“Get ‘fresh’ and put seasonal local food on the menu!” That’s the message to pubs and restaurants from Wokingham District Council and fellow supporters of the Local Food and Hospitality Show, held on Tuesday February 28 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Wokingham District Council supports Berkshire Food Group, which promotes local food and drink for people in Berkshire, and works to improve access to healthy locally-produced food for all. This week the group helped to organise the second annual Local Food and Hospitality Show - an opportunity for people in tourism and catering to meet local food and drink producers and suppliers. There were opportunities to sample offerings from more than 30 producers as well as a local food lunch, networking and workshops.

Barkham based Two Hoots Farmhouse Cheese, a family business producing award winning hand-made soft blue cheeses, held a very successful stall at the show.

“Visitors at the show really had a genuine interest in local food,” said Sandy Rose, from Two Hoots. “People really wanted to know where the cheese comes from and how it is produced. We made several really good contacts – including the National Trust, who are investigating local suppliers for the cafes in their local venues.”

Sandy, who also sells at local farmers’ markets and supplies a growing number of local farm shops, feels there is an increasing demand for local food. “People really want the quality and taste of fresh local food now,” she said.

Research shows that 76% of tourists want the opportunity to sample local produce when they’re on holiday; while 70% of UK-based consumers want to eat locally produced food, and 49% want to buy more than they do now. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and visitor attractions in the Wokingham district were shown the benefits of this trend at the Local Food and Hospitality Show.

Tamara Schiopu, co-ordinator of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes, and Oxfordshire Food Groups, organised the show. “Local food can transform the pub-dining experience because customers are looking for food that is fresh, “she said. “Differentiation between pubs can be the key to success.”

The show followed the launch of the 2006 - 2007 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire Food Guide, which was released on February 15. This directory of local producers has been distributed through all farmers' markets and to all tourism information centres, hotels, restaurants, public libraries and colleges in the area. To obtain a free copy, telephone 01865 484116 or e-mail localfood@brookes.ac.uk .