20,000 expected

Flower and food event ‘huge boost for Dundee’

MORE than 20,000 people are set to descend on the City of Discovery over the next three days for the Dundee Flower and Food Festival

With special guests including popular chefs Nick Nairn, Tony Singh and Scottish Masterchef winner Gary Maclean, it is hoped this year’s event could beat previous records.

Organisers say the festival is now the biggest competitive horticultural show in Scotland.

The local economy is set for a welcome boost too.

Hotel boss Richard Ellison said the festival was “huge” for the local hospitality trade, saying the whole city would be “sold out” for the event.

Mr Ellison, chairman of Dundee and Angus Visitor Accommodation Association and manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, said: “The good thing this year, and every year since the festival started is it’s always successful for the Dundee hospitality sector.

“The weekend always gets very busy very quickly and although we aren’t quite full up yet, we will be full soon I’m sure.

“I would imagine the whole city will be the same in terms of hotel rooms filling up before tomorrow evening.

“The festival is great for the city, it’s huge.

“It brings in some opportunities for September when the summer period has begun to die down.