Trout 'n' About – a festival of local food, produce and
crafts
Released on Monday 11 August 2008
Stockbridge's first ever food festival was a great success on
Saturday 2 August.
Despite a damp start the sun soon came out and hundreds of
visitors enjoyed a variety of expert cookery demonstrations, music
and entertainment and food and drink from Test Valley
producers.
Among these were Broughton Water Buffalo, Greenfield Pork and
the Test Valley Smokery.
The Stockbridge Food Fayre is the town’s first food festival. It
was organised by Liz Bourne, the Stockbridge Town Manager. The
event followed on from the very popular Christmas Market, held in
the High Street.
Next Spring will see the launch of a Stockbridge Food Trail.
All of these initiatives have been made possible through the
SEEDA grant won by Stockbridge last year.
The festival also
played host to the presentations for the Hampshire Hospitality
Awards. Organised by Test Valley Borough Council and Tourism
South East, the Awards were established to ensure the quality of
restaurants, tea rooms, pubs and cafes throughout Hampshire. Their
aim is to reassure customers, both local residents and visitors,
that they can expect to enjoy a quality dining–out experience. Each
establishment that enters receives a visit by a mystery customer
who rates the overall eating experience.
Twelve businesses in Test Valley took part with 10
achieving a full quality award:
- The Quality Hotel, Andover - Quality Assured Award
- The Star at Tytherley - QAA
- Naz's Cuisine, Romsey - QAA
- Esseborne Manor - QAA
- White Horse Inn, Thruxton - QAA
- Chilworth Manor - QAA
- Pink Olive, Andover - QAA
- Suan Thai, Romsey - QAA
- Ewe and I, Weyhill - QAA and Local Produce Award
- The Clos Du Marquis, Leckford - Superior QAA
- White Horse Silks, Hotel, Romsey - Superior QAA.