A MULTI award-winning Somerset farm shop officially declared its new Rumwell Orchard extension open recently with the help of TV chef Lesley Waters (April 2023).
The team at Rumwell Farm Shop on the A38 between Taunton and Wellington celebrated the launch at a special event, which was also attended by both Taunton and Wellington’s Mayors.
Partner at Rumwell Farm Shop, Anne Mitchell said: “This represents the culmination of a lot of hard work by everyone involved here onsite. We’d also like to thank those who came in to help us, our many contractors and suppliers, they’ve been amazing.
“It’s taken more than a year to get to the stage where we’re now able to declare our exciting events space and bar officially open. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and hope all our visitors love it as much as we do.
“We were delighted to be joined at our celebration by top TV chef and writer Leslie Waters who did the honours of cutting our ceremonial ribbon, along with the Mayor of Taunton, Councillor Sue Lees and the Mayor of Wellington Town Council, Councillor Mark Lithgow.
“Our Rumwell Orchard, which commands an amazing view of our apple orchards at the side of our Shop, is an extension of our award-winning Café. It will be available for private functions and parties previously held in our Café, including special dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions, wakes and more. We can formally seat around 150 people in the space, or we can divide it up into cosy smaller areas where people can use our sofas, if they prefer, for something more informal and intimate, like a meeting or team-building event.”
Around 100 invited VIPs joined the senior management at Rumwell Farm Shop and the Mitchell family to celebrate the launch on the day. They enjoyed canapes prepared by the award-winning Rumwell Café kitchen and toasted the occasion with glasses of bubbly.
In the evening, once the Shop and Café had closed, Rumwell Farm Shop’s team were also invited to a separate staff party to mark the launch.
Anne continued: “Our warm and welcoming, purpose-built Rumwell Orchard is perfect for any events anyone is planning this year. It has a licensed bar and we can provide all the catering you might need onsite – whether you’d like a buffet, an afternoon tea or a three-course dinner.
“Anyone organising an event, who would like to view our space, or chat about our facilities and what we can provide, as well as prices, should get in touch with our Events’ Manager, Sophie Cridland, via events@rumwellfarmshop.com.”
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. It’s 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.
The food prepared in the Café kitchen is sourced from the Farm Shop, the Mitchell family farm, which is just four miles away, and other regional suppliers. The Café kitchen has Coeliac UK’s Gluten Free accreditation.
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.
