The setting for this festival in the University grounds is excellent. You cannot miss the history of this group of magnificent buildings and the huge expanse of lawned areas gives the organisers a good head start on other festivals. However, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record in our food festival season, I shall repeat again where were the banners, where was the signage, I only saw one sign on my drive in and two signs when I’d got to the entrance!!! Nothing in the town, no window displays – it was just the same as it has been for years. Why I continue to beat this publicity drum, I’m seriously beginning to wonder, is anyone listening?
This is yet another festival supported by Wag this year to the tune of just over £9,500, that has failed to send me a press release and you have to ask why, when I’m working in the media and Welsh Country magazine is the flagship food magazine for Wales. So, with no press release, I try the web and get onto the Lampeter town website and print off the list of food producers attending. So was that a success? No. When I got there and Ian and I tried to work off our list, it could hardly have been called accurate. So before I hear the plaintive cries, yet again, that we are all volunteers, I accept, understand and appreciate that, but what I cannot and will not accept is the volunteer excuse when our food traders are attending events like these to make their living. They’re not attending for their pocket-money, they are there to make their living – pay their mortgages and feed their kids. I never volunteered for anything unless I was prepared to put a lot of work in – that’s how it goes. If you haven’t enough volunteers – use your local paper to find more, if volunteers aren’t any good- say goodbye to them and if you still need help ask Wag.
In case you think I’m just highlighting negatives at this festival, that’s not strictly true, my sole objective is to help our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers, (BOW). There’s nothing worse for Ian and I to attend a festival or market, talk to our BOW and get nothing but constant tales of gloom because organisers are not working with them or for them. As for Lampeter, Welsh Country magazine has offered to help them for a number of years, but our offers have not been taken up. Of course that’s their choice, they might feel we can’t help, they might not even want our help, but they, like many other festivals still need guidance on how to get the basics right. Thank goodness Preseli Coffee where there to give me my mocha fixes during the day.
There were free bi-lingual catalogues on a table, but no-one giving them out, which didn’t make sense to me. Let’s face it, if they’ve been printed they might as well be given out they’re no use the following day are they? I watched a little of a cookery demo whilst tucking into a superb pasty from Little Welsh Deli washed down by delicious cider and perry from Ralph’s Cider – a great Welsh lunch. Back to beating my promotional drum again as I watched Dafydd Watkin from The Talbot Hotel Tregaron cook a super lobster dish. In the programme it stated the demo area was using the best local produce – great theme, but surely all chefs should use produce that is at the event. There wasn’t even a fish stall there. Isn’t one of the chef’s aims to stimulate interest in their dish so that visitors can then be inspired to cook it at home? So isn’t is better to use produce from the event, encourage visitors to buy the main ingredient and take it home? One of the chef’s team said I could use prawns instead of lobster, but then had to explain why I wanted the chefs to support the producers. She countered by saying that they didn’t know who was going to be in attendance, which I find hard to believe, but at the end of the day it’s down to lack of communication once again. Even I could have given her some suggestions as to which producers would be there and I’m sure the organisers could have helped there too. The fact is, it wasn’t a directive for the chef when they were booked to attend, so does the blame lie with the organisers or with Wag? I’m not sure anyone will actually accept the blame, which isn’t good enough but is fairly standard. BSE I call it – Blame Some Else. Both the organisers and Wag should be putting producers first!!!!!!!!!!!
I left about 4.00 and was impressed by the number of people there but disappointed not to see a huge amount of bags being taken home. I hope that people had eaten plenty whilst they were there as there was lots of covered seating which was brilliant, entertainment for the kids and local musicians too. The music as often happens didn’t have a volume control and it made life difficult for traders to talk to customers. Another instance of organisers not getting the message – it’s not a town fete these traders are there to sell and to do that they have to be heard, not deafened by some very good music.
D Willis
July 28, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I think this is a really unfair critique of this wonderful festival.
We were on holiday in the area, and decided to attend having seen a write up in the Wales on Sunday a few weeks back, and the been reminded by an ad in the Western Mail.
I thought the signage was great, one HUGE sign on the way into town, and two nearer the site. More than adequate in a town the size of Lampeter. We also saw posters in a few of the shops in town.
The variety and quality of stalls was fab, a foodies dream. We were also able to sit and enjoy both the food we bought and the wonderful weather, while listening to a seriously great band (which you must be getting old if you though they were loud!)
We also bought a lot of stuff, both to cook whilst on holiday and take home. Lovely fresh veg and salad, Welsh beef, lamb, bacon and sausages. Antipasti, nuts and some seriously nice cakes and desserts. We also bought local beer, wine and Sloe gin.
The atmosphere of this festival was amongst the best I have come across, and there were loads of things to keep the kids entertained, whilst I enjoyed two really good cookery displays.
We attend a lot of food festivals and this would rank in the top 1%.
I don’t mean to be rude but I have never heard of your publication, and it sound to me like sour grapes on your behalf that this festival used their funding to reach as wide an audience as possible by advertising in larger publications.
I would thoroughly recommend this festival!!
admin
July 29, 2011 at 10:20 am
I’m sorry we disagree about Lampeter.
I post on welshfoodbites what I see and hear when I get to an event, which is what I have done. I travelled to Lampeter from Newcastle Emlyn and I saw no signage. I’m not sure how you think that one huge sign and the two near the site, which are actually when you get to the entrance are adequate. I don’t understand your view that these are adequate for a town the size of Lampeter, but does prove that you’re not working as a food producer. How can it be wrong to ask all food festivals that we as tax-payers support, to have LOTS of signage out, and out very early so more people are made aware of the forthcoming event? How is it wrong to want the town to get involved with window displays? Lampeter town itself was dead, which is fine, unless you’re a shop-keeper there paying business rates. I fail to see what is wrong with my suggestions.
I have not faulted the selection of stalls, in fact many of the producers that were there work with us on our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers listing in Welsh Country magazine. The food quality, as it is at most Welsh festivals – excellent.
The seating area and covering was great and something I have spent the last few years asking all festivals to do.
As for the music, all I’m saying is to turn the volume down. If you wish to try and insult me by saying that I’m getting old, fair enough, I’ll excuse your rudeness, but not your thoughtlessness on behalf of the producers who are there to work, not sit down as you were able to do and enjoy the event. Maybe you should have taken a turn for a few hours behind one of the stands and see how difficult it was for them to hear what customers wanted, let alone try and explain their products to those that were interested. The festivals are there to help producers sell, to do that they need to be able to hear what people are saying – surely that’s quite easy for people to understand, isn’t it?
I’m delighted you not only enjoyed the festival, but actually purchased plenty of Welsh produce – I hope you enjoyed them all when you got home, wherever home is. I’m also pleased that you rank this festival so highly, you’re entitled to your view, as am I. My objective at all festivals is to get feedback from producers, to know that they have taken some serious money and made some good contacts, yours as a visitor i.
Holidaymaker is to have a good time.
I’m happy that you enjoyed the kid’s entertainment and the demos. Perhaps it doesn’t concern you that the one I saw was cooking fish but without a food stall there. Perhaps you were not enthused enough by the chefs to wish to purchase products to replicate that fish recipe over the weekend. Perhaps you cannot see how sensible it would be to link the chefs with the producers that were there. You attitude would be totally different if you were trying to earn your living from producing food and trying to sell at food festivals.
I’m surprised that you haven’t heard of our publication Welsh Country magazine especially as Welsh Country is a pan Wales magazine and the only one with a regular, serious interest in Welsh food. But if you’re being truthful that you are unaware of Welsh Country, I’m amazed that you’ve managed to find welshfoodbites – that’s totally astounding. I can only guess that you for some reason placed a Google alert for Lampeter Food Festival and that helped you find me.
But I’m pleased that wherever you actually live, that you were able to find a copy of Wales on Sunday and read Lampeter write up a few weeks back. Then to be reminded by an ad in the Western Mail, that was fortunate, as generally a lot of holidaymakers don’t always have the foresight to buy local papers.
It is interesting that you state that Lampeter, “used their funding to reach as wide an audience as possible by advertising in larger publications”.
I’m not how you have this inside knowledge, but for a holiday maker visiting Wales you seem very very well informed as to the inner workings of our food festivals.
As stated in my post, we have offered help Lampeter Food Festival over the years, through Welsh Country magazine on a voluntary basis. This offer has not been taken up, which is entirely the choice of the organising committee.
Welsh Country is the flagship foodie magazine for Wales, our wish is for food festivals to improve and any criticism raised is meant in a constructive manner. As you state you haven’t seen Welsh Country, you cannot know what coverage Lampeter Food Festival received either editorially or through advertising in Welsh Country. So I would challenge you as to who has sour grapes……………………….
Thank-you so much for sending your comment through, your views are interesting – especially from a visitor.
D Willis
July 29, 2011 at 1:16 pm
I didn’t know whether to bother replying, since you seem very cynical about everything. I shall however respond in fairness to the readers.
I found your review because I googled Lampeter Food Festival, as I wanted to pass on the details to a couple of Food Producer friends. I read the Welsh press because I live in the Vallies and have a caravan on the coast in Cardiganshire. I repeat I have never heard of your publication, though I do infact work in the food industry.
I did not see the demo you refer to, but one of the ones I watched was made with produce purchased that morning at the festival. regardless of that fish is easily come by in Cardiganshire!
It seems to me that your ideas are a little strange. If the festival had no music (which was not loud), activities, atmosphere or a general sense of being a good day out then nobody would come. If nobody came there would be no customers, and this would be hugely detrimental to the producers.
If the festival is funded by the assembly then it should be a good day out for all, holidaymakers (tax payers) included!
I McCall
July 30, 2011 at 9:46 am
As with Mr Willis, I thoroughly disagree with your review. As a “foodie tourist”, I make a point of visiting the Lampeter Festival every year as from my experience over a number of years it is the best one in Wales. Friendly staff, friendly stallholders and a nice positive community vibe to the whole event. Whilst I haven’t seen the stats, the number of stallholders seemed to have increased this year, certainly they covered a larger area. Similarly the event seemed busier than I remember, although the good weather will always help on that front. As for your highly subjective comment about the number of people leaving with bags, the truth or otherwise of that statement will be proved in a year’s time when we see how many stallholders return for another year.
As for Dafydd’s food demonstration, give the guy a break. As was explained in the commentary, he had never done a cookery demonstration before, and he wanted to do a really interesting dish, which he succeeded in doing. There is a lot of good fish for sale in the area, and there was no shortage of local butter going into the pot!!!
Two questions for anyone reading your review:
1. If it is as bad as you seem to think, why do stallholders keep coming back every year?
2. As someone who is apparently in the Marketing business, is there an ulterior motive for your criticism of the Marketing? Do you want to give the event a bad write-up so that you can try and muscle the volunteers aside to get some of that WAG money for yourself?
The message I would give to any prospective visitors to the Food Festival is to ignore what alleged “experts” write, and follow the customers and traders who go to this expanding event every year. Then when you attend, make your own mind up about whether or not you like the event. Nothing will ever suit everybody, but just because it doesn’t appear to suit one reviewer with such an obvious conflict of interest, doesn’t mean it won’t suit you.
admin
August 1, 2011 at 8:39 am
Re read the review – it doesn’t say the event was bad – it says that there are things that need improving, so how can that be wrong? Lampeter is in your view the best festival in Wales – in my view it is not, but it’s not the worst either. Whether you call my comment about not many people leaving with bags, highly subjective, that’s your comment. But as this is my blog, these are my comments and my views, I’m not asking you to agree with them.
The point about the demo I saw, is buying produce from and supporting the producers that were there. How difficult can that be to arrange? Don’t you think that would be fair to the producers who have paid to attend? FIsh isn’t the issue – the issue is it wasn’t bought at the festival and I don’t wish to be directed to Morrisons to buy fish that isn’t Welsh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are not as many food festivals being funded this year – last year there were 56 supported by Wag, this year just 31. Does that help as to number of tradestands that were there?
These guys need festivals to sell, and surely we want the festivals to be the best they can possibly be. I’ve no idea what you are talking about an ‘ulterior motive, muscle volunteers aside and get some Wag money for myself’. That doesn’t make any sense at all. Wag money has been allocated to this festival again this year and if other festivals wish to run they too can apply to Wag for funding. The only interest I have in Wag supported festival monies is how it is spent , is it good value for taxpayers and for our Welsh producers. It’s actually that simple.
Where is my conflict of interest?
,food producer
August 1, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Not sure who left this comment, do they work for Lampeter council, Lampeter Uni, or on the committee but he certainly hasn’t got a clue about food producers, that’s clear enough from what he’s written.
I’m not at all pleased with what you are saying because if you had come onto my stand and I was in the cooking demo area, I’d have told you – no shouted at you – to find out what you wanted. We are there to sell our produce and have spent hours cooking, preparing baking and we don’t want to have to take produce home. All the report says is turn the volume down, not take the music away. Why can’t you understand that? If I’d have been in your place eating, drinking and relaxing I might have enjoyed the event more than I did. But in case you are interested, I took a fraction over £100.00 LESS than I did there last year. So in my place would you rate this as a wonderful festival?
I think this report is very fair and I did speak to both Kath and Ian. Your comments are rude and short-sighted with no thought for traders.
You know nothing about the fish industry either. Oh yes Kath go to Morrisons to shop for fish. Ever cared to ask them how much Welsh fish they stock on their counters? Forget the guys trying to make a living out of Welsh fish.
Why couldn’t Lampeter get a fish stall here? Did they even try to get a fish stand? Why couldn’t the chef have used another product?
You have no idea how our industry works.
I’m surprised your comment was allowed to stay on this site because you obviously think this festival can’t improve, which is utter nonsense.
This site has done a wonderful job for Welsh food, but you’re no help at all.
hermine
May 22, 2013 at 1:27 am
I hardly drop responses, however after reading through a few of the remarks on
this page Lampeter Food Festival
admin
May 22, 2013 at 8:22 am
I have authorised your comment to be shown, but really don’t understand what you are saying about Lampeter in 2011.