KENDAL'S first ever festival of food has generated a welcome economic boost for local businesses.

The town's regeneration manager Joanne Golton, who organised the feast of fun, said feedback had been positive at the halfway stage of the event, with everyone's appetites whetted for what was still to come.

“The tourist information centre has been inundated with people making bookings and for information about what's on,” said Ms Golton.

“And all the businesses who have reported back to us so far have been really positive.”

Endmoor farmer Peter Gott's sausage-making sessions on Sunday proved such a hit that he has organised another banger bonanza this Sunday, November 1.

While Em's Kitchen, a private chef service, reported so much interest that Monday's home-based 'demo and dine' is likely to lead to a completely new bus-iness venture.

Kendal College was so over-whelmed by interest in its 'young bakers' event today (Thursday), that a second session has been organised from 3-5pm for 10 to 14 year-olds.

Tomorrow (Friday), the 'mar-ket kitchen' taking place during Kendal Farmers’ Market will feature a full day of cookery demonstrations from local chefs such as Julian Ankers of the Bridge Street restaurant and Holker cheese-maker Martin Gott.

And to conclude the festival on Saturday, the 'birdcage' at the top of Finkle Street will be trans-formed into an apple juicing shop between 11am and 3pm when locally-collected apples will be juiced by a hand-operated press, bottled, and given to passers-by.

The event has been organised by the Abundance group of South Lakes Action on Climate Change group whose members have picked the apples from trees in roadside verges, parks, and woodlands.

People were also asked to donate surplus apples from their gardens.

“Once you start looking it’s amazing how many fruit trees you can find, dripping with apples or pears and missed by people or left uneaten by their owners,” said Abundance group member Lorna Singleton.

Lakeland apple guru Hilary Wilson will be on hand to help identify the apple varieties and there will be information on how to bottle and preserve fruit and vegetables.

Although there will have to be a full evaluation of the first Kendal Festival of Food, Ms Golton said she was extremely hopeful that it would be held again next year.

Staging it during half-term had also been helpful, she added, because families had been able to enjoy the festival together.

l Call Kendal Tourist Information on 01539-797516 for details of events.