Top North East Farm Shops Unite

The club is the first such initiative to be established in the UK. All six founding stores are FARMA members and include Moorhouse Farm & Coffee Shop near Stannington, Brockbushes Farm Shop in the Tyne Valley, The Blagdon Farm Shop in the Milkhope Centre at Blagdon, Bradley Burn Farm Shop near Wolsingham, Low Fields Farm near Willington and Broom House Farm in Witton Gilbert.

With research showing that more and more consumers are choosing to buy local food and drink, the group aims to ensure that farms shops continue to be the first choice for customers seeking top quality produce with few or no food miles attached. Ian Byatt, chairman of the FARMA North East Business Club, says, “Our aim is to raise the profile of real farm shops run by farmers. We have a good base of members who have superb farm shops and are increasingly seen as specialists in their field. This will help to promote our local food industry in the north east.”

Jo Celerier at The Blagdon Farm Shop adds, “All of the members of this club are 100% passionate about what they do. FARMA encourages high professional standards within the industry and will help promote the value of local produce in the north east. We want to emphasise that buying from us is buying directly from the farm gate. You couldn’t have fewer food miles, or a better guarantee of freshness and quality, and we aim to serve our customers with good advice. In this time of credit crunch customers can make their money go further and get better value by shopping at farm shops and buying produce that comes direct from our farms.”

FARMA members, or prospective members, based in the North are welcome to be part of the North East Business Club. For further details contact Ian Byatt at Moorhouse Farm Shop on 01670 789649 or ianbyatt@tiscali.co.uk.