Bigger and better asparagus festival next year (From Evesham Journal)

Bigger and better asparagus festival next year

10:16am Monday 7th July 2008

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PLANS are going ahead for an even bigger and better Asparagus Festival in the Vale of Evesham next spring.

A meeting organised by Angela Tidmarsh, Wychavon tourism officer, of people involved in this year's event, at Wychavon Civic Centre last Friday (July 4) hailed the new-look festival a tremendous success.

"It was very successful," Mrs Tidmarsh said. "It was a very enjoyable time and it did create a tremendous amount of media interest which was a great boost both for asparagus and the area generally."

In addition, said Mrs Tidmarsh, there were over 50,000 hits on the website in the first six months of the new site being set up.

The Asparabus tours run by Chris Dudley were well patronised and Mr Dudley was planning similar tours next year.

She said a similar sort of festival, running from St George's Day to Midsummer Day, was envisaged for next year and she already had the promise of the Morgan car for the asparagus run to London.

"We need to encourage anyone with an event within that period to become part of the festival," she said.

Nigel Smith, landlord of The Fleece at Bretforton, pointed out that the asparagus auction kept its integrity and continued to be for the benefit of the village and something that local people could associate with.

Chairman of the Vale of Evesham Commerce and Tourism Association, Vernon Powell said: "We are talking about the Vale of Evesham and through the festival we should continue to promote the locality with its facilities, hotels, restaurants and shops. At the same time we want people to understand that the best asparagus comes from the Vale of Evesham."

Mrs Tidmarsh explained they needed to be at least county wide if they were to encourage visitors to stay for short breaks rather than just a day.

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