Honiton's Gate to Plate event postponed

It was due to take place on Saturday.

Featuring around 50 fine food, drink and craft producers, there was also due to be cookery demonstrations by some of the area’s top chefs and food experts who will be presenting their work in an on-street show kitchen, and they were due to set up gazebos and tents to cover their stalls from early Saturday morning.

The free event would continue the town’s wonderful and long established market tradition, which dates back to the 13th Century when Honiton was granted a Royal Charter to hold a market.

But East Devon District Council, organisers of the event, have confirmed that after taking advice from the Met Office and the emergency services they have decided, ‘with heavy hearts’, to postpone the Honiton Gate to Plate

A spokesman said: “The event was due to be held along the High Street in the town with around 50 food, drink and craft producers setting up gazebos and tents to cover their stalls from early Saturday morning.

“However, the forecast for Friday night and Saturday morning suggests that there will be wind gusts of up to 45mph to 50mph with a mean wind speed of between 20mph to 25mph. The wind gusts are expected to continue throughout Saturday and ease away later in the afternoon.

Our primary concern is the safety of the public and our producers. The emergency services are also alerting us to the forecast for heavy rain on Friday, coupled with the high winds on Friday and Saturday, which could lead to traffic disruption on the roads. We wouldn’t want our visitors to put themselves at risk and be caught up in this.”

But they said that the event had not been cancelled, but was merely being postponed to a later date.

The spokesman said: “The good news is, we are contacting our producers to rearrange the event to a future date and we are spreading the word about the postponement though our social media and via our local media outlets. We would be grateful if you could share this message with those people you know who were due to attend. We hope to be able to announce the date when we can hold this year’s event over the next few days . . . so please, watch this space.”

It was due to be the second Gate to Plate held in the town following the success of last year’s show where more than 6,000 visitors – including HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall – packed the high street sampling locally made delicacies.

The postponement follows the news that the Boardmasters festival was called off on Tuesday night, just hours before gates were due to open, after warnings the site would be battered by storms.

About 55,000 people were expected in Newquay to see headliners Wu-Tang Clan, Florence + The Machine and Foals.

Plymouth Pride has been also cancelled due to severe storms forecast to hit the city this weekend while part of Plymouth’s Ocean City Blues ‘n’ Jazz Festival has also fallen victim to the weather.

Devon and Cornwall Police has also urged extra caution after the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for South West England.

Chief Superintendent Sam de Reya said: “We can expect some unsettled weather across Devon and Cornwall which starts on Thursday 8 August through to Saturday 10 August. With this in mind I would urge the public to think about their plans this weekend and adapt them accordingly.

“Conditions will be very wet and we are expecting high winds so we are asking people, especially those who are visiting the area, to stay away from the coastline and stay out of the sea.

“Many coastal areas may become hazardous due to rainfall and thunderstorms, therefore extra caution should be taken.”

She added that people should:

• Avoid areas along the coastline and going into the sea
• Carefully consider camping trips and traveling without accommodation already booked
• Allow additional time for your journey and drive to the conditions of the road
• Listen to local radio for updates on current weather conditions
• Be aware that many planned events and festivals in the Devon and Cornwall area may have been cancelled.

Friday is set to see torrential rain and winds of around 50mph while winds will top 60mph on Saturday.