Issue 504 – Organisers hail second Food & Drink Festival a success

The organisers of this year’s Melksham Food & Drink Festival have said it was a roaring success, with hundreds flocking to Melksham throughout the past week.

Chair of the festival committee, Pam Wiltshire said, “The week of the Festival went extremely well - events were well supported plus all nine of the local area primary schools were involved over two days with cookery events, which is part of the aim of the festival.
“We want the festival to provide both commercial and community benefits. On Sunday we had more people visiting than last year with some really good demonstrations, plus a range of diverse stands and the town crier’s competition adding to the day.
“There was a good atmosphere and we had a lot of visitors from out of Melksham which can only be good for the town. I would like to thank all the sponsors for their generosity, plus the committee for their hard work and the town hall team led by Maggie Giddings.”
Throughout the week there was plenty to keep taste buds tantalised, with events taking place in venues across the town.
A successful Food & Drink Festival Quiz was held at The Kings Arms courtesy of Brian and Andrea and organised by Bruce Sanders, president of Melksham Rotary in aid of the Rotary Polio Appeal. Ten teams took part in the quiz devised by Jill and Keith Gibbons. Rounds even included tasting and the quiz was hotly contested, with The Spanglers from Bromham winning. Jill and Keith are the organisers of the Melksham quiz which is obtainable in shops around the town at present and is raising money for Dorothy House.
Equally successful was the Safari Supper, which saw guests being transported between the Kings Arms, (Pimm’s & canapes), Shaw Country Hotel (starter), The Conigre Hotel (main course), Beechfield House (dessert). Linda Maslen, who attended the evening said, “It was a wonderful evening – the food was delicious and the hospitality and care taken by all the hotel and restaurant staff at all four venues was friendly and welcoming. We are looking forward very much to next time!”
This year’s festival was launched with a film premier night at the town hall, followed by a screening of the film ‘Julie & Julia’ with an appropriate food theme. Other events during the festival were cookery demonstrations (including one at Leekes by TV chef Martin Blunos), a family fun day, Sandridge Farm open day, wine tasting by Sainsbury’s, poetry fest and gluten-free evenings at the ArtHouse cafe, chocolate tasting at The Conigre and late night opening at Waitrose. There was also an inter-schools cooking event with the chefs, a Scouts’ cook-off, art exhibition and the festival’s own writer-in-residence, Dee La Vardera.
The week culminated in the Festival Food Fair on Sunday, which saw demonstrations from top chefs Martin Blunos and Peter Vaughan, as well as Jonathan Furby, owner and chef at The Linnet at Great Hinton.
The grounds of Melksham House were charged with food and drink stalls, with everything from local produce and traditional Thai cuisine, to strawberries from local greengrocer Lovejoys. The milk churn race and town criers’ competition were popular events in the Market Place. The second town criers’ competition to be held in Melksham, this year included international competitors.
Melksham Town Crier, Peter Dauncey said, “The winner was Jacquie Hall from Wareham, second place was David Fry from South Gloucestershire. and third was Roy Goodwin from Ilfracombe, Best dressed crier was Roy Goodwin and best dressed escort was Marjorie Brightwell from Cheltenham Spa. The best dressed couple was awarded to Anita and Willy Van de Putte form Gent in Belgium.
“The competion went well and all the visitors were happy. I would like to thank the people who helped and of course the sponsors and advertisers who made it all possible.”
Mayor of Melksham, cllr Rod Eaton said, “The essential character of Melksham came over in every part of the festival. The fair was very well attended as have been the festival events throughout. The promotion of Melksham, as a very special traditional market town was well served by this colourful and tasty festival.
“The efforts of all councillors and staff at the town hall and assembly hall are greatly appreciated and I warmly congratulate them and all the contributors to our festival for making it the resounding success it was.”
The organisers are welcoming feedback from people who went along to any of the festival events. Pop by the Town Hall or email your comments to maggie.giddings@melkshamtown.co.uk