DEVIZES Food and Drink Festival is organising a series of special dinner parties to introduce people to total strangers over the meal table.

Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner will be staged on Saturday, March 15, two months before the festival itself starts off with a week of culinary events.

Rosalind Ambler, who is organising the dinner parties, said: “Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner will provide the opportunity to dine in a private house in Devizes, enjoying home-cooked food and meet new people.

“This change of date is in response to protests about being offered too many wonderful eating opportunities during the festival week.”

The dinner parties will take place at a number of venues around the town, with ticket holders being allocated the address without knowing at whose home they will be eating.

Planned menus will offer a Moroccan feast, a Leaning Tower amuse bouche and a White Lady cocktail.

All dinners will include a minimum of three courses and a welcome drink, with guests also invited to bring along their own choice of beverages.

Tickets for the meals – with a maximum two per booking – are available, at £17.50 a head, from Devizes Books.