CHESTER has been ranked fifth in a list of the Fresh Food Capitals of the UK, thanks to its abundance of independent traders.
Discounting London, only York, Brighton, Manchester and Glasgow had more butchers, bakeries, greengrocers, fishmongers and markets per person.
The list was compiled by cooker manufacturers Leisure which totted up all the fresh food outlets in every city in the country.
It found Chester had 14 bakeries, 17 butchers, three fishmongers, four greengrocers and two markets.
A spokesman for Leisure said: “There are currently around 6.5 million adults who follow either a vegetarian, pescatarian or vegan lifestyle in the UK.
Chester and District Standard:
“Combined with an increased sense of ethical consumerism and health awareness, the UK has seen significant growth of organic and premium types of fresh food and a greater demand for fresh fruit and vegetables.”
The news has been welcomed by business group CH1ChesterBID, which represents and promotes city centre traders.
Carl Critchlow, BID Manager, said: “It’s wonderful to know Chester has been recognised on a national scale for its fresh food offering. Across the city centre, there’s a wide range of locally sourced and organic produce which appeals to not only Cestrians, but shoppers from all over the North West.
“We’ve got some fantastic independent businesses, including the grocer’s Francis Thomas and Mad Hatters Tea Room and Bakery, that are leading the way when it comes to providing great service and exceptionally fresh products.
“Chester Market is also a thriving hub for fresh food providers including bakers, butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers. With consumers increasingly wanting to lead more health-conscious lifestyles and being interested in ethically and sustainably sourced food, stores that are catering to those demands are really seeing the benefit.”
He added: “As the city’s Business Improvement District, we work hard to attract customers and visitors into Chester and always want to provide shoppers with an exceptional retail experience. Accolades such as this are so important as they’re a real testament to the diverse and unique shops, restaurants and bars that make up Chester’s city centre.”
For more on the Fresh Food Capitals of the UK visit www.leisurecooker.co.uk/uk-fresh-food-capitals
The top 20 list is:
1. York
2. Brighton
3. Manchester
4. Glasgow
5. Chester
6. Newcastle
7. Bath
8. Hull
9. Cambridge
10. Norwich
11. Worcester
12. Londonderry
13. Dundee
14. Leeds
15. Oxford
16. Wakefield
17. Lincoln
18. Belfast
19. Wolverhampton
20. Northampton
Originally published by The Chester Standard, 2nd September 2019
By Steve Creswell @stevecreswell
Chief Reporter
The post Chester ranked fifth in UK ‘Fresh Food Capitals’ list appeared first on Experience Chester.
