Farmer's unique twist on Burns Night dinner at Essington Farm
An annual Scottish tradition with a Black Country twist returns to Wolverhampton later this month.
Essington Farm will celebrate Burns Night, an event that marks Robert Burns’ life and work.
Farmer Richard Simkin started the traditional, annual dinner a decade ago after attending various Burns Night events.
He has also added his own unique touch to the event, having translated the traditional "Address to a Haggis" into Black Country dialect.
He said: "I'd never been to Scotland until I met my wife and she and all her family are of Scottish descent.
"I'd been going to Burns Night events since meeting her and not being able to understand a word of the address, so I decided to translate it myself.
"It's helped to make this event a light-hearted tribute to Burns and to Scottish culture."
The dinner, which has become a popular annual event at the farm, will carry all the traditions of a Burns Night event, including a hearty feast of haggis, neeps and tatties, rounded off with drams of whisky.
Richard will do the traditional address of the haggis using his Black Country version, before it is ceremonially cut open.
He said: "I love the cross-culture of an event like this and it's good to be able to liven the gloom of a bleak January with this.
"I'll admit to not liking whisky too much, so I'll be toasting the haggis with a pint of Banks's Mild instead!".
The Burns Night dinner takes place at Essington Farm, Bognop Road, on January 24.
The event starts at 6.45pm, with starters served at 7.15pm.
Tickets cost £25.95 per person. To find out more, go to http://www.essingtonfarm.co.uk
