Visiting bikers have been enjoying the taste of locally produced food at the TT Grandstand at the new Artisan Island food marquee.

Six local businesses - Noa Bakehouse, Ballakelly Farm, The Secret Pizza Company, Betty’s Pies, The Alpine and the Fish House - are offering a wide range of locally reared, caught and produced Manx food products many of which have not been easily accessible to TT fans during the festival in the past.

When we visited last week it seemed to be going down very well.

Rachel Ranson, manning the Ballakelly Farm stand, reported that they had nearly sold out of bacon by 10.30am.

’The Irish boat from Belfast landed earlier and they came in and cleared us out,’ she said.

She and her partner, Alan Teare, raise cattle, sheep and pigs on the family farm in Andreas

They also now make their own bacon and sausages from their meat.

Rachel’s mum Eileen Ranson, who was also helping, said: ’It’s all 100 per cent Manx. The farmer is also the butcher and the hog roast chef.’

Dave Thomas, from Wrexham, had just eaten their bacon and egg served on Noa Bakehouse foccacia bread. He said: ’It was quality - very good.’

Elsewhere in the marquee, bikers from Germany, Spain and London were enjoying Betty’s Famous Manx pies and coffee and pastries from Noa Bakehouse.

Australian Cameron Donald has competed 10 times at the TT so has been a regular visitor to the island.

Sipping a Noa Bakehouse coffee in the marquee, he told us that he was already familiar with some of the venues represented in the tent.

’Normally when I’m here I take my wife to eat at Noa and The Alpine,’ he said.

Cameron, who is here this year to commentate on the racing, had enjoyed a Ballakelly Farm cooked breakfast.

’I’ve had the sausage bacon and eggs which I don’t get much at home but you’ve got to have a cooked breakfast when you’re here,’ he said.

The ’Artisan Island’ initiative has been supported by the Food Matters team at the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture and the Department of Economic Development’s motorsport team, helping with logistics and providing advice and guidance on how to operate at the island’s largest event of the year.

This is the first time that island food businesses have come together at the grandstand to showcase the wide range of locally produced food and drink now available.

The ’Artisan Island’ marquee, which has seating inside and outside, is open from 8am every day till late all through the TT Festival and is situated in Noble’s Park by the public car park and on the main thoroughfare to the Grandstand.

Further details can be found on the Facebook page @iomfoodanddrink