NI's World Class Golf and World Class Food Pair Up

Top golf is set to be accompanied by top food at this year’s Northern Ireland Open, in association with SPHERE Global and Ulster Bank.

 

Ulster Bank is linking up with FoodNI to host the Ulster Bank Good Food Festival over the weekend of the European Challenge Tour event at Galgorm Castle Golf Club in early August.

 

Dozens of local businesses will take stalls at the food festival, which aims to showcase the best of Northern Ireland produce, from a range of artisan companies, offering visitors a taste of great local food. There will also be an accompanying children’s fun area, with a range of activities designed to make the event a truly family affair.

 

Neil Cooke, Area Director NI, Private Banking at Ulster Bank, says: “Two things that Northern Ireland does very well are food and golf, so the Ulster Bank Good Food Festival is the perfect combination. With the NI Open taking place in August, we will only be a few months away from the 2016 Year of Food, so the Food Festival will be a great opportunity to deliver the message to lots of international visitors. As the largest manufacturing employer in Northern Ireland, the food industry is extremely important to Ulster Bank – we recently introduced a dedicated Food & Drink proposition - and we’ve long been the principal sponsor of the Balmoral Show and a major lender to agri-food companies. So we are delighted to be partnering with FoodNI for the festival and continuing our support of local food producers.”

 

Last year was the first year that the NI Open had a food festival and this year’s is set to be bigger and better, according to Michele Shirlow of FoodNI:

 

"FoodNI are delighted to be associated with the 2015 Northern Ireland Open Ulster Bank Good Food Festival. Each year the food element of the festival gets bigger and better and 2015 promises to be a feast for the senses with something for all of the family. We are proud to be associated with the festival which is set against the stunning backdrop of Galgorm Castle and are looking forward to a long term partnership with the NI Open as we prepare for our Year of Food 2016”.

 

The new date in early August, within the school holiday period should allow the whole family to enjoy the NI Open; Gary Henry, NI Open Tournament Director commented:

 

“We are delighted to be working with Ulster Bank and Food NI for this year’s Good Food Festival and with the new date in early August on the European Challenge Tour’s international schedule we look forward to another superb event. Visitors will enjoy the Ulster Bank Good Food Festival, showcasing the finest local produce, which going on the food element of last year’s event, will be a tremendous success and the children’s activity area will again ensure plenty of fun for the kids. The NI Open is a golf tournament for all the family”.

 

The Northern Ireland Open, in association with SPHERE Global and Ulster Bank takes place at Galgorm Castle Golf Club between August 6th and 9th, 2015. Once again the NI Open will be free to enter. All the general public have to do is register online at www.niopen.co.uk to get their free tickets. 

 

Further information on the NI Open can be found at: www.niopen.co.uk 

 

Watch the NI Food Open Festival video here: https://youtu.be/EjEoKjCqHy4