FOOD-LOVERS across Gwent and further afield are in for a treat this month, as Abergavenny Food Festival goes virtual.

A Welsh hub for posh nosh for the last 21 years, the food festival succumbed to coronavirus and was cancelled in June, but acting chief executive Kim Waters says plans had always been in place to do something in its place.

Kicking off on Monday, September 14, and running for a week, ardent food-lovers can get a taste of festival life from the comfort of their own homes by attending the Virtual Abergavenny Food Festival 2020, and most of the events are free.

Numerous events are on offer including online debates and food tasting sessions, as well as conversations with top chefs.

South Wales Argus:

(Kim Waters)

Joining the line-up will be food writer Anna Jones, chef and bestselling author Sabrina Ghayour, award winning writer and broadcaster Tim Hayward, chefs Steven Terry, Hywel Griffiths and Cyrus Todiwala, food and drink writer Fiona Beckett, and the Cook School Club, with more to be announced.

The festival will be opened by friend of the festival Kate Humble.

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Mr Waters said: “We know how many people keep this week free in their diaries year after year, so we wanted to send them a little postcard from us, to them. We hope to see some familiar faces, even if they are on screen, rather than in person.

“Cancelling this year’s ‘real life’ festival was a sad decision but the right one to make; and the silver lining is that it has given us and our sponsors even longer to make sure that 2021 will be the best year yet."

Plans for already in the offing for next year's festival, with Covid-19 in mind.

"We can't wait for next year, and we've already had lots of interest," Mr Waters added.

The Virtual Abergavenny Food Festival will be free to attend, but spaces will be limited and festival fans are encouraged to sign up to the Abergavenny Food Festival newsletter to receive a notification as soon as tickets are available.

The full festival programme, timings and details are available on the Abergavenny Food Festival website.