It all started almost three years ago with the onset of Foot and Mouth. Holker Estates, desperate to help its tenant farmers on the Cartmel Peninsula ran a marketing and branding campaign for their distinctive saltmarsh lamb. "It's all to do with the grasses they graze on" explains Dickon Knight, agent for Holker estates, "the salt marsh grasses make the meat denser and sweeter with a less fatty, lighter texture". The unique flavour and texture of the lamb meant that the tenants could achieve a premium value and it has even reached the shelves of Harrods and Selfridges.

Not content to leave it there, Lord and Lady Cavendish decided to build on what they saw were the beginnings of something big. From beginnings born out of a need to help their tenants grew the idea for a food hall which would expand their product list and give something a bit special to local residents, as well as visitors to the area.

Cumbria Fells and Dales LEADER+ were brought in to assist with the development stage as disused stables were renovated to create a fantastic hall with oak flooring and oak shelves complemented with a Burlington slate finish. The shelves groan under the weight of jams, jellies, chutneys, pies, game (from one of their tenants, Cartmel Valley Game), venison (from their deer park), sticky toffee puddings (from Cartmel Village Shop), sweets and deserts (made in their local food café next door), ready made products, meats (from Savin Hill Farm as well as their tenant farmers), cheese products, freshly made bread and seasonal fruit and vegetables. Where possible, the food is sourced from their tenants (subject to meeting high quality standards) as well as other producers local to the area. There is also an Italian "Casa al Bosco" range of high quality products local to the Casa al Bosco region of Southern Italy where Lord and Lady Cavendish spend a lot of their time.

The food hall fits well with the local food café to create an experience unique to Holker. "There is a close synergy between the food hall and the café" says Dickon Knight, "where possible they work together to produce freshly baked products and local produce meals which you can enjoy in the beautiful surroundings of Holker Hall or in the comfort of your own home".

The food hall and local food café can be accessed without purchasing a ticket to Holker Hall, Gardens and Motor Museum … so you can come back time and time again for more. It opened in March with its official opening on 31st March with endorsement from Clarissa Dickson-Wright who is passionate about the efforts of Holker and has herself sourced many of the products in the food hall and featured Cartmel's Saltmarsh Lamb on BBC2's "Clarissa and the Countryman".

For further information about Holker and its products please contact Holker Estate Office on: 015395 58328

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