Second servings for South Shields' Proper Food Festival as bank holiday event welcomes diners

Foodies have been spoilt for choice for a second day as a popular celebration of street food, tipples, nibbles and sweet treats opened for business.
Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.
Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.

The Proper Food Festival has returned to Bents Park for the second time this month, with the three-day event welcoming people once again to a host of stalls and counters.

Mark Deakin organises the event with wife Shelley, with plans already well under way for the next visit to the town, when the Great North Feast will be hosted in the same park during the August Bank Holiday.

Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.
Food and drink producers from across the region and beyond have been offering their goods as part of the Proper Food Festival at Bents Park in South Shields.
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"Today has been very good, as always, and this is one of our favourites, it's a great site, the events team has made us very welcome, and it's got a really nice atmosphere.

"It's free, it's got a good selection of street food stalls, around 25 or 26 around the field, and a celebration of food from around the world.

"We're already working on the August event, which will be a bit different, it'll be on later, some special events, a marquee, a singalong and a bierkeller, so that'll be good.

"But as for this weekend, it's a no brainer, it's free and friendly and there's lots to chose from."

Stallholder Chris Fawcett has been among the businesses offering desserts to food festival visitors.Stallholder Chris Fawcett has been among the businesses offering desserts to food festival visitors.
Stallholder Chris Fawcett has been among the businesses offering desserts to food festival visitors.
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Sean McMullan, 49, a teacher at Fellgate Primary, and his son Harry, 12, a pupil at St Wilfrid's RC College, enjoyed a lunch from Fat Hippo after cycling down to the park from their South Shields home.

Sean said: "It's nice and it's something extra and an event for the seafront.

"It brings people into the town and it's free."

The event has also seen a number of live acts perform to people as they have tucked into their street food or taken a rest from shopping at the stalls.

Families calling into the Proper Food Festival have been able to restock their cupboards thanks to the stallholders.Families calling into the Proper Food Festival have been able to restock their cupboards thanks to the stallholders.
Families calling into the Proper Food Festival have been able to restock their cupboards thanks to the stallholders.

Raine Ling, 24, who is from the Ocean Beach showmans' site, and Abby Pagan, 24, who is also from South Shields, served up customers on the Traditional German Sausage stall.

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Raine said: "We do this festival every year, the atmosphere is buzzing, it's a nice place to have a festival.

"It's good to see such a wide range of people coming together, there's all ages, and everyone's so well mannered, it makes it a really good day out."

Abby added: "A lot of people come back because they liked it last time and recommend it to other people and it does just have a nice feel about it."

Tomorrow's festival will run from 10am until 5pm.