South Shields couple return home for food and drink festival

Steven and Sally Green, who grew up in the town before moving to London and onto successful careers in the TV industry, were part of the South Shields Proper Food and Drink Festival last weekend.

They set up Harrogate Tipple five years ago after settling in North Yorkshire, using the renowned Harrogate Spring Water to produce their gin and rum.

More than 20 years after moving away, the Greens were at Bents Park to make their debut in the Proper Food and Drink Festival, which was on between Saturday and Monday.

Steven, who will also be returning to the park in August for the Great North Feast, said: “You still don’t know what to expect – but we had obviously heard a lot about the festival through our families here – and it was brilliant.”

The Greens’ business is going from strength to strength, and in the next couple of weeks Harrogate Tipple will move to the 700-year-old Ripley Castle.

A distillery will be built and a shop will be opened selling its premium gin and rum, as well as glasses and candles.

Their presence helped to make last weekend’s event the biggest South Shields Proper Food and Drink Festival so far.

Festival organiser Mark Deakin said: “This event has always been popular but we’ve never seen so many people before. The great weather obviously helped, but we try to introduce new producers and chefs – like Steven and Sally – to make sure the festival is always interesting and a bit different each time.”