George Panks, MYA’s COO, spent part of his Bank Holiday in Tetbury with his wife Stef, covering the famous Woolsack Races for their Instagram food blog, @cotswold_food_bloggers
The event sees individuals, teams and juniors race up and down the 1 in 4 gradient of Gumstool Hill, carrying sacks of wool weighing up to 60lbs. It is a remarkable display of strength, endurance and local tradition.
Beyond the races themselves, Tetbury was extremely busy, with visitors travelling from across the region and further afield, including London, to support and experience a tradition that dates back more than 400 years.
The food offer was also a significant part of the event. Street food is often assumed to be simple and low cost, but that is no longer always the case. Prices are rising across the sector, and successful vendors are under increasing pressure to develop new concepts, use better ingredients and adopt more complex preparation methods. This inevitably increases cost.
That said, the general value for money appeared to be strong, particularly in the context of a large public event. Some vendors were locally sourced, including bakeries, butchers and other suppliers from the surrounding area, while younger entrepreneurs brought a wide range of cuisines and flavours into the town.
Street food is increasingly replacing more traditional outdoor food options such as sandwiches and fish and chips. One practical point remains: as menus become more innovative, they still need to be easy to eat while standing, walking and without cutlery.
Waste, disposables and climate impact were not especially visible themes at the event, and this may be an area for further consideration.
Local pubs, cafés and bars also benefited from the increased footfall, with many setting up stalls outside their premises. Overall, the event appeared to support the wider town economy rather than compete with it.