Simon's News

Not many of you know that our website is the work of my 75 year old mother, Anne. When Anne heard we were going to have a new shop built she thought the website should follow suit and she went into Birmingham for a few lessons. She has come up with the revised version you can see today which she feels is shorter, easier to navigate and more modern. In particular Simon's News and Announcements will occupy pride of place on the Home Page and they will draw your attention to what's new and what's planned.

It's been a busy January. All departments apart from the Butchery have now moved to their new quarters, and the Butchery follows on 15th February. The new car park is fully operational and gives space for an additional 90 cars.

I said last week how excited I was about our Orange Kitchen. It's now fully operational and enquiries are pouring in. The cooking classes for children are particularly popular and half term week is booked solid - several children's parties have also been reserved. The next development in the Orange Kitchen is that we shall, as from 15th February, be offering complete fully-cooked meals which customers can phone up and order and then collect at an agreed time. We have reason to believe that this is going to be just as popular as the classes. We'll be announcing the first menus soon.

On a lighter note I promised to mention Danielle in this edition for her wonderful telephone manner!!!

05 March 2008

All departments have now taken up their final positions in the new farm shop and all are extending their range of products. The new car parks are all white-lined and better lighting is in place. Having built five previous farm shops on this site we should be getting the hang of it by now but we still keep getting the odd challenge along the way!

The next big date is 25th March when both the refurbished Conference Rooms and the new Coffee Bar should be completed and ready for business. The restaurant closes for a total refit on 10th March and we hope it will re-open on 7th April.

A huge thank you to all our customers who have supported us through so much change and we look forward to serving you in Becketts Farm Shop Mark 6!

13 March 2008

A few weeks ago I told you how excited I was about our latest development at Becketts Farm, the Orange Kitchen. It's clear you share my enthusiasm because bookings for the Cookery Classes have been so heavy we've had to pull out the stops and enlarge our original schedules. There are no fewer than 6 separate classes for children to cover the Easter holidays.

In the meantime work is going on apace on the complete redesign and refurbishment of the Restaurant and Conference Centre and I'll let you know more about these next time I write.

22 March 2008

A Very Happy Easter to all our customers. Our Farm Shop with its butchery, bakery, deli, sandwiches and veg, as well as the hot food/drinks section and the gifts and wine department, will be open to serve you (link to Opening Hours) all through the holiday period.

One face you've all been missing for some time now is that of Peter Merrick who was our head butcher. Pete joined us right from the start of our very first shop in 1980. He knew all his customers by name and his meat like the back of his hand. It was Pete who established the reputation of our butchery and created the esteem in which it is widely held. Unfortunately Pete's knees started to let him down and an operation did not cure the problem so he decided to take early retirement. He will be greatly missed. We thank him for all he did for us and wish him the very best.

Meanwhile Mike has taken over running the butchery and Tony has joined the team. You will notice new cuts appearing on the counter. Being Easter the emphasis this week is on lamb - crown roast, maids of honour, pincushion of lamb - as well as a variety of chops and noisettes. Enjoy our butchers' skill.

31st March 2008

It's still "all go" at Becketts. Our new Licensed Coffee Bar was launched on Tuesday 26th March and is already proving very popular. The complete refurbishment of the Restaurant is on schedule and will be open to the public on Tuesday 8th April and our extended, new look Conference Centre should follow a week later.

You have probably noticed our much extended Gifts department and, to further complement this and bring additional colour into the Shop, a Flower department will open the weekend of the 12th April. Meanwhile any hungry people missing the Restaurant will find themselves well catered for by Gavin and his team on the Hot Food Counter in the Shop.

Again I must thank all our customers for their continuing patience while all this building work is taking place.

19th April 2008

Beckett's Farm Shop began with eggs, as the storyboard in the Restaurant shows, and today we're offering a wider choice than ever before. As well as the mainstream product you can choose from extra large free range, guaranteed double yolkers, barn, or pick-your-own from a basked of ungraded. The latest addition is eggs from rare-breed, free-range organic hens in the Cotswolds. We know them as "blue" or "dark speckled brown" and they have a unique, stronger taste, more like a duck egg. Few could deny that eggs represent the best value for money of any food purchase.

You will find them in the Veg department which is using the extra space it now enjoys to include a range of fresh fish. This is proving popular with our customers as well as the range of ready-prepared meals provided fresh each day from our Orange Kitchen.

28th April 2008

At last all our developments are up and working with no more shifting, shunting and temporary closures. The increased car parking area means there's plenty of space for everyone even when a large conference is taking place. The much enlarged Farm Shop, the Restaurant, the Conference Centre, the specialist Coffee Shop and our Orange (development) Kitchen are all fully functional and the fascinating thing to me is how they integrate together.

The key really is the farm shop where we stock the best quality local and seasonal produce that we can find. The Farm Shop not only retails direct to our customers, it provides most of the food that is cooked in the Restaurant, served to clients in the Conference Centre, and prepared for ready meals or cookery classes in the Orange Kitchen. There is this tremendous buzz as each department co-operates with the others - we are truly "celebrating all that is best in traditional food and service".

14th May 2008

In between being a very effective clerk of works for all the building operations Geoff has been getting on with the farming. His biggest problem this spring has been pigeons. They are an absolute scourge, often referred to as the "rats of the air". This year they have effectively decimated the majority of Becketts' oilseed rape crop. A very good example is in Station Road where you will see the centre of the field is still green because the rape has been so badly eaten by the pigeons that only the bottom leaves of the plants remain.

We try all sorts of methods to stop these vermin. There is a gas gun which makes a loud noise 5 times an hour. We use aluminium streamers and reflecting windmills and of course we shoot them whenever we can. But, despite all our efforts, we estimate we've lost about 60% of the crop - but in farming you never win them all!

2nd June 2008

"Retail is Detail" and I agree it's the little touches that make the difference. John for example is stocking a stunning range of olive oils and balsamic vinegars in the Veg department. You can have straight extra virgin, or choose between five individual flavours which you can taste before you buy . What really makes the difference is that the oils are stored in jars or pitchers and measured into elegant bottles at the time of purchase. The empty bottles can be returned for refills at a highly competitive price.

In the preserves section locally produced honey from Hockley Heath has long been a firm favourite. Now we've added Manuka honey from New Zealand, celebrated for its antibacterial and antibiotic properties, which has achieved amazing results in the medical field. Our ranges are continually expanding - these are just two examples among many to show you that Becketts is buzzing with new ideas.

24th June 2008

We have had a Conference Suite since 1996, discreetly situated above the Farm Shop - so discreetly in fact that half our retail customers didn't know it existed. Now it has been completely refurbished and entrance is via the oak and chrome staircase in the Coffee Shop. (I copied the staircase from TV's Grand Designs). The main room will seat up to 60 delegates as before, but we have added 3 small breakout rooms as well, each approximately 5.5 x 3.5 metres, which much enhance the facility. Although part and parcel of the conference suite (along with a free-flow coffee bar and reception area) these small offices could in certain circumstances be let out separately. We are nothing if not flexible so please do contact us to discuss your individual requirements.

Food naturally plays a very special part in our conference packages. There are many options to choose from and all are prepared from the same fresh food sold in the farm shop - whatever suits your personal circumstances we are happy to provide.

8th July 2008

Tune in to SMOOTH RADIO 105.7fm and win a Becketts Hamper!

We're doing a spot of advertising with Smooth Radio and giving 5 lucky listeners the opportunity to win a luxury hamper full of goodies to the value of £500.

The promotion is running all this week from 1-4 pm in the afternoon show hosted by Carlos the well loved West Midlands presenter. All you need to do is phone in and answer this question: "What's sizzling this summer on the BBQ?" Carlos will list a number of items and challenge listeners to guess which 3 are actually cooking.

All this week you can see further details about Becketts Farm on a special microsite within Smooth Radio's own website

The only thing Smooth haven't done is fix the weather ……………….

12 July 2008

Becketts has entered competitions before and we're very proud to have won Best Farm Shop of the Year in the past. Now, with our new build and restaurant refurbishment, we've been tempted to go for something bigger. The Retail Interiors Awards attract entries from almost every major player in UK retailing and this year we put our own name forward.

I am thrilled to tell you that Becketts Farm Shop and Restaurant has been shortlisted for both Retail Destination of the Year and Best In-Store Catering and Hospitality. Our fellow competitors on the respective shortlists are Marks & Spencer, Fortnum & Mason, World Duty Free Bar at Terminal 5, Wyvale at Bicester, and Princesshay Shopping Quarter at Exeter. We're right up there with the big boys and it's all thanks not only to our staff and shop designers but also to you, our customers, who constantly support and encourage us to go that extra mile.

The Awards will be announced on 30th September at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane and I'll let you know the result straight after.

04 August 2008

Some people receive extraordinary items as gifts. My friend Heather Gorringe of www.wigglywigglers.co.uk tells me that she recently asked her customers for information on how they first acquired her "Can O Worms" product and found out that a surprising number were given as birthday presents! We're a little more conventional at Becketts Farm but nevertheless offer a remarkably wide selection of tasteful and different giftware, all with a "country" theme. For example there's a small range of footstools, suitable for children or for putting up one's feet. Or for something small but appropriate there's a "Garden in a Pot" - a decorative plant pot complete with all the necessary ingredients to grow herbs or a flower. The range is select but comprehensive and the finishing touches - wrapping paper, cards and tags - are there as well.

Remember, too, that we can always make you up a bespoke and most attractive hamper based on goods from anywhere in the shop - but that's a story for another day.

18 August 2008

We have just appointed a new Kitchen Manager for our Restaurant. Mike Thomas is a 39 year old local man, father of four and is highly experienced in bringing modern English farmhouse food to the people of the West Midlands. He has spent the past five years doing precisely that with Toyk Farmhouse Restaurants. Mike says "I'm really excited about the challenge of continuing Becketts' reputation as providers of the best breakfast in the Midlands. I'm also looking forward to people trying out our latest main menu with its new inspirational additions".

The new menu that Mike refers to comes into effect later this week and we'll make sure that details are available via our Restaurant webpage.

Our winter programme of Special Events kicks off on 20th September, featuring a clairvoyancy evening with the remarkable Julie Angel Guest (www.julieangelguest.co.uk). Tickets, which include our legendary Country Carvery with Beef, Turkey and all the trimmings, are only £25, and telephone bookings can be made via 01564 823402.

22 September 2008

This is just a quick update. A week can be a long time in farming (as well as in politics) and the few fine days we have enjoyed have really turned the situation round. The combine squelched and crabbed its way through sodden fields and all the grain is harvested apart from 3 flooded acres which had to be abandoned. Unfortunately the quality, obviously, is poor. Now the race is on to get next year's crop planted and Geoff, Ronnie, Radar and Rex are working 7 days, all hours, to prepare the land and sow the seed. And, yes, I've stopped being a whingeing farmer!!!

Becketts Farm has always been a huge admirer of the Macmillan Cancer Support organisation and the wonderful nurses who work within it. The organisation is holding a national Coffee Morning on Friday 26th September and Becketts is proud to say that, for the fifth year running, it will be donating £1 for every cup sold in its restaurant that morning to the campaign. So please join us and help make it a bumper contribution to a wonderful cause.

29th September 2008.

As I told you last week, we eventually salvaged all our harvest apart from three sodden acres which had to be abandoned . The combine squelched and crabbed its way through sodden fields and the quality, obviously, is poor. Now the race is on to get next year's crop planted and Geoff, Ronnie, Radar and Rex are working 7 days, all hours, to prepare the land and sow the seed. The rape is all in and we're racing along with the wheat wherever it's dry enough to get a good seedbed.

I'm delighted to say that the collection for the Macmillan nurses coffee morning last Friday came to a little over £200. Becketts is making that up to £250, which is being forwarded today. Here's a picture of four of our bonny waitresses wearing their special Macmillan shirts to mark the occasion. Thank you to all our customers who generously supported the appeal.

5th October 2008

I'm writing this from my hospital bed because I managed to break a leg in two places while on a motorbiking weekend near Hereford. This is putting a number of people to a lot of trouble and Nicky's going to have to drive me round for a while. I guess I shall be putting in more time in the office but the plus side of this enforced grounding will be the opportunity of meeting more of you in the shop and restaurant.

But I'm glad this all happened before last Tuesday when we went up to London for the Retail Interiors Awards. There are a dozen different Awards relating to the interior design of various categories of store and I'm thrilled to tell you that Becketts was one of the four finalists for "Best In-Store Catering and Hospitality". The judges said: "Becketts' shows how, at the better end, farm shops are becoming destinations because they really do offer a day out, complete with on-site dining…" The ultimate winner was the Marks & Spencer Kitchen in Newcastle and the other two finalists were Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly and the World Duty Free Bar in Heathrow's Terminal Five. So we're proud indeed to be included in such prestigious company.

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