THE biggest event in the Ludlow calendar has a new boss.

Hannah Mackley has joined the Ludlow Food Festival Team as its new Events Manager and will now oversee the Spring Festival in May, Magnalonga food walk in August and the annual Ludlow Food Festival in September.

Working with food and drink comes naturally to Hannah, 37, having spent the majority of her career in the sector from European chocolate manufacturer ADM Schokinag, to more recently establishing and running Harp Lane Deli in Ludlow with her husband, Henry.

She’s no stranger to the Festival itself either, having grown up in Ludlow; while her parents and in laws were also previously involved in running the Ludlow Food Festival.

“We are very pleased to welcome Hannah on board and are sure that she’ll make a valuable contribution to all our events,” said Phil Maile, chairman of the Food Festival.

“Her passion and enthusiasm for food is undeniable and her contact book of producers means she already knows many of our exhibitors.”

The new events manager is relishing the challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to the year ahead, working with the Festival team, the Board of Directors, exhibitors and of course the many volunteers, without whom the Festival wouldn’t be possible,” she said.

The Ludlow Food Festival is one of the town’s biggest events of the year, regularly attracting around 20,000 people to the grounds of Ludlow Castle across the three-day event. The UK’s first food festival established back in 1995, it continues to push the agenda on food issues, attract the top names from the culinary world,