In collaboration with the local food and drink network, Derry City and Strabane District Council have officially launched its new regional Food and Drink Brand, LegenDerry, with the help of a local poet and familiar faces from the region’s food, drink and hospitality sectors.
Coinciding with the reopening of Ireland’s hospitality sector, ‘A Taste of LegenDerry’, written by local poet Pamela Brown, was commissioned to celebrate the unique food and drink offering as well as the rich culture and heritage both visitors to the region and local people can expect to experience.
A total of 22 members of the local Food Network feature in the short motion picture by local videographer Gary McFeely, reciting the poem, which showcases some of the city’s most iconic landmarks including the Peace Bridge, Guildhall and the Walled City Brewery as a suitably cultural backdrop.
The LegenDerry Food and Drink Brand is the result of the region’s Food and Drink Strategy, which was launched in February 2019 by the Council as part of its wider plan to drive tourism and firmly place the region on the map as the number one food destination on the island of Ireland by 2025.
Part funded by the Seafood Innovation Programme – Smart Atlantic Seafood Cluster known as the ‘SAFER’ project, applications opened this year for local restaurateurs, hoteliers and food and drink producers to become an accredited member of the brand. The Council received an overwhelming response and in February over 45 providers received an official accreditation.
As a certified LegenDerry provider, businesses are showcased on a newly launched website and receive a suite of marketing material to signpost their venues or produce with the LegenDerry stamp of approval.
