Wiltshire pub to open community farm shop

Two Wiltshire licensees are opening a community farm shop in their pub grounds for local businesses to sell their surplus produce.

The Tollgate Inn in Holt is appealing for local farmers and other businesses to supply goods for Seasons, opening in mid-April.

Pub owners Alison Ward Baptiste and Michelin-starred chef Alex Venables are looking for products from cheese, vegetables, herbs, meat, fresh fish, breads, pastries and cakes.

"We constantly scour the local farmers' markets, and even have put a 'wanted' ad in the local press, to find the right producers with as much passion for local fine food as we have," said Warde Baptiste.

"However small they are, we will sell their produce in season, and build a reputation for the unusual throughout the county — and beyond."

The Tollgate staff will prepare jams, jellies, terrines, potted shrimps and charcuterie for sale in the shop.

Goody bag​

Seasons will occupy a two-acre meadow and renovated barn behind the pub including a garden where children can grow their own vegetables.

Venables will offer customers advice on the best of the day's catch as well as performing cookery demonstrations and running tasting sessions.

He will also produce a goody bag of prepared ingredients and a recipe for his dishes of the week on the pub menu.

"I want Seasons to be a bridge between a professional pub and a retail shop for home cooks and show what we can do with local produce and meat suppliers," said Venables. "I'm happy to share my 'chef's secrets' whether with recipe cards for the day's produce, advice on butchery or filleting as we do it in the kitchen, or merely how to create a balanced menu from what we have on offer in the shop."

The nearest farm shops are several miles away and the plan is for the Tollgate shop to put on a delivery service for elderly residents while picking up goods to take back to the store.

Seasons will also run country craft work shops from classes on poultry keeping, willow weaving and pottery.