A COUNCIL leader is calling on the people of Waveney to buy and enjoy locally produced food and drink during British Food Fortnight.Running until October 4, and now in its eighth year, British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces.

A COUNCIL leader is calling on the people of Waveney to buy and enjoy locally produced food and drink during British Food Fortnight.

Running until October 4, and now in its eighth year, British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces.

It aims to raise awareness of British produce and get people sampling what's made and grown locally and Cllr Mark Bee, Leader of Waveney District Council, played his part this week by visiting - and sampling the wares of - one of Lowestoft's most famous and traditional food industries.

Speaking at the Old Smokehouse in Raglan Street, Cllr Bee said: “Waveney is blessed with a fantastic array of food and drink producers and British Food Fortnight is a great opportunity to highlight the heritage and hard work that goes in to local products and increase awareness of the fantastic food of Waveney and Suffolk as a whole. The traditional smokehouses are part of the fabric of Lowestoft and what better way is there to enjoy the fantastic and delicious food while supporting local businesses?”

Waveney enjoys a wonderful fishing heritage, with fresh fish widely available along our stretch of the coast and the smokehouses of Lowestoft provide an insight into long-held traditions as well as providing that special taste.

Suffolk also produces around 20pc of the nation's pork and there are some well-known producers in Waveney. We also have award-winning breweries and wine producers on our patch as well as fantastic pubs, restaurants and eateries.

Cllr Bee continued: “Please use this opportunity to visit a local eatery or use local produce when cooking your next meal. You will be totally spoilt for choice and will probably need much more than a fortnight to get a true taste of Waveney!”

For more information on getting involved in British Food Fortnight and details events taking place across the region visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk. To discover local eateries and food producers, visit the Food and Drink pages of the Sunrise Coast website at www.visit-sunrisecoast.co.uk.