The regional winners for Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in the Countryside Alliance’s second annual Best Rural Retailer competition have been declared. These four exceptional winners will now go head-to-head with fellow regional winners for a shot at national glory. The judging panel of Countryside Alliance Regional Director John Haigh, Sara Haigh, Lady Best and Andrew Loftus, owner of the 2005 National Best Rural Retailer, Weetons of Harrogate, chose the following, and Lady Best and John then delivered the winners' certificates:

John says: “Chatsworth Farm Shop is a leading example of local retail and is the original and best. I can’t think of a better champion of local food, or local people, in the UK. Staff are trained to NVQ level in the butchery and baking departments meaning that local people are given the chance to develop specialist skills within their community. With an annual turnover of £5.5 million, best local buys are detailed on display blackboards and specialities change on a regular basis.  The business was established in 1977 by the Duchess of Devonshire as a retail outlet for beef, lamb and pork from the estate and it has grown to become a renowned leader in its field.” http://www.chatsworth.org/onlinestore/acatalog/index.html

Best Shop / PO
South Scarle Farm Shop & Post Office
Main Street
South Scarle
Nr. Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG23 7JH

John says: “This shop, and in particular its owner, Anita Clements, is at the very heart of this community. Anita diversified the family farm in the early 90s to open a farm shop which frowns on food miles and stocks everything you could want, including game in season. The Post Office was added later and is a vital lifeline for many of the older residents. We met Anita anonymously and she was extremely welcoming – even more so when we told her who we were! She is clearly passionate about both her local food and her local community – she is what this competition is all about.”

Best Diversification
Langthorne’s Buffalo Produce
Crawford Grange Farm
Brompton
Northallerton
Yorkshire
DL6 2PD

John says: “Langthorne’s Buffalo Produce was established when Paul Langthorne discovered that his son had cystic fibrosis and was unable to drink cow’s milk.  The purchase of one buffalo and the recent collapse of milk prices has meant that the farm’s focus switched from the large Holstein dairy herd to the development of a 200 strong buffalo herd.  New species of elk, wild boar, yak and wapitis have been added since its set-up 5 years ago, and the business has continually expanded to offer a wide range of produce, for example 6 flavours of buffalo hard cheese and mozzarella, all cuts of buffalo meat and ‘iron age’ burgers.  An abattoir is scheduled to be built on site in the near future meaning minimised stress to the animals and reduced food miles.”

John says: “Robin is unique in that he is the only person in the UK who makes wooden plates and bowls using a foot-powered lathe. I am delighted that he is our traditional business winner because he is one of a kind, having resurrected a craft that died out with the last craftsman in 1958. Robin’s vision and passion is something very special and he deserves to be applauded for it .” http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/