Welbeck Farm Shop celebrated a double win at the 2024 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards on Monday evening (29 April). Welbeck Farm Shop, which sits at the heart of a vibrant artisan food community on the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire, took home the top prizes for UK Large Farm Shop of the Year and Best Retailer Midlands having beaten competition from across the UK and Northern Ireland. The Awards, in partnership with The Grocer and championed by Fieldfare, celebrate some of the UK's best-loved specialist retailers, pillars of their respective communities and champions of great produce and sustainable practice, with judges recognising retailers' achievements in the independent sector.

Judging for the finals began in November 2023, when an esteemed panel of judges came together at Fortnum & Mason in London for a day of deliberations selecting a shortlist of contenders, whittled down from hundreds of entries. This was followed by secret visits ahead of announcing the winners at the NEC Birmingham on Monday, 29th April 2024. There was stiff competition from 13 other shortlisted Large Farm Shop Retailers, but Welbeck came out on top with two of the judges praising the Shop as follows:

“A year-on-year growth for a well-established business is incredible and shows Welbeck must be doing lots of things right. Against a backdrop of financial uncertainty and rising costs for consumers, they've clearly made brave decisions which are paying dividends with incredible, abundant product displays, made in store or sourced locally. What's not to love about Welbeck!”

“Clear community program with charity support and tenant support and 70% of sales coming from your own produce is really tremendous. A great testimony for the team.”

Oliver Stubbins, General Manager at Welbeck Farm Shop, said:

“We're absolutely delighted to receive such a prestigious award; being recognised by our peers is always a real honour, and the Farm Shop and Deli Show awards are the most rigorous and respected of them all.

“Just last month, we were awarded UK Butcher of the Year by the Farm Retail Association, but this latest award reflects the entire team, so it is even more special. The Harley Cafe was also awarded Cafe of the Year by the Great Food Club in October, meaning all aspects of the business have been recognised in the last six months - and it really is a team effort and a team I'm immensely proud of.

“I'd like to thank all the team, our suppliers, and of course, our amazing customers for making the Farm Shop such a special place to buy amazing food.”

Since opening in 2006, Welbeck Farm Shop has earned a reputation for being one of the region's best farm shops. Most of the Shop's product range is sourced from or prepared on the Welbeck Estate – it stocks the Estate's own meat and game; raw milk is sold in an in-store vending machine and is also used to make the famous Stichelton blue cheese. Other Made at Welbeck range items include ale from Welbeck Abbey Brewery and bread from Welbeck Bakehouse.

Welbeck Farm Shop is open seven days a week. Mon-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sun 9:00am to 4:00pm. Nestled in the heart of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Welbeck is conveniently located on the A60, just 15 minutes from the A1 and M1.

For more information, visit www.welbeckfarmshop.co.uk

--  ENDS  --

NOTES TO EDITORS:

IMAGES: Please contact JSPR below for high res imagery.

THE WELBECK FARM SHOP:  Welbeck Farm Shop focuses on low food miles, drawing on a rich artisan food tradition, and subjecting every product line to rigorous taste testing has earned Welbeck Farm Shop a reputation as one of the country's top farm shops. Meat is sourced from the local area, including from the Welbeck Estate, where rare breed livestock graze historic pastures. Meats are cured in-store by the award-winning butchery team.

The Estate's Raw Milk is also offered, delivered fresh from the dairy every morning. It's the same milk in the internationally acclaimed 'Stichelton' blue cheese. A cheese counter developed with help from their friends, Neal's Yard Dairy is lovingly tended by an in-house cheesemonger.

The Welbeck Estate is a haven for artisan food producers; Welbeck Abbey Brewery and Welbeck Bakehouse are also among this idyllic community. Welbeck Farm Shop is accompanied in The Courtyard at Welbeck by the neighbouring Harley Gallery, Portland Collection and Harley Café.

The Welbeck Farm Shop is open seven days a week.

WELBECK ESTATE:  Nestled within Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Welbeck is a working estate. At its heart lies the historic Welbeck Abbey and Welbeck Village. Its heritage buildings are home to a thriving community of artisan food producers, businesses and the arts, as well as The School of Artisan Food, The Harley Gallery, The Portland Collection, The Harley Café, Welbeck Farm Shop and a selection of holiday cottages. Welbeck Abbey was founded as a monastery in 1153. After the dissolution, Bess of Hardwick's youngest son, Sir Charles Cavendish, acquired the Welbeck Estate in 1607. Since then, the Estate has continued to be handed down through the family, with each generation leaving its own mark on both the architecture at Welbeck and the family fine and decorative art collection. Family members include Sir Edward Harley, the 2nd Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, the 3rd Duke of Portland, twice-prime minister, and a succession of Dukes of Portland and their families. www.welbeck.co.uk

PRESS ENQUIRIES:

Julia Spence, Natalie Postlethwaite or Hugh Collins

JSPR

T +44 1491 824524  M +44 7802 443113

E  juliaspence.pr@gmail.com

Issued 2 May 20