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Posts Tagged ‘welshfoodbites’

Festival Listing Is ‘Imminent’

03 Apr

But let’s not hold our breath!

I’m being told that to answer concerned food festivals organisers  questions as to  when this list will be sent out they’ve been told it’s imminent – well literally  bully for you wag.  I’m going to ask this question of wag, but realise how pointless it is, have you any idea how worried many of the organisers are? Or do you care? Of course you don’t, otherwise you wouldn’t be so unhelpful to these
people who are running YOUR food festivals and help you keep your jobs.

You keep sending the organisers emails saying your listing is imminent, and all they can do is still and stress whilst they wait and wait…………………

If your list is imminent, then it’s supposed to be about to happen, so why on earth can’t you just be courteous and tell those who are ringing Aber just what ‘imminent’ actually means.  I really hope you are getting as many, if not more calls than I am on this topic, so that I’m not the only one who’s totally fed-up of it. The only difference between us on this one, is that this is your delay, this is your doing – because actually you’re the one in control!

W/c 19th March you said this list would be available, but here we are rapidly approaching Easter and still no news. Hopefully you are not going to try and copy a UK Government tactic and try to bury bad news in this holiday period. This is something welshfoodbites has a particular interest in as you lot well know.

As has already been commented on by others, thank goodness wag’s not trying to run a business, or as one producer said to me this morning on the phone, if they’d a business to run, it would have been run into the ground years ago.

Oh dear wag, another own goal even when it’s your football.

I have to ask myself why many of these organisers bother helping you put on these festivals when you treat them with such contempt and rudeness.

 

 
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The Shed, Fish & Chip Bistro, Porthgain, Pembrokeshire

03 Apr

I’m more than overdue to put another cheery post up and one that doesn’t focus on that three letter word, Wag.

Instead let me share my lovely lunch last Saturday, just in case like me you are fish fans, enjoy being close to the sea and also love Pembrokeshire.

Regular welshfoodbite fans will know that this is a particular favourite haunt of mine and so dear readers, you will be delighted to hear that this season it is still as good as ever!

It’s called The Shed, and the shed is a great description and sums up beautifully its rustic feel. It is situated on the quayside with views over the harbour and of course fish is what this place – sorry for yet another poor pun. They usually do though have a meat alternative and can cater for vegetarians if you let them know beforehand. We Ian and I visited they had their blackboard outside advertising fresh scones just out of the oven and try one of those with their delicious coffee or maybe be tempted with one of the delicious homemade cakes.

I polished off haddock, which was coated in a tasty local beer batter, handcut Pembrokeshire potato chips and mushy peas, whilst Ian couldn’t rest the temptation of beer battered ling and a beautiful apple and fennel salad. We ate so much even I couldn’t be
tempted with a pudding. But goodness me it was good. The Shed serves much local fish and shellfish that they’ve caught themselves; it’s landed daily and then served within hours. You can’t get fresher or local than that can you?

As the weather warms up there’s seating outside and a grassy area to the side which both children, parents and grandparents will enjoy as they run off some steam.

Loyal readers will know I’m a stickler for service, but it must be friendly and again The Shed was, as always, totally spot on. Simple and satisfying meals it what they aim to provide and they’ve certainly never let me down. I’ll be back as soon as possible to sample their delicious crab sandwiches and some more of their handcut Pembrokeshire chips – another of my weaknesses.

If you are in the area, please do pay them a visit, but it’s a good idea to ring beforehand at busy times. You find more details about The Shed and lots of other super eateries in ‘Where To Eat’ pages in Welsh Country magazine. For more info about The Shed visit: www.theshedporthgain.co.uk

 
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Food Festival Listing Update

29 Mar

Another post as no press release from the Wag as yet as regards the food festival listing that was
promised w/c 19th March. The latest news into our office, although not from wag, is from an organiser who has been told they’ll receive news of funding by the middle of next week. So will this be better than an Easter egg from wag or not?

I’m sorry for those that are still contacting us by phone and email to get this listing, but as I’ve said before, when I get it, all our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers will have it emailed to them and of course I’ll publish it in full, here on welshfoodbites and of course on welshcountry.co.uk.

 
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Delay On Welsh Food Festival Listing From The Welsh Government

23 Mar

I’ve been contacted by a few of you over the last couple of days asking why the food festivals list has not been sent out to all our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers and not posted on welshfoodbites. Well sorry guys, but I can’t do that if I haven’t got it, and I
haven’t got it because Wag haven’t sent it to me yet.

I contacted Wag yesterday and have been told it’s been unavoidably delayed.

The festival organisers will be told when it is finalized and then a press release will be issued.

As yet I haven’t got a time scale from Wag as to when this will now happen.

So please, I’m not ignoring you all, but this is certainly not in my control.

Wag’s last press release on this topic was dated 30th January, they then had to consult with the Food and Farming Panel and we were told the list will be issued week commencing March 19th.

Wag’s press release was posted in full on welshfoodbites on 1st February.

In case it helps, welshcountry.co.uk does show a draft list of event dates and contacts and includes those festivals that may be funded, plus many more that run under their own steam.

 
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Food Websites – Have Wag Been Listening To Me?

21 Mar

I’ve just been checking out some Welsh food websites and wonder if Wag has been listening to me – again? Yesterday as I tried to visit truetastetv, but  I was re-directed to walesthetruetaste, a site that has been owned by the old WDA since 2002.

Not sure what has happened here but surely one Wag food site has got to be better than still playing and confusing people with two sites, isn’t it? I’ve never been able to see the point of Wag trying to run two food websites, when neither were producing reasonable rankings, let alone rankings to be proud of.
According to Alexa rankings, WTTT was ranked @ 1,738,166, whilst thanks to you,
welshfoodbites is ranked @ 411,105. Rankings taken over a three month period by Alexa. I’m amazed at these rankings and the unbelievebale support you have given me and the team. It’s great getting your feedback whenever we see you, or talk to you.

Can I re-assure you that any comments you wish to add are totally confidential  – well apart from me that is – unless you wish to put your name to your feedback. I appreciate that some of you don’t want your name highlighted and understand your reasons why, so please don’t worry, that will never happen, you can trust me.

 

 

 
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Delay In Sending Out Festival Application Forms

06 Feb

A festival organiser rang in this morning, moaning to me that their food festival funding application forms were only received at the end of January, with the closing date for applications of February.  

Now the main moan was because these application forms were supposed to have been sent out last November and no-one knows why there has been a delay. My quick quip of ‘wag food’ – well, that didn’t even raise a chuckle. So I followed on by offering some wag names and contact numbers that I have, which might be able to clarify the delay.  But that wasn’t a good idea because, ‘I daren’t complain and bite the hand that is giving out the grants’.

I so fed-up of hearing this from people. I’d hardly call this a complaint, but a question. But apparently not much point in asking wag questions.

So it appears that I’m here to allow this organiser to let off steam – and to get on welshfoodbites – as long as I don’t mention the festival!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In part, I can understand this organiser, as I can understand the producers who don’t wish to jeopardise a grant by complaining to wag either. But nothing will change in this industry if wag ‘in their wisdom’ think everything they do is acceptable. I’ve been told by wag that there is a complaints procedure for anyone who is unhappy, but let’s go no further on that one shall we, as I’m still unhappy with how things are run in food.  

I explained to this organiser that wag had kindly told me last week that the application forms went out at the end of January with a closing date of 17th February. In the past wag have never let me know when these forms have gone out so I’ve no idea on the normal timescale of this. Bearing in mind the festival organisers meeting in Machynlleth was held November, did an organiser ask then when the forms would be sent out? If not, why not? But if so, what’s wrong with ringing and asking about the cause of the delay?

I haven’t further information on this as most of my news/views are from organisers or producers, rather than wag.

I think we are in a sad situation as producers and organisers seem rather fearful of wag food – which is far from ideal to build an industry and certainly not in these difficult trading times.

But what really concerns me, is that I have a full list of wag supported festivals as soon as possible as both my Best Of Welsh & Borders producers and my readers want this information – now rather than later.

So as soon as we have it we’ll publish it on our websites: welshcountry and welshfoodbites.

 
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Thanks For Supporting welshfoodbites

20 Jan

I’ve been neglecting on of my many duties which was to keep an eye on website  rankings. So today I have and thought I’d share them with you.

Welshfoodbites:    434,573

True Taste TV:   3,932,358 

True Taste:          1,967,526

(Ranking source Alexa taken over a 3 month period)

So thanks  for your support on welshfoodbites. With welshfoodbites on the highest rankings than Wag’s I can only say I’m delighted and I didn’t need their funding to do it!

Of course it’s more work  for me, but it does prove I’m doing something right – airing your views and problems which sadly are often down to wag. 

If I were Wag I’d be more than disappointed with the rankings on both my sites, but then if I were Wag I wouldn’t have two sites and increase the confusion. I’d also have on my sites things people really want to read and to learn about. 

I’m not sure whether the Welsh Assembly Government, WAG, will get the message – but they are certainly reading it otherwsie my rankings would be at their level!!

 
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What Does 2012 Hold for the Welsh Food Industry?

05 Jan

As we wait to hear, without holding our breath of course, to see what funding will be available for food festivals, and as to which of them will be favoured and which will fall by the wayside, I’m afraid my concern about our food industry has not disappeared. The more producers I talk to, the gloomier much of their feedback is. But whilst we still struggle to make Wag Food listen, I have a little ‘news’ to impart. I’ve been told that Wag has been asking some producers if they are interested in a wagProcessors & Producers Group being set up by Wag. Now where did they get this idea from – welshfoodbites perhaps? I’m not sure if this only applies to larger companies who are on Wags ‘favoured list’ and or those companies who have been lucky enough to receive a True Taste Award, or in many ways, even better, a grant from Wag. I’m sure it will be a selective list of companies, and if this is the case it will not be a fair representation of the Welsh food, but that is how Wag appears to work. It this does happen then maybe I will not be the only one who is dismayed to hear one of Wag’s latest plans……….

I have been asking and asking Wag to communicate with food producers and of course selfishly with the media press too – but this message has obviously been ignored, or maybe just because it was one of my ideas – it’s been dumped in their bin, which would be rather childish, wouldn’t it?

But let me take just a little comfort from the fact that some producers did get invited to the ‘surprise’ food festivals organisers meeting in November. But wasn’t it rude and unfair of Wag to then not give those that took precious time away from their businesses, not to give them the opportunity of airing their views. Just what was the point of that Wag, paying lip service to me?

I feel so sorry for the producers that these Civil Servants who should be a huge help to them, and never more so than in these difficult trading times, fail to understand what producer’s need and this is because those Civil Servants cannot be bothered to communicate with them. I suggested to one senior Food Civil Servant that it was their job as the food department, not only to talk to food producers of ALL sizes of businesses, but also to listen to their requirements. Not all of them want to go the supermarket route or believe the True Taste is their  way to go either, so we can only hope that in 2012, Wag Food will  understand this message and act upon it.

 
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Pembrokeshire Produce Direct – Accounts

21 Dec

I have received a copy of ‘Report and Unaudited Accounts for 30 November 2010 presented by the six directors. The company accountants were not instructed to carry out an audit or a review. The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

Turnover/sales in 2010 was £173,712* as against £72,651 in 2009, cost of sales was £156,964 this year and £52,970 in 2009. This year their operating loss was £46,776 compared to £11,808 in 2009. The loss for 2010 was £44,296. I understand that the 2009 accounts are from trading starting in March.

In 2010, sales are listed as £163,980 with an addition of £9,732 for carriage outwards. As there was no carriage outwards shown in the 2009 figures, one can assume that this figure equates to  2,163 parcels at £4.50 each (the cost of carriage that PPD charges). This number of deliveries means over this 18 month period that the average number of deliveries per week was 27.

Also under Cost of Sales, carriage is listed once again as £14,838 for 2010 and £444.00 in 2009. Under Administration, postage is shown at £4,307 for 2010, which is an awful lot of letters sent, more than 11,000 first class letters sent at standard first class postage or over 11,000 magazine type mailings with Royal Mail discounts), but there is no postage shown in 2009. The accounts show a lot of blanks under 2009, bearing in mind the PPD project started in March, including packaging, wages and salaries, NI, staff training, rent, light & heat, stationery & printing, software and postage as a few examples.    

The accounts state that during the year the company suffered trading deficits that were partially supported by revenue grant aid. The directors have reviewed the forecast of trading deficits and believe that these will be supported by ongoing grant support which has been confirmed to them by Welsh Assembly Government. The directors believe that the company will continue to trade for the foreseeable future and that the going concern basis remains appropriate. The company received a grant advance of £93,906 from Welsh Assembly Government in 2009 to be repaid from all future grant aid dependant on continued trading performance.   

Administrative expenses shown for 2010

Employee costs:                £

Wages/salaries               70,435   

Employers NI                    6,647

Staff training & welfare       825

Travel & subsistence       2,208

Motor expenses                   399

Entertaining                      1,330

I’m still unsure of how many staff PPD is employing, or if staff numbers have been reduced since the project started, but £70k on salaries is extra-ordinarily high based against performance. Reading through these accounts again though, it appears that the salaries and NI shown, are from March 2009 as well as 2010.  

I am being told many tales about PPD, what I’m interested in knowing is which people put this initial project together and what they think of PPD performance so far…………………….

Thanks for those of you that have put up your comments on welshfoodbites, and the huge support we have had from our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers.  I’ve said before and shall repeat again, if you wish to put up your comments, no-one will know who you are, unless you wish to put your full name to your views.  The only person that will know is me, and I certainly will not reveal person’s identity. As always, you have my assurance on that.  

 

 
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Fish Distribution In Wales

17 Nov

Get a few food producers together and I guarantee that before long the problem of food distribution will raise its ugly head. This situation has been an ongoing problem for years and it is not going away.

I did want to share this with you though and that’s the distribution, or rather lack of it, on fish. How do you get fish from Anglesey to Cardiff and south Wales? Sorry, but no prizes if any of you got the correct answer – via Grimsby. Yes Grimsby!

Continuing the fish tale, were you aware that the cost per fish being delivered into London is 20p, but delivering into south Wales costs £1.00 per fish. That’s one heck of a difference isn’t? 

Bearing in mind our Welsh coastline is huge, why is Wales allowing our fishing fleet to disappear? Doesn’t anyone in government care? I’m often asked by restaurants, pubs and cafes why they  struggle to get fresh Welsh fish and it’s obvious distribution is the major problem, along with silly European laws which continues to strangle our fishing industry.

This is yet another instance of Wales do very little whilst our fishermen flounder……………..

 
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