THE historic appointments of fishtaster, bread-weigher and ale-taster are to be reintroduced in Leominster.

Records show that in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the town employed two fish-tasters, breadweighers and ale-tasters whose job it was to ensure that the food and drink available for sale was healthy and drinkable.

And three Leominster residents could soon have themselves some unusual new titles after Leominster Town Council backed plans to reintroduce the historic roles.

One of the people behind the idea, Dick Ellison, manager of Grange Court, said: “It’s something that we started thinking about at the opening of Grange Court and the heritage surrounding the markets here in the town.

“A couple of local people have been doing the research and it seemed to us that it would be a good idea to reintroduce those roles into the town.

“We are hoping it will become something that will become part of the identity of Leominster.”

As the civic authority, Leominster Town Council will decide on the new appointments and it is hoped they will be formally made as part of the summer’s Leominster Festival.

Most English towns had equivalent staff members, and some – Ashburton, Devon and Alcester – still have them or have revived the posts.

They are used largely as entertainment at the beginning of town fairs and festivals.

In addition to their traditional role it is hoped the new appointees would acquaint themselves fully to the point where they would be able to explain the importance of healthy food and the processes by which it came, and comes, to be offered for sale.

“We want to encourage the market stall holders and local pubs to get involved as well,” said Mr Ellison.