How food and drink are playing a major role in Worthing’s revival

That is the view of Jonathan Nulty, owner of The Dining Room in Crescent Road, who also sits on the Time for Worthing management group tasked with promoting the town far and wide.

Worthing’s food scene was thrust into the national spotlight last month when Guardian food critic Jay Rayner praised Kenny Tutt’s Bayside Social restaurant.

The review was extremely welcome publicity – but to Jonathan it was also a signal there was still work to do in promoting brand Worthing.

Look below the line and a handful of Guardian readers persisted with the stereotypes the town has fought to distance itself from.

‘God’s waiting room’, bowls and seaweed stenches all received a mention, albeit not without many leaping to defend new-age Worthing.

Jonathan said: “The review didn’t touch on the stereotypes Worthing has. It was the below the line comments that raised my heckles a little bit, where there were people talking about Worthing and the perceptions of the Worthing of the 20-25 years ago like ‘God’s Waiting Room’.

“Clearly they haven’t been in the last ten years as all the stereotypes have gone now. We are a diverse and vibrant town.”

MasterChef 2018 champion Kenny opened his first restaurant, Pitch, in 2019, with Bayside Social on the seafront following last year.

Speaking about Kenny’s impact on the town, Jonathan said: “It’s definitely a positive as it’s drawn more people into Worthing and people are looking harder at the food offer in Worthing.

“When we opened the others all raised their game and we all did it again when Kenny opened.

“Worthing has a great reputation for food now that it didn’t four or five years ago.

“It is down to all of us pushing ahead.”

The town’s food offer is now widespread – and word is spreading rapidly.

Worthing and Adur Food and Drink Facebook group has 15,000 members, with people asked to share positive reviews of the area’s eateries.

Melanie Peters, who co-runs the group, said: “Worthing is an amazing place for food and drink, with new places opening all the time.

“The variety of places has grown so much in the last five years, I’m always excited to get up and see what’s new on the group and what Worthing has to offer its residents.”

How Dining Room chef Jean de Rien effortlessly combines cooking and singing

Time for Worthing is the brand that has been developed to ‘showcase the unique borough of Worthing’.

Supported by Worthing Borough Council, its management team consists of a variety of business figures and voluntary organisations.

Jonathan said: “What we are doing is pulling together Worthing as a place brand and working hard to change perceptions inside and beyond the town - that we are no longer a faded, genteel resort.

“We have beautiful architecture, history and heritage but there is so much more going on as well.”

For more information, visit https://timeforworthing.uk

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Jonathan Nulty and Melanie Peters were speaking to Oli Poole as part of a new series of articles featuring people in the food industry.