National Parks taste as good as they look

National Parks taste as good as they look

October 26, 2015

Did you know that local food and drink is the second biggest draw for visitors to the South Downs National Park after our landscapes?

On Monday 26 October we’re joining with our fellow National Parks across England to celebrate the top quality food and drink produced in the country’s finest landscapes. Join in the celebration on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #tastenationalparks.

“There is a great resurgence of pride in the UK about our unique heritage of local food and drink,” says Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Elizabeth Truss. “Nowhere is that truer than in our National Parks which are teeming with top quality produce.”

It makes sense that places where the natural environment is cared for and where farmers apply high environmental standards and can produce really special local food and drink. This is reflected throughout the National Parks, from the high quality meat reared on the hill farms of Northumberland, to the clean and pure rivers of Exmoor which make it the ideal location for the UK’s only caviar farm. And, of course, award winning sparkling wines from South Downs vineyards.

There is a real appetite for food tourism in the National Parks, and entrepreneurial businesses are increasingly offering food tours and experiences, cookery courses and fine dining. This can provide a real economic boost – for example in the Peak District National Park every £10 spent on locally-produced food results in more than £25 being re-invested in the local economy.

The South Downs National Park Authority is working with Natural Partnerships Community Interest Company and The Southern Co-operative to develop the South Downs Food Portal, helping people to find and enjoy the superb food and drink produced in the South Downs region. It includes hundreds of local food and farm shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés, vineyards, breweries and food producers who sell directly to the public, and showcases the extraordinary range of produce grown, reared, caught and made here.

“From artisan cheese, wild venison, micro-breweries and some of the best sparkling wines in the world, the South Downs should be recognized for high-quality, sustainable food almost as much as its spectacular beauty and tranquil spaces,” says Margaret Paren, Chair of the South Downs National Park Authority.

“These are working landscapes which have been shaped by farmers and food production for thousands of years. Helping people find and appreciate this wonderful produce will make sure these businesses benefit from being part of the South Downs National Park.”

Chair of National Parks England, of the North York Moors National Park Authority, and a farmer, Jim Bailey says, “What National Parks offer in terms of food and drink is something really special. It’s not a mass-produced commodity, it’s a quality experience that is locally distinctive in the same way that our landscapes are. Visitors to National Parks are drawn by the cultural heritage and warm welcome on offer, and food and drink are a vital part of that.”