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Posts Tagged ‘Welsh Country magazine’

Food Questions

17 Apr

The team and I were having a chat this morning during a brief respite from proof-reading our M/June issue, the discussion was about the the large number of food questions we’d received in the office, in just one week. The questions came from not only our Best Of Welsh & Borders food producers, but from festival organisers too. The calls all begin with ‘hope you don’t mind me picking your brains, but you’re sure to know the answer’. Well if they’re advertisers with us and supporting Welsh Country magazine, then of course we do bend over backwards and do our to solve their problem, but some of them aren’t with us, but getting  10 out of 10 for cheek. Then we have to remind them that we support and help those that are with us and if they are not  then this is wag food’s telephone number, refraining from asking why they didn’t pester them first. As we no longer know who is left in the food department or their roles, that’s all do, bearing in mind that it has still cost us time and money.

What did raise a smile, but then grumble, was why are we often the first point of contact for food queries when it should automatically be the food department shouldn’t it? For any of our advertisers, our team know they are there to help and if we haven’t got the answer, we’ll still try and find it, as it’s one of our free add-on services, even though it feels like we are running wag’s unofficial food information centre. I’m sure if I was wag food, I’d want to know why questions aren’t being directed at them, the supposed source of knowledge and information, but perhaps they don’t realise they are not always the first point of call. If they can’t grasp why not, they only need to read welshfoodbites and see how much effort I have to make to get answers from them, bearing in mind I’m a journalist, which means in the UK at any rate, that I get prompt answers and great service. But allow me to offer further help, again for free, for wag to get further help on this, I suggest they need an image change, along with a reminder that without food producers and festival organisers not many wag food people would have a job, whilst a further reminder is that these very people pay their salaries. More food for thought here?

 
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Men From Mars – Women From Venus But As For Wag …..

12 Apr

After a further frustrating week trying to work with wag food and other wag departments, I think this analogy should apply to the private and public sectors here in Wales, do you feel the same?

You are all aware that I have been waiting impatiently, and impatient is the polite description, for wag food to send through their funding list through for this year. The latest news was that we’d get the list w/c 1st April, but it was more likely to be Friday 5th. Well Friday arrived, but no list. As the day passed another reminder was sent through which brought the response that the list was now awaiting Ministerial approval – and no idea when it would be rubber-stamped.

Now being bright – well bright ish? Right ok then, let’s agree not totally stupid, I do get that the Civil Service cannot ‘work’ without their paperwork being rubber-stamped by those in the hot seats of power. But the point I’d like them to take on board is to communicate, yes communicate, talk to people and journalists that are talking to them. Wag food know I’ve been champing at the bit to get this list. I’ve asked and asked and asked, even for a simple timescale. Then they do give me a timescale, they then don’t stick to it. Of course they’ll have their reasons but that isn’t my grumble. With Welsh Country magazine, if we have promised a client something by a set date, we know the onus is on us to deliver as promised. If for some reason we can’t do as promised, then we know it is our duty to make contact and explain why things have not gone according to our plan. It is not down to our clients to chase us. So why does that differ with the government? Couldn’t wag food simply have sent me the briefest of emails on Friday 5th saying the list is awaiting Ministerial rubber-stamping and is likely to be sent through some day soon? Couldn’t they then keep me in the loop? What is difficult or time-consuming about that? Have they got hundreds of journalists across Wales wanting this information from them? I guess not, but keeping me in the loop, keeping me happy or in my view, behaving profesionally  is not how it works on wag food.

As you well know, this lack of communication from wag in all departments really riles me, basically because there’s no reason or excuse for it in my book. I’m frequently offered the ‘we’re very busy’ excuse, which is very insulting as it actually means you are not a priority for me to deal with, just wait. Whereas in our small company we bend over backwards to help clients in any way we can, but the difference is, if we don’t offer superb, friendly service our clients might just walk away and go elsewhere. I only wish I had this option with wag food. Wag food continue to make me feel that’s I’m the enemy, which surprises me as it’s a lack of brain power and a lack of forward thinking, which should be to keep us on side as we can not only make your life easier but we also might be able to help each other – which will make life better for our food producers.

So as I post this, mid Friday afternoon, a further week on, I still don’t have the food festival list. I’m left reeling with wag’s lack of customer service and customer care. Mars, Venus, public or private sector, I cannot believe how we will ever relate to each other, despite the fact that they are our civil servants and we pay their wages………now when have I said that before????

Best Of Welsh & Borders producers can rest assured that whenever wag food deem it fit to send me the full list – I’ll forward it  through to you.

Sorry not able to do a better job for you and you’ll understand when I say I feel like giving up…………            

 
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Chanceller Pledges A Penny Off A Pint

20 Mar

Welsh Country magazine has many beer producers with us on our Best Of Welsh & Borders listing and I’m sure they’ll be relieved that not only has duty on beer not been increased by the proposed above-inflation 3p beer duty planned this year by the previous Labour government, but The Chancellor has promised to take a penny off a pint. Actually cutting beer duty which is a much needed boost for at least one sector of our food producers cures and publicans.

Osborne stated that 10,000 pubs have closed in the past decade, Osborne said that curbing “the biggest discounts of cheap alcohol at retailers” without making responsible drinkers “pay the price” was a difficult balancing act.

The cut will take effect from Sunday night 24th March.

I did say I try and find some good news stories and hopefully this can be classed as one for some of you

 
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Ruthin Produce Market Is No More

20 Mar

I’m looking forward to posting a positive post but so far I’m failing as another market bites the dust. I think this is the third market I’ve been told quite recently that has now ceased trading. This time it’s Ruthin Produce Market, which not too long ago relocated to the Ruthin’s original market place, Market Street. My grapevine tells me that this was a very good quality market, with some great producers. Sadly it is one of quite a few markets that haven’t visited. I’m told that Ruthin market has closed because the volunteers just found it too much additional work for them. That’s a real shame because a few more volunteers could have lightened their workload, but seemingly that couldn’t be sorted. This is quite a common problem with producers. There are quite a large number that complain a lot, but not many will put in the extra work needed to keep these volunteer-run markets going. The general excuse is that they’re too busy, but the result is more markets closing will hit their pockets and make life even tougher that it already is.

Make no mistake I’ll continue to push and work hard for our producers with us on Best Of Welsh & Borders. But there is no way I can say I enjoy hitting my head continuously on the wag wall. I’ve never been backwards in coming forwards, telling our producers if I think they have got it wrong. Honesty is the best policy isn’t it? I’ve always tried to be constructive, becasue I think that’s the best way to win an arguement. It’s how I try to work with wag too, but as you gather by welshfoodbites, that’s not easy either as I hit brick wall after brick wall. At the end of the day Welsh Country magazine is the strongest food title Wales has and after all these years if we cannot work together to improve the lot of food producers, then something is seriously wrong.

In my book, anohter market closure is a disaster for the genuinely micro/small producers who are so reliant on markets and festivals to sell their produce. As I understand it our Welsh markets are run by a mix of councils, of course with staff we pay for, but many others like Ruthin are totally dependent on volunteers. Now as if this market folding isn’t bad enough, let’s just give a thought to Ruthin itself and the loss this will be to the local shop traders too. I remember visiting the monthly held Mumbles Local Produce market and after the market wound down I spent a few hours in the town chatting to local shopkeepers asking them their view of the market. They were unanimous in saying they loved their local market, their only wish was that it was weekly not monthly!

I have never had a clear idea on a practical level, how the £800k fork2fork campaign was going to help farmers’ markets, which  was one of the project’s roles along with box schemes and farm shops. But my view has not changed in that I don’t think it worked. So dear reader, with this project now extended for another year, plus a further £100k in their kitty, £43,761 of which will be spent on additional activity for the website and some further information circulation, have you any need to worry about the future of markets, box schemes and farm shops?

Answers not on a postcard please just post or email me direct if you prefer. But your identity on this site will remain confidential, you have my word.

 
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Where’s Our Value-For-Money?

13 Mar

Value-for-money is a phrase I churn out with increasing regularity and perhaps even more so as the recession hit Wales as hard as anywhere and there are so few signs on our economy up-turning.

I was chatting to a producer this week and was pleased to hear that this professional was so much in agreement with Welsh Country magazine and welshfoodbites. One phrase that kept re-occurring in our conversation was value-for-money. I’ll need to take care not to bore you by going back and citing instances over the last eight years, so let’s just look at two examples that I’ve recently posted about.

So apologises for going back to FBA again and the extension of the Fork2Fork project. Fork2Fork were awarded £800k for their 2 year project and then asked for and were given an extension which is completed on 31st March 2014. The sum involved for this extension is comprised of (approximately) £55,000 for a second national conference that was supposedly delivered in 2012 and a further £43,761 for additional activity for the website and some further information circulation.

Our chat continued over these two ‘donations’ and we asked if a private company would authorise these two spends? Would the Chief Executive, the Company Director or the Managing Director sign off these amounts for payment? Would they be convinced that is was worth spending £55k on a conference, without considering carefully what would this conference achieve? Then there is a further £43,761 for additional activity on a website and some further information circulation. Nearly £44k in a year for these weak objectives is farcical. No business person in the private sector would even consider this spend and if any staff member had they’d have been laughed out of the boardroom – if it got that far – or at least re-assigned this person to a new post as a the company Jester.

My apologies from bringing humour into this post, I shouldn’t have, because I’m not alone in being concerned about this serious situation. It’s serious wastage and can never be classed as value-for-money, which I understood Minister for Business, Enterprise & Technology, Edwina Hart wanted to see. The point appears to be because it is not private money there is little value in it. But would these civil servants agree to these silly projects if it was their own money they were spending? Now how likely is that?

The Fork2Fork project and its extension have been funded from the Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme. Sadly I have no inside knowledge as to how this scheme, in theory really works, sorry I know in actual fact that it doesn’t, but what I’m trying to get at is do a group of civil servants decide this extension is worthy and then the Head Honcho civil servant signs it off? I’ve tried to get answers to my questions but failed, actually to be truthful I believe I’ve been blocked, I’ve fallen victim again to wag’s clever game of smoke and mirrors, fobbing off, you can stick your own label on it I’m sure. But watch out wag, you’ve seriously upset me once more and I’m not at all happy.

I’ve now had to return to Freedom Of Information questions and to wait 20 days for responses. After wasting more of time I’m not holding out much hope, but if I’m blocked again, maybe a chat with M/s Hart will be useful. If she’s seriously looking for value-for-money then she’ll find my examples of interest I’m sure.

Meanwhile, I’ve updated my welshfoodbites blog, we sent around some updated food information to our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers, but without any funding……….

So now I’m back to working on our next issue of Welsh Country magazine, M/June.

 

 

 
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Another Survey – This Time Tourism

11 Mar

I had another communication through from Visit Wales today, which I though I’d highlight for you, it’s about the Welsh Government’s Strategy for Tourism, 2013 – 2020. The information was the recommendations of the Tourism Sector Panel

I don’t see it as my job to promote and assist Visit Wales, on an unpaid basis. If/when they work with us that will change, but until then, only those that are with us on Welsh Country magazine, will have received the full details of Tourism 2020 in full as it was sent around to you this morning. So there’s no excuse for any of you not filling in yet another survey! THere’s no need for you to thank me for being kind and thoughtful to you all ………………… but if you have trouble sleeping, this might help.

Meanwhile I have just copied and pasted two small sections for your interest.

A new vision and ambition

The Panel proposes the following vision for tourism:

Wales will exceed expectations as a tourism destination and develop a reputation for delivering outstanding quality, excellent value for money and memorable, distinctive experiences: we will offer a warm welcome that means every visitor who leaves us wants to come back.

The goal is to drive:

Sustainable growth in tourism that delivers jobs and wealth for the Welsh economy and supports a profitable tourism industry.

The ambition is to:

Grow tourism earnings in Wales by 20% or more by 2020.

Well ambitious this certainly is, with 20% growth or more by 2020. But gee whiz, we at Welsh Country magazine are talking to too many involved in tourism that wonder if they’ll be still trading next year, citing amongst many things our season is too short, visitors are lacking and not spending much when they do visit, and that’s without even mentioning the weather, which in fairness even Visit Wales can’t control!!

I’ve scanned through this information very quickly, looking of course for food and follows is all I could find, apologies if I have missed anything else food related.

Food and Drink: High quality local ingredients, distinctive food and drink and interesting places to eat are increasingly important to visitors. Our best hospitality businesses are earning a reputation for excellence but there is more that needs to be done to increase the number of world-class food destinations and to promote and deliver quality Welsh food and drink as part of the overall visitor experience. Not only will this help to distinguish Wales from its competitors but it will bring more direct economic benefits by strengthening local supply chains between producers and tourism businesses. 

Major events and festivals: Events and festivals are very important to tourism in Wales, as essential ingredients of the visitor experience providing a showcase for our heritage and culture. They facilitate community involvement and offer an experience that is distinctively Welsh. Opportunities exist to selectively support new events that can enhance the reputation of Wales, but it is also important to put weight behind existing events which have the potential to grow and are helping to change perceptions of Wales. 

I’m struggling to understand what is meant by ‘increase the number of world-class food destinations’, but there again I rarely understand civil-service speak, hopefully you might! What I do understand quite clearly, is the promotion of quality Welsh food and drink as part of the visitor experience, my huge concern is how Visit Wales they expect this to be delivered. That message has not got through to sufficient areas of Welsh tourism and is in my mind a basic, so why are we not better at it? At least festivals are mentioned, and I’m assuming that would include food rather than say music, but I wonder how much of Visit Wales’ Major Events’ budget will go towards food festivals and which ones will be favoured? Last year I could only find that Pembrokeshire Fish Week got £25k from the MEU as well as £31,671 from the wag food festival budget, funding from the council and sponsorship too. So that needs looking at again.

I’m concerned about this vision for 2020, and if you are too, fill in the survey and talk to your AM’s. 2020 is a long time to plan for, but maybe wag/visitwales have the inside track as to when the recession will end here in Wales and know when some green shoots will appear…………………………………..

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Pork Takes Centre Stage Say HCC

08 Mar

I’ve just been told by HCC, Hybu Cig Cymru, that pork takes centre stage, when in my view Welsh pork has never even been on HCC’s stage. In fairness I do have to congratulate HCC for being better late than never in recognising that Wales does have pork producers. That’s great news after all my hard work for posting on this topic, but there’s no need to thank me HCC, I enjoy helping you, really I do!!!!

Now back to pork and the gist of the news from HCC is that they have now produced a recipe booklet that highlights how pork can be easily combined with flavours from around the world. Apparently this booklet is available at independent Welsh butchers and multiple retailers. But don’t forget that HCC can obviously only send their booklet to those Welsh butchers that have contacted HCC to tell them they exist.

I’ve spent considerable time asking HCC for the number of independent butchers in Wales, but they can’t give me this information, so make from that what you will! Welsh Country magazine has pork producers with us on our Best Of Welsh & Borders listing, and they are not happy that HCC have ignored them for so long whilst they focus on Welsh Beef and Welsh Lamb. You’ll no doubt we aware that Wales has PGI logos for beef and lamb, but nothing for pork, hence it’s not been a priority for HCC, only for our pork producers. HCC say they have produced this brochure for retailers as part of their campaign to support the Welsh pig industry – well I’m sure I will not be alone in saying about time too, but many thanks.

HCC believe that shoppers will be inspired by this booklet and then support their local pork producers, well only time will tell on that one, but as I’ve already said, at last HCC are doing something for Welsh pork.

The press release from HCC arrived this morning and was promptly sent around our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers that are involved in the Welsh meat sector. But within the hour we had an email back from one butcher asking if we had this in pdf format!!! Not sure why as yet, but it doesn’t sound to me as though he’s received a supply……………………………………..

 
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Support For Welsh Abattoirs Must Remain

19 Feb

If any of you are getting bored or are unconcerned about the ongoing horsemeat scandal, I apologise for my frequent posts. However I will not stop and keep posting until I see from my side, more progress being made. My reasons for doing this are manyfold, Welsh Country magazine is passionate about local food, devoting 10 pages or so each issue. We haven’t had advertising support from wag food since 2010, we’ve been trying to work with HCC for eight but to no avail. But when we get advertisers working with us – we work for them, giving any additional support we can, which is just what happens with our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers list, BOW which is published in every issue of Welsh Country magazine. We have many butchers with us on BOW and it is their corner I’m fighting, behind the scenes with wag and HCC and on welshfoodbites and if needs be in Welsh Country magazine too. I always try in Welsh Country magazine to put out a positive food message to our readers, but I also feel they need to know the truth, especially on stories like horsemeat.

It is vital that HCC and wag food send out a positive message and explain to the Welsh public what an excellent job our local butchers and abattoirs are doing. Then, when they have done that – they carry on doing it – for ever. Welsh public confidence has to be restored and doing nothing HCC is not going to achieve that. Follows is an interesting statement that has been sent through to me and sure many readers will find it of interest.

The Shadow Minister for Environment has hailed the continued hard work of Welsh abattoirs and called for support and confidence in them to remain throughout the current horsemeat scandal.

Montgomeryshire Assembly Member Russell George has tabled a Statement of Opinion asking the National Assembly to acknowledge the exceptional production standards of abattoirs and recognise the fundamental role they continue to hold as exemplars of animal welfare standards, food labelling and food traceability. His actions come amid concerns from small businesses in Mid Wales regarding the perception of abattoirs as developments in the Food Standards Agency’s investigation into the presence of horsemeat in beef products continues.

Mr George said, “The investigation into this scandal must be thorough and those who have been complicit in deceiving the public must be brought to justice. While this work continues, it is important to remember and recognise the extremely hard work of small Welsh abattoirs who continue to set exceptionally high standards. Amid on-going and understandable public worry, it is vital that we do not forget these businesses and continue to have faith in their abilities to provide a first-class service. We must ensure that the illegal behaviour of a minority does not affect the prestigious reputation of Welsh food.”

Antoinette Sandbach AM, Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, said, “It is vital that Welsh Ministers work closely with the UK Government to keep the public fully informed throughout these on-going investigations. Illegal and deceptive practices must be stamped out and I have absolute faith that this will happen in the long-term. Public confidence in our abattoirs, many of which are small businesses, should not be shaken at this time. Their exceptional work and produce remain a source of great Welsh pride and I hope all Assembly Members recognise this by signing the statement of opinion.”

 

 

 
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Food Festival Funding For 2013

11 Feb

This is one of many topics I’m getting rather bored with posting about – but as needs must – here I go again.

I do NOT have details of the festivals wag are funding this year. If I did, our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers, BOW, would have been the first to know. I’ve told those organisers that still believe I have a hotline to wag food that works, well sadly I don’t. Neither can I, despite my efforts, make the funding list magically appear at the end of each year. Seemingly that is not possible for wag to do. Annoyingly it seems that only us standing on this of the wag fence – standing on the waste ground as it were, that understand that we should have had this vital information months ago. I am totally fed-up of being asked and moaned at because wag have yet to make-their-financial mind up. Although I offer contact details for people to direct their queries to the wag target, I doubt that any/many have taken my advice. But whether the questions are coming from organisers or producers, both sides are concerned, and rightly so in my experience, at wag will then label them as trouble-makers. I’ve even got readers pestering me as a few are looking to book weekends away or organise family gatherings over some festivals. I have no idea what wag think the festivals that are running early supposed to do. Do they assume they will get the money they have asked for, even though they are not one of wag’s Big Three? Or do they decide that they cannot take the risk and pull the plug now and let their festival bite the dust? Organisers are stressing themselves silly, it’s real pull-your-hair-out time for some, which I feel is needless and pointless. But it leaves us with no other option but to wait and wait and wait………. We go to press shortly with our M/April issue. Each year I hope that I will have wag’s funding list by now, which is particularly stupid of me as it has never happened in the last eight years since we first published Welsh Country magazine. So as wag are run out of time as my deadline looms, I shall have to explain to our readers why we have no festival information for them. Negative news is something I try to avoid publishing and most certainly on the food side, but honesty is the best policy and I think it is now time our readers knew how the food side is struggling as wag just take their time. So please no more festival funding questions, just take this as my final assurance that as soon as I receive the funding list from wag that it will be sent to our BOW producers and posted on welshfoodbites.co.uk and welshcountry.co.uk. I can also guarantee you that if you wish to leave comments on any posts, then please do, you have no need to leave your correct name I’m more than happy to have numerous traders, producers, visitors etc. that is fine. All you do need to leave is your email address, and that is it. You can air your views with confidence, because my goodness this food blog is certainly being read judging by our rankings. The only sad news is the powers-that-be haven’t worked out how to action the things you and I so desperately want.

 
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Wales Runs With The Seven Principles of Public Life

03 Jan

Something else I felt I had to share with you, as I’ve been told that the Welsh Government have agreed to the following:

The Committee believes that ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’ should apply to all in the public service. These are:

Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

ObjectivityIn carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

AccountabilityHolders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

HonestyHolders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

LeadershipHolders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

As I start off 2013 in my normal cynical journalistic mode, I really wonder if it will make the slightest bit of difference  to the Welsh people in general and more importantly the people that I come into contact on a regular basis which is our Best Of Welsh & Border producers and our food industry, those involved in tourism and the wider range of companies that support Welsh Country magazine through advertising. Reading through this is all sounds very idyllic, very correct and what some naively believe happens anyway, but cynics like me can only hope it will make a difference but sensibly decide not to hold our breath until it happens.   

 

 
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