Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2009 | Page 107
FOOD & DRINK
life
Briddlesford Lodge
Farm Shop of the year
The winner of the Island
Life Food and Drink Awards
Farm Shop of the Year was
Briddlesford Lodge Farm Shop.
“We were so pleased to get
the award, and it was especially
good that Paul Murphy, the
butcher who is based in our
shop, also got an award,” says
Louise Griffin who runs the shop
with loving attention to detail.
“We were up against the Garlic
Farm and Farmer Jack’s, but I
don’t really consider them to be
rivals. I think our rivals are the
supermarkets, that’s who we’re
up against.”
Louise puts their success down
to the quality of her stock, and
her staff. “You expect your best
friend to remember that you
took your dog to the vet last
week – well Bob chats to our
customers as he serves them,
and next time he sees them
asks about how they got on. He
knows most of the customers by
name, and they really like that.”
The award, proudly on display,
has not gone unnoticed by
customers.
For those who have not visited
Briddlestone Lodge Shop, it is
like walking through a barn
door and finding yourself in
some London food hall. The
sheer variety of goods – from
rum truffles to Island wine, from
Yum bars to cauliflower – is
breathtaking. And all is Island
produced , sourced or grown.
“If you keep your ears open
you hear about new things and
new places,” says Louise. Oil of
Wight – a branded rapeseed oil
by Caroline Smith – has been
seized upon by the customers,
and Louise has also made a
liaison with the nuns of St
Cecilia’s, whose produce is now
stocked in the shop.
The warmth of the atmosphere
in the shop is quite tangible
when you walk in, and it is clear
why customers are unlikely
to come only once. The next
thing on the agenda is the café,
which is due to open in March.
“We’ll be serving light lunches,
traditional English fare. Loads of
our customers have said they’re
looking forward to when it
opens,” Louise says.
Open Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm,
Sun 10am – 4pm
Briddlesford Lodge Farm Shop,
Wootton. Tel: 884650 E-mail:
[email protected]
The Island's new funky radio station www.wightFM.com
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