A CASE of roasted coffee has travelled over 10,000 miles for a special tasting at Beano in the Park.

Fish River Roasters take beans from all over the world and roast them in Bathurst, NSW, Australia.

A consignment of their work has been sent to the Cirencester and City of Bathurst Friendship, who shared varieties of the special blends with visitors to Cirencester Park, part of the Bathurst Estate via the onsite converted horse box coffee pod and take away - Beano.

The friendship initiative between Bathurst NSW and Cirencester which was set up in 2017 after the Bathurst Regional Council approached the Cirencester Town Council with a view to forming a friendship back in 2015. It is another local initiative supported by the Cirencester Community Development Trust Ltd.

“Fish River Roasters supply various outlets and restaurants in Bathurst and Australia,” explained Cllr Mark Harris.

“Peter Harrison, the founder, has won various awards and we wanted to see what it was like compared to some of our own brews. It was the Earls idea to let the public have a try and so we came to the park to gauge opinion.

“It was sent over by the Bathurst Chamber of Commerce, so a big thanks needs to go to Angus Edwards for organising. We are thinking of ordering a second shipment so if you are interested register interest now.”

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has had an effect on the friendship as Cirencester was preparing for a formal visit from Bathurst City councillors and dignitaries from the Bathurst, NSW, business community.

It was expected that a formal declaration of the friendship and signing by the two mayors would take place but this has now been delayed until 2021.

The Cirencester branch of the friendship does have some other news as they will soon announce the next student to go over to Australia. Alice Chandler of Cirencester College made the trip back in 2018.