NEWS RELEASES
2,000 visitors make Big Nibble a monster munch!
15th September 2004
A HUNGRY horde of around 2,000 people munched their way through ‘The Big Nibble’ event in Horsham on Saturday (11 September), leaving a trail of satisfied exhibitors and just a few crumbs in their wake.
And a queue of over 100 people waited for the 10 o’clock start to this, the now annual launch event of the Horsham District Food & Drink Festival.
Organiser Chris Baister, from Horsham District Council, said the response to the local produce bonanza had been overwhelming and had more than achieved its aim of highlighting the three weeks of Festival activities, running until 3 October.
“Most importantly, it made people aware of what’s produced in the Horsham District – they just didn’t realise what we had!“ she said.
Stand holders at Horsham’s Drill Hall did a storming trade as visitors demolished piles of cakes, gallons of ice cream, and crates of local ale from Hepworth, Kings and Weltons - the town’s three breweries.
There was standing room only in the cheese tastings and sausage making displays, while leading beer writer Roger Protz and the BBC’s wine expert John Radford led entertaining sessions on how to choose the perfect local tipple.
Slinfold based Sugar Cakes, a traditional hand-made cake company which started trading in January, not only sold out of its fresh additive free confections made with local eggs and fruit, but also picked up armfuls of orders.
“It was just brilliant,” said founder Ruth Martin. “Seeing people taste your products and being delighted with them is a big thing for us. We made a lot of contacts, which is so important for a new business such as ours.“
Mother of two, Emma Treasure from Dial Post, who only recently launched her organic convenience baby food company Easy Freezy, was equally delighted.
“I had lots of interest, particularly from grannies – I think they were pleased to find something easy for when the grandchildren came to stay, but lots of them were also going to pass information on to their daughters. I think Horsham District Council has done a fantastic job with the Festival.“
First to get back from the Real Ale Trail around the town centre’s watering holes were father and son John and Bob Leiper from Horsham who laid claim to the prize winning crate of Hepworth & Co beers, while children and parents from St Andrew’s Primary School, Steyning, Tandridge House in Horsham and Southwater Junior School, lined up to receive their awards in the Healthy Picnic Competition run in conjunction with the South of England Agricultural Society.
The Best Banger challenge, which sees nine sausages go head to head to win shoppers’ votes in outlets across the District, got off to a sizzling start with visitors invited to see and taste every contender before making their choice.
Cllr Roger Paterson, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and IT at Horsham District Council, who conceived the idea of the Festival two years ago, said, “The Big Nibble’ had surpassed all expectations and demonstrated that shoppers were hungry for knowledge about local produce.
“If The Big Nibble is anything to go by, the 70 producers taking part in the Festival over the next three weeks will be kept extremely busy!”
For further details of offers and events during the Food and Drink Festival – there are still plenty of tastings and events until 3 October - look online or call (01403) 215542 for a free programme.
Ends
Note to editors:
Correction notice
Horsham District Council would like to apologise to Sally Cave of Costrong Fruit Farm and Nursery, Plaistow Road, Kirdford, for the error in her business entry in the Horsham District Food & Drink Festival programme 2004. The entry should have read: "with spray free salads and soft fruit grown under glass." The Council is very sorry for any embarrassment caused.
CONTACT: Richard Morris, Communications Manager
(01403) 215549