HOLIDAYMAKERS visiting the Ledbury area this summer will be able to enjoy the best of the region's food and drink, thanks to a brand new scheme for businesses catering for tourists.
It is being launched by Taste of the Country, retailers of local and British foods, to enable people with guest-houses or self-catering cottages to get special deals on local produce.
Bed and breakfast proprietors will be well equipped to serve up delicious breakfasts of high quality food, together with information about the local producers.
And self-catering visitors will be able to pre-order a box of food, chosen from a local breakfast pack, British gourmet picnic, holiday roast or lazy holiday supper.
"We put quality first and foremost in choosing producers and if we can't find it locally we look a bit farther afield," said Susie Keenan, of Taste of the Country, which is based in the Countryside Store at Ledbury.
"We have sausages and dry cured bacon from Cotheridge, cheese and butter from Weobley, apple juice from Ledbury and Newent and free range eggs from Leominster.
"Then there are chickens from Chepstow, jam from Stroud and pies from Nottingham."
Tourism businesses will be able to find out more and sign up to the scheme at its launch on Tuesday evening
Chrys Titshall, of Teme Vale Victuallers, based at Cotheridge, said there was a growing interest in locally sourced and specialist regional produce.
"An initiative like this that markets it to a wider audience has to be applauded," he said.
"It takes it a step further than we, as producers, can do on our own."
