Foodies will be left feeling disappointed if festival organisers do not find £18,000 of sponsorship within two weeks.

Last year the South End Food Festival attracted about 11,000 visitors who enjoyed cooking demonstrations, music and dance acts but it might have been the last in the town.

Brakes was the main sponsor for last year’s event but with the closure of its site off the Purley Way earlier this year they have pulled out, leaving organisers having to plug the funding gap.

They have already found £2,000 of the £20,000 given by the professional food market last year and are appealing for businesses to come forward and help.

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Stiltwalkers at last year's South End Food Festival

Peter Bagatti, the owner of Bagatti’s restaurant in South End, said the deadline is tight because they need to organise things like hiring a stage and sorting out the stalls.

He said: "We do not want to do it half measures because we have had three really successful food festivals with more than 20,000 people attending."

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Qais Sediqi enjoyed serving customers at his olive stall last year

Mr Bagatti added: "Expectations are high.

"If we cannot find some companies in Croydon to speak to [about sponsorship] then it won’t go ahead.

"Either someone could come in and be a headline sponsor or other companies could come in with smaller amounts.

"With it being the fourth year, I would think it would be quite attractive to Croydon businesses with so much going on."

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Brasserie Vacherin's Malcolm John was one of the chefs doing demonstrations last year

Anyone who wants to sponsor the festival should call Katherine Glass at White Label Creative on 07902 272009.