A cancer nurse was among the health service staff given free entry to one of the UK’s top food festivals as a way of celebrating the event’s 20th anniversary.

Ann Gostage, 58, was one of the thousands of foodies who flocked to the popular Llangollen Food Festival which provides an annual showcase for the region’s best producers.

Ann, who works as a specialist lung cancer nurse at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, was delighted by the generosity of the organisers towards the staff of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Ann, who lives in Llangollen, said: “I was actually at the first food festival here 20 years ago and have seen it just grow in popularity ever since.

“I’ve enjoyed being here again today and it was good to see the extra stalls.

“I like to come early and get the pick of the produce and I’ve bought some nice chorizos, onion bargees and a bottle of gin.”

Another woman who remembered attending the very first festival in 1997 was the current Mayor of Llangollen, Cllr Sheena Burrell, who was working in the local Tourist Information Centre at the
time.

She recalled: “It was brilliant and showed off lots of quality local and Welsh produce.

“Right here on our own doorstep we were able to taste the kind of food we didn’t even know existed and over the past 20 years it has just got better and better.”

She added: “It’s amazing how the festival has grown with more stands and more diverse kinds of food and drink.

“It attracts the best of the best producers and is an amazing showcase for what’s available, not just from this area but the whole of North Wales.”

Organising committee member Pip Gale, who runs Gales Wine Bar in the town, said: “Visitors numbers are once again high and people are appreciating that the festival is bigger and better than ever.

“This year, by way of celebrating our 20th anniversary, we’ve added about 20 per cent more stands making a total of 130.

“They are both outside in front of the Pavilion and inside, with a performance area just off the main hall and, for the first time, upstairs too.

“We’ve also tried to present a much more varied mix of stands and activities, such as giving people the chance to try bread making and take part in wine tastings.

“As we mark our two decades we’re also celebrating being named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK by the Independent and Daily Telegraph newspapers.”

It’s estimated that the two-day festival attracted about 8,000 food lovers from far and wide and pumped nearly £400,000 into the local economy, making a total of £8 million since it started.

l FOR more on the food festival, see tomorrow’s Leader.