Sausagegate: The Reek Of Desperation

The sausage story has spread: Jill Makinson-Sanders, the Mayor, dressed as a sausage on Wednesday to greet the Olympic torch. Since then the story has been covered by the BBC, ITV, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Daily Mail, The Mirror, and many more places as the story spread around the web. In some ways this is exactly what the Mayor wanted, because the coverage has been extensive. Unfortunately most of it focuses on how much the giant costume looks like a part of the male anatomy.

I don't see it. Look at that smiley face on the left: sure, it's a little silly, but to go from that to anything remotely phallic takes the sort of leap of imagination I'd only expect of people who see innuendo in anything remotely pink and oblong. How do these people eat their dinners?

Bill Nicholson also had concerns, but he took a different angle. In his letter to the town councillors he wrote:

"The council chamber must put a stop to this embarrassment, and restore some dignity to the people of Louth who do not want the local Olympic event hijacked for commercial reasons."

That might have been a fair point with regard to the old Olympics, back in ancient Greece. But when the torch display rolled into town on Wednesday the sponsors' trucks were bigger, brighter and more numerous than the Olympic ones. The 2012 event had already been taken over by commercial interests.

The Mayor's main mistake, as I see it, is underestimating the depths some press outlets will sink to. In their struggle for attention they reduce everything to its most sordid aspect. This kind of coverage reeks of desperation.

0 Degrees

This controversy diverts attention from what's really important: the town's sausages, and its other great food. And of course the crucial question, which is who makes the best bangers in town. I like those from Robinsons, and Jacksons on Mercer Row always does a good variety of unusual flavours. Lakings also do very good sausages. However I'd have a hard time choosing between the various local butchers' sausages to say which ones are best.

Happily Sunday July 15th will see the annual Louth Food Festival, which forms part of the 0 Degrees Festival, when there'll be a chance to find out what culinary delights the town has to offer and make up your own mind. Chef Debbie Kenyon will be giving a series of demonstrations in the market place, where there will be over 70 stalls showcasing local and international food.

The festival logos have been unveiled. This year there will be a visual arts trail between 7th and 15th of July, including free exhibitions at Louth Mansion House, Spout Yard Gallery, The Louth Gallery in Upgate, the Masons Arms in the Cornmarket, and H and J Crafts on Mercer Row.

The music festival is in its fourth year, and it features a range of events until July 15th.