Derbyshire farm shop Croots boosts its parking facilities to cater for demand

Steve Croot in the new car park.

Popular Derbyshire farm shop Croots has doubled the size of its car park to cater for increasing numbers of customers.

As it gears up for Christmas and its busiest time of the year, the farm shop near Duffield has opened a second car park to create additional spaces.

The new hardstanding area has effectively doubled the number of car parking spaces at the farm shop in Wirksworth Road to around 56.

“Croots Farm Shop & Café has become a popular destination for shoppers and diners, and we wanted to make sure that our visitors could park – whether they were coming to shop, visit our café for coffee, lunch or afternoon tea, or to use our children’s play area,” said Steve Croot, who runs the shop with wife Kay Croot.

“We’re situated at the end of a 500m drive and many of our visitors come by car, so this will make it easier for customers to find a space, especially as we are now heading towards our busiest time of the year when we expect a lot of visitors to the Christmas events we have planned, as well as those coming to do their shopping or join us in the café.”

The new car park is near the top of the drive, just a few metres away from Croots Farm Shop & Café.

Croots, which opened in June 2008, is an award-winning family run farm shop – well known for its wide array of quality food and drink, homemade produce and gifts. It has an extensive butchery counter and a well-stocked cheese display, making it a big favourite for foodie fans in Derbyshire.

It also sells a range of bakes created exclusively for Croots by Great British Bake Off contestant Val Stones who is the sister of Steve Croot.

Earlier this year, Croots Farm Shop won the People’s Choice in the Midlands Award in the Family United Business Awards.

“We’ve expanded the shop and the café since we opened, and improved the drive, so it’s logical to also extend the car park,” added Steve. “We have additional improvements in the pipeline too, as we continue to boost our facilities and customer experience.”

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit http://www.croots.co.uk. Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Bake Off star Val to shine at Shire Horse Society’s annual dinner

Val Stones

Popular Bake Off contestant Val Stones has been announced as the guest speaker at a dinner to mark the Shire Horse Society’s National Show in Staffordshire in March.

The loveable star of the baking programme will be treating diners to tales of her baking adventures during the evening event, to be held on 17^th March at Bingley Hall, Staffordshire Showground.

The event is open to the public and is in support of the Shire Horse Society – the only national charity dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse.

It coincides with the three-day show running from 17^th to 19^th March, which is the world’s largest gathering of Shires and the chance to see the gentle giants of the horse world in all their finery.

“I became known as the cake whisperer during my time on the Bake Off, but I can’t profess to be a horse whisperer,” said Val, who appeared in last year’s series. “However, I’m absolutely thrilled to have been asked to speak at the annual dinner of the Shire Horse Society.

“My sister-in-law’s family breed and rear Shire Horses, and I love to see them in the fields when I visit, so I’m more than happy to do something to support the breed, which I understand is still regarded as an animal that is at-risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

“I’m looking forward to the event and hope horse lovers and baking lovers alike will support it.”

Around 300 pedigree Shire horses from across Europe are expected to take part in the Shire Horse Society Show, being put through their paces in hand, in harness and during ridden classes.

Open to the public, the event is a colourful day out for all the family and the chance to support the campaign to save this magnificent breed of horse, which only a few decades ago was in danger of dying out.

Society secretary Victoria Clayton said: “We’re delighted that Val Stones has agreed to be our guest speaker at the annual dinner. She’s a really engaging character and we can’t wait to hear more about her baking adventures.”

Tickets for the dinner cost £30 and are available by contacting the Shire Horse Society on 01536 771611.

Tickets for the show are on sale via www.shire-horse.org.uk – discounted if bought in advance. Adult tickets on the gate are £12, or £10 online in advance, while tickets for children aged five to 13 years on the gate are £10, and £8 online in advance.

Children aged 14 years and over are charged at the adult price, while under fives enter free.

Gates open on Friday 17^th March at 8.30am and at 7am on Saturday 18^th and Sunday 19^th March.

For more details and ticket information about the show, visit www.shire-horse.org.uk or follow @saveourshires on Twitter or at www.facebook.com/shirehorsesociety

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Bake Off star Val teams up with Croots Farm Shop to launch tasty range of bakes

Steve Croot and Val Stones

Great British Bake Off star Val Stones has teamed up with the bakers at her brother’s Derbyshire farm shop, Croots, to create a new range of bakes.

The selection, named Val at Croots……made with love, features Virtuous Cake (fat free and sugar free), a three-pack cherry shortbread, and two-pack cookies in three different flavours - ginger, M&M and orange & raisin.

They were launched at Croots Farm Shop, near Duffield, during the shop’s Taste of Christmas event, where Val gave a series of popular demonstrations. The farm shop on Wirksworth Road is run by Val’s brother Steve Croot and his wife Kay, and she has been a regular visitor over the years.

“Val has had a hand in our bakes, quite literally, for some time – helping us out with ideas and suggestions from family recipes and favourites, including our Croots Christmas cake,” said Steve. “More recently, she has been working with our chief baker Margaret and her team in our kitchens to get the recipes just right for the Val at Croots……made with love range. We’re very excited to be launching these new products.

“Val’s a great baker, and I’ve enjoyed eating her cakes for more than 50 years now. We were delighted when she said she’d be happy to help us create a new range of bakes and to also do some baking demonstrations at Croots for our annual Taste of Christmas event.” 

Retired head teacher Val, who lives in Somerset, became one of the public’s favourite contestants in the most recent Great British Bake Off series.

She said: “I love visiting my brother Steve and his family in Derbyshire, and I’ve enjoyed helping out with ideas and recipes for Croots Farm Shop for several years. I always bake with love and I hope that comes across in the Val at Croots range.” 

Croots, which is based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop