Publican fights to make Stilton

Liam McGivern of the Bell Inn at Stilton began making a cheese three months ago with a view to selling it as Stilton. The cheese has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and can only be produced in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

However, McGivern is claiming that Stilton cheese was once made in the village. He has appealed to DEFRA, which could go forward to a public consultation and on to the European Commission, which will make the final decision.

In order for his appeal to go ahead, McGivern must qualify as an ‘interested party’, which in this case means he must be actively producing the cheese. It cannot be sold as Stilton though and so the freeholder will market it as Blue Bell cheese from Stilton.

McGivern invested “a few thousand” in extra equipment to make cheese after constant enquiries from tourists. He believes it could increase tourism to the pub.

“I can’t see any reason, looking at the facts, why they would turn us down,” he said. “I want to get the recognition back to the village.” If his appeal is unsuccessful, a decision he believes will take a year, he will go on making veined blue and white Blue Bell cheese.

Nigel White, secretary for Stilton Cheesemakers Association, disagrees with McGivern’s view of Stilton’s origin. “The Stilton that was made in Stilton, perhaps 250 years ago, bears no resemblence to Stilton as we know it today,” he said.

“We haven’t seen evidence to lead us to believe that the claim has been justified.”