Posted on Monday 26th October 2020
Peter and Lisa Bradbury
A farm shop which marks its third anniversary this month and has seen its customer base triple over the lockdown period is backing a campaign to encourage people to Think Staffordshire First when shopping.
With the pandemic impacting all businesses including retailers, it’s never been more important to support local operators and the people they employ.
Bradbury’s Farm Shop and Butchery opened at Curborough Hall Farm Countryside Centre near Lichfield in October 2017. Lisa and Peter Bradbury are county council tenant farmers who live locally on a 105-acre holding having started on a 40-acre farm before progressing to a 70-acre and then moving to their current location.
Like many in the industry, they decided diversification was the best way to take their business forward. Having originally been dairy farmers, the Bradburys switched to rearing lambs and wanted to sell their produce locally. The Curborough premise proved to be ideal, as the site includes other shops, eateries, galleries, hairdressers and more.
While the shop has only traded for three years, it is already scooping awards – most recently winning the Central England Prestige Award 2020/21 Farm Shop of the Year. This followed recognition as finalists in the national Guild of Fine Foods Shop of the Year Award 2020 and Farm Retail Association Rising Star of 2020.
Lisa said:
“It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where we are now, and the award recognition has been an unexpected bonus. The pandemic meant a lot of adjustment for everyone though we have actually tripled our customer base in recent months.
“These are regular customers who have felt safer coming to a smaller shop which has a community feel.
“We decided to open the shop to reflect changes in consumer confidence in the food sector and we’re grateful to the county farms team in supporting us to pursue our diversification. We have found customers are more interested in where their food has come from and that they like to support small local businesses rather than the big chain supermarkets.
“Our shop is known for its quality and ethics of produce from our farm and the many other Staffordshire producers that we promote. That’s why we’re keen to promote awareness of what Staffordshire producers and independent retailers offer.”
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member Philip White said:
“The county council has always promoted Staffordshire businesses which contribute to the local economy, generate employment and offer quality produce and services.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has hit regional and national economies, it’s more important than ever that we support our local businesses. We want people to Think Staffordshire First when shopping. Our businesses offer a diverse range of products which are often not found in national chain stores. The vast majority of these will have an online presence so we’d urge people to find out more about what’s available in their area.
“Bradbury Farm is an excellent example of a business that has grown, adapted to market change, placed itself at the heart of the community and built up a loyal customer base.”
People can find out more about Bradbury Farm Shop and Butchery by visiting www.bradburyfarmshop.com or following @BradburyFarm on Twitter or the shop’s Facebook page.
Local businesses who want local people to think about buying from them first are being encouraged to share their great products and services over social media using the hashtag #ThinkStaffordshireFirst to be shared across thousands of potential new customers across Staffordshire and beyond.