An experienced quiz master/mistress is needed to conduct the grand final of a pub quiz at this year's City of Ale event, which is set to further consolidate Norwich as the UK's ale capital.

Each pub signed up to the event will be fielding a team to compete in the final to be held at St Gregory's Church on Tuesday, June 5.

The latest City of Ale meeting, held at the Whalebone in Magdalen Road on Thursday, also heard that 36 pubs including nine new ones had signed up for the event, five more than last year, and 18 breweries had pledged 24 firkins of ale.

Dawn Leeder, co-chairman of Norwich City of Ale, said: 'We are very pleased that so many pubs have signed up for the event, and we are expecting a few more. Only 31 pubs signed up for last year's event, which was the first.

'We are now looking for an experienced quizmaster to host the pub quiz, which is one of the events being held at St Gregory's. Each pub will field a team with between four and six people.'

The meeting was also told that Attleborough's Wolf Brewery was sponsoring the comedy evening at St Gregory's. Several local breweries have also expressed interest in sponsorship and there was a discussion about contacting other potential sponsors including Anglian Water, transport organisations, retail outlets, etc. All City of Ale group members were also encouraged to seek sponsorship opportunities.

Last month The Evening News revealed that beer writers from across the country who had visited Norwich ahead of the event had praised the city and the plans.

Six beer writers visited Norwich at the end of January for a weekend of events aimed at giving Norwich's pub heritage and this year's event the platform of national publicity.

The event prompted early praise for this year's festival, which takes place from May 31 to June 10, to a national audience.

The next Norwich City of Ale meeting takes place on Thursday, March 22, at 10am, The Angel Gardens, 96 Angel Road, NR3 3HT.

The festival fits in with the Evening News's Love Your Local campaign which aims to get people to support their local pubs. For more stories visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal.

Have you got a story? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.

Quizmasters/mistresses should contact Dawn Hopkins of Norwich Bear Brewery, which is sponsoring the quiz, at norwichbear@hotmail.co.uk.