Brighton & Hove wins £155k to get more Sussex food on shelves and menus
Locally sourced Sussex food and drink set out on the South Downs (Image: Natural Partnerships)
More Sussex-grown food and drink could soon be turning up on Brighton & Hove's shop shelves and restaurant menus, after the city won £155,000 of government funding to back a countywide "buy local" campaign.
Brighton & Hove City Council secured the money from DEFRA to improve the quality and supply of local food, and is putting part of it towards a local roll-out of Sussex Six – a campaign that asks hospitality and retail businesses to pledge to take on at least six more local food and drink products or ingredients.
The grant came in recognition of the city's Gold Sustainable Food Places status, and Brighton & Hove was one of only five places in England chosen for the funding. The Sussex Six campaign itself is run by Natural Partnerships, a community interest company that specialises in local food, drink and farming projects.
The pledge in a nutshell
The idea is deliberately simple. A cafe, pub, shop or restaurant signs up and commits to stocking or serving more local produce – and in return gets help being found by the people who want to buy it.
Why it matters for the city
The pledge is about more than a few extra products on a shelf. Backers say buying and selling local keeps money in the community, supports nearby producers and cuts the distance food travels to reach the plate.
The Sussex Food & Drink directory maps local shops, producers and places to eat across the city (Image: Sussex Six)
What the council will do with the money
In Brighton & Hove, the funding will see the council work with Sussex Six and organisations like the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership on a few practical fronts, all aimed at getting more local food into more places.
What a business gets for signing up
Any business that signs up and makes the pledge is invited to join the Sussex Food & Drink Network for free. That comes with a handful of perks designed to help customers find them.
'Buy local, support local'
"I would encourage Brighton & Hove retail and hospitality businesses to sign the Sussex Six pledge to serve and sell local produce."
Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council
Cllr Sankey also urged residents to get behind local businesses, arguing the city can grow its economy, create jobs and live more sustainably by buying local. She said the city's Gold Sustainable Food Places Award – recognition of long-term work to improve its food system – was something the government specifically pointed to in choosing Brighton & Hove for the funding.
Hilary Knight, co-director of Natural Partnerships CIC, welcomed the city joining the campaign, saying Brighton & Hove offers such a wonderful range of food and drink, and that the aim is to get more local produce onto the city's shelves and menus.
Businesses that want to make the pledge, or anyone who'd like to explore what's produced locally, can find out more through the links below.
• Sussex Food & Drink: the Sussex Six campaign
• Council news: Brighton & Hove joins the campaign