Norfolk Norfolk Food and Drink Festival at Holkham Hall recognises local businesses

newsdesk@lynnnews.co.uk

Published: 15:45, 06 September 2022

| Updated: 15:59, 06 September 2022

This year’s North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival at Holkham Hall saw beekeeper Leigh Goodsell of Leigh’s Bees win the £1,000 Kettle Foods Mentorship Prize.

Leigh, who is based at Narford, near Swaffham, keeps more than 100,000 bees in hives in Norfolk, Essex and Derbyshire, and is keen to expand his business outside of Norfolk. ‘I need help and advice on transport and packaging and this prize has come at exactly the right time,’ he says.

Dan Hewitt, head of agriculture and sustainability at Norwich-based Kettle Foods, said: ‘We are looking forward to working with Leigh and seeing how we can help him develop his business. And we are always delighted to be here at the festival - it really resonates with us and goes back to our very roots.’

Visitors enjoyed the sunshine at the food and drink festival at the walled garden Holkham Hall.

A second prize was awarded for the first time this year, the Barby’s Produce distribution award, which was won by Essence Foods of Stanfield, near Dereham.

The award, Ben Keeley of Barby’s Produce explains, aims to open up new markets for a worthy local product. ‘We want to help them to expand, to get them into hotels, bars and restaurants,’ he says.

Sarah Savage, of Essence Foods, was delighted to win, saying: ‘We are keen to see our mustards on menus around the region!’

The festival, now in its 14th year, is held in the Walled Garden at Holkham Hall, by kind permission of Lord and Lady Leicester. It sees around 60 artisan stalls selling a wide variety of delicious local produce, including wines, cheese, craft beer, oils, breads, seafood, and even doggy treats.

Candi Robertson of Candi’s Chutneys celebrates her tenth anniversary this year and has attended the festival every year. She says: ‘As usual, the festival delivered - it’s been a stonking weekend!’

The festival is run by volunteers on a not for profit basis and also included a busy Cookery Theatre, sponsored by Wells butcher Arthur Howell, where both chefs and local producers gave live demonstrations, including David Holliday of Moongazer Ales and Fran Hartshorne of the White Horse at Brancaster Staithe, with dishes such as crab risotto, and Yorkshire puddings made with beer prepared, and techniques such as fermentation explained.

Staff from Algy's Farm Shop at one of the stalls selling a wide variety of delicious local produce.

There was also a bar, offering cocktails made with Norfolk-produced spirits, live music, children’s storytelling and a very popular pop up concession area where visitors tucked into pizzas, a hog roast, freshly squeezed lemonade, ice creams and more.

Festival Chair and Wells hotelier Chris Coubrough says: ‘We are really pleased with how it went, with more than 12,000 visitors and great weather. And we must thank Holkham and our headline sponsors, Kettle Foods.’