According to some businesses in the area, Worcester, a city in Worcestershire, England, could become a vegan hub as more plant-based businesses are settling in there. The city has new and successful vegan businesses open up, such as Bento Box, No Frickin Chicken, Golden Glaze and The Hair Branch in Sidbury.
Amber Doody, who works at the restaurant Reishi’s, which recently opened up above The Lamb and Flag on The Tything, said to Worcester News, “We know there’s already a large vegan community in Worcester, as we’ve all worked within the vegan scene in Worcester for several years and we’ve watched it grow bigger and bigger and we believe it will continue to do so.”
Hana Hughes, the co-founder of vegan food van No Frickin Chicken, said, “We want to be known all over the UK and then we want to set up a pub or diner in Worcester and bring more people to Worcester. Hopefully though, over the years, Worcester will become known as quite a good vegan place to come visit.”
Not only the city itself seems to attract vegan stories, but the entire county. Last year the Worcester and Mid-Worcestershire branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) had its first vegan fair organised by this charity. The event took place at Kempsey on 21st August 2022, and it was a great success. Also last year, the nearby Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary was named Outstanding Farmed Animal Sanctuary 2022 by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). Based in Worcestershire, this sanctuary is home to over 300 farm animals, including pigs, cows, sheep, chickens and turkeys. Also from the same county, Padraig O’Dubhlaoidh, a violin-maker from Malvern Hills, made last year the first vegan violin certified by the Vegan Society. He used natural replacements for animal-based glues, steamed pear for the inlay around the edge of the instrument, berries for dying, and poplar for the main body.