Tom Kerridge, chef patron of the two Michelin star Hand and Flowers pub in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, TV star and dieting expert, is taking Pub in the Park, the food and music festival he launched in his home town last May, on the road and I for one can’t wait for his team to roll up on my own doorstep.
Taking place over four glorious summer weekends, Pub in the Park will pop up for the second year at Higginson Park, Marlow on 17-20 May where it’ll be a sure-fire sell out again, before heading to my local Royal Victoria Park, Bath on 8-10 June, Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells 6-8 July followed by a grand finale at The Lambing Shed in the idyllic town of Knutsford on 7-9 September.
Uniting an impressive line-up of long-standing British music acts, including KT Tunstall, Texas, Will Young, Razorlight, Mel C and Toploader, with some seriously yummy restaurant-quality food cooked by some of the best chefs in the country, this event is set to travel to even more venues next year.
Completely child-friendly and a world away from the mud bath and hardcore partying of Glastonbury, this is a more civilised festival for foodies and families who enjoy live music but don’t appreciate junk, overpriced trailer food that’s just an aside to the proceedings and will leave you feeling regretful afterwards.
There will be cookery demonstrations from the likes of Great British Bake-off winner Candice Brown and an artisan food retail area where you’re sure to find a special memento of the weekend to tuck into your napsack. Meanwhile, food will be served from pop-ups of Kerridge’s acclaimed The Hand & Flowers and The Coach, along with tantalising offerings by celebrity chefs Josh Eggleton, Angela Hartnett and Paul Ainsworth bringing festival goers the best pub grub the UK has to offer.
With all dishes priced at £5, everyone can try a few. Now that menus are just starting to be announced for each venue, I’m already preparing to queue for the Tuscan spicy sausage, fennel and pea ragu by Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano, deep-fried North Sea fish ‘Tattie Dab’ with devilled Whitby Crab, mushy peas and lobster gravy by Andrew Pern’s The Star Inn and Jamon croquetas by Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’s Paco Tapas. It certainly sounds like the food on offer will be a long way from the pub grub or festival food I was brought up on, and that’s got to be a good thing.
Tickets cost £25 for the afternoon and £40 for the evening. Children’s tickets, VIP tickets and all weekend tickets also available. For more information on visiting and to book please visit the website.
