By William Coleman
Local food, local drink, local snacks from local producers at a holiday park site. What more can you ask for from a trip away in your caravan or motorhome? This Lancashire park has been celebrating life with their guests and filling their bellies with UK made snacks and drink.
From popcorn to pies to tasty crisp glass of pale ale, whatever your favourite treat is you’d be sure to find it at the Moss Wood caravan park in Cockerham. Hundreds of visitors attended the one day event in July to sample the smorgasbord of food and drinks from producers from all over the UK.
Guest, friends and family all tucked into free samples of UK made produce from different regions all across the UK. The producers were mainly smaller family run businesses which “export” their goods to all corners of the country.
This event marked the second food and drink celebration at Moss Wood, which is also a family owned business. This years event drew four times as many visitors as the previous.
The holiday park has earned many awards over the years for its conservation work, and Henry Wild said that the event was also sending out an environmental message:
“Bringing in food from all over the globe has a price to pay in terms of the damage caused by fuel emissions, and we are questioning why this should be necessary,” he said.
“In Lancashire we have many world-class food and drink specialists whose produce could grace the finest tables, and its doesn’t have to clock-up hundreds of food miles to get here.
“Buying local also supports our regional economy and the jobs created here, and that’s why we were delighted that so many people came along to raise a glass to Lancashire!” added Henry.
Exhibitors included a micro-brewery, Farm Yard Ales, just down the road from Moss Wood, plus producers of fare ranging from cheeses and ice creams to hand-cooked crisps and sausages.
As well as encouraging visitors to enjoy free tastings, representatives from the businesses described how their products were made, often using traditional ingredients and methods.
Moss Wood also markets its own craft beer, Wild Ales, and hopes next year to start selling honey harvested from the three bee hives installed this spring in the grounds of the park.
There is more information about Moss Wood Caravan Park at Caerphilly County Borough Council
