A MULTI award-winning Somerset farm shop declared its new-look café officially re-open recently with the help of its first two customers across the threshold on the day (June 27, 2023).
The team at Rumwell Farm Shop between Taunton and Wellington invited Ruth Tartaglia from Hemyock and her son John Tartaglia, who is visiting from Bermuda, to cut the ribbon.
Partner at Rumwell Farm Shop, Anne Mitchell said: “We closed our award-winning Rumwell Café for just eight days to make the transformation. It took a lot of hard work by everyone involved here onsite and also our contractors and suppliers, who’ve been brilliant. The Café now has a look in keeping with our shop and our new Rumwell Orchard extension, which we opened earlier this year.
“We were so pleased that Ruth, who is a regular customer, and her son, John, were the first people through the door when we re-opened. They were our early birds of the day!
“They were delighted when we asked them to cut our ceremonial ribbon and we treated them to a free breakfast as a ‘thank you’ for doing the honours.
“We’ve had lots of lovely comments from everyone who’s been in and seen the transformation, which is much more contemporary than we had before and definitely a lot more comfortable and stylish. It’s not such a big open space now and it feels much more intimate and friendly.”
The Rumwell Café, which first opened in 2015, uses ingredients from the Mitchell family farm just up the road including beef, pork, eggs and potatoes and sources many other items from Somerset and the Westcountry too.
It’s open seven days a week, offers a table service for guests and the Café kitchen also has Coeliac UK’s Gluten Free accreditation.
Ruth Tartaglia said: “We love the new look of the Café and the pictures make a nice touch. It has a much cosier feel and we’ll be back again next week!”
Rumwell Farm Shop is an independent, family-run, award-winning business owned by the Mitchell family. It was originally a potato store, when David and Anne Mitchell began selling their potatoes and free-range eggs at the gate more than 25 years ago.
Due to customer demand, the range of products soon increased, and the Farm Shop grew into the place it is today. David and Anne’s sons, James and Jack, are now also involved in the business, as well as their wives, Sophie and Donna.
Rumwell Farm Shop won nine Taste of the West Gold Awards in 2022 for its Shop and Café and also for some of its made onsite products. It was also a finalist in the Large Farm Shop of the Year category in the 2023 national Farm Retail Awards.
The Shop has a traditional Butchery counter selling its home-reared and free-range pork and Rumwell Angus beef. Its dry cured back bacon was given the title of overall Champion Bacon in the 2022 Taste of the West Awards.
Also onsite is the new, purpose-built Rumwell Orchard events space, a Delicatessen, Bakery, Jam Kitchen, Food Hall, Wine Cellar, Gluten Free Kitchen, Food To Go service and Gift Room.
For more information, please call Rumwell Farm Shop, which is located in Rumwell between Taunton and Wellington, on 01823 461599 or visit www.rumwellfarmshop.com.
