Food hall scoops prestigious farming award
An innovative food hall which supports local farmers and promotes the region’s best produce to consumers has scooped a prestigious award.
The Suffolk Food Hall, which less than three years ago, topped the bill for the Best Alternative Land Enterprise (BALE) award, presented by the Suffolk Agricultural Association.
The BALE award is held to find East Anglia’s best farming diversification enterprise run from buildings or land on farms. They are open to farmers from Suffolk, and adjoining counties – Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Robert and Oliver Paul’s food hall brings together local suppliers in a food market which also supports other rural businesses. It was established in a bid to bring the best quality local food to a wider audience, explained Robert Paul.
“We were frustrated that consumers had limited access to much of the fantastic food produced locally. Spurred into action by this apparent gap in the market, the concept of a showcase for quality local food with provenance began to take shape.”
The winners were presented with the Ashton Graham Challenge Cup and a cheque for £1000. Judges praised the initiative for its careful conversion of a substantial but redundant farm building and for helping to revitalise the rural economy.
Jonathan Long, agricultural partner at sponsors Ashton Graham Solicitors, said the food hall had made perfect use of its rural location, supported local food producers and had created much-needed rural jobs.
