THE owner of Keelham Farm Shop, in Skipton, has been bought out by the company’s existing shareholders.

The company said owner Victoria Robertshaw will still be involved with the business as it relocates its offices from Broughton Hall to the store in Gargrave Road and will continue to trade under the name Keelham Farm Shop.

A spokesman said the plan is to consolidate in Skipton and then look to how to expand the business.

The company also said redundancies have either taken place or are already in process, adding that ‘there are no further redundancies planned at this time’.

No details of how many jobs have been lost up to date have been released.

The spokesman also said there were no plans to sell the business at this time.

A notice issued to staff at the end of January read: “Keelham Farm Shop, having successfully demerged in 2019, is moving into 2020 with its key focus being to consolidate and develop the business ready for its proposed expansion.

“In order to drive the business forward, Keelham 2020 LLP are to make additional investment into the business and have purchased the remaining shareholding held by the founder, Victoria Robertshaw.

“Victoria Robertshaw is to remain with the business as non-executive founder and creative director and will continue to be the face of Keelham Farm Shop focusing on the brand proposition and assisting the team with her considerable retail industry knowledge.

Ms Robertshaw said of the deal: “As Keelham starts another exciting new chapter, I too am excited for the challenges ahead. The pace of change in retail is relentless and yet inspiring.

“With the additional investment from Keelham 2020 LLP I will have the space and time to respond to new creative impulses and to focus my energies on developing the brand proposition for the next generation of fresh food retail”

Gerrard Downes, of Keelham 2020 LLP said: “Since our first investment in the business we have been fully supportive of the plans to develop and expand Keelham Farm Shop.

“We have taken the opportunity to invest further in what we believe is a great brand which has significant scope for growth in the future.”

The original Keelham farm shop, in Thornton, Bradford, which went into sole ownership by Victoria’s brother, James, and renamed Robertshaw’s Farm Shop, is unaffected.