Falmouth's first festival of 2012 launches this weekend with offers galore for food lovers.

More than 20 cafes, bars, shops and restaurants are taking part in Falmouth Food and Drink Week, with many offering two courses for just £10 as part of the event.

Running from Saturday (February 4) to the following Saturday, the festival is being organised by Falmouth’s Business Improvement District team to help attract more custom into the town during the quiet winter period.

BID manager Richard Wilcox said: “Falmouth Food and Drink Week is another innovative scheme being driven forward by the Falmouth BID.

“We’ll be looking to celebrate the really good quality food and drink outlets that exist here and use that as yet another reason for people to visit the town and sample all that we have to offer.

“Working with the BID businesses we have chosen a week that hopefully will work best for them during the quieter new year period. I’m delighted that over 20 establishments have supported the idea – from cafes, restaurants and pubs through to delis and visitor attractions.

“All have given me really enticing offers within the ‘£10 or under’ theme that will undoubtedly give visitors and locals mouth-watering reasons to visit Falmouth.

“This is one of several early season initiatives I am putting into place. There will of course be the free car parking days on each Wednesday throughout February in The Dell and Quarry car parks. And due to the Falmouth BID programme, this is the first time such a scheme has taken place in our town.

“Following on from this, the second BID-funded and organised Falmouth Spring Festival will kick off from the 17th to 25th March, with a host of exciting events and activities taking place throughout the town.”

The pubs, shops, cafes and restaurants taking part in the festival are:

*Clarks Restaurant

*Balti Curries

*Flying Fish Restaurant, St Michael’s Hotel

*Stones Bakery

*Five Degrees West

*Oliver’s the Eatery

*Stein’s Deli

*Toast Cafe

*Seaview Inn

*Prince of Wales

*Dolly’s Tea Room

*Falmouth Hotel

*National Maritime Museum

*Rick Stein’s Seafood Bar

*Harbour View cafe Bar

*Harbour Lights Fish and Chips

*Rick Stein’s Fish and Chips

*The Bottle Bank

*The Natural Store

*The Shed

*The Shack

*The Courtyard Deli.