The Open: More than 1,300 local business orders placed so far ahead of July competition
Over 1,300 orders have been placed with local businesses ahead of The Open coming to Portrush next month, according to Tourism Northern Ireland.
The organisation said that it estimates that around 85% of the products being served to fans will have been sourced locally".
In a statement, Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, executive director of championships at The R&A (the organisers of The Open), said: “As a major events organiser, we have a long-standing commitment and strong track record of selecting local suppliers to work with us at The Open each year so that they can benefit from the staging of the Championship.
“In the last 18 months, we have gone through an extensive selection process which has resulted in around 40 local businesses providing products and services to The Open at Royal Portrush next month.
“This includes a good number which will showcase the very best produce that Northern Ireland has to offer and we expect that fans will be queuing up to enjoy the wide variety of food and drink available at this year’s Championship.”
Tourism NI said “more than 1,300 orders have been placed with local food and beverage suppliers”.
Many of these will be available to buy at the championship and will be featured on the menus in the hospitality suites.
Among the chosen suppliers at Morelli’s Ice Cream of Portstewart, and Northern Irish rum-maker Copeland Distillery, based in Donaghadee.