French whine

28 May 1999

French whine

JUNIOR farm minister Lord Donoughue found plenty of local speciality food and drink on sale when he toured the Devon County Show last week. But, according to South Hams district council deputy leader and farmer Richard Yonge, he expressed concern that he had been offered French wine at the show presidents lunch instead of locally produced wine.

Show manager Ollie Allen said all caterers had been asked to use British, preferably local, produce wherever possible. "But the show has to work to a budget just like anyone else. Perhaps Lord Donoughue could help by reducing the taxes on English wines to something like the level paid on imported wines," she suggested.