WHAT'S in a name?

The makers of Thirsk's famous feta cheese will soon find out.

The European Commission has banned Shepherd's Purse from using its Yorkshire Feta label. Shepherd's Purse owner, Judy Bell, has been ordered to stop using the name feta because the branding of the salted ewe's milk cheese can be used only by manufacturers in specific parts of Greece.

But, after scratching, their heads on how get round this move while still letting customers know what they were buying, the company has come up with the idea of a new name - Fiesta Cheese, with all but the I and S highlighted.

Even so, the marketing costs could amount to something like £175,000.

Inventing a new name acceptable to the Commission and to supermarket outlets, such as Sainsbury's and Tesco, is causing a real headache.

"We're not allowed to make an anagram of feta or even call it feta-style or type, but we need some name, which tells customers that they are still buying our product," said Mrs Bell.

"We shall have to see what the authorities think of this latest idea. Meanwhile we are still lobbying the Government to help." she said.