Local Members of Parliament, Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP (Chichester) and Andrew Griffith MP (Arundel & South Downs), have celebrated English Wine Week at an event in the House of Commons.
The West Sussex MPs were both present at the launch of Sussex Wine Tourism Plan which sets out an ambitious strategy to expand wine tourism across the county, with an aim for the industry to be at the heart of tourism in the South East by 2040.
The launch coincides with the 2023 English Wine Week. The annual celebration highlights the growing English Wine industry across the UK. With over 900 vineyards - over 50 in Sussex – the English wine industry produced 8.9 million bottles of wine from 2021 to 2022. In the same year, the industry’s sales increased by 70%.
Commenting on the annual celebration, Gillian Keegan MP, Member of Parliament for Chichester, said:
"We have so many brilliant winemakers in Chichester and across wider Sussex and it’s been fantastic to celebrate them during English Wine Week.
If you haven’t tried Sussex wine already then you’re in for a treat. This summer is the perfect opportunity to take a tour of one of our vineyards, try a glass, and support this exciting and growing industry."
Also commenting, Andrew Griffith MP, Member of Parliament for Arundel & South Downs, said:
“More tourists than ever before are heading to West Sussex to visit our outstanding vineyards.
Our diverse wine industry supports thousands of jobs across the South East and the proud approach to entrepreneurialism in the sector has put rural Sussex on the wine tourism map of the world.”
