Good News

Kentish Wine Prize for Caring Customer in Support Your Local Campaign Presented by KCC Leader Roger Gough and Amanda Cottrell OBE

Following the huge success of the first #CaringCustomer appeal, dynamic organisation Produced in Kent and campaign partner Visit Kent took the opportunity to thank another #CaringCustomer as the second appeal to gain local support for Kent Food & Drink businesses ended on October 16th. The exciting appeal linked up with the wine harvest, celebrating Kent Wine.

3
3

The #CaringCustomer appeal is one of the activities of the county-wide Support Your Local awareness campaign in support of local, independent bars, restaurants, and cafes, which runs from July to December 2020.

A #CaringCustomer was chosen at random from those who signed the pledge to receive a prize as a thank you for showing their support for the appeal. Gayle Busbridge, a florist from Bridgewood in Medway, was presented with a collection of the finest Kentish Wines from The Wine Garden of England. The case of wine contained six bottles from Hush Heath, Simpsons Estate, Squerryes, Gusbourne, Biddenden, and Chapel Down. The Wine Garden of England links seven of Kent’s top wine producers to create a world-class wine trail and visitor experience in Kent.

KCC Leader Roger Gough and Amanda Cottrell OBE were present at the prize-giving which took place at Hush Heath Wine Estate on Monday 26th October. Also, in attendance were Richard Balfour-Lynn of Hush Heath Wine Estate and Chief Executive of Produced in Kent Floortje Hoette.

Amanda Cottrell praised the residents of Kent for showing their support for the appeal. “It is wonderful to be able to give back to a member of the local community and show them how grateful we are to them for supporting this crucial campaign and their ‘local’”. She continued “Campaigns like these show the true Kent community spirit. Now more so than ever, it is vital that we as a county pull together to show our local pubs, restaurants, cafés, and tea rooms how valued and appreciated they are”.

Roger Gough went on to praise the county’s hospitality businesses as well as the food supply chain behind them: “By eating and drinking out, we do not just help the hospitality sector, but the wider local independent food and drink industry in Kent as well. Most independent pubs, restaurants, and cafes in Kent are supplied by local growers, producers, and wholesalers. If the hospitality sector runs into trouble, the entire food and drink industry in Kent will too. So, Eat Local and Buy Local, too!”

The Caring Customer appeal has been running since July through which customers are encouraged to eat and drink out at their ‘local’ and in so doing, help the Kent hospitality sector recover. By signing the #CaringCustomer pledge customers can show their love for their favourite Kent food and drink businesses – and demonstrate their awareness and care for fellow diners too! The initiative is set to provide a much-needed boost to Kent’s £2.6 billion visitor economy, which has been badly hit since the pandemic.