‘ I’m cheesed off’
Inspectors ‘ take joy out’ job
An award- winning cheese dairy in Maybole is set to close after more than a decade in the town.
Tricia Bey of Barwheys Dairy, will shut her doors for the final time in spring 2019.
She as blamed the bombshell news on ‘ increasing pressures’ and ‘ invasive’ inspectors who have taken the joy out of the business.
The cheesemaker has halted production and will wave a tearful goodbye to her beloved Ayrshire cows who produce the fine mature farmhouse goods.
Tricia said: “It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that after 10 years of operation I am closing Barwheys Dairy.
“We were delighted Barwheys was well received, winning six gold medals in six successive years at the Royal Highland Show - including Best Scottish Cheese and Best Scottish Cheddar in various years - and a gold at the Great Yorkshire Show this year.
“But the world of microartisan food businesses is a tough one and I realise we are simply too small to resist the increasing pressures that our industry is facing.
“Like other small businesses we have been subjected to increasing financial pressures in terms of costs, pricing, demand and payments.
“These make it difficult for a micro- business to be sustainable.
“On top of these financial pressures and the usual challenges of farming, our regulator, Food Standards Scotland ( FSS), who have a well- publicised aversion to raw milk cheesemaking, are proposing increasingly invasive and onerous inspection and testing regimes.
“Despite the pronouncements of the Scottish Government on the importance of the Scottish food industry, the attitude of their agent FSS makes us feel that we are being irresponsibly stubborn in wanting to continue making a high- quality, traditional raw milk cheese.
“This has taken all the joy out of our previously happy enterprise.
“So I’m afraid that we have stopped production, the cows are being sold and once our stocks of Barwheys cheese have run down in the spring there will be no more.
“I’d like to thank all the people that have supported us over the last 10 years.
“I’d like to think that we have contributed in some small way to the artisanal food ecosystem in Scotland – and I’m deeply sorry that it has been for such a short period of time.”
Bill Grant MP visited Barwheys last summer along with Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell.
At the time Bill said niche businesses like Tricia’s were “playing a vital part in strengthening the Ayrshire economy and providing jobs for Ayrshire folk.”
Hearing of the dairy’s, Bill said: “I was saddened to learn of the decision by Barwheys Dairy to close with the associated loss of jobs and a quality niche product.
“I note the suggestion that it is in part due to regulatory burdens.
“Food Standards Scotland states on its website that it is “committed to reducing regulatory burdens where possible in line with the Scottish Government ’ s approach to better regulation”. “I am only able to assume that in this case any such reduction was not possible for whatever reason.
“It is a shame and my sympathies are with Tricia, her family, employees and the many customers who valued the Barwheys’ product.”
Dairy expert Tricia encourages cheese lovers to keep buying throughout the festive period while stocks last.
She added: “Please keep buying Barwheys cheese through the autumn, the Christmas and Hogmanay periods and have some on your Burns supper cheeseboard.
“It is tasting very good at the moment.”
This has taken all the joy out of our previously happy enterprise