Sussex Six food and drink campaign launched in Wealden

More than 60 local taste makers in the Wealden food and drink industry came together at Gun Brewery and Taproom in Gun Hill this week to launch the Sussex Six Campaign in Wealden, urging people in the district to eat and buy local produce.

Restaurants, pubs and cafes across the Wealden district are encouraged to make the Sussex Six pledge to take on at least six more local food and drink product lines in the coming year, to boost local business, support the local community and reduce food miles.

At the launch event, Councillor James Partridge, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat) lead councillor for Governance, Waste & Local Economy and leader of the council, said, “Wealden has a wide range of fantastic food and drink producers and some great shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes. If they all took on just six more local products, they would help each other grow, employ more local people and reduce our impact on the environment.”

With support from Wealden District Council, Natural Partnerships, which launched Sussex Six in 2023, has created an online Wealden food and drink directory to help businesses replace national and international products with locally made food and drink.

The first Wealden district retail and hospitality businesses to sign up are: Gun Brewery and Taproom in Gun Hill, Laurel Treet Fruit Farms in Boars Head, Curd and Rennet in Groombridge, The Old Oak Inn in Arlington, South Brockwells Farmshop in Little Horsted and the Long Man Brewery Shop in Litlington.

At the event, Wealden producers attended to offer tasters to potential buyers, including Alsop and Walker cheesemakers, ArtChocolat, Court Lodge Organics, Downsview Vineyard, Herons Folly Garden, Hurstwood Cider, In the loop drinks ltd, Little Bees Larder, Long Man Brewery, Murph’s Market Garden, Old Tree Brewery CIC, Only With Love Brewery, Orange Blossom Bakeshop, Pevensey Cheese Company, Seven Sisters’ Spices, Mousehall Estate Ltd and Winklestone Vineyard.

Steve Pomery, Co-owner of Tottington Manor in Edburton in the South Downs spoke to guests, sharing his experience of being a Sussex Six business and relating how serving delicious local produce has helped him to raise his hotel and restaurant’s profile and attract and keep loyal customers.

The Wealden district and Sussex-wide food and drink directories include over 600 listings on Sussex Food and Drink’s website which includes a Google map showing where to find the businesses supporting local produce. Businesses wishing to get involved can also find out more at the Sussex Six pages on the website.

“Sixty-three percent of people say they support businesses who sell or serve local products, but it’s hard for them to know who is genuinely doing this. The best way for them to know is for businesses to tell them,” said Hilary Knight from Natural Partnerships CIC.

“We urge local hospitality and retail businesses to highlight your suppliers on your shelves, on your menus, on your newsletters, website, and social media.

Name that wonderful Sussex cheese producer who works night and day to create something unique and tasty. Tell them about that farmer who rears your succulent lamb only five miles away. Name that beer from the brewery down the road which you use in your beer batter or pies. Flag the bakers who make your bread, the dairy that makes your butter. List the delicious Sussex wine that’s on your menu – some of the best in the world. Use your selling point, by telling people you are supporting your local food and drink producers. In no time, you could find some of your top selling products and dishes are Sussex made, and your customer loyalty could grow and grow!”