Banbury Food Fair, Flower and Produce Show, HUGE success.

Visitors to Banbury Food Fair on Sunday enjoyed a true feast of food and drink from around the country.

More than a hundred stalls provided delicacies and specialities from countries far and wide – with plenty of traditional British fare also on offer.

Many people went home with new recipe ideas after attending cookery demonstrations by this year’s celebrity chefs. TV cook Rosemary Shrager amazed watchers with her culinary skills.

She is best known for TV programmes such as Ladette to Lady, Rosemary Shrager’s School for Cooks, The Real Marigold Hotel and The Real Marigold on Tour and most recently The Big Family Cooking Showdown. Rosemary proved she was a versatile chef who loves talking about food almost as much as she loves cooking. Rosemary was joined by fellow TV experts Andrew Scott, Nick Bennett and Saira Hamilton. Andrew achieved a life-long dream in 2016 by taking part in the Great British Menu, Nick reached the finals of BBC2’s MasterChef the Professionals in 2015, and Saira is a chef, food presenter, author and a MasterChef finalist in 2013.

The event, organised by Banbury Town Council, saw thousands browse, sample and puchase their way around the town centre throughout the day. Many enjoyed the wonderful community atmosphere the event brings.

Banbury’s popular Flower and Produce Show ran alongside the Food Fair. Local growers and producers entered fruit, vegetables, flowers, jams, cakes etc into six categories and 93 classes. Crafters and children had their own categories.

After the judges had done their work, the entries went on public display and hundreds of visitors marvelled at the quality of the entries.

The Flower and Produce Show was again sponsored by former mayor, councillor and businesswoman Rosemarie Higham Stevens.

She said:

“I am always amazed by the high quality of the entries. The show is something I look forward to and I am never disappointed by the skill, imagination and technique of local gardeners, flower arrangers, produce makers, and crafters. The children’s entries are truly wonderful. Long may the show continue.”

Banbury Flower & Produce Show winners:

Fruit & Vegetables:

Mr Des England

Cakes & Preserves:

Trudy Thornton (Amateur) Jessica Jones (Professional Jared Robertson-Moore (Under 16’s)

Cut Flowers & Potted Plants:

Philip Smithson

Floral Art:

Kathy Martin

Children’s Variety:

Ashton Loveridge (Under 5’s) Jared Robertson-Moore (6-10yrs) Jenna McFarlane (11-16yrs)

Crafts:

Kate Smith

Photography:

Helen Anderson-Watson (Adult) Jared Robertson-Moore (under 16’s)

Best in Show, Fruit & Vegetables:

Tom Upton

Best in Show, Flowers:

Alan Thornton

National Dahlia Society Silver Medal:

Tom Upton

National Dahlia Society Bronze Medal:

Dennis West

Overall Points Winner:

Jared Robertson-Moore

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