Food & Hospitality · Salisbury
Salisbury man expands gluten-free dining guide to over 200 New Forest venues
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
A Salisbury local has extended his free gluten-free eating guide to include 222 venues in the New Forest, helping those with coeliac disease dine out safely.
A local resident has expanded his initiative to make dining out safer for those with coeliac disease, launching a new edition of his gluten-free guide that now covers 222 venues across the New Forest.
Tony Barfoot, based in Salisbury, originally launched the guide earlier this year to alleviate the frustration of constant phone calls required to verify whether restaurants and cafes can safely accommodate gluten-free dietary needs. With many Salisbury residents regularly visiting the nearby New Forest for day trips, demand for a reliable, verified directory prompted the extension.
The guide offers a distinct approach to restaurant listings by prioritising transparency. Rather than simply tagging businesses that claim to offer gluten-free options, Mr Barfoot directly contacts venues to ask how they prevent cross-contamination. These responses are then published, allowing diners to make informed choices based on the actual kitchen practices in place.
Currently, the data reveals specific safety measures across the 222 listed sites:
59 kitchens have provided detailed explanations of their contamination prevention procedures.
22 venues have confirmed the use of dedicated fryers exclusively for gluten-free food.
27 venues have explicitly stated they serve gluten-free fish and chips.
For those with coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition where even trace amounts of gluten can cause significant illness, this information is a vital health requirement rather than a lifestyle preference. Every entry in the guide is dated to show when the information was last verified, providing readers with up-to-date assurance.
Mr Barfoot noted that the process has also highlighted transparency in the hospitality sector, with some businesses choosing to be excluded from the guide if they cannot guarantee the necessary standards to prevent contamination. Notably, businesses are unable to pay for inclusion, ensuring the directory remains an independent resource based entirely on the gathered information.
The expanded New Forest edition joins the original Salisbury guide, which already lists approximately 80 businesses in the city. Both versions are available free online, with printed copies also provided for those who prefer physical resources.
Source: Salisbury Journal — Salisbury · View original