A Staffordshire farm shop will showcase the best food and drink
in the region when it plays host to a Royal visitor next month.
Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Café is preparing to welcome
HRH the Duke of Gloucester, who will meet staff and customers when
he calls in as part of a visit to the region on July 8.
He will also talk to some of the farm shop's local suppliers, as
well as enjoying refreshments and taking a look at the fare on
offer in the shop's butchery - including its prize-winning
Staffordshire Sizzler sausages.
The farm shop is run by Rupert and Emma Evans, who plan to serve
the Duke, who is the Queen's first cousin, with one of their own
specialities - a slice of delicious courgette cake.
But Rupert said that he is also hoping to use the opportunity to
talk to His Royal Highness about the threat to the rural economy
caused by the escalating cost of commodities, such as fuel, wheat
and sugar.
Mr Evans said: "It is a tremendous honour to host a Royal visit
and a marvellous opportunity to showcase some of the wonderful
quality food produced in this part of the country, including our
legendary courgette cake!
"Good, locally grown food is something we are both passionate
about, but both ourselves and our suppliers are currently facing
real challenges due to an increase in price of essential goods on
an almost weekly basis.
"I know that the Duke is himself a farmer and a passionate
supporter of British agriculture, so I am looking forward to
hearing his own thoughts on the subject."
The visit to Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Café forms part
of a busy day for the Duke, who will also tour the nearby JCB
factory in Rocester.
He will also visit the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas,
where he will unveil a memorial commemorating the part played by
Canadian aircrew in the Second World War in his role as patron of
the Royal Air Force 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron
Association.
Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Café, which was opened in
2007, has won the Tea Shop of the Year award in the Taste of
Staffordshire Awards for three years running and also took second
place in the NFU Award Local Food Champion 2010 awards.
Earlier this year it picked up a Gold Award for its Smoked and
Unsmoked products at the Bacon Connoisseurs Week Awards, organised
by the British Pork Executive (BPEX), while its Staffordshire
Sizzler sausage was crowned West Midlands Star Sausage by the
British Sausage Appreciation Society last year.