Beadlam Grange Farm Shop and Tearoom, at Pockley, near Helmsley, wins "Rural Oscar" (From Gazette & Herald)

Beadlam Grange Farm Shop and Tearoom, at Pockley, near Helmsley, wins "Rural Oscar"

11:06am Tuesday 9th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A FARM shop in rural North Yorkshire has scooped a top award.

Beadlam Grange Farm Shop and Tea Room from Pockley, near Helmsley, beat competition from across Britain to take top honours in the local food category when The Countryside Alliance handed out its “Rural Oscars” at a Parliamentary reception.

The fifth annual awards were launched last September, and attracted a record 2,500 nominations from across Britain.

The regional winners were declared in December and those winners went forward to the grand final, judged by Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart, along with celebrity chef Clarissa Dickson Wright, Farmers Guardian editor Emma Penny, Daily Telegraph commentator Charlie Brooks and British Food Fortnight director Alexia Robinson.

Mr Hart announced the winners at the reception, which was attended by all regional winners, including Mark and Jenny Rooke, who run Beadlam Grange.

To help their children have a future in the industry, Mr and Mrs Rooke converted their foldyard into a farm shop and tearoom, which is now much used for a variety of different events, from Young Farmers’ Club parties to craft fairs and local schools’ days.

At the ceremony Mr Hart read the following citation about their business: “The produce speaks for itself and is truly the best: all beef and sheep are from the farm and the local abattoir is only four miles away, meaning all meat can be hung on site and butchered by the resident butcher.

“The tearoom serves a huge variety of traditional dishes and you can be assured a huge Yorkshire welcome whenever you visit.

“I am delighted to declare Beadlam Grange Farm Shop and Tearoom our local food champions of 2009.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)