Dan Keech's presentation at a meeting of the Bath and North East Somerset Local Food Partnership. This is the multi-stakeholder network which oversees the implementation of the council's Local Food Strategy. The strategy combines work on public health, food and agriculture sector development and the environmental footprint of the food chain. More information about Dan can be found at: http://www.ccri.ac.uk/keech/

1. Food identity, sustainability and governance
in Bath and Bamberg
Daniel Keech, University of Gloucestershire
dkeech@glos.ac.uk
BANES Local Food Partnership 10th Sept 2015

2. University of Gloucestershire
 Roots: 1830s, university status 2001
 9,000+ students, 1,000 PG
 Specialisms: fine arts, applied/social
sciences, sport, business, education
 Campuses in Chelt’ham & Gloucester
CCRI
 Est. 1986, one of UK’s largest rural
research centres. Now more broadly
based: social innovation, food,
sustainability and renewables.
 Masters teaching and PhD
 Most research within EU partnerships
 Twitter - @CCRI_UK

3. Bath – Bamberg Research
• Arose after CCRI’s work on a 3-year EU project on urban
agriculture called SUPURBfood www.supurbfood.eu
• Prof Marc Redepenning - Expand some of the technical
aspects of SUPURBfood to consider socio-cultural and
political aspects of urban food eg:
– How does urban food production and consumption influence local
identity and heritage?
– How is urban horticulture spatially arranged?
– How is food quality assessed?
– What are the perceived benefits of local food?
– How are different levels of government involved in moves towards
more sustainable urban food systems?
• Small travel fund from Bavarian state government
Socio-
what?…

4. Why Bath and Bamberg?
Similarities
• Similar population size and
demographics
• Similar topography
• World Heritage status
• Positions on major transport
routes
• Importance of tourism
• Strong sense of identity/
independence
Differences
• Federal state
• Independent breweries
(9+70)
• More £ and acceptability of
intervention at municipal
level
• ‘…a late medieval area of
market gardens with
scattered houses and large
open spaces, which has
retained this character to the
present day.’

5. Bamberg horticulture
• 12 commercial nurseries
within the city
• Part of WH status
• Family-owned
• Strong links to city
structures – council,
church and horticultural
associations.
• Sales at shops,
restaurants, breweries
and local street markets.
• Some locally distinctive
varieties, also liquorice.

6. So far… and next
• Interviews in Bath 3rd – 8th Sept
• Interviews in Bamberg 14th – 18th Sept
• Report to Bavaria in November
• Consideration of feasibility of wider research project:
– What practices are beneficial and transferable? Detailed case
studies: beer trails, planning innovations, marketing ideas…
– Opportunities/challenges linked to austerity
– Which institutions are missing – Church, EU, more cities (Ghent,
Brno?)

7. Thank you
• To Sophie and Jane
• To all those who gave so much time during
interviews
• For having me here today
• Any questions… how can I help?