Farm shop welcomes popular Derbyshire butcher's business

Robin Maycock is now selling its products at Marsh Green Farm Shop and Cafe at Kelstedge in addition to its original retail outlet at Holloway.

The farm shop and cafe is owned by business partners Scott Hodson and Dean Mason. Scott and Dean, who bought the business two years ago, also own Dovedale Catering and run the food for the wedding venue at Shottle Hall, Belper.

Scott said: "Our experience is really the cafe side of things, the retail side was new to us so we've been pushing that on. With the butchery side, we thought we needed to partner this up with somebody that had expertise in that area. Robin Maycock slaughter as well as doing the butcher’s shop, so they see everything right through from farm to fork which is what we were looking for, somebody who really cares, somebody who knows exactly what farm everything comes from, traceability right through.

"They have their original shop in Holloway and are quite famous and busy in that shop. But they have really suffered because there was a landslip that closed the road between Holloway and Crich, so from one direction you can't get to it.”

Having Robin Maycock on board strengthens the farm shop's offering of local produce. Scott said: "We sell everything from Ashover ciders to local Matlock wines, Derbyshire Tea, breads from the Bakewell Bakery, local honey and a local cake supplier.

"We have a big bakery counter so we bake in-house sausage rolls, pies and quiches which have been really popular.

"We have a cafe that seats 48 and we're looking to extend to give more downstairs seating.”

If the plan for an extension is approved by the local authority, Scott said that the existing internal downstairs seating may be removed to enable a bigger deli area and larger serving counter.

He said: "We'll keep the same amount of outdoor seating but some of it will be first floor."

Scott added that the business is going from strength to strength. He said: "We've been doing really well and quite up on last year. We're just looking to push things on all the time which is why we've made this decision with the butcher. So far, it's been really popular."