Food festival could rival top national venues says patron

The Duchess of Cornwall’s son was in Malton at the weekend for the town’s food festival after agreeing to become the patron of the annual showcase of the region’s produce.

He claimed he was confident that Malton could become a rival to some of the country’s leading destinations for foodies, such as Ludlow in Shropshire and Padstow in Cornwall.

He said: “I do love to travel and sample the world’s cuisine, but we should all be buying British produce whenever we can.

“You get a feeling for places when you come and visit, and I really do think that what is going on in Malton is very special. I honestly do believe that it could become a name that sits along other events in places like Ludlow.”

Mr Parker Bowles gave a cookery demonstration on Saturday, and other chefs at the event included Rosemary Shrager and Andrew Pern.

Malton’s food festival began in 2009 as a one-day event. But its success led to it being staged over two days for the first time at the weekend.