YORK businesses have been invited to get involved with Britain's biggest food and drink festival.

For the first time, the city's business community will be able to play a part in the York Festival Of Food And Drink. Businesses will be able to hire the Festival Food Theatre for a full day during the event, which runs from September 10 to 19.

Businesses can use the festival to promote themselves by running events and offering food and drink throughout the day and evening to the public.

The fee for the tent is £1,000 and includes use of all the festival facilities, including publicity and promotion.

One of the three guest days has already been snapped up by ENDpapers, the independent York publishing house, which has launched two books in the past two years, Hand To Mouth and Hand In Hand. Both launches were accompanied by innovative cookery demonstrations.

But there are still two guest days available. For more information contact Debbie Lovatt, by emailing debbie.lovatt@york.gov.uk

Companies can also sponsor a celebrity to appear at the event.

Updated: 10:54 Thursday, March 11, 2004