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I write this is a slight haze of Melton Red (real ale in case your wondering) as I’ve just returned home from the East Midlands food and drink festival.
I got to see some amazing food producers and speak to some great people throughout the day, but as I worked my way through the narrow walk ways of the cattle market and squeezed between people grabbing at what ever free samples they could, I noticed that actually I didn’t notice anyone!
I live in a town that on the sign on the way past the boarder reads “Melton Mowbray, The rural food capital of England” but as I walked round the event I noticed that there wasn’t really that many people from the town at the event? Yet it’s been hosted in their town.
I met 2 people today that I’ve had twitter conversations with for the last few months and we spoke of this lack of attendance from local people. Celia Lacey who moved hear a year ago from Lincolnshire made the same observation, if someone who has been in the town for year is saying this how are the people who live hear feeling about it?
As you know I run a community grow your own project yet sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is a sense of community about it at all more a lack of understanding from these people, now I know that this isn’t your fault but it got me wondering who’s to blame for this? Me? Celia? The food chain company’s that move into the town? No, and at risk of angering the people who gave me the land to grow on in the first place unfortunately the blame has to lie with the council officials who make all of these decision and it lies with them and them alone.
They make the rules, they give the green light on what shops and business open in the town and what they want to see. Why is it down to them? Why is this decision not given to the people?
We need to see more and more people in the town who love food and want to be involved in food make a stand, if you want to make a change then make it, don’t let them tell you no! I didn’t and now I have the chance to help a lot of people and families in the way that they see their food.
The conversation that I had today has given all of us a great idea to help turn this around so please stick with us and follow myself and Celia Lacey (twitter @CeliaLacey) and Great Food Mag (Twitter @greatfoodmag) over the coming months to see if there’s a way that we can make a change and bring the love of food back to the people who love it
I think you’d be surprised. I am a food blogger who made it to the final of the Britmums award this year and I’ve recently found there is another (more prominent) food blogger, Hazel Paterson in the town! I bumped into two people at the food festival I know already and spoke to lots of local producers, one of whom I’ve bumped into since. There is definitely the passion for food in Melton, just look at the fact that Melton Market has made it to the final of the food and farming awards and look how many foodie events we sustain!
I’m on twitter too and I’ve just linked up with you. Drop me a note if you need more help getting the passion back in food in the area! I’ve got it in spades! Sometimes it just takes a bit of luck to link up with people though. I was at a speed skills event in the town yesterday (disappointing attendance sadly) but the guy who was running it told me all about you and your allotment project which I’d not heard about and here I am…
Hi thanks for the comment
I guess my gripe isn’t with the events or producers at all we have some of the best food events in the country and some amazing food. I was just disappointed on the day with the turn out from people who live here, I saw people at the event who I knew and I knew Hazel was there too but it just seems to be the lack of enthusiasm from say 90% of the town really.
I think the battle is partly about money. Not everyone is flush with cash in Melton and it’s about convincing people that it doesn’t have to be expensive to eat nice food.
That said, I don’t think there are many town’s Melton’s size who can sustain a market in the centre twice a week and farmer’s markets at the cattle market. Maybe it’s just because I’m new to the town but it seems like a vibrant food community to me. I’m always astounded by how many independent coffee shops survive for example.
Anyway, maybe we need to start up a small group of passionate Melton foodies to spread the word!