wake for him in the pub. We had a gospel singer in and some of our regulars were having a stag do and they were dressed as women so we had a drag parade as well.”

The festival runs from November 11 to 14.

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