Ludlow has a fine reputation for food and drink and Heather Kidd attended the annual Ludlow Food festival which featured more than 130 independent and small local food and drink producers.
This year the Friday which is normally quiet was sunny and packed with visitors and the stewards did a good job keeping an eye on the crowds flocking into the marquees. Heather is a keen supporter of local rural businesses and commented “It is wonderful to see so much thriving enterprise amongst our rural community and I was so impressed with the range of attractions demonstrated here.”
She added “However more funds need to be made available to local authorities so that they can give 100 per cent rural rate relief to all small businesses that are struggling in the recession. Currently 47% of rural businesses are missing out on the rural rate relief scheme (figures from the Federation of Small Businesses.”