Our family has been farming since the 1970s, and been on the land at Westlands Farm since 1988. We decided to open the farm shop in 2001 – during one of the most difficult periods that British agriculture has ever faced. The Foot and Mouth outbreak brought farming to a standstill, devastated livestock, and brought an abrupt halt to many farmers’ markets across the country.
For local farmers and producers, routes to market completely disappeared.
Opening the farm shop was our response to the crisis. It was about the survival of our own farm, as well as creating a new way forward for our community of local producers. We became a place for suppliers to continue to sell their goods, connect with customers, and keep their businesses alive at a time when support was desperately needed.
Diversification of British Farming
One of the biggest lessons from the past 25 years is that diversification, whether through farm shops, tourism, or education, has become essential.
It’s no secret that there is very little profit to be made in farming. Rising costs, changing weather patterns, and global pressures mean that many farms simply cannot survive on agricultural production alone.
Westlands Farm Shop is a perfect example of how diversification can strengthen farms, protect rural livelihoods, and give farmers more control over how their food is sold and valued.
Taking the farm shop into the heart of Winchester was another step in our journey of diversification. Bringing rural produce to the High Street helps bridge the gap between countryside and city, making local food accessible to more people. It’s an approach that has sparked interest well beyond the UK, including from international farming communities exploring new ways to add value to their businesses.
Our Winchester High Street shop was recently visited by a delegation of French farmers, keen to explore how diversification could work for them and how the concept of a farm shop could be brought into a city environment.
Growing with us
Supporting local producers has always been at the heart of Westlands Farm Shop. From day one, suppliers such as Bere Dairy have stood alongside us, helping to shape what the shop is today.
Over the past 25 years, we’re proud to have grown together with our suppliers. We are proud to be building long-standing relationships, supporting small businesses, and creating opportunities for local producers to develop, diversify, and thrive.
In the early years, many local producers were struggling to find an outlet for their goods, particularly after the loss of farmers’ markets, and we became a vital route to market. We are proud to have supported so many producers on their journey, and even prouder that many remain with us today.
As Robert Court of Bere Dairy says, “Without the support from Westlands Farm Shop, my business likely would not have survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Shopping small and local is the best way to support your local economy.”
The next 25 years
While much has changed since 2001, our values haven’t. We’re still rooted in farming, still passionate about British produce, and still committed to supporting our local agricultural community.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Westlands Farm Shop over this quarter of a century – our customers, our producers, and our farming community. We look forward to the next chapter.
