Latest news with #Cotswolds-based
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Beyond Diddly Squat: The best Cotswolds farm shops that are worth the trip
I've never been one for a queue. I hate waiting in line for a table at a restaurant. I've never queued up at a bookshop at midnight ahead of the latest release. And I have never bothered with the 7am wake-up call for the January sales on Boxing Day. And yet, on a Wednesday in mid-March, I'm queuing to get into a small shed that belongs to TV presenter and motoring-journalist-turned-farmer, Jeremy Clarkson. This is Diddly Squat Farm Shop, as seen in the hit Amazon Prime TV show, Clarkson's Farm, and it's chaotic even when the weekend crowds have gone home. The reward at the end of the line is somewhat underwhelming. I shuffle in among a gaggle of tourists, sandwiched between a selfie stick and a GoPro on a tripod, and can barely see the produce through the crowds. There's local honey on offer for £12, jam for just short of a fiver, and candles that purport to smell like Clarkson's genitals. The whole experience is unappealing and, frankly, tacky. And yet Diddly Squat has brought in thousands of visitors to the Cotswolds over the last five years since it opened in 2020. But this isn't the only farm in this National Landscape. This bucolic region is packed with arable fields and grazing pasture where you'll find lambs and sheep roaming throughout summer. And the farmers responsible, who were here long before Clarkson's crew arrived, have been producing and selling their wares in their own farm shops for decades. You don't have to go far from Clarkson's digs to find them. Just a 10-minute drive south of Diddly Squat lies the greatly underrated FarmED, a 107-acre regenerative agriculture experiment and education centre headed by Ian and Celene Wilkinson. Regenerative farming has found its way into mainstream media and conversation thanks to Clarkson's Farm, but this pair have been doing it for decades on the farms they've managed. For visitors, FarmED is a fascinating place to see it in action on self-guided tours, and sample the delicious vegetables that grow in their nutrient-rich soil at the onsite cafe. Down the road, stop in at the tiny but enticing Bruern Farm Shop and Cafe for pasture-fed beef, local beers and handicrafts and gifts made by Cotswolds-based artisans. And then you've got Daylesford – a farm shop on steroids with price tags to match. This organic farm and dairy is a vast place of 2,200 acres and a gargantuan operation, with several hundred dairy and beef cows of varying breeds, Merino sheep for wool and Kerry Hill and Lleyn sheep for lamb. They raise hundreds of truly free-range chickens for eggs, grow a market garden with kale, lettuce, leeks and more, and even have a flower garden for fresh-cut flowers for the table. The shop itself is more like an upper-class supermarket than a traditional farm shop. Their magnificent cheese room is the undisputed highlight, where the farm's own creamery, located just a few metres away behind the shop, stores their tangy cheddar, buttery Baywell and mellow Double Gloucester. There's a deli counter where much of the kitchen garden produce is put to use in salads, and a butcher where you can buy their lamb sausages or 35-day dry-aged steaks from the local herd. It might all seem a little steep in price, but book a stay at one of their pubs with rooms and you'll be able to tour the farm to see just how much work goes into creating each bit of produce. And definitely don't leave without a meal in The Trough, where Michelin has awarded the chefs with its coveted Green Star for sustainability and quality cooking. A far more understated affair is 13-miles south from here at Upton Smokery, just outside Burford on the A40 to Cheltenham. While it's not affiliated with any particular farm locally, this cavernous barn stocks local honey, eggs and cheeses alongside sumptuous produce from abroad – think voluptuous Spanish artichokes and fragrant Italian lemons – while at weekends the vast barbecues at the far end of the shop are fired up for cooking brisket, chicken, ribs and more, all smoked here on site, for diners in the know. It's a little-known spot for finding exciting food, and I can almost guarantee you won't have to queue to get in the door. Of course, Clarkson isn't the only celebrity in the Cotswolds with their hand in farming, either. Countryfile 's Adam Henson has his own family farm just outside of Cheltenham. I strike out from Diddly Squat to visit his Cotswold Farm Park, where you can meet rare breed sheep and cattle, and then sample some of them in the onsite Ox Shed shop and cafe. I take in the wildlife walk with the dog and spot a few goats poking their heads out from inside a barn, but I can't stick around for long, as I've got an important appointment with a world-famous sausage roll. A five-minute drive takes me to the almost unbearably quaint village of Guiting Power, where The Cotswold Guy farm shop, deli and cafe draws visitors from as far as the USA. Former Auberge du Soleil chef Chris Davey tells me how his sausage rolls shot to fame after David Beckham shared on Instagram that they are the best he's ever eaten. Baked daily in his shop, which is packed with other local produce and home-cooked meals by Davey which you can take home to reheat – his ethos is 'I gather, you cook' – they're a regular sellout. I opt for a sausagemeat bap with eggs, bacon-dusted tater tots and a fresh grapefruit juice, which I devour in the sun-kissed garden behind the cafe, smug in the knowledge that while the hordes are piling into the Diddly Squat car park, I'll likely have this place to myself for the hour.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inflation-busting rise in abattoir fees reignites row between Labour and farmers
An inflation-busting increase in fees levied on abattoirs has inflamed tensions between farmers and the Government, amid growing criticism of Labour's treatment of the agricultural industry. Farmers have called on the Government to step in and ease financial pressure on abattoirs, which are facing steep increases in the cost of food safety inspections this year. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based livestock farmer and chair of the National Farmers Union (NFU) livestock board, said: 'We desperately need to keep our small and medium-sized abattoirs going, because that feeds a whole sector of farmers that are selling boxed beef or delivering to small farm shops. It's massively important for the rural economy.' Under food safety laws, abattoirs must have inspectors and official vets on site to make sure animal welfare standards are met. These costs are largely borne by the abattoirs themselves and charged by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a non-ministerial government body. Abattoirs were last month informed that the hourly rate paid to official vets will rise by 17.7pc to £65.90, while the rate for meat hygiene inspectors will increase 11.3pc to £43.20 from the end of March. Although the smallest abattoirs receive money off the fees, the Government is currently considering proposals that could see them rise sharply once more if it decides to phase out a so-called discount that was enacted in 2016. Mr Barton added: 'This is a government agency, that is probably quite efficient, passing all of their costs back through the processors. We're fine with paying some of the cost of that, but to have to pay for the cost of that entire department is rather unfair.' Farmers and rural business owners have been angered by changes to inheritance tax (IHT) relief for agricultural businesses, which they warn could force many family farms out of business. Earlier this month, they were incensed further when the Government halted sustainable farming subsidies with no warning. Some rural groups, such as the campaigners Farmers to Action, have gone as far as calling for a nationwide 'day of action' in opposition to Labour's farming policies next week, which will see tractor convoys and protesters gather outside Labour offices on Monday 24 March. Smaller abattoirs have been closing at pace across Britain, shutting down at a rate of about 10pc per year according to FSA data. High costs, lower margins and the burden of regulation have been blamed for the closures. Eleanor O'Brien, managing director of National Craft Butchers, said: 'If you are a medium-sized abattoir, you are under the same level of regulation and bureaucracy as the largest abattoir in the country. Someone processing 100 pigs a week is not the same level of risk as someone processing 100 pigs a day, but yet has the same level of regulation.' Small and medium-sized abattoirs are a crucial resource for farmers, especially those who rear rare breeds or sell their produce locally in smaller volumes than mass retail. Will Simkin, the owner of Essington Farm, near Wolverhampton, added: 'If we haven't got an abattoir, then our business doesn't exist because we can't sell to our customers. If these small abattoirs close, all you're left with are big, massive corporate farms. It's a drain on the rural economy.' Dr James Cooper of the FSA said: 'Our official vets and meat hygiene inspectors carry out checks at abattoirs to make sure meat is safe for people to eat, and to assure high animal welfare standards. 'These checks are required by law, and they don't just protect public health, they also support industry growth by enabling meat producers to export their products and ensuring people can have confidence in British meat. 'While we understand concerns, the reality of global vet shortages and inflation means these checks now cost more to carry out. For many years we've been providing a discount on the costs of regulation, which can be up to 90pc for the smallest abattoirs.' A government spokesman added: 'We recognise that small abattoirs make a vital contribution towards maintaining our resilient food supply chain and provide a competitive route to market for producers of rare and native breeds. We are committed to working with the meat processing sector in tackling the challenges they face.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
23-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Inflation-busting rise in abattoir fees reignites row between Labour and farmers
An inflation-busting increase in fees levied on abattoirs has inflamed tensions between farmers and the Government, amid growing criticism of Labour's treatment of the agricultural industry. Farmers have called on the Government to step in and ease financial pressure on abattoirs, which are facing steep increases in the cost of food safety inspections this year. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based livestock farmer and chair of the National Farmers Union (NFU) livestock board, said: 'We desperately need to keep our small and medium-sized abattoirs going, because that feeds a whole sector of farmers that are selling boxed beef or delivering to small farm shops. It's massively important for the rural economy.' Under food safety laws, abattoirs must have inspectors and official vets on site to make sure animal welfare standards are met. These costs are largely borne by the abattoirs themselves and charged by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a non-ministerial government body. Abattoirs were last month informed that the hourly rate paid to official vets will rise by 17.7pc to £65.90, while the rate for meat hygiene inspectors will increase 11.3pc to £43.20 from the end of March. Although the smallest abattoirs receive money off the fees, the Government is currently considering proposals that could see them rise sharply once more if it decides to phase out a so-called discount that was enacted in 2016. Mr Barton added: 'This is a government agency, that is probably quite efficient, passing all of their costs back through the processors. We're fine with paying some of the cost of that, but to have to pay for the cost of that entire department is rather unfair.' Farmers and rural business owners have been angered by changes to inheritance tax (IHT) relief for agricultural businesses, which they warn could force many family farms out of business.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Steak prices to soar as restaurants battle cattle shortage
Steak prices are soaring across Britain as a cattle shortage pushes the cost of beef to record highs. Restaurant owners and butchers have warned of significant price increases because of a supply crisis amid growing demand for red meat. Amir Batito, co-founder of Epicurus and The Black Cow restaurants in London, said he is preparing to raise steak prices by as much as 40pc and is charging an extra £2 for a beef burger, up from £13. He said: 'The price of the steaks increased, the price of labour increased – everything has increased.' It comes after the average deadweight price of a cow – the price paid once it has been slaughtered – has risen by 15pc since the start of the year to hit record highs, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). This has been fuelled by cattle shortages across Europe and the UK, as farmers struggle with higher costs. Will Beckett, co-founder of the Hawksmoor Steakhouse group, said: 'We're making less beef in this country than ever but demand is higher than ever. Guess what those two things do to pricing? You don't need a PhD in economics to know the answer.' He said Hawksmoor, which runs 10 restaurants in the UK, had 'gently' increased its prices by around 4pc. Prices are rising in the supermarkets too. Almost half of fresh beef products sold in the UK's biggest supermarkets have increased in price since the start of 2025, according to trade magazine The Grocer. Jeremy Godfrey, the managing director of 120-year-old butcher Godfrey's, said he is now paying up to 30pc for some cuts of beef. He said: 'We can't absorb that. We have to pass that on.' Max Ward, head butcher at meat specialists Hill & Szrok, in London, added: 'We're constantly fighting a battle. We're trying to see how long we can hold our ground before we are forced to change the prices again.' The supply crunch has been blamed on economic uncertainty and changes to farming subsidies, with UK beef production expected to fall by 5pc in 2025, according to the AHDB, compared to a 1pc increase in demand. Concerns have also been raised over the Government's inheritance tax raid. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based beef farmer and chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) livestock board, said farmers were considering cutting back on investment as a result of the policy change. He said: 'It's having a massive effect on absolutely everything we do. Beef is a long-term investment, and looking ahead now, it absolutely kills confidence. 'I'm just about to purchase a new bull from my herd. I won't see anything from that bull to sell for three years. In the current economic climate, as everyone's dealing with at the moment, three years is an awfully long time.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Steak prices to soar as restaurants battle cattle shortage
Steak prices are soaring across Britain as a cattle shortage pushes the cost of beef to record highs. Restaurant owners and butchers have warned of significant price increases because of a supply crisis amid growing demand for red meat. Amir Batito, co-founder of Epicurus and The Black Cow restaurants in London, said he is preparing to raise steak prices by as much as 40pc and is charging an extra £2 for a beef burger, up from £13. He said: 'The price of the steaks increased, the price of labour increased – everything has increased.' It comes after the average deadweight price of a cow – the price paid once it has been slaughtered – has risen by 15pc since the start of the year to hit record highs, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). This has been fuelled by cattle shortages across Europe and the UK, as farmers struggle with higher costs. Will Beckett, co-founder of the Hawksmoor Steakhouse group, said: 'We're making less beef in this country than ever but demand is higher than ever. Guess what those two things do to pricing? You don't need a PhD in economics to know the answer.' He said Hawksmoor, which runs 10 restaurants in the UK, had 'gently' increased its prices by around 4pc. Prices are rising in the supermarkets too. Almost half of fresh beef products sold in the UK's biggest supermarkets have increased in price since the start of 2025, according to trade magazine The Grocer. Jeremy Godfrey, the managing director of 120-year-old butcher Godfrey's, said he is now paying up to 30pc for some cuts of beef. He said: 'We can't absorb that. We have to pass that on.' Max Ward, head butcher at meat specialists Hill & Szrok, in London, added: 'We're constantly fighting a battle. We're trying to see how long we can hold our ground before we are forced to change the prices again.' The supply crunch has been blamed on economic uncertainty and changes to farming subsidies, with UK beef production expected to fall by 5pc in 2025, according to the AHDB, compared to a 1pc increase in demand. Concerns have also been raised over the Government's inheritance tax raid. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based beef farmer and chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) livestock board, said farmers were considering cutting back on investment as a result of the policy change. He said: 'It's having a massive effect on absolutely everything we do. Beef is a long-term investment, and looking ahead now, it absolutely kills confidence. 'I'm just about to purchase a new bull from my herd. I won't see anything from that bull to sell for three years. In the current economic climate, as everyone's dealing with at the moment, three years is an awfully long time.'
