Ludlow Food Festival set to be 'flaming good as it returns to town's castle

Organisers of Ludlow Food Festival, at the castle from September 10-12 are promising more than 180 different food and drink producers, top chefs and food experts... and they are making the Fire Stage bigger than ever.

The Fire Stage, this year taking over the whole of the Inner Bailey, will be bigger than ever with plenty of space for those live demonstrations.

There will also be two pop-up feasts: one by Marcus Bean of Brompton Cookery School, and another by the Fire Stage chefs who will come together to cook collaboratively and deliver a delicious feast. The Fire Stage area will open later meaning revellers can enjoy a relaxed vibe with music by a DJ, relaxing by the Kadai firebowls.

Mixing the best names in the business with a wide range of top-quality food and drink producers from across the Welsh Marches is what the organisers say they do best.

Among the stars due at Ludlow Food Festival this year will be the award-winning duo behind Honey & Co, Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer.

And this year popular local chefs Andy Link, from the Riverside at Aymestry, and Mark Harris, from the Pheasant at Neenton, will be joining the throng.

This year’s festival is being held in partnership with Wardington’s Original Ludlow Gin. The UK’s first food festival, Ludlow Food Festival was established back in 1995.

And this year festival-goers have even more to sink their teeth into with a pop-up cookery school, food photography courses, wine and gin-tasting workshops.

There will as usual be plenty to chew on with bakers, chocolatiers, freshly churned ice cream, locally produced charcuterie, artisan cheeses, herbs and honey, through to unusual wines, crafted ciders and beers and more in between.

Hannah James, events manager for Ludlow Food Festival, said: “It’s great to be back in action, in the grounds of Ludlow Castle, where we have been for almost all of the festival’s history except when we moved online last year – a global pandemic has been the only thing to bring the food festival to a halt since it began.

“Visitors can be confident that we’re making our event Covid safe, in line with government regulations and in places going beyond what is required. We are looking forward to bringing visitors our usual mix of culinary excellence, with top names in the business, and the best of independent food producers. We cater to every taste and interest with a wealth of talks and demos for a perfect fun-filled adventure all centred around food.”

Ludlow Food Festival is open on Friday September 10, from 10am-5pm, Saturday 11, from 10am-6:30pm, and Sunday 12, from 10am-5pm.

One-day tickets only are priced at £12 for adults, children aged five-13, £4 and under fives are free.