The big cheeses of Nantwich Show are celebrating – with the return of a major Cheese section!
After a successful pilot last year, The Nantwich Cheese Awards is returning and organisers couldn’t be more delighted.
Nick Birchall, of The Cheese Shop on Hospital Street in Nantwich, is helping organise the competition along with David Williams, of Westry Roberts Cheese.
“Nantwich really is the home of cheese,” said Nick.
“Cheshire Cheese is the oldest in recorded history and it’s important to bring a cheese show back to Nantwich.”
The shop, soon to celebrate its fifth anniversary, specialises in delicious artisan cheeses.
Nick added: “Our best-sellers are Bourne’s Traditional Cloth Bound Cheshire together with Nantwich Blue and Baron Bigod Brie.
“We opened the shop due to my love of cheese and both grandparents were award-winning cheesemakers in the 1900s on our family farm at Wettenhall, so I guess it’s in the blood!”
The Nantwich Cheese Awards is sponsored by Westry Roberts Cheese, a family business in Whitchurch with a long history of sourcing the finest cheese from the UK and Europe.
The business was founded by Thomas Williams in 1875 and his great grandson David is not only sponsoring the awards but on the organising team.
David, who runs David Williams Cheese in Crewe, said: “My family has been in the cheese business for 150 years and has always been involved in the Nantwich Show.
“I’ve attended since I was a boy, it’s a family tradition, and I couldn’t be more proud and delighted to be part of the team bringing this major section back to the show.”
The family also has Godfrey Williams in Sandbach run by David’s son Daniel, and his daughter Rebecca is managing director at Westry Roberts wholesale distribution in Whitchurch and younger daughter Holly has an artisan cheese company in Lincolnshire.
He added: “l feel cheese should definitely be part of The Nantwich Show which is why I decided to sponsor the new Nantwich Cheese Awards 2025.
“When the show moved to its new home at Reaseheath everyone asked ‘Where’s the cheese tent?’
“So, we had a small cheese section last year judged by the public and then a team got together to expand it for this year.”
Nantwich News Ltd, who also produce the Nantwich Life community newspaper, is the Show’s official media partner, so we will be savouring the show’s delights from our own stand!
Editor Pete Leydon said: “It’s going to be a massive hit.
“The range and quality of cheeses today just in and around where we live is incredible – cheeses to suit all tastes.
“And it’s been brilliantly organised to focus on local cheese producers. We can’t wait to try a few out.”
The Nantwich Show takes place on Wednesday July 30 in the grounds of Reaseheath College.
For advance tickets and more details visit https://nantwichshow.org/
Shame more varieties of cheese aren’t available at the Nantwich Food Festival, apart from Bourne’s last year it wax very poor