Johnny Bute 7th Marquess of Bute

Organiser of EatBute

 

Having various farmers, market gardens, creameries etc working away on their own unique brands of quality products is all very well, but what any amalgam of producers need is a platform on which to launch their products to a wider audience. The catalyst for the island’s producers was Johnny Bute, the 7th Marquesss of Bute, whose brainchild, EatBute, was created to do just that.

A festival of local food and crafts held each year in September to coincide with Scottish Food Fortnight, Eat Bute is now in its second year.

“Food producers need something to believe in, marketing and selling their products takes a lot of time and effort so they have to be sure to see a premium return before they get involved in something new. But we were lucky that the farmers and producers were engaged with the concept and were willing to come along, and it is growing year on year. In 2008, we had 22 stalls, this year we had 59,” says Johnny.

“The idea is really to enhance the food economy on the island, become more self-sufficient, and the best way to do that was to put on an event which highlighted all that was here.

“It was a simple decision really.We had the venue, the facilities and I have a great team here who can put just such an exhibition together easily. We made it affordable for standholders to come and join in, we took care of the marketing of the event, the capital costs, the media and the admin, they just had the cost of the stand to factor in.

“Over the two days, we had 3000-plus visitors to the event – 2000 on the Saturday and 1500 on the Sunday. We now have to work at making it equally busy over the two days.”

Good food has always interested Johnny and as fresh local produce can be so accessible, and readily available, he feels there is no reason why people shouldn’t enjoy quality local food.

“We are trying, in a way, to sustain a local economy on Bute. We have around 7000 residents, we have the creamery which is the prime sponsor of EatBute, and they make excellent cheese, using the milk from the island’s dairy farms. I think it’s really important to be supporting dairy farmers, especially as they have had to deal with rising costs of fuel, grain, feed etc.

“I recently had to re-allocate some of the estates farms/acres, and more than 50% went to dairy farmers to help sustain the industry here, which, in turn, feeds the creamery.”

“Another aspect of the event was education, we took our sponsors and funders to several of the exhibitors, to show what is being done on the ground, and here at Mount Stuart we are also embracing the current love of all things home-grown.

“There has always been a kitchen garden here, and we are extending that garden into a self sufficient market garden. We are planting orchards, removing some of the ornamental garden and growing vegetable, fruit and herbs in its place. Already we have a vegetable box scheme running which is successful, we have our own chickens for free range eggs, and we sell our honey through the garden centre, which is here on the grounds of the estate,” he adds.

While we had a quick tour of the market garden, is was obvious through Johnny’s chats with the head gardener, David McVey, that he is knowledgeable and keen on his own garden produce. He seems hands-on with all aspects of the business and hopes to see the ‘brand’ grow.

“Arran has a good template that we could follow, it is called Taste of Arran and is an umbrella brand for the varying home-grown food that is produced there,” he says.

That brand has helped galvanise the products from the island and this idea came from a dairy farmer called Alasdair Dobson, who had the vision and energy and just went for it. I can see Bute, with its close proximity to Glasgow and the willingness of the producers here also going the same way. But building something like that takes time, but we will get there.”