This year’s Ludlow Food Festival was a resounding success – and was able to go ahead thanks in part to funding from Shropshire Council’s Wider Economic Recovery Fund, part of the council’s COVID-19 business support package of grants.
Ludlow Food Festival is the longest running food festival in the country and promotes independent food and drink companies in the Marches area.
The grant money the Festival received enabled the event to happen in 2021 after its postponement last year.
Hannah James, Events Manager at Ludlow Food Festival said: "We are dependent on income from the previous year to enable us to go ahead the following year. In 2019 only one event took place, and with nothing happening in 2020, this year’s Festival was looking doubtful."
"Events like this require substantial commitment early on, long before a single ticket is sold. After the uncertainties of the last couple of years we were unclear about what the public’s reaction to events would be. Having the grant put us in a great position and gave us the confidence to go ahead."
Each year the Festival – which last three days – regularly attracts visitors from all over the UK and has become a major event in the Shropshire calendar.
Hannah needn’t have been concerned; the event attracted plenty of visitors and the Saturday sold out.
Hannah added: "After two years it was wonderful to see people coming together once again to enjoy some of the best food and drink from the very best producers in the Marches region."
Ed Potter, Shropshire council’s Cabinet member for economic growth, regeneration and planning, added: "We are delighted that this funding has had such a positive effect for local businesses in the county."
"As a council we are committed to helping the recovery of Shropshire following this dreadful pandemic and these stories show one of the practical ways in which we have made this happen. Businesses from across the county have benefitted and we are delighted that we can share their real-life stories about the tremendous impact it has had."
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