City food festival to go ahead

The council decided in July that it would take over the annual city centre food festival

Lichfield Food and Drink Festival has been given the go-ahead for later this month after the event's previous organisers were blocked by the district council from staging it.

The authority has taken over the city centre event, which takes place across the August bank holiday weekend (23 to 25 August).

"Thanks to a united effort with local partners and organisations," the council said, the festival would feature about 100 stalls offering street food and artisan produce as well as live demonstrations.

Previous organisers Cocker Hoop Creative Limited said in July they would be seeking legal advice over the council's decision.

Meanwhile, council bosses said they were encouraging high street businesses in Lichfield to get involved with special offers across the weekend to ensure the whole city benefitted from the expected increase in footfall.

"It's fantastic to see the event going ahead thanks to strong local collaboration, even at short notice," said council leader Doug Pullen.

"While this summer's festival will be slightly smaller than previous years, we're confident it will still offer a safe, high-quality experience that showcases the best of our city."

More information, including a full list of traders and activities, would be announced in the coming weeks, the council said.