Chef champions our top food destination

Blackpool chef Paul Rowley was among 40 of the county’s most respected food producers, chefs, retailers, butchers, farmers and growers who gathered this week to discuss the future of Lancashire food and drink.

Food and drink is estimated to be worth around £734m to Lancashire’s visitor economy.

Ruth Connor, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “As part of our work with the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership we’ve identified food and drink as a key strength in the Lancashire narrative.

“Our aim is to create a unifying food and drink strategy that the whole of Lancashire can get behind, rightfully putting Lancashire on the nation’s culinary map.

“Marketing Lancashire is re-inventing its Taste Lancashire campaign, with the aim of establishing the county as a must-visit destination for food lovers.

“We can only do that in partnership with those directly involved in the industry and this event is about galvanising our ideas and ambition, towards achieving this shared success for Lancashire.”

Mr Rowley, of Rowleys Catering based at Blackpool Football Club, is among those backing the campaign.

He said: “It was a meeting of food heroes and it fills me with great confidence for the future of Lancashire’s food industry that Marketing Lancashire is launching this initiative to champion everything that is great about our stunning Red Rose county.”

Food writer and broadcaster with Lancastrian roots, Matthew Fort, chaired the debate and urged the county to work collectively to put Lancashire food and drink on the map.

He said: “Lancashire needs to promote the things that happen here, are grown here, can be experienced and tasted nowhere else in the country.

“Revealing the unexpected about the county will give Lancashire standout appeal.”