New for Melton Mowbray - the GREAT BRITISH FESTIVAL of PIES 2016

P R E PRESS RELEASE S Monday 29th February 2016 THE GREAT BRITISH FESTIVAL OF PIES S Saturday 12th March 2016

New for Melton Mowbray - ‘THE GREAT BRITISH FESTIVAL OF PIES 2016’

R Melton Promotions is delighted to invite you to the first ever GREAT BRITISH FESTIVAL OF PIES event which is to be held on Saturday 12th March 2016 in Melton E Mowbray Market Place. The event will round off the fantastic British Pie Week and L the prestigious British Pie Awards. The British Pie Awards, organised by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, is E one of the town’s most prestigious annual events attracting local, regional and national media attention. The British Pie Awards have become an institution for pastry-connoisseurs country-wide and the annual event sees hundreds of pie-makers A gather for a celebration and competition of this British culinary favourite. The event is held each year in the magnificent St Mary’s Church with selection of the most S knowledgeable figures in the industry on-hand presiding over the day’s proceedings.

E The Awards themselves have become an excellent means for producers (bakers, chefs, butchers alike) to receive recognition and accreditation for their Pies. Throughout the Awards members of the public have little opportunity to become involved other than view the spectacle of pies being judged, let alone purchase or try some of the excellent examples on display.

Melton Promotions would like to change this by enabling the public to try and buy pies by creating an opportunity to buy a potential Award Winning Pie. The winners of the Supreme Champion Award 2015, the Great North Pie Company, have already confirmed as being part of the Festival.

The event will be held in the historic Market Place of Melton town centre between 10.00am and 4.00pm. There will be music and street entertainment throughout the day and the Festival site will be clearly distinguished with the truly British red, white and blue theme.

There will be an array of sweet and savoury pies on offer to buy and consume at home but also hot pies & local crafted ales on hand to enable visitors to enjoy a ‘pie & pint’ during the event.

Ruth Wakeling of Bouverie Lodge said “Delighted that as a producer, we are now able to sell our pies in the town as part of the National British Pie Week, in conjunction with the British Pie Awards that are being held in Melton Mowbray, earlier in the week. All of us, no doubt, are hoping that we will achieve an award at this prestigious event in St Marys Church. Since winning the Champion Apple Pie Award several years ago, I now supply 2 restaurants in London on a weekly basis, and indeed, my Bison & Venison Gold Award Pies are now extremely popular and on sale in our shop at Nether Broughton and events that we attend throughout the year”

Lisa Brown, Town Centre Manager said, “We are hoping that the event will become the grand finale of both British Pie Week and the British Pie Awards, by providing the public with the opportunity to buy some of the UK’s most acclaimed pies. We have had a great level of interest from pie producers who are excited about being involved in this pilot event. We will be hijacking the Market Place to celebrate everything that’s good about pies !”

For further information contact Melton Promotions on 01664 502335 / 01664 822114 or visit www.melton.gov.uk/events . Information on the event can be followed on Twitter@visitmelton and Facebook/visitmelton. .

For further information on this event please contact:

Lisa Brown Tourism Development Manager C/O Melton Promotions Tel: 07717 866251 E-mail: [email protected]

Ruth Wakeling Events & Festivals C/O Melton Promotions Tel: 01664 822114 E-mail: [email protected]

Confirmed Pie Producers to date

Dickinson & Morris The Bell Hotel, Winslow Brockleby’s Robert Bowring Bouverie Lodge Vork Pies Mrs Elizabeth King’s Pork Pies Hartland Pies Lime Tree Pantry Tottle Bakery Cossack Cuisine The Great North Pie Company (2015 Supreme Champion) Plus local ales from Belvoir Brewery

Entertainment from the Nottingham Ukulele Orchestra and hopefully Morris Dancers plus Street Entertainment.

Background Information

Melton Promotions is the Partnership responsible for the promotion and delivery of tourism in the Town & Borough of Melton Mowbray.

Melton Promotions is a partnership of representatives from key sectors of the tourism economy. The Board current consists of:

Food & Drink: Tim Brown, Melton Cheeseboard Di Login, Belvoir Alehouse Evening Economy: Michael Harris, Melton Theatre Events & Festivals: Ruth Wakeling, Victorian Fayre Accommodation: Jenny Howling, Sysonby Knoll, Colin Warburg, Scalford Hall & Dianne Hickling, Woodside B&B Attractions: Ester Hesford, Twinlakes Andrew Cooper, Town Estate Chair: Stephen Hallam, Dickinson & Morris Member Cllr Pam Posnett Tourism Janine Williams, LeicesterShire Promotions LA Lisa Brown, Melton Borough Council

Melton Promotions host a number of high quality events which have a strong focus on food and drink in accordance to the Melton Blueprint for Tourism 2015 - 2018