The day before this year’s two-day festival of food and drink at Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh a spirited conference focused on Suffolk and the Sea.

Chaired by Sheila Dillon, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme, speakers including marine biologist, Dr Jason Hall-Spencer, renowned international environmental lawyer and chief executive of ClientEarth James Thornton, and Jeremy Ryland Langley, head of fish and shellfish sourcing policy for Waitrose addressed over-exploitation of the marine environment and how best to cope with the threat from the sea in low-lying Suffolk.

The subsequent two-day festival, which was attended by over 12,000, celebrated the abundance, variety and quality of food available in East Suffolk. Highlights of the main festival weekend included cooking demonstrations from notable chefs including Henry Harris of Knightsbridge’s ‘Racine’, a ‘plant it, grow it, eat it’ area for children, talk by gentleman baker Tim Hayward and stately boat trips and guided walks.

For more information and advance bookings for next year’s festival:

www.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk

Recommended Hotels:

The White Lion (excellent Dover sole) and Brudenell (4* luxury) Aldeburgh