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 extends range of bakes at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Croots Farm Shop head baker with Val's range

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has added to its range of bakes created by Great British Bake Off star Val Stones.

Val’s brother Steve Croot runs the farm shop near Duffield, with wife Kay, and last year they teamed up to launch a tasty selection of bakes under the Val at Croots……made with love brand.

Now two new bakes – banana and pecan loaf and spelt cookies - have been added to the range.

“Val’s bakes have gone down so well with our customers that we’re delighted to now be launching two additional products,” said Steve Croot. “She was an absolute star on Bake Off last year and won many fans. She’s remained popular with the public and has thousands of followers on social media, who enjoy watching her baking.

“We are proud to sell Val’s bakes in Croots – items that she’s specially created in conjunction with our bakers at the farm shop to sell on our shelves.”

Other products in the range include Virtuous Cake (fat free and sugar free), cherry shortbread and a selection of cookies. The Virtuous Cake and the cherry shortbread have been best-sellers, added Steve.

Val, a retired head teacher who lives in Somerset, said: “I’ve had a hand in helping Steve with recipes and ideas for Croots Farm Shop products for several years now, and I was so pleased when my range Val at Croots……made with love launched in the shop. I’ve now developed two more products in conjunction with Margaret, the chief baker at Croots, and her team, which I hope will prove to be popular with customers.”

Val shot to fame in last year’s Great British Bake Off and became one of the most favourite characters on the BBC TV show.

A regular visitor to Croots, she was cheered on by staff and customers as she took part in the programme. In December, she held baking workshops at the farm shop for customers, which attracted many of her fans.

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

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