Bath’s vibrant food and drink sector will be championed this weekend as the Great Bath Feast returns to the city.
The free festival, which celebrates the best food and drink from Bath and across the wider region, takes place in the Milsom Quarter from today until Sunday.
Staged in association with acclaimed Bath baking and cookery school The Bertinet Kitchen, it will feature a market spread across Milsom Street, Quiet Street, Green Street and New Bond Street with chef demos, street performances, an artisan village, book signings, talks and street food.
The festival has received more than £9,000 of support from Bath & North East Somerset Council’s (B&NES) High Street Renewal Programme, funded by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).
It coincides with the Great Bath Menu food trail, which will run until next month and has been developed with the Bath BID (Business Improvement District) to highlight 40 independent food and drink businesses across the city.
B&NES cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and growth Cllr Mark Roper said: “The Great Bath Feast is set to be an enticing event that will showcase everything local food and drink businesses have to offer.
“After some challenging times for local traders, the event will help attract more people to Bath and encourage repeat visits in future.”
The funding from WECA’s Love Our High Streets is part of a wider High Streets Renewal project for Bath city centre, which in part aims to support the Milsom Quarter with improvements to the high street and a programme of animation and events to increase footfall and support local businesses.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who heads WECA, said: “I’m pleased a more than £9,000 cash injection from the West of England Combined Authority I lead has helped the Great Bath Feast whip up the perfect recipe for success.
“This is a super festival showcasing all the wonderful and yummy food and drink Bath is famous for, which I’m so proud to back.”
The Great Bath Feast line-up features a host of Bath’s renowned and much-loved culinary stars from James Golding, group chef director of The Pig Hotel and Michelin-starred Hywel Jones to Bath Rugby star Tom Dunn, Jon Coates from Bath institution The Elder and Garry and Dan Rosser from The Scallop Shell.
It will also introduce top chefs from further afield including Cornwall’s Emily Scott and family food champion Claire Thomson (5oclockapron) while guest bakers from Syria will bake alongside Richard Bertinet as part of a Bath Welcomes Refugees charity initiative.
