Foot and mouth epidemic hits hard

Published: 23 July, 2008

English wine hopes for Easter end

Foot and mouth could affect English wine tourism if the epidemic ravaging British farms continues into Easter. The situation would be exacerbated if people are advised to continue avoiding the countryside as the tourist season kicks off. English vineyards would then lose a significant amount of trade. Julia Trustram Eve, of English Wine Producers, said that after talking to EWP members: "The few vineyards which have livestock have been most affected and are taking the necessary precautions, while many estates have closed the footpaths running through them. It's a quiet time of the year, so there is not a huge amount of traffic, but if this continues it could affect visitor numbers." Most businesses based in rural areas have been affected in some way by the crisis, and the wine trade is no exception. At Rosemount's office in Surrey, all cars are having their tyres sprayed down and people entering the premises are being encouraged to disinfect their shoes.

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