Star Gerard visits Croft prior to new shop launch
An award- winning Comrie ecobusiness, which is a favourite haunt of film star Gerard Butler, launches a new venture this weekend.
Comrie Croft is opening a new ‘100 Mile’ farm shop on Saturday where all food is locally- grown or prepared.
The launch, from 11am to 3pm, will include a host of activities including live music, a foraging treasure hunt, cake decorating, free food tasters and a ‘cooking demonstration’ by McTavish the Crazy Scottish Chef.
The event is part of the Great Perthshire Picnic - a monthlong series of activities championing the best local produce and homegrown talent.
Comrie Croft, which was established in 2005, runs a variety of ventures including camping, mountain biking and a café and is popular with London Has Fallen star Gerard Butler, whose mum Margaret lives in Comrie.
He visited the Croft a couple of weeks ago, ordering coffee and cake from the tearoom, trying out the mountain bike trails and even buying a bike.
Owner Andrew Donaldson told the Herald: “He likes coming here when he’s in the area and he’s a great guy who’s very down to earth and always asking about other people rather than talking about himself.
“He hired a bike and had a go on the trails with a couple of our staff members and my eightyear-old son, Harris.
“He really enjoyed it and he also ordered a bike from us.”
When he next visits, the movie star will be able to check out the new store which only sells food from producers within 100 miles of the Croft.
In fact, most of the fresh fruit, vegetables and salad for sale will come from the site’s Tomnah’a Market Garden.
The aim of the shop is to help people eat more local food and cut down on food miles. Malize Donaldson, manager of the 100 Mile Store, said: “As we’ve been setting up the 100 Mile Store it has been fantastic to discover so many home- kitchen enterprises we can work with.
“Who would have known that marvellous marshmallows are made in Dundee, or great granola in Auchterarder? “It means we really do have something unique to offer locals and visitors alike.
“And we welcome approaches from any other producers or makers we haven’t discovered yet – just so long as they are located within 100 miles of Comrie Croft.”