Bumper turnout for Our Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival

Organisers of the Our Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival say this summer’s was one of the busiest in the six years since the event began.

And they are asking for feedback from the people who attended in order to make next year’s even more successful.

During the opening hours of the Bank Holiday two-day event more than 40,000 people accessed the town centre via Abbeygate Street, a slight increase on last year’s numbers.  It was also a bumper Festival with over 120 stallholders, more than any previous year, and several of them selling out completely before the event officially closed.

Now visitors to the Festival are being asked to complete a brief online survey asking for their thoughts on the event, with a chance for one participant to win £100 in shopping vouchers.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds the Business Improvement District (BID), Mark Cordell, said: “This was another great year and it was lovely to see people enjoying a wide variety of food, drink and entertainment in the Bank Holiday sunshine. We were really busy across both days and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, but it’s important to review what people particularly liked and where they think we could improve for next year. We already talk to our business members and the traders who take part for their feedback, but we want to hear from visitors this year as well.”

Among the BID member businesses who got involved with the Festival was specialist beer shop Beautiful Beers in St Johns Street.

Owner René van den Oort took a stall in the main food market area and said:  “This was an opportunity for people to try some new craft beers that I sell from smaller breweries, which they are unlikely to find in their local pub or supermarket.  I was able to spend some time talking to existing and new customers who returned later for more.  Meanwhile a number of people who saw my stand at the Festival followed up by visiting the shop too.”

Highlights of this year’s Festival included displays by celebrity chefs Paul Rankin and Jack Stein, a farmers’ market and cookery demonstrations by some of the best loved restaurants in the town centre.  It was complemented by a range of free family entertainment including an urban beach and a mini-farm.

If you visited the Our Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival and would like to give your feedback, with a chance to win £100 in vouchers please visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BSEFandDFest