Taste Ards and North Down - Membership 2024

Overview

Welcome to your 2024 membership application, this form also doubles as an annual update on businesss data that will assist the tourism development, events and economic development departments in planning the year ahead in relation to festivals, events, food-themed weeks and in the provision of business training.

There are three types of membership in 2024; full, associate and new (provisional).

Full membership is for the following:

1. Food and drink producers who are field to fork/glass or tide to table.
2. Local independent retailers (as a stockist for at least seven local producers).
3. Farm shops (as a stockist for at least seven local producers).
4. Restaurants and cafés (must source from at least five local producers). 

Associate membership is for:

1. Food sector academics/training staff.
2. Freelance chefs and cooks.
3. Weekly or monthly markets.
4. Catering businesses.
5. Cookey schools.
6. International themed restaurants who support food events.
7. Visitor attractions, venues and accommodation providers who incorporate use of local food and drink.

New (provisional) membership is for;

1. Brand new food and drink businesses that would benefit from participating in network activities.
2. Businesses that have recently moved into the area.
3. Any business that less than two years old with an insufficient business record to meet the criteria of full or associated membership. 

Why your views matter

Membership is open for 58 days with the deadline set at 11:59pm on Tuesday 9 January 2024.  The deadline will not be extended and we will not accept either Full and Associate applications after this date, applications will remain open to new (provisional) members year-round.

Failure to secure membership by the deadline will mean all other contact details are removed from the food busiiness contact list for one year. This means you will not receive communications on any Taste Ards & North Down opportunities at events, training, programming etc.

Please see the link to the membership governance 2024 document to which all members must comply.  Membership is not confirmed until your place is formally accepted and your member fee received.  

What happens next

Your application will be asssesed against the criteria.  Full, Associate and New (provisional) applicants will then be invited to confirm their membership with payment of a £25 membership fee. 

• The minimnum score for both full and associated membership is 60%. 
• There is no minimum score for new members.  
• Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by 4 February 2024. 
• New (provsional) members may have their membership upgraded to full or associate by network committee