CARLISLE basked in sunshine for part of the holiday weekend as the city's annual spring fair turned the city centre into a shop-front for dozens of local traders and some local groups. 

Shoppers were given the chance to sample home grown produce or just soak up the atmosphere and free entertainment. 

Among the stalls on offer was one offering the alcoholic delights created by the Cummersdale based Carlisle Brewing Company, which over the last three years has created a range of ten beers. 

“A lot of businesses were affected by the floods so the Council puts events like this on to declare to tell everybody we're still here and still open,” said Alison Davis, who with her husband Alain runs both the brewery and the neighbouring Spinners Arms pub in Cummersdale, near Carlisle. 

“It's great to be able to have a presence in Carlisle city centre on a bank holiday weekend. 

“We've been going three years now and just expanded with a unit in Kingstown. We started brewing there last October. Today has gone really well.” 

The tempting beers on offer included Spun Gold, Flaxen, and Carlisle Best Bitter.

A dozen feet away from Alison's stall was one devoted to the area's historic State Management Scheme, in which north Cumbria's pubs were nationalised in a bid to curb drunken behaviour. 

The unique project lasted until 1973. 

The staff, displaying some of that fascinating history, is part of an effort to revive interest in the scheme, which hopefully one day will see the opening of a State Management Scheme Museum. 

More pictures in today's News & Star