Hops with everything quench public thirst…
Hops with everything quench public thirst…
Theres more than just hops
to be found in the Hop
Pocket at John and Janet
Pudges farm as
Tessa Gates discovered
POTTERY and hop pillows, paintings and plants – people have been travelling to New House, Bishops Frome, Worcs to buy them for 11 years. But changes are afoot at this 142ha (350-acre) farm run by John and Janet Pudge and their sons William and Matthew. The craft shop – The Hop Pocket – was in the process of being moved to a new site on the farm with extra attractions for shoppers.
"We need the house back – and some privacy," explains Janet Pudge, who started the shop in part of a redundant hop kiln at the farm. However, the success of the shop and the tea room at the farm, between which the farmhouse is sandwiched, has meant too many people too close to home six days a week.
The farm grows 18ha (45 acres) of hops and stores 2000 pockets for other growers (a hop pocket is the jute sack traditionally used to store hops). It was the hop connection that set Janet on the craft shop road. "The WFU did a beer campaign to help the hop growers – we have blips in the hop industry, it is usually going downwards – and persuaded me to help sell some hop and barley jugs they had made. I took the jugs along to the Three Counties show and people saw me there and "followed" us here to buy them. I sold 300. We realised that people like to buy nice things and, as part of the hop kiln was redundant, we thought about opening a craft shop," explains Janet. The farm, which is an easy trip from Hereford, Worcester, Ledbury and Bromyard, is well placed to attract locals and tourists looking for something a little different and for books and prints of the area.
The Pudge family has lived in Bishops Frome since the 16C and the farm has some wonderful ancient Yew trees that have been carefully clipped over the centuries. A more recent addition was the building that has undergone a real transformation to provide the new premises for the Hop Pocket. Unrecognisable now, the building was an old RAF dining hall from the Cotswolds. "Johns grandfather bought it in a war surplus sale in the 50s. The village was looking for a new hall and he thought this would be suitable but they wanted a brick one so it came here," explains Janet. It has housed calves, then hops and now, with a new facade and much interior work, it will provide craft units, an all-day restaurant, and plenty to interest shoppers from fine foods, local wine beer and cider, to clothes. Meanwhile the "new" village hall built in the 60s has already been replaced by yet another, opened earlier this year.
"We are also converting a barn to a plant centre, and that will be open from February," says Janet.
Their investment has received some 5b funding as part of the Marches Farm Shop and Producer Group, which aims to bring producer and shop owner together – although some members fall into both categories. A distribution system – one van a day- operates and turnover of the group is around £40,000 – £45,000 Target turnover is £60,000 and there is another year of 5b funding to come before "crunch time". "We will meet the target, but it has taken a while to get the project off the ground, says John Pudge who has been instrumental in getting funding for the group. "The criteria were to create new or refurbish buildings into farm shops," he explains.
The new Hop Pocket seems set to build on the success of the old one which filled the definition of a good business very well. "I am told if you can keep people in a shop for 40 minutes you have a good business," says Janet The new premises should keep people happy for even longer.
Inquiries: The Hop Pocket (01531-640323)