Exmoor tastes brought to Parliament by Rachel Gilmour MP

The Flavours from Exmoor event took place in the Jubilee Room and was organised to highlight the region’s food, drink, and visitor economy by bringing together producers and organisations from across Exmoor.

The showcase was hosted by Rachel Gilmour, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead.

Attendance included representatives from Visit Exmoor, Exmoor National Park, Exmoor Distillery, Black Bear Brewery, Exmoor Game School, Wellhayes Vineyard, the Exmoor Hill Farming Network, Somerset Larder, and the Somerset and Exmoor Local Visitor Economy Partnership.

Also present was William Sitwell, a local restaurateur, journalist, BBC MasterChef judge, and ambassador for the Somerset and Exmoor LVEP, along with Helen Hill from VisitBritain.

Ms Gilmour said: "It has been my privilege to work with Visit Exmoor to plan this incredible event.

"I am delighted to be bringing food and drink manufacturers from across Exmoor to the House of Commons, to showcase some of their incredible products, as well as the stunning scenery included within the ‘Exmoor Farms: A Year on the Moor’ book, through the Exmoor Hill Farming Network.

"I hope that many Parliamentarians will attend, to truly get a flavour of Exmoor, and hear directly from my constituents about the critical role they play in the visitor economy on Exmoor, which is a major driver of employment in my constituency."

The event attracted a wide range of MPs, parliamentarians, and stakeholders, including Alistair Carmichael, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, who met with businesses to discuss their work and the challenges they face.

Finalists from the 2025 Exmoor Young Chef competition, Lauren Lewis and Maddie Kennedy, also attended the event, illustrating the region’s emerging talent and the need for ongoing investment in skills and career development.

Promoting Exmoor on a national stage, the event underscored the value of the visitor economy, which generates more than £630m in economic activity annually.

Food and drink are at the heart of that offer, drawing visitors and supporting local enterprises.

Visit Exmoor coordinated attendance and ensured strong representation from the region’s food and drink sector.

Emma Thomasson, chief executive of Visit Exmoor, said: "This was a fantastic opportunity to bring Exmoor to Westminster and to showcase the strength of our businesses on a national stage.

"The quality, provenance and diversity of what we offer is exceptional, and it was important to be able to share that directly with parliamentarians and stakeholders.

"It also gave us the chance to highlight the realities of operating as small, independent businesses in a rural area, and to reinforce the importance of continued support for the visitor economy, which underpins jobs, investment and long-term sustainability across Exmoor."

Ms Gilmour said the event would help remind decision-makers of the economic significance and potential of rural areas like Exmoor.

She said: "I am very much looking forward to the conversations which will flow from this event, across all parties, to really show that Exmoor is a part of the South West’s past, present and future, whether it is through agriculture, tourism, or the wider Exmoor economy.

"I hope that this will be a timely reminder that the rural economy is its own powerhouse and deserves to be treated as such."