A FOOD festival promoting local produce is set to return to Penarth this year

Penarth based community environmental group Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG) have announced the return of the annual Penarth Local Food Festival following last year’s break.

It will be held on Sunday, September 17 at The Kymin house and grounds on Beach Road.

GPG held the first of these events in 2011 which it says proved a hit with both local residents and visitors,]

It was then held annually for five years becoming a much anticipated feature of the town’s calendar.

The festival provides a unique showcase for the best of local produce and local food businesses.

This year’s line up of stalls will include all the regular favourites plus a few new additions.

Anthony Slaughter, GPG committee member and lead organiser of the event said: "We’re thrilled to be bringing the food festival back to the Kymin this year.

"The day is a real celebration of community and is a wonderful showcase for our many fantastic local food businesses.

"This is an ideal location for this very popular community event which was described by one stallholder as 'the festival with the view.'"

GPG are also working on a relaunch of the Shop in Penarth loyalty card scheme.

Working together with local retailers, the Penarth Times and others, the group plan to launch the rebranded and updated Shop Penarth scheme at September’s food festival.

The original SiP card scheme was introduced by GPG in September 2010 with the aim of supporting Penarth’s independent businesses and boosting the local economy by encouraging customer loyalty.

The scheme also aims to cut carbon emissions by reducing the number of car trips for out of town shopping, helping to make Penarth a greener, cleaner town.

The scheme has proved very popular with many keen to support their local business community and several thousand of the original SiP card have been sold since its launch.

The relaunched scheme will include new branding, promotional material and an improved online presence with the aim of encouraging even more people to cherish and support Penarth’s vibrant mix of independent retailers.