Foodie festival to launch at Abbey

There is considerable interest in this year’s festival, following last year’s pilot, which proved how much enthusiasm there is about quality food and drink in Hastings and Rother.

The opening ceremony on May 14 will take place in historic Battle Abbey with wine critic and TV presenter Jilly Goolden as guest of honour.

The opening will naturally be toasted in English traditional method sparkling wine, acknowledging the 1066 area as being at the heart of English wine productions.

A limited number of public tickets to the ceremony, which will include a glass of sparkling wine and canapés, are available at £15 from the festival’s website – 1066wineandfoodfestival.com – and the Hastings Tourist Information Centre.

Food and drink of all kinds will be on offer during a one-day fair in the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, which will provide a showcase for local wines and produce.

There will be free admission to the event on Sunday, May 22.

The festival will draw to a close on Sunday, May 29, with a finale held in St Mary in the Castle, Hastings.

The event will feature live music from Soul Xpress and a pop-up wine bar.

Throughout the fortnight of the 1066 Wine and Food Festival, individual restaurants, wine merchants, vineyards, food producers and resellers will all be making a special effort which the organisers of the festival will promote via programmes, advertising, banners, posters and social media.

The festival will run from May 14 to May 29.

A full list of events and promotions taking place throughout the festival can be found on the website.