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Tom Fell, Regional Director for the North West, introduces his 2006 Best Rural Retailers.......
 Best Local Food Retailer
The Moody Baker
Front Street
Alston
Cumbria
CA9 3SF
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01434 382003
Tom says: “This is a great example of a locally run co-operative. A group of friends felt that with their skills they could produce something better than was currently available locally and are now enhancing their community whilst selling the best of local produce”
Second place: Holker Food Hall at Grange over Sands
 Best Village Shop/ Post Office
Hallbankgate Co-op
Hallbankgate
Brampton
Cumbria
CA8 2NJ
Tom says: “Having fought to survive through Foot and Mouth this shop continues to be the much appreciated hub of its community, where the service is with a smile from Jean Irving. Originally a miners’ co-op founded about 1870, it was going to close but it was taken over by Penrith Co-op, the head of which wanted it to survive. Hallbankgate is all things to all people: it has a small library as an outlet for the council library service, it has a recycling base, a free delivery service which is vital to the non-mobile who can telephone their orders. They even collect disabled people.”
Second place: Burton in Londsdale village shop, Lancashire
A message from Hallbankgate: "Hallbankgate Village Co-op were awarded first prize in the Best Village Shop and Post Office section of the Countryside Alliance Rural Retailer Awards for the North West Region. The staff from Hallbankgate Co-op are going to The House of Lords on 7th February to hear the announcement of the national winner. Hallbankgate Village are planning a welcome home party on 9th February (as they are not arriving home until late on the 8th Feb) at 5.30pm in the Belted Will Pub in Hallbankgate. This is a big open party, with all villagers welcoming home their local heroes.
If you would like more details, please don’t hesitate to contact Sophie Bell on 07834601243, or 016977 46293 (eves)
Best Diversification
Low Sizergh Barn
Sizergh
Kendal
Cumbria
LA8 8AE
http://www.lowsizerghbarn.co.uk/
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015395 60426
Tom says: “Lower Sizergh Barn is a hugely successful dairy farm diversification which continues to work as a farm but also provides locally produced and organic produce for locals and visitors alike. Part of the shop is a tearoom that overlooks the milking shed - there must be thousands of people who had never seen cows being milked until they came here. The aim of the shop is to provide all the ingredients a cook needs to produce a meal, so they stock a vast range of items – if possible from the farm itself but if not, from the immediate locality. Owners Richard & Alison Park say they will continue to diversify and evolve, and their determination and drive are hugely impressive”.
Second place: Farm & Flower shop, Orton Grange, Cumbria
Best Traditional Business
Alexander James of Pendlebury
6 Mossfield Road
Pendlebury
Manchester
Greater Manchester
M27 6EN
www.alexander-james.co.uk
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0161 793 6340
Tom says: “We are lucky, in this day and age, that this traditional tailoring outfit continues to trade. Traditional country sports outfits of all types can be found here and owners Alan & Margaret Little say that sales of hunting jackets have taken off since the Hunting Act was passed! Inside the shop you feel you have stepped back in time, with creaking wooden floorboards and sewing machines holding various samples of cloth. Inside the shop it's like a rabbit warren!”
Second place: Plumgarths Farm Shop, Kendal, Cumbria
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