16 October 2007, 19:33 PM

  • Following five years of hard work, John and Jules Natalacen at cheese shop, Churchmouse Cheeses, have been awarded UK Best Speciality Cheese Shop 2007 at the Retail Cheese Awards, sponsored by the Grocer magazine and Dairy Crest.

The shop, based in the Cumbrian village, Kirkby Lonsdale, beat over 400 other independent cheese shops in the country to claim the prestigious prize.

Although only the size of a family front room, Churchmouse Cheeses is crammed with over 170 varieties – 75% of which are British with a large number of locally sourced from artisan cheese makers. Many are unpasteurised cheeses, along with speciality ewe’s milk, buffalo milk and goat’s milk cheeses.

Squeezed into a corner is an Edwardian piano, played by the resident pianist on the weekends, for customers to listen to, enjoy and even sing along with! “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award” says John Natalacen. “It is great news for us, for our local cheese makers and for the small food producers of Cumbria and the region in general – and it’s time for the little guys to take on the might of the supermarkets!”

There must be something “foodie” in the air in Kirkby Lonsdale – on one side of Churchmouse Cheeses is Dales Butchers – just voted the North West’s Best Sausage maker; and on the other The Sun Inn – the winner of Best Newcomer restaurant in the North West 2007 by Lancashire Life! Hipping Hall is just up the road as well – winner of AA Best Country Hotel 2007. As they say in these parts – “Not bad eh, for a small Cumbrian town”