Hampshire's food and drink heroes
Above: Loosehanger Cheeses
Above: Sandy Balls
New Forest Marque
Producer of the Year
Loosehanger Cheeses, Redlynch
Ness & Gwyn Williams
Your business in brief
Loosehanger Cheeses was started in 2002 in a refurbished milking parlour. Ness had made cheese with her and my mum on their farms and developed our Loosehanger recipe, with Ayrshire cows’ milk, at home in our kitchen. Initially Ness was full-time cheesemaker, while I continued to work as a computer consultant. It was very quickly obvious that demand was going to outstrip what Ness could do on her own, so I joined full-time in April 2004.
How do you feel about winning?
Well of course it’s fantastic! Our cheeses have received many medals and accolades, but this is the first award for the business as a whole.
What do you think are your business’s winning qualities?
First and foremost, Ness makes excellent cheese! The New Forest Marque® is all about being local and sustainable and all of our staff are local and we work symbiotically with our landlord, whose beef cattle drink every last drop of the whey from the cheese-making, reducing waste and his feed bills. The Ayrshire cows’ milk we use comes from a single supplier with whom we are in partnership, so we have control of our main ingredient from production to plate.
Apart from winning this award – what has been one of your best moments in the past year?
It’s actually been a really great year for us. Winning Best British Blue with our Old Sarum at the British Cheese Awards was pretty special. But my best moment was winning a silver medal with Loosehanger Chilli & Nettle Cheese at the Nantwich International Cheese Show.
What’s the most important part of the business to you?
Our customers. Both individuals, at the many Farmers’ Markets we attend, who have become firm friends over the years, and the dozens of restaurants, hotels and shops who make the commitment to local.
What are your plans for developing and improving your business?
We need to raise our profile in the New Forest and Hampshire and extend our customer base locally. The real trick is to do this without compromising the superb quality of the cheese that Ness produces.
Most Improved Farmers’ Market
Sandy Balls Farmers’ &
Producers’ Market
Micheen Stone, Bundy Riley
and Jackie Haugh
How did the Farmers and Producers’ Market come about?
Sandy Balls is hugely committed to supporting the local community and encouraging local businesses, so, following an introduction from Sarah Green (New Forest Tourism), Jackie Haugh, a local farmer, Bundy Riley, a local producer, and Micheen Stone, of Sandy Balls, got together and the markets began to evolve. The first market was held on Easter Sunday amid rain, sleet, snow and sunshine and proved to be an enormous success.
How do you feel about winning?
Inspired and ecstatic!
What do you think are the market’s winning qualities?
Our beautiful location, flexible ideas, excellent on-site facilities and enthusiastic stallholders has allowed us to create an experience rather than just a shopping trip.
What is the most important part of the market for you?
The perfect partnership being formed between a commercial business and local smallholders and producers and seeing the benefit to the local community a
nd the additional added value to our guests’ experience whilst visiting
Sandy Balls.
The market has enabled the small cottage industry in the local area to
re-establish itself by giving them an outlet that is not available elsewhere.
Apart from winning this award – what has been one of your best moments in the past year?
Seeing the market come to fruition and getting the immensely positive feedback from guests, locals and producers alike.
What are your plans for developing and improving the market?
We hope to increase the number and variety of stallholders and incorporate as many New Forest Marque products as possible to retain its individuality. Our stall holders are keen to set up a pre-ordering system via email, and we are aiming to hold the markets on a more regular basis.
Pay a visit
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre,
Godshill, Fordingbridge,
tel: 0845 2702248
Country Pub of the Year
The Thomas Lord, West Meon
David Thomas & Richard Taylor
Your business in brief
We bought our village local in April 2006. For many years we had discussed various issues with pubs in the area and pubs in general, so when The Thomas Lord came on the market we thought we would put our thoughts into action.
We closed the pub for about a month and with huge community support the interior and gardens were stripped back and simplified. The end result is an old fashioned rustic pub – the sort that you don’t get many of any more. It’s still modern in comfort but true to the building’s history.
The gardens have been in development for a further two years, finishing this summer. We also felt very strongly about offering local food. We set a challenge to see if a catering business could source all their produce from the local area. We now operate at virtually 100 per cent local. It has cost us a number of chefs along the way as it is a very different system to operate.
We don’t buy from wholesalers and the kitchen has to order from over 50 suppliers! We have been very lucky with two chefs who have stuck with our concept, and we have been fortunate in attracting Gareth Longhurst (formally of Hotel du Vin, Harrogate) who is now Head Chef.
How do you feel about winning?
It has been a community effort to create this unique country pub and garden, so it is very rewarding for West Meon and the greater Thomas Lord community to be recognised at this year’s Food and Drink Awards.
What do you think are your business’s winning qualities?
That’s for other people to say. If I had to pick what I have overheard it would be the setting, the atmosphere, the laid back approach, friendly staff and a team that work hard.
Apart from winning this award – what has been one
of your best moments in the past year?
Being chosen to be included in this year’s Alistair Sawday’s Pubs & Inns of England & Wales. Seeing Richard relax when he had completed the garden after two years. Being overwhelmed at community generosity to help the pub complete what it started.
What’s the most important part of the business to you?
Seeing people truly enjoy themselves when on site.
What are your plans for developing and improving your business?
We have expanded the management team to include a front of house manager and are also setting up an outside event kitchen that will be available for events across the south.
Pay a visit
The Thomas Lord, High Street,
West Meon, tel: 01730 829244