BARN SHOPS TOP
BARN SHOPS TOP
FOODS & CRAFTS
More people are discovering
the delights of the stunning
unspoilt scenery of the
Ribble Valley in Lancs
where a new "barn" shop
near Clitheroe looks set to
become a beacon for
tourists and locals alike.
Jeremy Hunt reports
SIMON Barnes sits on a very comfortable looking two-seater chair, beautifully crafted from timber collected from the woodland and hedges on his familys 324ha (800 acre) farm near Clitheroe.
It might be a bit too pricey to be an impulse buy for someone calling into Bashall Barn for a few tasty "foody" originals (it costs £695) but its making a statement about the concept of this new venture.
Simon is not a farmer. Hes come home, after "making Nissan bits" in the north-east, to set up Bashall Barn in disused buildings at Bashall.
"Its the first shop in Britains smallest town," jokes Simon, referring to the hamlets nine inhabitants.
But hes hoping that the shops range of foods and crafts – with the emphasis on using local farmers and craft designers – will put this tiny community on the map.
The Barnes family runs one of the countys largest dairy herds of cows, 800 head and growing. But concentrating the herd on one unit has provided the opportunity to develop an old stone barn at Bashall.
The extensive Countryside Stewardship scheme on the farm is also one of the largest in Lancs. Wood harvested from thinnings and hedge maintenance as part of the scheme has provided the raw material for those very distinctive chairs.
"Richard Atton is the man responsible for them. Hes been heavily involved in our stewardship scheme and now hes turned his hand to making these marvellous chairs.
"But this is what we are about. We want to emphasise the value of local materials and local craft makers and promote some of the wonderful food produced in Lancs."
Good though they are, the county has far more to offer than black pudding and creamy, white cheese. To prove it you only need to take a taste of the new "blue" Lancashire thats part of Bashall Barns expanding range of cheeses.
Visitors come to the Ribble Valley, with its glorious native woodlands, lush valley pastures and spectacular hill country, primarily to walk or cycle. There are some wonderful pubs and some picturesque tea rooms, the latter frequented by many a Miss Marple or Hetty Wainthrop lookalike. But Bashall Barn has been conceived as far more than just a watering hole for the foot-weary walker.
"Any venture like this has to rely as much on local trade as tourists. I would like to see us with a 60:40 split between the two."
Although the market town of Clitheroe – complete with its 24-hour Tesco – is just a couple of miles away, Simon is convinced a small business heavily dependent on specialist food can survive.
* Range offered
"We are already offering a range of foods that cant be bought elsewhere in the area and that will continue to expand, but catering and crafts will give added incentive for tourists and locals to visit us.
"Although we live in this beautiful countryside that so many more people are discovering, our intention is to create something that people will regard as worth visiting in its own right.
"Food and how its produced will continue to be a major consumer issue and I believe there are plenty of people out there who will relish the opportunity to drive out to the countryside, buy some top quality food, enjoy a meal in our new café and savour the whole experience."
The shelves at Bashall Barn are packed with a large and original range of tasty goodies, many organic. Call in on the day they are baking home-made bread and yummy cakes and you wont leave in a hurry. There is also a wide selection of meat produced on a local farm including Highland beef and venison.
A warm welcome has been given to local craft makers. Among those proffering their wares in the barn is Jenny Cork, a leading name in glass-making, who is soon to return from a six-week exhibition in New York.
For those who prefer to enjoy perfume and a flickering flame, there are some whacky coloured candles produced in a new business set up on a neighbouring farm and trading as Cheeky Monkey Candles.
* Upper floor
Work is soon to start on developing part of the upper floor area of the barn into the café, but despite all the apparent encouragement given to these diversification schemes by "the powers that be", Simon found winning approval for his venture from local planners to be a difficult task.
"It was a long job. Highways were probably the most difficult to please, but we got there in the end.
"My advice would be to go to the planners with as much information as you can from the start. Show them what you want and make sure you apply for the sort of development that will give you approval for further improvements later on.
"You dont want to get up and running and then have to start going through long and involved planning procedures for each additional improvement. Put the whole plan in from the start. It will be well worth the effort," says Simon.