Great news for Cheddar producers - local premium food brand, Charlie Bigham's, is proud to announce its headline sponsorship of Wells Food Festival.

More than 200 local producers and street food sellers are due to take over Wells on October 11, showcasing Somerset's finest food and drink and cementing the South West's reputation as a leading foodie hotspot.

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event's organisers and Bigham's are monitoring government announcements on large gatherings, to decide 2020's festival format and experience – for exhibitors and visitors.

Wells Food Festival is a key calendar date for the county's numerous independent and artisan food businesses, many of whom have been badly affected by the economic fallout of Covid-19.

Dulcote-based Bigham's will use its headline role to increase awareness of these makers and drive much-needed sales during autumn 2020, rising above current and future lockdown obstacles.

Founder Charlie Bigham said: "As many food businesses find themselves in truly unprecedented circumstances, we want to help make Wells Food Festival 2020 one of the most memorable in the festival's history.

"Wells Food Festival celebrates the very best of Somerset food and drink, and we are delighted to be part of it."

Jon Abbott, chair of the festival organising committee, said: "Having Charlie Bigham's as our headline sponsor is really exciting and offers us a great opportunity to develop our ideas far more than would have been possible previously.

"Charlie's and the Wells Food Festival's ethos of promoting local artisan producers and products are a great match.

"We are fortunate that we have until August before making a decision on whether we are able to run a physical festival in October.

"In the meantime, we are developing alternative solutions to ensure Wells Food Festival goes ahead, so we can aid and support our outstanding producers in these strange, unsettling times."