Latest news with #JulianBlundy
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Nettle eating contest: Rules set for stinging nettle growers
Details of a nettle growing contest that will run alongside this year's Stinging Nettle Eating World Championships have been bizarre but popular nettle eating event is returning to the newly renovated Bottle Inn in Marshwood, Dorset, on 21 June, after a six-year hour-long competition involves eating the leaves from 2ft lengths of stinging nettles before the empty stalks are addition to the competition to eat the most stinging nettles, the pub's owners are also reviving a competition to grow the tallest stinging nettle. Tallest nettle entries must be grown within a 10-mile radius and delivered by 18:00 BST on Friday 20 June, with the winners announced after the nettle eating and Julian Blundy, who have been renovating the 16th-Century pub, said the eating contest would be restricted to 40 competitors, who must register to secure their Bottle Inn first hosted its nettle eating contest in 1986 and the tradition almost died out when the pub closed in 2022, it was revived by Dorset Nectar Cider Farm, which ran it for three years while the Bottle Inn was closed, but nettle growing was not part of the a post on their website, the Blundys said: "The nettle competitions weekend will also offer music, ale and cider, and food will be provided by outside catering vans." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Nettle eating contest date set as event returns to Bottle Inn
Owners of a pub where the Dorset tradition of nettle eating began nearly four decades ago have confirmed the return of the event this Bottle Inn in Marshwood first hosted its nettle eating contest in 1986 and the bizarre tradition almost died out when the pub closed in 2022, it was revived by Dorset Nectar Cider Farm but, after three successful years, organisers have handed back the baton to the pub's new Bottle Inn says the 2025 World Nettle Eating Championships will take place on 21 June, and it will reinstate the competition for growing the longest nettle. In a post on their website, pub owners Tessa and Julian Blundy said: "We are very pleased to confirm that the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championships will return to the Bottle Inn this summer, with many thanks to the Strong family at Dorset Nectar Cider, who have kept the competition alive for the past few years. "We will also reinstate the original competition to grow the longest stinging nettle and both challenges will be judged on the longest day, Saturday 21 June 2025."The nettle competitions weekend will also offer music, ale and cider, and food will be provided by outside catering vans."The Blundys - an architect and a carpenter - bought the derelict 16th-century Bottle Inn in February 2023 and have been working to renovate and reopen pub has been opening for locals on select days and, when completed, the function room will serve as a community space with a skittle alley and pool table. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
