Congratualtions To Cowbridge Food & Drink Festival ? Welsh Food ...

What a delightful change for Ian and I to visit a 2-day food festival, arrive on the second day and see and talk to happy traders. Yes dear reader, you did read that correctly, happy traders! Plus we had lots of Best of Welsh & Border producers there.

Wow, wow, wow Cowbridge, what is your secret???.?

Well to be fair there isn?t one, but the reason why?the Cowbridge team have a winner of an event, year after year, is that they listen. Cowbridge listen to traders, to the retailers in the town, to the town council, to their helpers and volunteers, to their sponsors and maybe in part, also listen to us too. In my view, listening is their secret. Usually when ?anyone? suggests to organisers that something could be improved, instead of getting the usual scenario from them, which could be strongly defending their corner because there is nothing wrong, it can?t be changed or the ultimate, which?if a trader complains, means they?ll?not get invited back, so what is the point of traders saying anything??Cowbridge Events Manager is Polly Wilson of pollywilson events, she?s?the face of Cowbridge, the contact for both traders and press, but thanks and congratulations must also go to John Davies the Chair of Cowbridge Food Festival and the rest of the great team that he has put together.

Anyway back to Polly, who I must say that the traders have a great deal of respect for, and I still insist it?s?because she does listen to them. Of course she can?t please everyone, who could? But if your requests are listed on your application form, and if your form is accurately filled in, with you not expecting Polly to remember all the products you produce, then maybe possible problems can be nipped in the bud? before they start. Festival forms are a pain in the butt for both sides, but over the following months, I want to pick Polly?s brains and see if we can devise a form that will help Polly do her job and will make life easier for traders too. If we can achieve that, then maybe we can persuade wag to have just one form for ALL funded festivals,?but maybe I?m dreaming on that one, we?ll see.? Yet after praising Polly and the team, even they?couldn?t stop the rain on Sunday afternoon! But the pleasure from visiting Cowbridge festival does come from Polly understanding the traders and the traders appearing to understand the job she works so hard to get right.

I?m sure you can now guess another reason the traders so happy? Yes of course, Saturday was brilliant on the takings front. One trader said: this festival is the best and busiest I have done this year and such a change to see people handing me ?20 notes and not struggling to find a fiver in change. Many commented: Saturday was so busy; Sunday is now a much needed bonus. A trader, who has travelling down to London that night for a show this week, had no choice but to use some of the London stock they had, as they too had been so busy. This was music to my ears.

Parking has always been a problem in Cowbridge, that?s the nature of this beautiful?town, but improvements had been made, although human nature decrees, that traders will want to be as close as possible to the food marquee. However something else that impressed me was the young people from the ATC that were so helpful to traders in helping them move their stock back to their vans. Gosh they were so polite, despite the hideous rain that came in without my permission I might add! The cookery demos were moved much closer to the main action, which was sensible and worked well. There were locals chefs down for duty and again this is something I like and want to see more of at other festivals. Not sure though if they were using food from the producers, I?ll check with Polly about that one. I would have liked to have seen a notice in that area saying who was cooking and when though. The Park & Ride was another big help, as were the AA signs on my way in. Marshalling worked well and everyone was so polite and helpful ? yes even to press too!

Another surprise after Ian and I had had our coffee fix in Cowbridge just after 9.30, the cafe?was very busy and doing a good trade in?breakfasts, was to see a local butcher open on the High Street and other shops planning to open from 11-3.00. Thank goodness?that shop retailers were taking advantage of the massive number of visitors to the town and showing them what Cowbridge has to offer.

There was the?craft area in it?s normal spot, some had done ok some not well at all. I must have a moan at some of these traders who not only didn?t have business cards and singnage on their stands but did look totally fed up. I know it was cold and it is always worse if you aren?t selling, I do know that after having done tradestands for more years than I wish to divulge here, but a grumpy looking trader doesn?t encourage me to have a look at what they?have got on offer.??Ian has quick to spot our First Minster Carwyn Jones in the craft area, and of course couldn?t resist the opportunity to give him a copy of Welsh Country to take home with him. Polly you didn?t say you had friends in such high places!

I didn?t see Miller Research but maybe they visited on Saturday. To me that is a daft day to go as Saturday is always the busiest day so?you cannot talk to traders and get their view ? that is if they want any traders view of an event.

So compliments to all involved in Cowbridge, wag should hold you up as the example to follow. I know that wag funded Cowbridge to the tune of ?9,900 and this is one of the few occasions that wag food and our producers got real value for money.

Poor Polly is though going to have many, many more producers wanting stands next year when word spreads to those?who haven?t attended before or worst still couldn?t get in this year and missed such a wonderful event????????????..

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Source: http://www.welshfoodbites.co.uk/2012/10/29/congratualtions-to-cowbridge-food-drink-festival/

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