The main idea was to create a festival which would both promote the area's small food and drink producers and encourage visitors to explore Ludlow's fascinating shops, restaurants and pubs. In 1995 this was a novel idea which, it was freely admitted, was done "just to see what happened". The venue was not a problem - the castle square with its traditional open-air market and the town's historic castle (used from the second year onwards) provided the perfect backdrop. This setting was combined with events like the trails which were designed to encourage visitors to explore Ludlow and its specialist shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, etc. The rest, as they say, is history!