Taste Lancashire – a new foodlover's guide

Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board (LBTB) has produced its biggest ever Lancashire Food & Drink Guide, which is available free to the public via Visitor Information Centres and on request from www.visitlancashire.com.

The new guide features 147 Taste Lancashire accredited restaurants and cafes as well as AA, Michelin and Seafish Frier Quality Award places to eat. Taste Lancashire is a quality award scheme which assesses the welcome, service, food standard and use of local produce. It was launched by LBTB in 2007 and is assessed by Quality in Tourism (QIT).

Once assessed, successful businesses are awarded the Taste Lancashire Quality Assured or the Taste Lancashire Highest Quality Assured marque; the 2010 guide includes the highest proportion of 'highest quality' assured businesses, an increase of over 33% on the previous year.

"In just three years the scheme has helped raise awareness of the quality of eating places in Lancashire and the county's commitment to the quality and sustainability of local producers" commented Barbara Howorth, the tourist board Taste Lancashire Executive ."The strength of Lancashire's food and drink offer coupled with the warm welcome that awaits visitors to the region, is proving irresistible to food lovers from across the North West and much further afield."

Taste Lancashire accredited businesses have their own award category in the up-coming Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards, taking place on June 9th at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel, hosted by TV wildlife presenter, Michaela Strachan.

Finalists in the Taste Lancashire category this year include: Bashall Barn, Bashall, Highest Quality Assured; Greens Bistro, St. Anne's on Sea, Highest Quality Assured; The Highwayman, Burrow, Highest Quality Assured; Cobble Hey Farm, Claughton on Brock, Highest Quality Assured; Homestead Farm, Holmeswood, Quality Assured.

Last year's winner of the Taste Lancashire Award 2009 was La Locanda Ristorante Italiano from Gisburn, who went on to win a Platinum Award for Best Italian Restaurant at the PAPA (Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association) awards, held in London last November.

20,000 Lancashire Food & Drink Guides have been produced and will be used to promote the region at food events, conferences and exhibitions attended by the tourist board.

To download or order your free copy go to http://www.visitlancashire.com and click on Request Information.