THE Chequers in Eversley Cross has teamed up with the village store and local food and drink producers to stage a Great British Food & Drink Festival over the August bank holiday weekend.

Pub manager Jordan Marr is working with award-winning foodies from the Eversley Centre Stores, John Hartle and Gill Lewis, to help stage the three day event, and bring together producers from all corners of Hampshire in a celebration of good things to eat and drink.

As well as an amazing programme of food demos and talks, with fun hands-on activities like sausage-making, fairy cake decorating and chef demos to get involved with, there will also be plenty of delicious local Hampshire fare to try and to buy.

Even a Great British Menu inspired dinner made with great local produce on the Saturday night. With a beer festival dishing out tasters of local ales from a beer tent on the Sunday and great live music and entertainment all weekend, the event looks set to be a fantastic, free family weekend.

“We take a lot of care in choosing the ingredients that go into the food we serve and our chefs cook with as much great quality local and British produce as they can get their hands on,” says The Chequers manager Jordan Marr.

“We also want to do as much as we can to support local food and drink producers, and spread the word about the good stuff they grow and make, so others get to know about them and buy them, whether direct from the producer or from places like Eversley Centre Stores who do so much to champion local fare.

“Working with John and Gill we came up with the idea of a food festival that would be a community event and hold it at the pub, for as many people as possible to enjoy.”

The event kicks off in earnest at 5pm on Friday 23rd August, with a masterclass in gin tasting from one of the country’s leading gin brand ambassadors, followed by a well-deserved G&T afterwards. The initiated can then stay on for a great steak at the pub’s regular Grill Night in the evening, when the experts from Aubrey Allen, butcher to the Queen, will be on hand to explain how the pub gets all its great meat from field to fork.

The carnivorous theme continues on Saturday morning, with sausage-making using Blythburgh free-range pork from Jimmy Butler’s Suffolk farm and a butchery demo where people can learn about choosing and using different cuts of meat. 

At 12 noon until 4pm, there will be a local produce market where Eversley Centre Stores will have their own stall packed with great local produce, alongside a wealth of Hampshire producers selling their own fare. Here, pub-goers can stock their larder with everything from locally brewed ales and ciders to lovely Hampshire cheeses, chutneys, jams and cakes.  There will also be flowers and floral displays as well as beautiful home fragrance and body care products from New Forest Aromatics. 

During the afternoon head chef Ray Brenner will be doing a cookery demo sharing his tricks of the trade on making the perfect poached and scrambled eggs with hollandaise sauce, before going back into the kitchen to cook the ultimate British dinner menu.  Tuck into four delicious courses then vote for the winning dish in this TV-inspired dinner and menu challenge. Booking is essential to enjoy this event. 

Sunday sees a local beer festival with some hearty and lighter summer brews from Andwells, Ascot Ales and Hogs Back, alongside a great selection of local sausages grilled to perfection to savour with your brew.

The organisers are hoping as many people as possible will come down for what promises to be an incredible celebration of good Hampshire fare, and a fantastic festival of great British food and drink.

The Great British Food & Drink Festival takes place from August 23-25 at The Chequers, Eversley Cross, Hampshire, RG27 0NS.


Call 01184 027065 to book for the Great British Menu dinner.