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The Southern regional winners in the Countryside Alliance’s second annual Best Rural Retailer competition have now been declared. We have five exceptional winners over four categories - there are two joint-winners in the Best Diversification category. These retailers will now go head-to-head with fellow regional winners for a shot at national glory. The judging panel, led by Countryside Alliance Southern Regional Director Sara Rutherford, chose the following:
Best Local Food Retailer
Foxbury Butchers and Farm Shop
Burford Road
Brize Norton
Oxfordshire
OX18 3NX
www.foxburyfarm.co.uk
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Tel: 01993 867385 / 844141
Sara says: “Foxbury ethics are Foxbury first, local second, and British third and there is no fourth. This farm shop is outstanding – nothing is sold before owner Colin Dawes or his staff have been to see it produced and are happy that it is of the highest quality. As well as the produce, the commitment to community is central to Foxbury, with schools coming to tour the farm. One initiative, where Burford school is given Ł50 for produce and the pupils are then shown how to cook a meal, is helping to ensure that the next generation knows the importance of local, healthy food. This shop has vision but also celebrates the UK’s farming heritage”.
Best Village Shop / PO
Abbotts Ann Store and Post Office
Abbotts Ann Village Shop
Duck Street
Abbotts Ann
Andover
Hampshire
SP11 7AZ
01264 710230
Sara says: “In April 1999 the residents of Abbotts Ann formed The Abbotts Ann Village Shop Association Ltd, whose main objective was to provide and retain a village shop & Post Office for the benefit of the villages and surrounding area, as a community venture. From its Grand Opening in 2002 Abbotts Ann has grown into a thriving community hub which supports the village and surrounding communities. The store is welcoming, well stocked, delivers to the housebound and boasts its own car park! The store hosts special events, promotes local producers and according to locals is so good it is rarely necessary to shop outside of Abbotts Ann. It is an absolute credit to the village and a deserving regional winner”.
Joint Best Diversification
Suthwyk Ales
Offwell Farm
Southwick
Fareham
Hampshire
PO17 6DX
02392 325252
http://www.suthwykales.com/
Sara says: “Martin Bazeley has been a dairy and arable farmer for over 25 years. In 2000 Martin introduced to his dairy farm an innovative diversification project that has gone from strength to strength without detriment to the core dairy production. Martin & Audrey Bazeley have demonstrated what can be achieved to make best use of spare arable acreage and redundant farm buildings to set up successful businesses that run alongside the farms primary activities. The business sells beer and cider sourced from micro-breweries across England and Wales (virtually all in Hampshire) including their own range of Suthwyk Ales which is produced from barley grown on the farm. The business supports and sponsors the local hospice and other charitable organisations and one of the benefits to Southwick itself has been the restoration of this ancient monument, which has has been entirely due to Martin’s effort.”
Joint Best Diversification
Isle of Wight Lavender
Staplehurst Grange
Staplers Road
Isle of Wight
PO30 2LU
01983 825272
http://www.lavender.co.uk/
This is an inspirational outfit. In ten years this struggling beef farm has been diversified by the Abbot family to become a world leader in lavender. As well as selling plants and offering advice and assistance, the farm buildings at the Abbotts' farm have been converted by Paul and Reuben Abbott into a lavender distillation facility, a cosmetics shop and a popular tea-room. The Abbotts seek to combine an excellent product - and they are RHS gold medal winners for their displays - with exceptional customer care, and they are keen to share their passion for lavender with visitors both young and old. Plans are afoot for an on-site aromatherapy facility, with the aim of slowing the pace of life and increasing the enjoyment of the many visitors who flock to the farm and indulge in the excellent lavender shortbread!
Best Traditional Business
Cassington Builders
11c Bromag Industrial Estate
Burford Road
Witney
Oxfordshire
OX29 0SR
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01993 704124
Sara says: “I can’t help but feel that this level of craftsmanship and commitment must be supported and encouraged if we are to keep our traditional skills, and David Holmes and his team are to be applauded for their exceptional ethic. Wherever possible natural and local materials are used and much of the stone is reclaimed to ensure that all work is in keeping with the existing property or, in the case of new builds, with the locality.”
Highly Commended: Dodson & Horrell animal feeds, Islip, Northants http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/
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