A food festival in Wigton generated nearly £175,000 for the local economy, according to new research.
Taste Cumbria held the Taste of Wigton event earlier this year, organised by Allerdale council.
An independent report said this was a return on investment of more than £9 for every £1 spent by the organisers, which was double the amount generated at the first Taste Cumbria festival in Wigton in 2021 which saw £4.44 generated for each pound invested.
An estimated 3,500 people visited the town of which 87 per cent had made the trip specifically to explore the producers’ market, watch the chef demonstrations, watch the live music and take part in the children’s activities.
The 2022 event also drew in more people from further afield. Seventy per cent of the people at the event were from the Allerdale area, while in 2021, this figure was 76 per cent. A quarter were from elsewhere in Cumbria and six per cent originated from outside of the county, a figure which sat at just two per cent in 2021.
Visitors came from across the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
The satisfaction figures in the research were also very positive. Nearly everyone interviewed, 97 per cent, said the event quality was good or very good and the same number of people said they would come to another similar event in the future, and 95 per cent said they would recommend it to others. Ninety four per cent said the quality of products was good or very good, and 97 per cent rated the venue – Water Street car park and the neighbouring Market Hall – as good or very good.
There was good news for the town businesses too. When asked what else they would be doing in the town apart from visiting the festival, 64 per cent said they would be visiting local cafes, pubs or restaurants for a meal or a drink, 45 per cent would visit local shops and 13 per cent said they would do some general sightseeing.
Mike Johnson, leader of Allerdale council, said: “Seeing this boost for the economy is great news for Wigton and great news for Allerdale and West Cumbria. It reinforces what Taste Cumbria is all about – giving independent businesses an excellent showcase, and benefiting our towns in the process.
“One of the new additions to the festival format this year is the Young Entrepreneurs’ Market and that’s one thing I would like to see more of. Giving fledgling businesses a platform in front of thousands of people is all part of Taste Cumbria putting even more back in to the community.”
