Newark College sponsoring Newark foodie map project to promote 20 local businesses

A Newark college sponsorship has helped create a new Newark foodie map to promote 20 independent food businesses.

Leisa Pickles, of Find Me the Leads, and artist Christine Goldschmidt worked together to create the map that promoted independent food retailers and hospitality venues in Newark and surrounding areas.

The map will be available in locations where visitors to town go, or often ask business owners where they recommend to go for lunch or a coffee.

This is the second version of the foodie map, following the release of the first one in April.

Newark College is sponsoring the second version of the map as it wants to raise awareness of the catering courses available at the college and promote use of independent businesses in town to their students, staff and visitors.

Leisa said: “One of the cafés that’s on the map, they now have had three times delivered top-up maps to them because they say that their customers are using it a bit as a café crawl.

“They get the map and think where to go and try that week.”

The map is linked to Leisa Facebook group - To My Front Door UK/Newark that champions independent food and drink businesses by encouraging members to share their experiences.

Leisa said: “It is to give other members inspiration and confidence that they’ve been and tried these places and that they recommend it.

“The map has the front door of each of the businesses drawn on it.

“What we’re trying to do is drive people to the front door of these businesses.”

The physical map is available for collection at the following locations - Your Home, GXO, Kingsman Interiors, Milestone Caravan Park, Bracken Xcapes and Southwell Holiday Cottage.

It is digitally available to view on a plasma screen at the Nottingham Travel and Tourism Centre in Nottingham Market Square where printed copies of the map are also available.

She added: “I would like businesses to get in touch and request copies of the map to put out on display for visitors and staff to help raise awareness of independent food in Newark and encourage more people to try somewhere new.”

There are plans to make a new map in 2023 and expand it to Southwell.