Josh Barrie: ‘We must close hospitality’s north-south divide’

When it comes to food, as with so many things in Britain, there is too much of a disconnect between London and the rest of the country (the south east aside).

A recent and welcome visit to Manchester encouraged me to write this. In the months since my last journey north, new restaurants have sprung up, each doing something interesting and different. And yet often they are overlooked elsewhere – or take far longer to filter into the national psyche. 

Of course, travelling the length and breadth of the country is time-consuming. But there should be a readier dialogue. Where Manchester has a voice, Newcastle is that much farther, and less frequently reviewed or written about. Cornwall is in vogue during the summer months and then its identity in news pages falls away. Then there are Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland to consider. Coverage shouldn’t be confined to top ten whisky distilleries come autumn, or where to eat spring lamb in Wales.

It is difficult to keep track of everything going on in London, let alone the rest of the UK. We can try. Our new editorial assistant Rebekah recently went to Birmingham to be given a tour; our network of inspectors at The Good Food Guide helps us cover what might otherwise prove to be uncharted ground and stay relevant. 

But there’s more to do to collectivise. So, chef or supplier, sommelier or delivery driver, wherever you are in the country, email me with news if you have it – especially from pubs and restaurants off the beaten track, and which might not have a marketing budget.

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