La Fete d’la Mair is this year being replaced by a new food event after organisers decided the two-week seafood festival did not provide value for money.

Culture and Leisure marketing director Peter Falla, left, and Good Food Guernsey chairman Andy Coleman say La Fete d’la Mair might return next year. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0731693)

La Fete d’la Mair is this year being replaced by a new food event after organisers decided the two-week seafood festival did not provide value for money.

Culture and Leisure marketing director Peter Falla said that following a review in the autumn, it had decided not to secure a sponsor after the tender had run out.

‘We recognised that the climate was going to be very difficult and because it had taken such a proportion of the budget, it was inappropriate for it to continue.’

Mr Falla said the budget would be better spent elsewhere.

Good Food Guernsey receives a £50,000 budget from Commerce and Employment. That money will now support a new programme of events.

This will include an initiative called ‘A Taste of Guernsey’, which will celebrate local produce and food expertise throughout the island, from May to September.

Culture and Leisure marketing director Peter Falla, left, and Good Food Guernsey chairman Andy Coleman say La Fete d’la Mair might return next year. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0731693)

La Fete d’la Mair is this year being replaced by a new food event
after organisers decided the two-week seafood festival did not provide
value for money.

Culture and Leisure marketing director Peter Falla said that
following a review in the autumn, it had decided not to secure a
sponsor after the tender had run out.

‘We recognised that the climate was going to be very difficult and
because it had taken such a proportion of the budget, it was
inappropriate for it to continue.’

Mr Falla said the budget would be better spent elsewhere.

Good Food Guernsey receives a £50,000 budget from Commerce and
Employment. That money will now support a new programme of events.

This will include an initiative called ‘A Taste of Guernsey’, which
will celebrate local produce and food expertise throughout the island,
from May to September.

Mr Falla said that was a good alternative to the festival because it covered more than two weeks. He added that seafood would continue to be promoted throughout the summer – special seafood menus would be offered in restaurants and cafes.

Tennerfest and the Lower Pollet food festivals will take place again this year.

The new programme is designed to give a much wider spread and celebrate food throughout the year, said Mr Falla.

He added that the time was right to celebrate local produce.

Good Food Guernsey chairman Andy Coleman, who is also managing director of La Barbarie Hotel, said: ‘It can only benefit restaurateurs and hoteliers to put it on our menus, so the time is right for change.’

He added that Good Food Guernsey had not ruled out reintroducing the seafood festival next year and would be reviewing Taste of Guernsey.

‘We hope it will be successful so we can secure a sponsor next year,’ he said.

‘But we feel the programme this year gives much better value for money and more details will follow in due course.’