FOOD enthusiasts can try out a new festival tomorrow.

The inaugural Brighton Marina Food Festival will take place in Marine Square from 11am to 5pm.

Phil Bartley, owner of The Great British Charcuterie shop and cafe in Brighton Marina, organised the event and encouraged other local food stores to get involved.

He was delighted by the reaction.

He said: “The businesses at the marina have a great relationship with one another, we’re all very friendly and talk a lot between ourselves.”

The festival, which is free, will host more than 30 businesses from all over Brighton, including food from farmers, growers and artisanal producers.

Among those attending will be the mobile Loud Shirt Brewery, and Sussex-based mobile pizza van Villagio Pizza along with J Cocoa Chocolate of Hassocks and Develdas Chocolates in Brighton Marina.

Visitors will be able to discover all the traditional processes being used by modern artisan producers, try samples from stalls and feast on the food and drink made in the city.

Phil is keen to keep the event local.

He said: “We only have local traders attending, only people within the borders of Brighton, because I think local food is the spirit of the festival.

“The festival is looking very promising with hopefully a few thousand people expected to join us.

“It’s all about the community getting together and having some nice food.”

He said the festival would be “family friendly” with a “great summer vibe” for anyone that likes food and drink.

The festival is being sponsored by eating guide Restaurants Brighton and Brighton Marina.

A spokeswoman for Brighton Marina said: “We are delighted Phil wants to hold his event at the marina.

“We are happy to support him and look forward to the success and popularity of the event.”

Phil said: “Brighton is a very foodie town and I want to push the buyers back down to the marina – and that’s why I wanted to make the event free of charge for all.”

Although The Great British Charcuterie relies on wholesale and online buyers, Paul thinks that the festival “is a great opportunity for smaller local businesses to get their name out and network with people”.

James Hull, owner of J Cocoa Chocolate, said he was “really excited” about attending the event because “it’s not often you come across a chocolate maker”.

He said it was rare for companies to make their own chocolate with only about a dozen in the UK including himself that carry out the “bean to bar” process and “showcase the natural and unique diverse flavours of chocolate around the world”.

Depending on the success of the festival, talks of expanding it for next year have already begun, with a Christmas food festival set to take place this year as well.