Western Daily Press (Saturday)
How lockdown’s highlighted the importance of West’s farm shops
Some people might have never been to a farm shop, some might not even know what one looks like, but over the last few months these outlets have proved to be some of the safest and most sustainable places to get your groceries.
Sam Beamish reports
AT the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, it was unclear whether farm shops would be able to continue trading.
But after being given the green light by the government, many of them have been inundated with online orders and customers looking for locally sourced produce.
And there are hopes that many of the new customers who have been using them will stick around once the crisis has passed.
Vicky Sollars, from Over Farm Market on the western edge of Gloucester, said: “We have seen a massive increase in customers. I think people are scared of using supermarkets at the moment.
“At the start we managed to maintain a good supply of products that other shops were unable to get, things like fresh fruit, vegetables and flour.”
Vicky said that despite the shop being located close to a number of supermarkets, people were flocking to their doors.
She added: “I think we offer a personal touch. All our staff are dedicated to what they do, they’re knowledgeable about our products and they know the regulars who come in.”
The farm shop introduced socialdistancing measures which mean that only six customers are allowed in the store at any one time.
All payments must be made using contactless cards and everything is regularly wiped down to stop the spread of the virus.
Vicky said: “We’ve had a lot of people comment about our social-distancing measures, and people are loving the fresh produce they can’t find elsewhere.
“It’s a bit more expensive. Independent businesses can’t buy in bulk like supermarkets, which means prices are higher, but I would like to believe the quality is better and I don’t think people mind paying extra for higher quality produce.”
She said the farm shop has picked up a number of new customers who have been using the it instead of supermarkets. She said: “Some of the comments we’ve received are that we have converted people and they say they’re going to support more independent businesses.
“Obviously there will be people who go back to using supermarkets, but I think a lot of people have seen the appeal of farm shops and will continue to use them in the future.”
Elsewhere in the West Country, Diane Butt, manager of White Row Farm Shop in Frome, Somerset, said it had been difficult meeting the high demand of customers at the start of the virus outbreak.
She said: “To begin with it was crazy, it was hard for us to keep up.
“I think everybody struggled with the first couple of weeks because it was constant.
“I think we’re doing as well as we were before the virus, but losing the cafe and the restaurant means the business has taken a big hit.
“In the beginning we did big vegetable boxes. They went down really well and included salad, vegetables, fresh basics like eggs, cheese and meat.
“They were mainly for elderly people who couldn’t get out, so we started a delivery service.
“That’s now started to slow down as we have come out of lockdown. away “We food have from now ventured our cafe, into we take- do a breakfast bap that has gone down a storm, then after 11am we do sandwiches and coffees. People can come and get them and sit outside on the lawn.
“At the moment business is going well and we’ve taken a few people off furlough to help with the demand.
“We’ve had a good response from people saying ‘we’re glad you’ve stayed open, without you it would have been so difficult’.
“I think people are staying away from supermarkets because of long queues and things.
“We keep our distance, we have got screens up and we’re wearing gloves. We only allow 10 customers in the shop at any one time.”
At the moment 25 people are employed by the farm shop with the remainder of its staff on furlough.
Diane said she hopes customers who have used the farm shop over the last few months will continue to do so when the pandemic is over.
She said: “We as a farm shop really hope people will stand by us because we have put in a lot of effort and our lives on the line to support and keep the community going.
“I think people are starting to realise that fresh farm food is nicer than buying some of the produce from supermarkets and it lasts longer.
“In the future the main thing for us is getting the restaurant and the cafe running again, but we’re doing as much as we can at the moment to survive.”
Naomi Kimber, of Kimbers’ Farm Shop in Wincanton, Somerset, said the business has been hugely successful after closing its doors and switching to an online delivery service.
She said: “We had every intention to stay open during the lockdown but it became evident in the first week that some people were following the rules and others weren’t.
“We made the decision to shut the shop to protect our staff because that first week was quite hideous. Our internet business went crazy to the point where it was awful; the money was rolling in but it was too busy and we didn’t know how to cope.
“People couldn’t get deliveries online from supermarkets so it was the obvious thing for us to go online.
“Our business has since gone up by 300 per cent, which is amazing.” Due to the demand the farm shop has had to take on extra staff. Naomi said: “We took on three part-time staff. Some of the people had lost jobs as a result of Covid-19, so it was beneficial for them and for us. “Our staff have been amazing. They realised that it’s important to the business that we all stay safe. “The other thing is, if you’re handling food
and then you are sending it to vulnerable people through an online delivery service, you have to keep healthy yourself, otherwise it could jeopardise the business. Our
staff have worked their little socks off and have been so committed, we will have a big party when it’s all over.
“I don’t think we will go back to pre-Covid levels of business. I think the business has moved on since then and that the internet has found us new customers and that will hold up.”
A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has commented on the importance of farm shops during the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: “Farm shops have come into their own over the last few weeks; often they have been able to source groceries and provide delivery services where the big supermarkets haven’t been able to – particularly in more rural areas.
“Many farms are diversified businesses and where many of these have had to be shut down, for instance campsites or holiday cottages, farm shops have been able to keep going, providing an important source of income.
“Whilst it’s very difficult to predict how shoppers will behave, the hope
Farm shops have come into their own over the
last few weeks; often they have been able to
source groceries and provide delivery services
where the big supermarkets haven’t
been able to NFU SPOKESMAN
is that many of the new customers who have been using farm shops will stick with them once the crisis has passed.
“Certainly there seems to be more of an interest in local food, and people are taking more time to cook rather than resorting to ready meals, but whether that will still be the case remains to be seen.”
Meanwhile, shorter food supply chains can make the UK more resilient in the face of pandemics and climate change, a new report from the Soil Association has revealed.
The report called The Shortening Supply Chains; Roads to Regional Resilience looks at innovative farmers, businesses and councils already showing sustainable sourcing can be more resilient as well as more environmentally friendly.
Farm shops help reduce the length of the food supply chain, which means there are fewer food miles which contribute to CO2 emissions.
Organic farmer Adrian Steele, one of the authors of the report, said: “Coronavirus has highlighted the fragility of our supply chains and has allowed us to see that shorter, more direct food networks can be more resilient. We need bold intervention from local and national governments to support a resilient food system in the face of climate change and pandemics.
“There are great examples already in the UK demonstrating that shorter supply chains can provide people with healthy and sustainable food sourced from their local area.”
He added: “But we need the £2 billion being spent on food in schools and hospitals each year to be invested in a mix of businesses - both large and small - that are working to protect climate, nature and public health.”