Man once 'isolated' by disorder creates food guide

A man who used to feel "isolated" due to his autoimmune disorder has found a new sense of freedom after making his own restaurant guide.

Tony Barfoot was diagnosed with coeliac disease at the age of 55. The condition, which sees his immune system attack its own tissues whenever gluten is ingested, and can develop at any age.

Barfoot said after his diagnosis, he found eating out "incredibly hard" as one restaurant refused to cater for him, which felt isolating.

But after years of avoiding eating out, he decided to create his own 'Salisbury Gluten Free Guide' to map out safe restaurants, where risk of cross-contamination is low.

When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye, it can cause damage to the lining of the small bowel.

It can cause symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea and develop into nerve damage or some cancers. The condition affects one in 100 people in the UK.

"I had quite a lot of stomach issues leading up to my diagnosis," Barfoot said.

"It was such a relief to get a diagnosis, but quite distressing to find out I would have to really change how I ate."

Barfoot, a retired electronic engineer, admits he initially found it hard to advocate for himself and ask questions about how food is prepared to avoid cross-contamination.

But on holiday in Seville in Spain, he was turned away from a restaurant which refused to cater for him.

His wife Donna then found an online Gluten Free Seville guide, which inspired Barfoot to create his own version.

He now emails, calls or Facebook messages each restaurant with specific questions on their kitchen arrangements.

For example, if a fish and chip shop offers gluten-free food on their website, Barfoot will check directly if they have a separate fryer to minimise cross-contamination.

He realised it could be useful "especially for those newly diagnosed who might be struggling".

He added: "I think at the start [of a coeliac disease diagnosis], it can be incredibly isolating."

Barfoot's guide includes information on 80 places in and around Salisbury, and he has recently expanded to include restaurants in the nearby New Forest.

Mariia Dolina runs a Date With Thyme, a family-run restaurant in Amesbury, near Salisbury, which received the description "coeliac friendly" on Barfoot's guide.

The café uses individual toaster bags for gluten-free bread, and cakes are prepared with separate baking tins and utensils wherever possible.

"At the start, I just put a menu together and focused on taste, Dolina said.

"But quite a few people came in and asked about gluten-free options, so I worked out a way to accommodate.

"I want everyone to be treated the same way. It makes me very happy when someone comes in and says something 'I've had a proper scone' for the first time," she added.

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