03 February 2009, 19:51 PM
  • The launch will see the retail space more than quadruple and is described as a “major step forward” for the business.

“We’ve been planning this development for three years,” says Bashall Barn managing director, Simon Barnes. “We currently have a 200 to 300 sq m farm shop and are putting on an additional 800 sq m building. It’s a huge expansion programme for us, but also a big risk – I mean we’re talking about a one million pound project here.”

For Mr Barnes, the development is a logical step for the business and aims to make local food more accessible. “Since we started eight years ago, we realised there were lots of superb raw materials here in Lancashire, but there weren’t many finished products that could be taken to market – and that’s something we found difficult when trying to stock the farm shop.

“Since then, our big drive has been to produce things ourselves. We now make a full range of ready meals, puddings, cakes and more recently, a number of deli items. It’s a way for us to use local raw ingredients by converting them in our kitchen. The food centre will take things further by allowing people to see how goods are being produced – for example, visitors will not only see pigs and little piglets, they will also be able to find out how the butcher makes sausages. We’re trying to link the whole production process.”

The opening is planned for March 2009.