food

Seagulls favour food that has been handled by humans, new research shows.

Herring gulls were presented with two identical food items – one of which they had seen a human holding.

The gulls pecked more often at the handled food, suggesting they use human actions when deciding what to eat.

The University of Exeter study follows previous research which found that staring at seagulls makes them less likely to steal food.

“UK herring gull numbers are declining, but urban populations have increased,” said lead author Madeleine Goumas, of the Centre for Ecology and...

Months of planning came to fruition for Exeter based creative marketing agency, Dirty Martini, after being handed the exciting baton that is the Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink. In just a few short years, the once ‘one-man-band’ marketing agency has blossomed into a strong team of professionals, working hard to shout about the bustling business and event scenes that Exeter boasts. The pairing of the Festival and Dirty Martini may seem like a natural fit to many. After years of working with local hospitality hotspots, Dirty Martini has branched out into representing a range...

Lidl GB has announced that it will be holding a public consultation day to outline plans for its new store on Pinhoe Road/Venny Bridge, Exeter.

The public are invited to attend the event, which will take place on Wednesday 5th February from 4.30pm – 6.30pm at Pinhoe Jubilee Club, 4 Main Road, Exeter, EX4 8HS. Lidl’s dedicated property team will be on hand to outline the supermarket’s plans for a new store and answer any questions from the local community.

The multi-million pound investment, will see Lidl commit to building a sustainable store, with plans to create up to 40...

Indulge your vegan side with a BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Kebab

A talented young chef has joined the team at The Volunteer Inn in Broad Street, Ottery St Mary.

At just 23, Gemma Youlden has already made her mark on the range of meals available, with diners singing her praises.

Very much a local, Gemma grew up in Alphington and attended The King’s School before leaving in 2012 to pursue a career in catering.

She undertook an apprenticeship with HIT Training, successfully completing Levels 2 and 3. Before joining The Volunteer Inn, she had stints as a chef at a variety of establishments including The Greyhound in Fenny Bridges,...

Thousands of meals have been donated to food banks and groups feeding people, thanks to the generosity of Tesco’s Exeter shoppers, figures released today reveal.

Exeter shoppers donated 5,322 meals as part of the overall total of 2.5 million meals donated to charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare by shoppers during last month’s Tesco Food Collection, with Tesco topping up the value of all the donations by an additional 20%.

These donations to food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network are being used to provide food parcels for people in crisis, while donations to...

CARERS working for a homecare provider in south Devon are helping prevent the county’s elderly from starving (December 2019).

Guardian Homecare says there is a common misconception that people naturally lose weight as they get older.

Catherine Porter, Manager for the care provider, which operates in the Exeter area, says: “Malnutrition is more likely to occur as a result of an illness, loneliness and loss of mobility. It can be exacerbated due to local shop closures, cuts to meals on wheels services or lunch clubs, as well as poor health, immobility and even bereavement....

Low income families across Devon have been receiving food hampers this past weekend, thanks to a church in Exeter.

Rediscover Church based in Northernhay Street, put together 250 hampers, thanks to generous donations from its own congregation members and partner charities including Fairshare.

The hampers were packed with a range of food including pasta, rice, sauces, biscuits, Christmas puddings, mince pies. beans, soup and more to support a range of people through the Christmas period, a time where money can be particularly tight. The church were also grateful to Nandos...

An action plan to help reduce the amount of food waste in Devon was endorsed by Devon County Council's ruling Cabinet.

It follows a Food Waste Spotlight Review being commissioned by Devon County Council’s Corporate, Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Commitee earlier this year.

Representatives from food charities, councils and anaerobic digestion plants attended the review to discuss why food is wasted, how to reduce it and ways to improve its collection.

Almost a third of all food purchased in Devon is thrown away, either by residents or businesses,...

England’s Seafood Coast is hosting England’s Seafood FEAST – and Torquay’s coastal zoo has a seat at the table.

Of course, seafood is always on the menu at Living Coasts – the penguins, seals and others all love fish. Penguins eat sprats, for example, seals eat mackerel. Guests, meanwhile, can try a local delicacy – mussels.

Spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “As part of England’s Seafood FEAST, Living Coasts is inviting people to enjoy fresh local mussels, accompanied by the panoramic views of the Terrace Café. And the food miles are almost non-existent, as the mussels come...