Hundreds of cheeses to contest national awards

Hundreds of the nation’s best cheeses are being judged today (Thursday) at Melton’s St Mary’s Church.

The event is the Artisan Cheese Awards, which has attracted entries of 500 cheeses, including 140 from Ireland.

Around 60 judges, including buyers from Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, Harrods, Sainsbury’s, Fortnum and Mason and Tesco, will be sampling the various cheeses before voting for the Supreme Champion, also known as ‘The Big Cheese’.

Trophies will be presented at a supper on May 18.

Melton will be the UK centre of the cheese world in the next week or so, with the Artisan Cheese Fair to be held on the weekend of May 18 and 19, at the town’s Stockyard.

It will feature almost 60 artisan cheesemakers from across the UK - the largest number in recent history.

Organiser Matthew O’Callaghan said: ‘It’s been hard work but these two events, together with our Stilton heritage, do justify our claim to be the UK capital of cheese.”