Eighth Food and Drink Festival launched

Feb 27 2009 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

Eighth Food and Drink Festival launched

THE EIGHTH annual Chester Food and Drink festival was launched with the trademark cheese rolling competition in the city on Tuesday.

Hill Valley High Rollers beat five-time champions Made in Cheshire to lift the cup.

The team from the Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel Golf & Spa defeated the Cheshire team, whose challenge crumbled after previously winning for five years on the run.

The cheese rolling was followed by a new event, a pancake race.

A team from the Meze Restaurant, Eastgate Row North, Chester, won the Golden Pancake Trophy, narrowly beating a team from the West Cheshire Chamber of Commerce.

A procession including children from Merton House School made their way on a circuit of the Walls carrying a wheel of cheese from The Groves to Eastgate Street, where Angel Burton, of Merton House, carried the cheese through the city to The Cross.

A team of four runners from the new Cheshire West and Chester Council did a lap of the Walls.

Lord Mayor of Chester Cllr Brian Bailey started each cheese rolling race.

Lady Mayoress Raewyn Bailey started the pancake racing, which saw teams from Amber Lounge, M&S, The Cheese Shop and Brasserie Chez Gerard toss pancakes along a course in Bridge Street.

Kate Halewood, of Vicars Cross, Chester, general manager of Hill Valley, said: “We are delighted to have won the cheese rolling on our first attempt.”