Stowmarket was the place to be for food as the town’s first-ever StowFeast festival was held earlier.

East Anglian Daily Times: The StowFeast food and drink festival in Stowmarket. Mena Boughey of Mena's Indian Banquet.The StowFeast food and drink festival in Stowmarket. Mena Boughey of Mena's Indian Banquet. (Image: Archant)

Tastes – whether sweet or savoury, vegan or vegetarian – were catered for as the sights and smells of fresh food filled the air in the town centre.

The John Peel Centre also got involved hosting a mini market of produce coming from within 30 miles of the town.

Sharon Brown is town manager for Stowmarket Town Centre Partnership, which organised the event. She said: “The event started really promisingly – it was busy from the morning – it’s gone well. It’s been better than expected, the response has been good.”

The Sustainable Stowmarket group, known as Susstow, put together the market in the Peel centre.

Janet Pearson, from the group, said: “It has been very successful, we have had a steady stream of people coming in here. The producers seem very happy with the sales made and we are now looking at the possibility of starting a regular market here once a week.”

On the centre’s first floor was Cafe Green which was organised by the Green Party and offered vegetarian and vegan food and drink.

John Matthissen, local councillor, said: “We are very delighted to support a new initiative to promote local food and we have been very pleased with the reception.”

Back in the town centre, Anna Bloom, from Stowupland’s Mr Allard’s Farm Butchery, was serving sausages. “We have done really well, it’s been very good; it’s nice when you are serving people who know you and the business,” she said.

Dr Simon Poole from the Cambridge olive oil company, Positively Good for You, gave a presentation in the parish church on the benefits of a Mediterranean diet.