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Developing a theme for the town has been a hot topic for some time.
Curling, riding of the marches and even becoming the events capital have all been mooted but the latest idea on the table is to make the most of the town’s growing number of eateries.
With the title of Food Town taken by regional neighbours Castle Douglas, could Lockerbie become the new Taste Town?
Idea
THE idea is the brainchild of self confessed ‘serial hotelier’ Glen Wright, owner of the Dryfesdale Hotel and most recently Lockerbie’s Queens Hotel.
Glen said: “Lockerbie’s star is on the rise. The quality of dining has come a long way in the past few years.
“Curling has been a suggested identity for Lockerbie in the past, and while it’s clear we’ve produced some excellent curlers in the past few years I don’t think a curling town has the potential to bring in as many visitors as a town known for its excellent dining.”
Glen has suggested hoteliers and restaurateurs working together to organise a food festival.
He said: “Already a lot of restaurants and eateries recommend each other when we’re full and if we can expand on that mutual desire to keep people in the town instead of going elsewhere then we’re already off to a good start in the working together stakes.
“I think the next step in establishing ourselves as a taste town or a well known place to eat is to work together and organise a food festival.
“Lockerbie boasts an amazing location, great train station and just off the motorway. It has everything going for it and would make a brilliant taste town.”
Support
OWNER of multi award-winning The Townhead Hotel Stephen Montgomery has pledged his support to the taste town idea.
He said: “Lockerbie seems to be the place to go for food nowadays. There’s no doubt about it, the town’s reputation as a place not just for good food but fine dining has changed.
“We are always busy at weekends and if we have to turn people away who haven’t booked we always point them in the direction of neighbouring eating spots.
“That’s the way it should be, local businesses supporting each other, and Lockerbie’s good at that.”
Stephen added: “The idea of building on the theme of a taste town or eating town is great.
“The Townhead, and I know a lot of local spots, really champion buying local and getting local produce, so the restaurants’ gain would be the town’s gain in many ways.”
Emerging
Just Be, the new cafe and eatery in the town, have also given their support to the theme.
Their head chef Liam McMillan has big ideas for the bistro and has been busy introducing something a little bit different to the town.
Taking influence from other chefs, he’s added creations such as ‘beans on toast’ — a dessert consisting of lemon sponge with orange sauce and marzipan beans to look like the British classic in dessert form.
And he’s brimming with ideas for Just Be’s winter menu as he plans to make a dessert cheese board to wow customers.
He said: “I think Lockerbie’s ready for something a bit different.”
Do you think ‘Taste Town’ could be winning theme for Lockerbie? Email: [email protected]
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