Touring street food fair goes indoors for winter months

ClearCompany CIC directors, from left, Ana Almeida, Steve Wiseman and Julie Briggs. Picture: ClearCompany CIC (Image: Archant)

ClearCompany CIC is a non-profit community interest company and before coronavirus it had been looking for a permanent premises to host artist workshops and pop-up events with chefs.

But ClearCompany’s plans were put on hold due to lockdown and it launched a touring street food fair to help support local vendors who had upcoming bookings cancelled.

Each of the businesses that ClearCompany works with contributes a share of profits towards its community projects.

The fair first launched in May outside Connaught Hall in Attleborough and since then it has also been to Norwich, Diss, Wymondham and Hethersett and now features live music and crafts.

Julie Briggs from ClearCompany CIC (left), which has been running street food fairs across Norfolk, with Priscilla White and Lauren Clark who own Squilla and Squidge street food van Picture: Louisa Baldwin (Image: Archant)

While it is now too cold to hold a solely outdoor event, the organisers will now be running the fair indoors too.

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The next fair is at Poringland Community Centre this Sunday, October 11 from 12pm to 6pm with vendors including The Fat Giraffe, offering barbecue food, The Globe Trotter, with cocktails and toasties, and the Waffle Wagon.

All the food vendors will be outside, alongside cooking demonstrations and entertainment, with craft stalls, acoustic music and seating indoors.

The Fat Giraffe is one of the food vendors heading to the Poringland event Picture: The Fat Giraffe (Image: Archant)

Julie Briggs, director at ClearCompany CIC, said: “There will be a community atmosphere and it is nice opportunity to support local traders.

“We will have QR codes at entry points, hand sanitiser, a one-way flow and face masks are required, with stewards controlling numbers.”

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Going forward, there will be monthly events in Poringland, Aylsham, starting on October 25 at the Market Place, and Wymondham, with details to be confirmed.

Yve Mary B playing a solo set at a previous street food fair Picture: Contributed (Image: Archant)

Earlier this year, ClearCompany CIC expressed its interest in the former OPEN building in Norwich for its permanent street food park.

Miss Briggs added: “We’d love to consider OPEN and collaborate with other organisations, but it is subject to liquidation so until the process is complete [landlords] The Lind Trust can’t discuss anything.

“We want to have chefs, comedians, musicians, artists and a shop for Norfolk produce under one roof.”