A popular garden centre, farm shop and tea-rooms nestled in a tranquil village valley has been named among the best in the region after a nomination in the "Rural Oscars". Lymefield Garden Centre and Farm Shop in the picturesque village of Broadbottom is known for its stunning views of rolling countryside.
It's situated in the Etherow Valley in Tameside, views of which can be admired from the tea room terrace looking down towards the River Etherow. The cafe is famed for its freshly-baked cheese and onion pies and cakes.
Now staff at Lymefield are celebrating after they were named as a north of England finalist in the Countryside Alliance Awards for rural enterprise. The awards are now open to public votes, and they're hoping their customers will get behind them.
Read more: We went for Sunday lunch at the garden centre that pulls in punters from miles around with its pies
The business has been trading for over 25 years, starting as a garden centre at the former dairy farm, and has grown considerably ever since. It now has over 50 employees all local to the area.
The historic farm site has been owned by the Pryce family for the past 100 years and is now run by brothers Robert and David Pryce. Initially a dairy farm, 25 years ago they decided to diversify with a garden centre - starting it all off with a "couple of polytunnels" on their land.
A small tearoom followed five years later, before a purpose-built extension was added to the site ten years ago to house a fully-stocked farm shop and large tearooms with the outdoor terraces. The aim was to find a space to showcase their own home-reared lamb at the butchers, as well as local pork from the neighbouring village of Chisworth.
Robert and David say Lymefield is at the heart of the local community supporting a wide range of projects and charities - as well as being used as a hub for both local people to meet over coffee and people to travel from across the region for a day out.
Items sold across the Tea Room and Farm Shop are sourced locally as they believe in supporting other small businesses across the region.
The tearoom's menu boasts cooked breakfasts in the morning through to a full hot menu at lunchtime, including that cheese and onion pie with salad for £9.45 or wedges for £10.45, while there's a massive cabinet of home-made cakes priced from £3.45 such as lemon drizzle, chocolate fudge and scones. You can also pick up slices of cake, scones, lemon buns and fruit tarts to take away from the farm shop from £1.75.
Jill Todd, Office Operations Manager at Lymefield said: "Lymefield is an amazing place to work, it has the best surroundings, a proper team culture and customers are like our family. We are all totally blown away that we have made it through as one of the finalists in the North of England Region for the Rural Enterprise category.
"The team here can’t stop smiling, it’s a massive boost to the business and to the local community, we are very proud to be recognized and a huge thank you to everyone who has voted for us so far."
Lymefield is nominated in the rural enterprise category, up against a range of other businesses that have shown diversification at farms in the north, including the Brindle Gin Distillery in Chorley, Lancashire and The Gather community-run cafe and events space in Ennerdale, Cumbria.
Countryside Alliance Awards Director Sarah Lee commented: “These awards provide a cause for celebration in a time of great uncertainty in the countryside. They were set up to provide a voice and a platform for the rural businesses that form the hearts of their communities.
"Our local produce is second to none and there are many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition, so please get involved and nominate today.”
Lymefield tearooms open daily from 9am to 4pm (and from 10am on Sundays) while the farm shop and garden centre is open until 5.30pm. There's a large free car park for customers and for those driving, use sat nav SK14 6AG to get there.
For those using public transport, its located around a ten minute walk from Broadbottom train station.
The full list of "Rural Oscars" nominees for the North
Here is the full list of nominees in the Countryside Alliance awards, with winners to be announced on May 17, 2023. You can vote for YOUR favourites in all categories by clicking here.
Butcher
B.W. & D.J Glaves & Sons Ltd, North Yorkshire
Roast Mutton, Cumbria
Muffs of Bromborough (Merseyside), Merseyside
Foreman's Butchers, Northumberland
Local Food / Drink
Stoneygate Farm Shop & Cafe, North Yorkshire
Town End Farm Shop, North Yorkshire
Gazegill Organics & Dairy, Lancashire
Knitsley Farm Shop, Durham
Hauxley Farm Dairy, Northumberland
Pub
Boot and Slipper, Yorkshire
Heft, Cumbria
The Blacksmiths Arms, North Yorkshire
The Queens Arms, North Yorkshire
The Oddfellows Arms, Cumbria
Rural Enterprise
Lymefield Garden Centre, Tameside
The Gather Ennerdale, Cumbria
Create Hodder, Lancashire
The Perfect Shot, Northumberland
Brindle Distillery | Cuckoo Gin, Lancashire
Village Shop / Post Office
Barton Store and Post Office, North Yorkshire
Burscough Bridge Post Office, Lancashire
Chatton Village Store & Post Office, Northumberland
Slaidburn Central Store and Post Office, Lancashire
Sutton General Store and Post Office, Cheshire
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