Pub Set to Revive ‘Original’ Nettle Eating Contest

Each summer, numerous participants gather in a tranquil area of Dorset for the World Nettle Eating Championships. However, in 2025, there will be two iterations of this unique competition, as the pub that initiated the event in the 1980s has declared its intention to host it again, stating it is “bringing it back home”. This distinctive tradition faced potential discontinuation when The Bottle Inn in Marshwood ceased operations in 2019. Nevertheless, Dorset Nectar Cider Farm revitalized the event in 2021, introducing a new format. With The Bottle Inn now preparing to reopen following significant refurbishment, both establishments are slated to host a nettle eating contest during the summer, each with its own variations. Tessa Blundy, who, alongside her husband Julian, has been overseeing the renovation of the grade II listed pub, commented, “We are asked by almost every visitor whether the stinging nettle eating competition is coming back.” She further explained, “We do not want it to develop into an argument – so the cider farm will do their stinging nettle eating competition their way and we will do ours.” Blundy also noted the event’s origins, stating, “It all stemmed from the stinging nettle growing competition so we will have that, and the eating competition.” The competition hosted by the cider farm involves participants consuming the maximum possible number of nettle leaves within a 30-minute timeframe, after which the empty stalks are tallied. The initial format, however, allowed for an hour of nettle consumption and was preceded by a growing competition where contestants endeavored to cultivate the tallest nettle stem. Penny Strong, co-founder of the cider farm situated in Waytown, eight miles (13km) from Marshwood, characterized the circumstances as an “unusual situation.” She remarked, “Maybe they can call it the ‘original nettle-eating championship’ because it will be different.” Strong also indicated that while the cider farm’s reintroduction of the event had been agreed upon by all parties, the specifics of future arrangements appear uncertain. Mrs. Strong, who manages the farm alongside her husband and sons, affirmed, “We invested a lot of time and money into making it a bigger thing so we intend to continue having it.” She further expressed her belief that “the Bottle Inn will have quite a lot of people too so I think they can both succeed.” Upon purchasing the 16th-Century Bottle Inn, the Blundys, an architect and a carpenter, found the property with a leaking roof and its interior completely gutted. Mrs. Blundy stated, “Getting weather tight took such a long time because the weather has not been on our side.” While interior work is ongoing, the pub is currently open to local patrons on certain days, with the couple planning to appoint a manager and achieve a complete reopening in the new year. For updates, BBC Dorset can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Further information regarding its approach to external linking is available.