LEADIN:

British food and drink producers are feeling the strains of Brexit at The International Food and Drink Event (IFE) in London.

The UK government announced today (Monday 20 March) that it will trigger Article 50 on March 29, which will formally begin the Brexit process.

With the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, many producers are considering expansion into new markets, particularly the United States.

STORYLINE:

Things are sizzling in London at IFE, the UK's largest food and drink trade show, with more than 29,000 visitors expected to attend.

The show brings together over 1,350 food producers from around the world - like this beefsteak from Poland.

Or these kebabs from Turkey...

Giant onions from Spain...

Or how about a mouthful of Chinese seaweed salad?

But by far the largest contingent at the event is from the UK, which is acting as the show's partner country for the first time.

This year's show features more than 700 British food and drink producers and gives them a shop window for the international buyers in attendance.

But uncertainty over Brexit is overshadowing the event, with Article 50 expected to be triggered on March 29.

Many exhibitors are small to mid scale food and drink producers who are concerned about how a break from the European Union will impact their growing businesses.

For those north of the border in Scotland, the situation is particularly uncertain, with calls from the Scottish National Party for a second vote on independence.

Callum MacInnes is a cheese maker and founder of Island Smokery on the far northerly Orkney Islands.

He's been producing smoked cheeses and butters for a high-end market for over ten years; his products can be found at hotels including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

MacInnes produces 40 tonnes of cheese every year and is currently moving to a larger factory to grow his business, but now he has to contend with more instability.

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil," he says.

"I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see.

"So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

But MacInnes tries to remain positive about the political situation in Scotland and sees the benefit of new trade with the US.

With the fall in value of the pound against the dollar he has discovered his high-end cheeses and butters are suddenly much more affordable for Americans looking to invest in high-quality food.

He's just shipped his first export to the US after a positive trade event saw orders flooding in.

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone," he says.

Just down the road in Orkney is one of the newest producers at the show; Kirkjuvagr gin has only been available since last August.

The company started in February, but by the time the first bottle rolled off the production line the Brexit vote had already been decided.

For Stephen Kemp, the director of Orkney Distilling Ltd., it spells trouble for his young company.

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north," he says.

"We very much rely on the British market and also being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

Kemp has many advantages basing his gin company in Orkney - for example, the Angelica root (one of the key botanicals used to flavour gin) grows naturally on the Scottish island.

But despite the positive reactions he's getting for his gin, Kemp says there could be difficulties ahead if the impact of Brexit on small businesses like his is not taken into consideration in the negotiations.

"It's sad to think that small producers like us will be penalised because there's been no indication how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us," he says.

Welsh producers like the Celtic Pie Co. are also exhibiting at the show.

Like the Scots, many are also finding the prospect of Brexit negotiations a bit too salty.

Jessica Lea-Wilson is with Halen Mon Sea Salt co. from Anglesey, an island off the north coast of Wales.

Halen Mon has been hand harvesting high-end salt products from the waters around the island for the last 21 years.

A 100g packet of Anglesey sea-salt starts from around 4 British pounds (approx. $5 USD) and is called a finishing salt, added at the end of a dish rather than as a cooking ingredient.

The largest market for the Welsh company is in Spain, so a retreat from the EU is of real concern - particularly because it could mean losing its EU protected designation of origin status.

This could mean salt producers in other parts of the world could use the Anglesey name to promote their own salts.

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business," says Lea-Wilson.

"So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

Like many British producers at IFE, Lea-Wilson is already looking to new markets and also like many British producers she sees the US as a key growth area.

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers," she says.

Exhibitors are feeling the uncertainty, but remaining positive about the future.

Show director Soraya Gadelrab thinks there's a lot to be confident about in the British food industry.

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking to them about real genuine business," she says.

London attracts top chefs from around the world, who come to cook in the capital.

Peruvian chef Robert Ortiz from Lima restaurant in London is demonstrating his skills at the show.

Here he puts together a tiradito dish with raw scallops and spicy Peruvian yellow chillies.

IFE runs from 19-22 March at London's ExCel exhibition centre.

London, UK - 19 March 2017

1. Close of Polish beef steak frying on grill

2. Mid of chef speaking with show visitors

3. Close of steak being turned

4. Mid of chef serving visitors steak

5. Close of cooked steak

6. Wide of Turkish kebab

7. Close of kebab being shaved

8. Close of kebab cooking

9. Close of giant Spanish onion being placed on top of can

10. Various of Palestinian stand with dates

11. Close of bowl of seaweed salad from China

12. Various of man eating seaweed salad

13. Low shot of Callum MacInnes cutting Orkney smoked cheese

14. Close of cheese being cut

15. Close of Scottish flag of St Andrew

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil. I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see. So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

17. Mid of MacInnes taking cheese from fridge

18. Close of smoked cheese being cut

19. Mid of MacInnes cutting cheese

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone."

21. Close tilt down of Kirkjuvagr gin from Orkney, Scotland

22. Mid of Stephen Kemp of Kirkjuvagr talking with visitors

23. Close tilt up of show visitor sampling gin

24. Close of tap filling glass with gin

25. Various of Stephen Kemp drinking gin

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north. We very much rely on the British market, we rely also on being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

27. Close of jar containing Angelica root - a key ingredient in gin

28. Close of Angelica in hand

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"It's sad to think that small producers like us I think will be penalised because there's been no indication of how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us."

30. Mid pan right of sign reading: (Welsh/English) "Cymru/Wales"

31. Various of chef at the Celtic Pie Co. slicing steak and ale pie

32. Wide of Jessica Lea-Wilson from Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.

33. Close of Lea-Wilson

34. Close of bowl of sea salt

35. Mid of Lea-Wilson pouring salt into her hand

36. Close of salt in her hand

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business. So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

38. Extreme close of salt crystals in hand

39. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers."

40. Various setup shots of event director Soraya Gadelrab speaking to exhibitor

41. SOUNDBITE (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Show Director, the International Food and Drink Event:

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking about real genuine business."

42. Various of Robert Ortiz, chef from Lima restaurant in London, demonstrating Peruvian cooking onstage

LEADIN:

British food and drink producers are feeling the strains of Brexit at The International Food and Drink Event (IFE) in London.

The UK government announced today (Monday 20 March) that it will trigger Article 50 on March 29, which will formally begin the Brexit process.

With the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, many producers are considering expansion into new markets, particularly the United States.

STORYLINE:

Things are sizzling in London at IFE, the UK's largest food and drink trade show, with more than 29,000 visitors expected to attend.

The show brings together over 1,350 food producers from around the world - like this beefsteak from Poland.

Or these kebabs from Turkey...

Giant onions from Spain...

Or how about a mouthful of Chinese seaweed salad?

But by far the largest contingent at the event is from the UK, which is acting as the show's partner country for the first time.

This year's show features more than 700 British food and drink producers and gives them a shop window for the international buyers in attendance.

But uncertainty over Brexit is overshadowing the event, with Article 50 expected to be triggered on March 29.

Many exhibitors are small to mid scale food and drink producers who are concerned about how a break from the European Union will impact their growing businesses.

For those north of the border in Scotland, the situation is particularly uncertain, with calls from the Scottish National Party for a second vote on independence.

Callum MacInnes is a cheese maker and founder of Island Smokery on the far northerly Orkney Islands.

He's been producing smoked cheeses and butters for a high-end market for over ten years; his products can be found at hotels including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

MacInnes produces 40 tonnes of cheese every year and is currently moving to a larger factory to grow his business, but now he has to contend with more instability.

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil," he says.

"I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see.

"So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

But MacInnes tries to remain positive about the political situation in Scotland and sees the benefit of new trade with the US.

With the fall in value of the pound against the dollar he has discovered his high-end cheeses and butters are suddenly much more affordable for Americans looking to invest in high-quality food.

He's just shipped his first export to the US after a positive trade event saw orders flooding in.

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone," he says.

Just down the road in Orkney is one of the newest producers at the show; Kirkjuvagr gin has only been available since last August.

The company started in February, but by the time the first bottle rolled off the production line the Brexit vote had already been decided.

For Stephen Kemp, the director of Orkney Distilling Ltd., it spells trouble for his young company.

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north," he says.

"We very much rely on the British market and also being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

Kemp has many advantages basing his gin company in Orkney - for example, the Angelica root (one of the key botanicals used to flavour gin) grows naturally on the Scottish island.

But despite the positive reactions he's getting for his gin, Kemp says there could be difficulties ahead if the impact of Brexit on small businesses like his is not taken into consideration in the negotiations.

"It's sad to think that small producers like us will be penalised because there's been no indication how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us," he says.

Welsh producers like the Celtic Pie Co. are also exhibiting at the show.

Like the Scots, many are also finding the prospect of Brexit negotiations a bit too salty.

Jessica Lea-Wilson is with Halen Mon Sea Salt co. from Anglesey, an island off the north coast of Wales.

Halen Mon has been hand harvesting high-end salt products from the waters around the island for the last 21 years.

A 100g packet of Anglesey sea-salt starts from around 4 British pounds (approx. $5 USD) and is called a finishing salt, added at the end of a dish rather than as a cooking ingredient.

The largest market for the Welsh company is in Spain, so a retreat from the EU is of real concern - particularly because it could mean losing its EU protected designation of origin status.

This could mean salt producers in other parts of the world could use the Anglesey name to promote their own salts.

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business," says Lea-Wilson.

"So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

Like many British producers at IFE, Lea-Wilson is already looking to new markets and also like many British producers she sees the US as a key growth area.

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers," she says.

Exhibitors are feeling the uncertainty, but remaining positive about the future.

Show director Soraya Gadelrab thinks there's a lot to be confident about in the British food industry.

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking to them about real genuine business," she says.

London attracts top chefs from around the world, who come to cook in the capital.

Peruvian chef Robert Ortiz from Lima restaurant in London is demonstrating his skills at the show.

Here he puts together a tiradito dish with raw scallops and spicy Peruvian yellow chillies.

IFE runs from 19-22 March at London's ExCel exhibition centre.

London, UK - 19 March 2017

1. Close of Polish beef steak frying on grill

2. Mid of chef speaking with show visitors

3. Close of steak being turned

4. Mid of chef serving visitors steak

5. Close of cooked steak

6. Wide of Turkish kebab

7. Close of kebab being shaved

8. Close of kebab cooking

9. Close of giant Spanish onion being placed on top of can

10. Various of Palestinian stand with dates

11. Close of bowl of seaweed salad from China

12. Various of man eating seaweed salad

13. Low shot of Callum MacInnes cutting Orkney smoked cheese

14. Close of cheese being cut

15. Close of Scottish flag of St Andrew

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil. I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see. So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

17. Mid of MacInnes taking cheese from fridge

18. Close of smoked cheese being cut

19. Mid of MacInnes cutting cheese

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone."

21. Close tilt down of Kirkjuvagr gin from Orkney, Scotland

22. Mid of Stephen Kemp of Kirkjuvagr talking with visitors

23. Close tilt up of show visitor sampling gin

24. Close of tap filling glass with gin

25. Various of Stephen Kemp drinking gin

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north. We very much rely on the British market, we rely also on being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

27. Close of jar containing Angelica root - a key ingredient in gin

28. Close of Angelica in hand

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"It's sad to think that small producers like us I think will be penalised because there's been no indication of how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us."

30. Mid pan right of sign reading: (Welsh/English) "Cymru/Wales"

31. Various of chef at the Celtic Pie Co. slicing steak and ale pie

32. Wide of Jessica Lea-Wilson from Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.

33. Close of Lea-Wilson

34. Close of bowl of sea salt

35. Mid of Lea-Wilson pouring salt into her hand

36. Close of salt in her hand

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business. So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

38. Extreme close of salt crystals in hand

39. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers."

40. Various setup shots of event director Soraya Gadelrab speaking to exhibitor

41. SOUNDBITE (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Show Director, the International Food and Drink Event:

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking about real genuine business."

42. Various of Robert Ortiz, chef from Lima restaurant in London, demonstrating Peruvian cooking onstage

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4038463

LEAD IN:

UK wine industry experts are eyeing the upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union with mixed feelings.

With producers and suppliers heavily reliant on pan-European trade, many remain unsure how Brexit will impact upon business.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkling wine on a summer's day in the English capital.

Glistening flutes and bottles in abundance, and a crowd of happy lunchtime drinkers add to the atmosphere of excitement and discovery, along with an impromptu game of ping pong.

It must be London Wine Week.

This is the third year of the festival, and this year is the most popular to date.

Festival director Emma Murphy says "It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved" .

But although these flutes of fizz are English sparkling wine, much of the wine the festival goers here are tasting is from EU member states such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany.

The June 23 referendum on whether to quit the European Union is fast approaching. So is this something the industry should fear?

"I wouldn't have said so," says Murphy.

"Wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

At the festival hub on London's Devonshire Square, there are pop-up bars featuring wines from across Europe.

These two young graduate trainees are enjoying wines from Portugal, and with their festival wristband, it costs them just five British Pounds for a flight of three.

Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers both agree that things may well be different if Britain leaves the union.

"If it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be," says Anna, while Oscar is concerned about regulation and labelling:

"It would also be more difficult to know what you are drinking because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

The New Street wine shop has been taken over by the wine festival. They sell wines from all over the world but today they are holding a tasting featuring wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain.

Most wine drinkers know about the region of Rioja, but Bettina Lemm is informing these festival goers about the region she represents.

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero but I think that we're still establishing ourselves."

But if the UK is an important export market, is Brexit going to throw the proverbial spanner into the works? Lemm doesn't seem too worried "I think at the moment we're pretty confident as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment," she says.

Wine used to have a rather old fashioned reputation and a comparatively elderly demographic, but this has changed enormously in recent years.

The prevalence of wine clubs popping up in the UK is an indicator of wine's increasing popularity.

Tom Harrow of Honest Grapes explains why this is "I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people," he says.

With 125 venues across the metropolis taking part in this festival, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy it with friends.

But with such enthusiasm for wine spreading across the country, June 23 could bring disruption, according to Harrow "It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up" .

However, the future might be bright in other, unexpected ways.

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least," says Harrow, and with apologies to climate change icon Al Gore, he adds that "global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

Reports by the WSTA (Wine and Spirit Trade Association) suggest there is still some way to go as the UK comes in at number six on the list of sales of sparkling wine by origin - but it's rising year on year.

600 million bottles of wine are bottled in the UK.

This makes the UK wine market the sixth largest in the world, generating 173 billion British pounds of economic activity, according to the WSTA. 10 billion British pounds are made through sales.

Also being showcased here is one of the new kids on the alcohol block, Regal Rogue Vermouth.

According to brand founder Mark Ward, vermouth, by definition, is 75 percent wine. It must have wormwood and it must have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 15 to 24 percent. These three things have to be in place for a producer to put vermouth on the bottle or it flouts recent EU regulations.

Ward, who was brought up in hospitality, began the project in Australia where he worked closely with top Australian chefs who introduced him to indigenous herbs and spices.

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort." he says.

Ward is attempting to educate the wine drinking market which, he believes, is mostly unaware of the fact that vermouth is fundamentally a wine.

This can only be helped by a new pop up for 2016, the Vermouth Bar.

The parent company of London Wine Week is the aptly named "Drink Up London", and they're already preparing for the 2017 event - Brexit or no Brexit.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4038463

LEAD IN:

UK wine industry experts are eyeing the upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union with mixed feelings.

With producers and suppliers heavily reliant on pan-European trade, many remain unsure how Brexit will impact upon business.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkling wine on a summer's day in the English capital.

Glistening flutes and bottles in abundance, and a crowd of happy lunchtime drinkers add to the atmosphere of excitement and discovery, along with an impromptu game of ping pong.

It must be London Wine Week.

This is the third year of the festival, and this year is the most popular to date.

Festival director Emma Murphy says "It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved" .

But although these flutes of fizz are English sparkling wine, much of the wine the festival goers here are tasting is from EU member states such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany.

The June 23 referendum on whether to quit the European Union is fast approaching. So is this something the industry should fear?

"I wouldn't have said so," says Murphy.

"Wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

At the festival hub on London's Devonshire Square, there are pop-up bars featuring wines from across Europe.

These two young graduate trainees are enjoying wines from Portugal, and with their festival wristband, it costs them just five British Pounds for a flight of three.

Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers both agree that things may well be different if Britain leaves the union.

"If it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be," says Anna, while Oscar is concerned about regulation and labelling:

"It would also be more difficult to know what you are drinking because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

The New Street wine shop has been taken over by the wine festival. They sell wines from all over the world but today they are holding a tasting featuring wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain.

Most wine drinkers know about the region of Rioja, but Bettina Lemm is informing these festival goers about the region she represents.

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero but I think that we're still establishing ourselves."

But if the UK is an important export market, is Brexit going to throw the proverbial spanner into the works? Lemm doesn't seem too worried "I think at the moment we're pretty confident as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment," she says.

Wine used to have a rather old fashioned reputation and a comparatively elderly demographic, but this has changed enormously in recent years.

The prevalence of wine clubs popping up in the UK is an indicator of wine's increasing popularity.

Tom Harrow of Honest Grapes explains why this is "I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people," he says.

With 125 venues across the metropolis taking part in this festival, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy it with friends.

But with such enthusiasm for wine spreading across the country, June 23 could bring disruption, according to Harrow "It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up" .

However, the future might be bright in other, unexpected ways.

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least," says Harrow, and with apologies to climate change icon Al Gore, he adds that "global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

Reports by the WSTA (Wine and Spirit Trade Association) suggest there is still some way to go as the UK comes in at number six on the list of sales of sparkling wine by origin - but it's rising year on year.

600 million bottles of wine are bottled in the UK.

This makes the UK wine market the sixth largest in the world, generating 173 billion British pounds of economic activity, according to the WSTA. 10 billion British pounds are made through sales.

Also being showcased here is one of the new kids on the alcohol block, Regal Rogue Vermouth.

According to brand founder Mark Ward, vermouth, by definition, is 75 percent wine. It must have wormwood and it must have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 15 to 24 percent. These three things have to be in place for a producer to put vermouth on the bottle or it flouts recent EU regulations.

Ward, who was brought up in hospitality, began the project in Australia where he worked closely with top Australian chefs who introduced him to indigenous herbs and spices.

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort." he says.

Ward is attempting to educate the wine drinking market which, he believes, is mostly unaware of the fact that vermouth is fundamentally a wine.

This can only be helped by a new pop up for 2016, the Vermouth Bar.

The parent company of London Wine Week is the aptly named "Drink Up London", and they're already preparing for the 2017 event - Brexit or no Brexit.

AP Television

London - 27 May 2016

1. Close of wine glasses

2. Bartender pouring sparkling wine

3. Tilt down on central courtyard at Devonshire Square, the hub for London Wine Week

4. Group of friends enjoying English sparkling wine

5. Men playing table tennis

6. Sign reading (English) "London Wine Week"

7. Set up shot of Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

"What's unique about it? It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved whether that's with offers, special menus or ticketed events across the week."

9. Two women with wine flight selection

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

(Responding to the question Do you think a Brexit will affect the wine industry negatively?)

"I wouldn't have said so, because I mean, I think, you know, wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

11. Sign reading (English) "Pop into our pop up wine bars"

12. Various of Portuguese wine pop up

13. Mid of graduate trainees in insurance Oscar Stenpom and Anna Rogers

14. Flight of Portuguese wines

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers, Insurance Graduate Trainees:

(Responding to question Do you think a Brexit will mean it will be more difficult for people to access quality wine?)

Stenbom: "Yes,"

Rogers: "I guess so, I mean if it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be."

Stenbom: "It would also be more difficult to know what you're drinking, because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

16. Pull focus of Spanish wine labels

17. Vintage bottles of fortified wine

18. Side view of Spanish wine bottles

19. Set up shot of Bettina Lemm with wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Bettina Lemm, Westbury Communications (which represents the Ribera del Duero region in the UK):

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero, but I think that we're still establishing ourselves. A lot of people know some big names from the region, and we're just trying to bring attention to some other grape producers who might not yet have the same recognition."

21. Close of wine labels

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Bettina Lemm, Westbury Communications (who represent the Ribera del Duero region in the UK):

(Responding to the question are you worried about the possibility of a Brexit affecting your export market?)

"I think at the moment we're pretty confident, as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment."

23. Pan from mediaeval knight sculpture to pop up courtyard

24. Mid of Provence wines pop up

25. Establisher shot of Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes Wine Club

26. Close of Harrow eyeing the wine

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"There's been a real rise in wine clubs in London and the UK generally of late, and I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people."

28. Mid of woman laughing over a glass of wine

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and then bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up."

30. Woman at table with wine

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least - and even the whites, and to an extent the reds are really coming up. So I have to say it - sorry Al Gore - global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

32. Various of English rose and white sparkling wines

33. Vermouth being poured into a glass

34. Various of "Regal Rogue" Vermouth bottle

35. Tilt up of Mark Ward, founder of Regal Rogue vermouth, and his produce

36. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Ward, founder of Regal Rogue vermouth:

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort."

37. Crowd of London Wine Week attendees at the Vermouth Bar

38. Mid of vermouth cocktails being made

39. Focus pull of sign reading (English) "Drink Up"

LENGTH: 6:02

LEAD IN:

UK wine industry experts are eyeing the upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union with mixed feelings.

With producers and suppliers heavily reliant on pan-European trade, many remain unsure how Brexit will impact upon business.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkling wine on a summer's day in the English capital.

Glistening flutes and bottles in abundance, and a crowd of happy lunchtime drinkers add to the atmosphere of excitement and discovery, along with an impromptu game of ping pong.

It must be London Wine Week.

This is the third year of the festival, and this year is the most popular to date.

Festival director Emma Murphy says "It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved" .

But although these flutes of fizz are English sparkling wine, much of the wine the festival goers here are tasting is from EU member states such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany.

The June 23 referendum on whether to quit the European Union is fast approaching. So is this something the industry should fear?

"I wouldn't have said so," says Murphy.

"Wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

At the festival hub on London's Devonshire Square, there are pop-up bars featuring wines from across Europe.

These two young graduate trainees are enjoying wines from Portugal, and with their festival wristband, it costs them just five British Pounds for a flight of three.

Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers both agree that things may well be different if Britain leaves the union.

"If it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be," says Anna, while Oscar is concerned about regulation and labelling:

"It would also be more difficult to know what you are drinking because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

The New Street wine shop has been taken over by the wine festival. They sell wines from all over the world but today they are holding a tasting featuring wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain.

Most wine drinkers know about the region of Rioja, but Bettina Lemm is informing these festival goers about the region she represents.

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero but I think that we're still establishing ourselves."

But if the UK is an important export market, is Brexit going to throw the proverbial spanner into the works? Lemm doesn't seem too worried "I think at the moment we're pretty confident as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment," she says.

Wine used to have a rather old fashioned reputation and a comparatively elderly demographic, but this has changed enormously in recent years.

The prevalence of wine clubs popping up in the UK is an indicator of wine's increasing popularity.

Tom Harrow of Honest Grapes explains why this is "I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people," he says.

With 125 venues across the metropolis taking part in this festival, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy it with friends.

But with such enthusiasm for wine spreading across the country, June 23 could bring disruption, according to Harrow "It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up" .

However, the future might be bright in other, unexpected ways.

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least," says Harrow, and with apologies to climate change icon Al Gore, he adds that "global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

Reports by the WSTA (Wine and Spirit Trade Association) suggest there is still some way to go as the UK comes in at number six on the list of sales of sparkling wine by origin - but it's rising year on year.

600 million bottles of wine are bottled in the UK.

This makes the UK wine market the sixth largest in the world, generating 173 billion British pounds of economic activity, according to the WSTA. 10 billion British pounds are made through sales.

Also being showcased here is one of the new kids on the alcohol block, Regal Rogue Vermouth.

According to brand founder Mark Ward, vermouth, by definition, is 75 percent wine. It must have wormwood and it must have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 15 to 24 percent. These three things have to be in place for a producer to put vermouth on the bottle or it flouts recent EU regulations.

Ward, who was brought up in hospitality, began the project in Australia where he worked closely with top Australian chefs who introduced him to indigenous herbs and spices.

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort." he says.

Ward is attempting to educate the wine drinking market which, he believes, is mostly unaware of the fact that vermouth is fundamentally a wine.

This can only be helped by a new pop up for 2016, the Vermouth Bar.

The parent company of London Wine Week is the aptly named "Drink Up London", and they're already preparing for the 2017 event - Brexit or no Brexit.

LEAD IN:

UK wine industry experts are eyeing the upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union with mixed feelings.

With producers and suppliers heavily reliant on pan-European trade, many remain unsure how Brexit will impact upon business.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkling wine on a summer's day in the English capital.

Glistening flutes and bottles in abundance, and a crowd of happy lunchtime drinkers add to the atmosphere of excitement and discovery, along with an impromptu game of ping pong.

It must be London Wine Week.

This is the third year of the festival, and this year is the most popular to date.

Festival director Emma Murphy says "It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved" .

But although these flutes of fizz are English sparkling wine, much of the wine the festival goers here are tasting is from EU member states such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany.

The June 23 referendum on whether to quit the European Union is fast approaching. So is this something the industry should fear?

"I wouldn't have said so," says Murphy.

"Wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

At the festival hub on London's Devonshire Square, there are pop-up bars featuring wines from across Europe.

These two young graduate trainees are enjoying wines from Portugal, and with their festival wristband, it costs them just five British Pounds for a flight of three.

Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers both agree that things may well be different if Britain leaves the union.

"If it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be," says Anna, while Oscar is concerned about regulation and labelling:

"It would also be more difficult to know what you are drinking because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

The New Street wine shop has been taken over by the wine festival. They sell wines from all over the world but today they are holding a tasting featuring wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain.

Most wine drinkers know about the region of Rioja, but Bettina Lemm is informing these festival goers about the region she represents.

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero but I think that we're still establishing ourselves."

But if the UK is an important export market, is Brexit going to throw the proverbial spanner into the works? Lemm doesn't seem too worried "I think at the moment we're pretty confident as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment," she says.

Wine used to have a rather old fashioned reputation and a comparatively elderly demographic, but this has changed enormously in recent years.

The prevalence of wine clubs popping up in the UK is an indicator of wine's increasing popularity.

Tom Harrow of Honest Grapes explains why this is "I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people," he says.

With 125 venues across the metropolis taking part in this festival, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy it with friends.

But with such enthusiasm for wine spreading across the country, June 23 could bring disruption, according to Harrow "It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up" .

However, the future might be bright in other, unexpected ways.

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least," says Harrow, and with apologies to climate change icon Al Gore, he adds that "global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

Reports by the WSTA (Wine and Spirit Trade Association) suggest there is still some way to go as the UK comes in at number six on the list of sales of sparkling wine by origin - but it's rising year on year.

600 million bottles of wine are bottled in the UK.

This makes the UK wine market the sixth largest in the world, generating 173 billion British pounds of economic activity, according to the WSTA. 10 billion British pounds are made through sales.

Also being showcased here is one of the new kids on the alcohol block, Regal Rogue Vermouth.

According to brand founder Mark Ward, vermouth, by definition, is 75 percent wine. It must have wormwood and it must have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 15 to 24 percent. These three things have to be in place for a producer to put vermouth on the bottle or it flouts recent EU regulations.

Ward, who was brought up in hospitality, began the project in Australia where he worked closely with top Australian chefs who introduced him to indigenous herbs and spices.

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort." he says.

Ward is attempting to educate the wine drinking market which, he believes, is mostly unaware of the fact that vermouth is fundamentally a wine.

This can only be helped by a new pop up for 2016, the Vermouth Bar.

The parent company of London Wine Week is the aptly named "Drink Up London", and they're already preparing for the 2017 event - Brexit or no Brexit.

AP Television

London - 27 May 2016

1. Close of wine glasses

2. Bartender pouring sparkling wine

3. Tilt down on central courtyard at Devonshire Square, the hub for London Wine Week

4. Group of friends enjoying English sparkling wine

5. Men playing table tennis

6. Sign reading (English) "London Wine Week"

7. Set up shot of Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

"What's unique about it? It's the largest self-guided wine tasting that there is across London. It's kind of the only event of its kind that we have over here. So we work with 125 bars, restaurants, independent merchants who all get involved whether that's with offers, special menus or ticketed events across the week."

9. Two women with wine flight selection

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Murphy, director of London Wine Week

(Responding to the question Do you think a Brexit will affect the wine industry negatively?)

"I wouldn't have said so, because I mean, I think, you know, wine trade has been going for long enough, even long before the euro, so I wouldn't have thought that would make much difference to be honest with you. Hopefully not anyway."

11. Sign reading (English) "Pop into our pop up wine bars"

12. Various of Portuguese wine pop up

13. Mid of graduate trainees in insurance Oscar Stenpom and Anna Rogers

14. Flight of Portuguese wines

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Oscar Stenbom and Anna Rogers, Insurance Graduate Trainees:

(Responding to question Do you think a Brexit will mean it will be more difficult for people to access quality wine?)

Stenbom: "Yes,"

Rogers: "I guess so, I mean if it's more expensive for them to send the wine here, if there's more tariffs, then yeah I guess it would be."

Stenbom: "It would also be more difficult to know what you're drinking, because there won't be as many restrictions on labelling the wine based on where it's actually from and the grape it's actually come from."

16. Pull focus of Spanish wine labels

17. Vintage bottles of fortified wine

18. Side view of Spanish wine bottles

19. Set up shot of Bettina Lemm with wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Bettina Lemm, Westbury Communications (which represents the Ribera del Duero region in the UK):

"I think they (wines of Ribera del Duero) are still an emerging market, especially in the UK. The UK is an important market for Ribera del Duero, it's the seventh-largest export market for Ribera del Duero, but I think that we're still establishing ourselves. A lot of people know some big names from the region, and we're just trying to bring attention to some other grape producers who might not yet have the same recognition."

21. Close of wine labels

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Bettina Lemm, Westbury Communications (who represent the Ribera del Duero region in the UK):

(Responding to the question are you worried about the possibility of a Brexit affecting your export market?)

"I think at the moment we're pretty confident, as we've seen year to year that exports have grown. I think that's going to continue and I don't think it's a worry that we have at the moment."

23. Pan from mediaeval knight sculpture to pop up courtyard

24. Mid of Provence wines pop up

25. Establisher shot of Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes Wine Club

26. Close of Harrow eyeing the wine

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"There's been a real rise in wine clubs in London and the UK generally of late, and I think this is because people want to engage more with what's in the bottle. It's not just liquid, they want to know the stories behind it, they want to meet the people involved. And there's the sociable aspect, you know wine is fundamentally something which we do with other people."

28. Mid of woman laughing over a glass of wine

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"It's fair to say that we're a bit concerned about the possibilities of Brexit, I think the rising price of the euro against the pound will have a serious effect on quality wine. At the moment more than 60 percent of wine that comes into the UK is shipped in massive great tankers and then bottled over here and that's not something we get involved with. But that becomes the only affordable way if the pound plummets against the euro. So I think that it won't be a good thing initially for the wine consumer because the prices of these small artisan wines will go up."

30. Woman at table with wine

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Harrow, wine director of Honest Grapes:

"All the English wine makers that I speak to say we are half a degree away from being a perfect climate for sparkling wines at least - and even the whites, and to an extent the reds are really coming up. So I have to say it - sorry Al Gore - global warming is a good thing for the UK sparkling wine trade."

32. Various of English rose and white sparkling wines

33. Vermouth being poured into a glass

34. Various of "Regal Rogue" Vermouth bottle

35. Tilt up of Mark Ward, founder of Regal Rogue vermouth, and his produce

36. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Ward, founder of Regal Rogue vermouth:

"It seemed like a really obvious thing to do, marrying the herbs and spices with this abundance of Australian wine to create a New World style of vermouth. And you know the tradition of vermouth is really led by the European markets. You know, Italian, French, now Spanish - but now there are vermouths coming out of America, the UK, Germany and obviously Australia. So pretty much anywhere where you find wine now, you will find a vermouth of some sort."

37. Crowd of London Wine Week attendees at the Vermouth Bar

38. Mid of vermouth cocktails being made

39. Focus pull of sign reading (English) "Drink Up"

LENGTH: 6:02

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4063805

LEAD IN:

The art and antique market in post-Brexit Britain is booming, according to London dealers.

A weak pound against the dollar and Euro is seeing American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains.

STORY-LINE:

The art and antiques market in the UK isn't just on target, it's positively booming post Brexit.

Dealers here at the Winter Art and Antiques Fair in Olympia say it's a great time to buy because of the weak pound.

American buyers in particular are attracted to London with the newfound strength of the dollar. Looking to bag a bargain they could save around 25-30 per cent compared to six months earlier.

Craig Carrington is an antique dealer with four decades of experience.

He sells many neo-classical antiques on his stand, but his showcase piece is this bust of a Roman goddess, thought to be designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the same man who designed the Statue of Liberty.

He says: "As an antique dealer I think a weak pound is very good news because we sell to international clients and if the dollar is strong, the euro is strong then it's very good news for somebody like me, absolutely."

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

Tanya Baxter runs a gallery specialising in contemporary pieces. She says since the day of the referendum result, announcing Britain would leave the EU, she's been very busy.

She says many see the art market as a safe investment in uncertain times.

"And with the devaluation of the pound as well as the fact that Brexit has kind of made a cautious and volatile financial market it (art and antiques) is a very, very safe place."

According to Baxter the single largest group of buyers is coming from the USA:

"Well they're so excited particularly American collectors who we are getting calls from saying 'So what have you? Because I want to spend x amount and will fly over to do so.'"

One of the American investors who has come to London to buy is David Ryder.

The retired lawyer, originally from Chicago, had just bought this painting by British artist Amy Pugh. He says it's such a good time to buy, with the strength of the dollar against the pound, that he will return next month to buy more art.

Ryder says: "England is where we have bought probably 90 per cent of the artwork that we have, and we have a lot in numerous houses. We find this is a good country for selection of different artists, both contemporary and old artists, particularly from the auction houses and this is a particularly good time so we're here now and we'll come back in December again to look at more art."

Art and antique dealers haven't just benefited from the dip in the value of the pound. Immediately after the result of Brexit was announced British buyers quickly began to buy art and antiques fearing the collapse in the value of the pound.

Art dealer Julian Hartnoll is calling this a 'double-boom' for the industry.

Hartnoll says: "There's this nice new phrase, the double-boom. It was the English buying immediately after Brexit because they wanted to get out of pounds and get into objects because they were fearing the pound would become valueless. And then the Americans, as the pound subsided, have overcome their fear of terrorism in England and have started to buy again, so for instance last night my only clients were Americans."

Antique jewellery dealers are also benefiting.

Iranian jeweller Morteza Mojarad runs the Persis jewellers off Bond Street in London.

He says: "I've seen a big improvement, to be honest, since Brexit and that's I think because of the exchange rate, dollar to pound and especially Euro to pounds."

But if the situation is good for British based dealers, spare a thought for European antique dealers trying to sell in Britain.

David Lafleur is an antique dealer based in Paris with his shop Gallerie Buter.

The strength of the Euro might be good for some of his compatriots, but when Lafleur sells in the UK he is finding the competition difficult.

However, despite these difficulties he says he will continue to exhibit his Oriental antiques in London because international buyers have been scared away from Paris.

"Because of the economic crisis, you know, the people were afraid because of the terrorists, because of the tax. A lot of things saw the people leave France. So for us, it's better to come here in London because the people are here, the people from other countries are here."

The Winter Art and Antiques Fair in Olympia returns for its 26th year.

Around 100 exhibitors are displaying art and antiques, most are displaying collectibles at the high-end of the market.

It is the only fair in the UK to work with the top two trade associations and there is a strict vetting process for all pieces on sale at the show. Each item must be checked by a team of experts before the fair opens.

The Winter Art and Antiques Fair Olympia runs 31 October - 6 November.

London, UK - 1 November 2016

1. Pull focus of bronze Japanese archer

2. Various of Meiji period Japanese bronze crow with glass eyes

3. Mid of men admiring antique chandelier

4. Various of Dutch walnut armoire from circa 1750 with carved figures (price £35,000/ USD 42,930)

5. Wide of woman reading catalogue

6. Low angle pan right of neo-classical copper bust of Roman goddess by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi (price £16,500/ USD 20,235)

7. Various of Craig Carrington looking at bust

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Craig Carrington, antique dealer

"As an antique dealer I think a weak pound is very good news because we sell to international clients and if the dollar is strong, the euro is strong then it's very good news for somebody like me, absolutely."

9. Art dealer Tanya Baxter showing painting to visitor

10. Close tilt down of painting 'Paper Bride in Waiting' by Zeng Chuanxing (price £120,000/ USD 147,000)

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanya Baxter, art dealer and gallery owner

"With the devaluation of the pound as well as the fact that Brexit has kind of made a cautious and volatile financial market (art and antiques) it's a very, very safe place."

12. Various cutaways of Tanya Baxter showing 'Paper Bride in Waiting'

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanya Baxter, art dealer and gallery owner

"Well they're so excited particularly American collectors who we are getting calls from saying 'So what have you? Because I want to spend x amount and will fly over to do so.'"

14. Various of art collector David Ryder looking at painting

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Ryder, retired lawyer and American art collector

"England is where we have bought probably 90 per cent of the artwork that we have, and we have a lot in numerous houses. We find this is a good country for selection of different artists, both contemporary and old artists, particularly from the auction houses and this is a particularly good time so we're here now and we'll come back in December again to look at more art."

16. Mid of portrait of Angelina Jolie by artist Bambi (price £14,000/ USD 17,000)

17. Tilt up of portrait of Amy Winehouse by artist Bambi (price £16,000/ USD 19,600)

18. Set up shot of art dealer Julian Hartnoll

19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Hartnoll, art dealer and gallery owner

"There's this nice new phrase, the double-boom. It was the English buying immediately after Brexit because they wanted to get out of pounds and get into objects because they were fearing the pound would become valueless. And then the Americans, as the pound subsided, have overcome their fear of terrorism in England and have started to buy again, so for instance last night my only clients were Americans."

20. Various of jewellery seller Morteza Mojarad inspecting antique diamond ring

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Morteza Mojarad, director of Persis antique jewellery

"I've seen a big improvement, to be honest, since Brexit and that's I think because of the exchange rate, dollar to pound and especially Euro to pounds."

22. Wide pan left of gallery showcasing large marble/ stone artworks

23. Close of 1930s Chinese coral sculpture

24. Various set up shots of David Lafleur, antique dealer based in Paris

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Lafleur, antique dealer based in Paris

"Because of the economic crisis, you know, the people were afraid because of the terrorists, because of the tax. A lot of things saw the people leave France. So for us, it's better to come here in London because the people are here, the people from other countries are here."

26. Tilt up of Italian silver and bronze library lamp in style of Pharaoh by Piel Paolo Spaina, circa 1810 (price £8,500/ USD 10,425)

27. Close of marble lioness circa 1780 (price £14,500 USD 17,700)

28. Wide of antique clock stand

29. Wide of grandfather clocks, tilt down

30. Close of Henry Jenkins mahogany table clock circa 1780 (price £75,000/ USD 92,000)

31. Various of woman opening clock and chiming its bells

32. Wide pan left of show floor

LEAD IN:

The art and antique market in post-Brexit Britain is booming, according to London dealers.

A weak pound against the dollar and Euro is seeing American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains.

STORY-LINE:

The art and antiques market in the UK isn't just on target, it's positively booming post Brexit.

Dealers here at the Winter Art and Antiques Fair in Olympia say it's a great time to buy because of the weak pound.

American buyers in particular are attracted to London with the newfound strength of the dollar. Looking to bag a bargain they could save around 25-30 per cent compared to six months earlier.

Craig Carrington is an antique dealer with four decades of experience.

He sells many neo-classical antiques on his stand, but his showcase piece is this bust of a Roman goddess, thought to be designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the same man who designed the Statue of Liberty.

He says: "As an antique dealer I think a weak pound is very good news because we sell to international clients and if the dollar is strong, the euro is strong then it's very good news for somebody like me, absolutely."

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

Tanya Baxter runs a gallery specialising in contemporary pieces. She says since the day of the referendum result, announcing Britain would leave the EU, she's been very busy.

She says many see the art market as a safe investment in uncertain times.

"And with the devaluation of the pound as well as the fact that Brexit has kind of made a cautious and volatile financial market it (art and antiques) is a very, very safe place."

According to Baxter the single largest group of buyers is coming from the USA:

"Well they're so excited particularly American collectors who we are getting calls from saying 'So what have you? Because I want to spend x amount and will fly over to do so.'"

One of the American investors who has come to London to buy is David Ryder.

The retired lawyer, originally from Chicago, had just bought this painting by British artist Amy Pugh. He says it's such a good time to buy, with the strength of the dollar against the pound, that he will return next month to buy more art.

Ryder says: "England is where we have bought probably 90 per cent of the artwork that we have, and we have a lot in numerous houses. We find this is a good country for selection of different artists, both contemporary and old artists, particularly from the auction houses and this is a particularly good time so we're here now and we'll come back in December again to look at more art."

Art and antique dealers haven't just benefited from the dip in the value of the pound. Immediately after the result of Brexit was announced British buyers quickly began to buy art and antiques fearing the collapse in the value of the pound.

Art dealer Julian Hartnoll is calling this a 'double-boom' for the industry.

Hartnoll says: "There's this nice new phrase, the double-boom. It was the English buying immediately after Brexit because they wanted to get out of pounds and get into objects because they were fearing the pound would become valueless. And then the Americans, as the pound subsided, have overcome their fear of terrorism in England and have started to buy again, so for instance last night my only clients were Americans."

Antique jewellery dealers are also benefiting.

Iranian jeweller Morteza Mojarad runs the Persis jewellers off Bond Street in London.

He says: "I've seen a big improvement, to be honest, since Brexit and that's I think because of the exchange rate, dollar to pound and especially Euro to pounds."

But if the situation is good for British based dealers, spare a thought for European antique dealers trying to sell in Britain.

David Lafleur is an antique dealer based in Paris with his shop Gallerie Buter.

The strength of the Euro might be good for some of his compatriots, but when Lafleur sells in the UK he is finding the competition difficult.

However, despite these difficulties he says he will continue to exhibit his Oriental antiques in London because international buyers have been scared away from Paris.

"Because of the economic crisis, you know, the people were afraid because of the terrorists, because of the tax. A lot of things saw the people leave France. So for us, it's better to come here in London because the people are here, the people from other countries are here."

The Winter Art and Antiques Fair in Olympia returns for its 26th year.

Around 100 exhibitors are displaying art and antiques, most are displaying collectibles at the high-end of the market.

It is the only fair in the UK to work with the top two trade associations and there is a strict vetting process for all pieces on sale at the show. Each item must be checked by a team of experts before the fair opens.

The Winter Art and Antiques Fair Olympia runs 31 October - 6 November.

London, UK - 1 November 2016

1. Pull focus of bronze Japanese archer

2. Various of Meiji period Japanese bronze crow with glass eyes

3. Mid of men admiring antique chandelier

4. Various of Dutch walnut armoire from circa 1750 with carved figures (price £35,000/ USD 42,930)

5. Wide of woman reading catalogue

6. Low angle pan right of neo-classical copper bust of Roman goddess by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi (price £16,500/ USD 20,235)

7. Various of Craig Carrington looking at bust

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Craig Carrington, antique dealer

"As an antique dealer I think a weak pound is very good news because we sell to international clients and if the dollar is strong, the euro is strong then it's very good news for somebody like me, absolutely."

9. Art dealer Tanya Baxter showing painting to visitor

10. Close tilt down of painting 'Paper Bride in Waiting' by Zeng Chuanxing (price £120,000/ USD 147,000)

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanya Baxter, art dealer and gallery owner

"With the devaluation of the pound as well as the fact that Brexit has kind of made a cautious and volatile financial market (art and antiques) it's a very, very safe place."

12. Various cutaways of Tanya Baxter showing 'Paper Bride in Waiting'

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanya Baxter, art dealer and gallery owner

"Well they're so excited particularly American collectors who we are getting calls from saying 'So what have you? Because I want to spend x amount and will fly over to do so.'"

14. Various of art collector David Ryder looking at painting

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Ryder, retired lawyer and American art collector

"England is where we have bought probably 90 per cent of the artwork that we have, and we have a lot in numerous houses. We find this is a good country for selection of different artists, both contemporary and old artists, particularly from the auction houses and this is a particularly good time so we're here now and we'll come back in December again to look at more art."

16. Mid of portrait of Angelina Jolie by artist Bambi (price £14,000/ USD 17,000)

17. Tilt up of portrait of Amy Winehouse by artist Bambi (price £16,000/ USD 19,600)

18. Set up shot of art dealer Julian Hartnoll

19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Hartnoll, art dealer and gallery owner

"There's this nice new phrase, the double-boom. It was the English buying immediately after Brexit because they wanted to get out of pounds and get into objects because they were fearing the pound would become valueless. And then the Americans, as the pound subsided, have overcome their fear of terrorism in England and have started to buy again, so for instance last night my only clients were Americans."

20. Various of jewellery seller Morteza Mojarad inspecting antique diamond ring

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Morteza Mojarad, director of Persis antique jewellery

"I've seen a big improvement, to be honest, since Brexit and that's I think because of the exchange rate, dollar to pound and especially Euro to pounds."

22. Wide pan left of gallery showcasing large marble/ stone artworks

23. Close of 1930s Chinese coral sculpture

24. Various set up shots of David Lafleur, antique dealer based in Paris

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Lafleur, antique dealer based in Paris

"Because of the economic crisis, you know, the people were afraid because of the terrorists, because of the tax. A lot of things saw the people leave France. So for us, it's better to come here in London because the people are here, the people from other countries are here."

26. Tilt up of Italian silver and bronze library lamp in style of Pharaoh by Piel Paolo Spaina, circa 1810 (price £8,500/ USD 10,425)

27. Close of marble lioness circa 1780 (price £14,500 USD 17,700)

28. Wide of antique clock stand

29. Wide of grandfather clocks, tilt down

30. Close of Henry Jenkins mahogany table clock circa 1780 (price £75,000/ USD 92,000)

31. Various of woman opening clock and chiming its bells

32. Wide pan left of show floor