NOVEMBER 25 marks a Red Letter day for foodies when Booths not only opens its new supermarket in Kendal but also its below stairs' local food shop and restaurant.

To be called Artisan in honour of the men and women whose hand-crafted produce will stock its shelves the shop is situated beneath the new supermarket and will provide a showcase' for people passionate about their products.

Earlier this year, Booths organised a meet the buyer' event at Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre in conjunction with regional food consultants Thought For Food and support agency Distinctly Cumbrian.

"It was such a success that approximately 70 per cent of the stock for Artisan is coming from the producers that we met, with the rest being supplied by local food and drink producers who already work with Booths," said marketing director Lincoln Clarke.

"As a company we're passionate about food and drink from our region and Artisan is the next stage in our ongoing commitment to local producers. In this case, we are particularly supporting those living and working in Cumbria."

Among the local producers supplying Artisan is Kendal speciality bread-maker Simon Thomas, of Staff of Life, who will be making a range of exclusive breads for both the restaurant and the shop.

Alison Park, of Low Sizergh Barn, will provide organic cheese using milk from the farm. A selection of smoked meats, cheeses and hand-made truffles will be sourced from the Old Smokehouse, at Brougham, near Penrith. Sweet and savoury preserves, jellies and jams will come from Claire's Handmade, in Rayburn, and the award-winning Wild and Fruitful company, in Wigton.

Sue Forrester's Cream of Cumbria farmhouse butters will be on sale, as will organic fresh meat from Country Cuts Organic, in Holmrook, and specialist beers from the Tirril Brewery, in Brougham.

Meanwhile, well-known Lakeland chef Steven Doherty has created the menu for the new Artisan restaurant that will feature local cheese, fish, meat and puddings. Customers will also be able to start the day with a range of traditional Cumbrian breakfasts.

Booths also commissioned North West artist Jeff Teasedale to sculpt entrance signs cast in solid bronze and local blacksmiths and furniture-makers have been brought in to craft specialist shop shelving and oak display cabinets.

Booths has also become a major sponsor of Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre and, as part of the agreement, Artisan will feature a regular exhibition of local art and, appropriately, the theme for the first exhibition, which will be on display for the launch of Artisan, is Food!'.