Farmers plan to build £3 million eco-friendly shop (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Owners of popular farm shop reveal design for huge new local produce outlet

8:50am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in Skipton & The Dales By Lindsey Moore

A Bradford family farming business wants to build a £3 million super-size farm shop in Skipton .

Billed as an ‘eco-friendly barn for the 21st Century’, the Keelham Farm Shop would be built on the former Nicholas Smith garage site on Gargrave Road.

It would sell fresh meat and produce from Craven farmers and suppliers in addition to providing a visitor’s centre with live animals and cookery demonstrations.

And if approved by Craven District Council, work would start in Spring 2013, and the store, with parking for 127 cars, would open for business a year later.

It would be the second farm shop for the business owned by third generation farmers, brother and sister, James and Victoria Robertshaw.

The original Keelham Farm Shop, in Thornton , Bradford, has been going for 40 years, serves more than 8,000 customers every week and this year is a finalist in the Welcome To Yorkshire White Rose Awards in the Taste Of Yorkshire category.

Fresh produce accounts for 75 per cent of what it sells and it offers goods from more than 100 producers in the area in addition to meats grown and reared by 290 local farms, including the family’s own farm in Cowling .

“We believe food tastes better from the farm and we aim to make affordable, fresh, good quality produce available to everyone.”

Her brother added: “At Keelham, generations of experience has taught us the importance of championing local farmers and producers.

“They help strengthen our local economy, conserve our surrounding countryside, and offer the freshest, tastiest food.”

A planning application was due to be submitted to Craven District Council this week. An exhibition of the plans is due to take place at Skipton Auction Mart on Thursday, August 16 from noon to 7.30pm.