• THE Big Bournemouth Beer Festival arrives in the town over the Easter bank holiday and it promises visitors the chance to sample 150 beers from across the UK – although ideally not all at once.

The event will be held in the Purbeck Hall and will showcase beers from a plethora of breweries, including Dark Star, Orkney, Great Orme, Oakham, Holders Bowman Ales and Stewart.

Admission price is £5, which will include a souvenir glass, a tasting guide and a drinks voucher which entitles you to half a pint of beer. For more details visit bic.co.uk.

• DORSET Cereals have been voted as one of the Brands of the Decade in Sainsbury’s Magazine’s Noughties Food Awards.

Grateful runners-up to winners Green & Black’s chocolate, Dorset Cereals had reported great success during 2009 with the launch of their new ranges and have seen significant growth in sales despite the economic climate.

“We are absolutely thrilled, it’s been a great start to the year,” says Patrick Horton of Dorset Cereals.

From their little factory in Poundbury they now sell cereals to over 70 countries around the world.

• THE Anchor at Shapwick has earned itself a place in this year’s Michelin Guide, although delighted owner, Mark Thornton, still can’t get his hands on a copy.

“I’ve tried everywhere but I can’t find a copy, they seem to have sold out wherever I go,” he laughs. “But it’s superb, we’re delighted.”

Mark, who also owns the Bull at Wimborne St Giles, opened The Anchor in 2007 and has quickly turned it into a huge success – winning an award for Best Dining Pub last year as well as a Michelin mention.

Mark moved from London to Dorset with his wife, Roxy, who is originally from Broadstone. They had no experience of running pubs before and admit it has been hard work.

“It was a steep learning curve,” he admits. “You can’t possibly get something like this right from a standing start.”

Nevertheless the hard graft has paid off and Mark couldn’t be happier. “Living down here is phenomenal, this is home now – I couldn’t leave,” he adds.