Europe Africa Northampton
Celebrating 90 years . .
Celebrating 90 years . .
Visiting Major Wine Regions
Visiting Major Wine Regions
Visiting Major Wine Regions
Visiting Major Wine Regions
Learning from masters
Learning from masters
Formal but fun
Formal but fun
Buying for quality
Buying for quality
Awarding excellence, applauding service
Awarding excellence, applauding service
Sampling the Best
Sampling the Best
Visiting the wineries
Visiting the wineries
Wine, food and friends
Wine, food and friends

Overview

 

Look at the map in any food guide and you will probably find that, though surrounded by many fine eating establishments, most of them tend to be an hour’s drive from Northampton.  If we find somewhere good nearer to home – and there are a number - we tend to fall on it with small cries of delight.

In September 1970 a few food lovers – many of them restaurateurs - got together to establish a new branch of the IWFS with some of their best customers.  These days we have no members actively involved in the hospitality industry, but we have lots of quite persistent consumers who continue to seek out good food and drink even if it means having to travel some distance to find it. 

The Northampton branch of the IWFS may seem rather shy and retiring as we don’t tend to advertise our presence or events widely, and we are usually too busy at events enjoying ourselves to take notes or photos in order to write it up afterwards.  We are quite active though.

We aim to arrange events in most months of the year except December and sometimes August.  A typical year’s programme includes:

  • A gathering in January in a relatively inexpensive restaurant.
  • A wine-tasting lunch at a member’s home following a particular national or regional theme.
  • A two day midweek trip in May to another part of the country to try some recommended restaurants there.
  • The summer “picnic” in someone’s garden in July, with food provided by members.
  • A joint meeting with our neighbours in the Leicester branch, if we can.
  • Our annual formal dinner, usually held in October at Hambleton Hall, and
  • An AGM, usually in November

And of course, in between, visits to any interesting restaurants within range where we think we can book enough places, and any other food and drink related event which anyone cares to organise.

We are still a friendly and close-knit group, but we welcome hearing from potential new members.  Get in touch!