Spotlight on local stores

All hail the local retailer. What an incredible job they've been doing during lockdown by supporting local communities; working around the clock to meet local needs whilst adapting their services and feeding the nation. Summerdown wanted to say thank you to these lesser known stores who don't have big advertising and marketing budgets. We thought what better way to do that by giving them a shout out to our email database, our website and across our social media channels. Below, some of these retailers share their stories of how they've adapted to lockdown and describe what you'll find in their wonderful stores. We'll be adding to this list as the weeks go by, please do show them your support however you can. If you are a Summerdown stockist and would like to get involved in this campaign, please drop us a line at sales@summerdownmint.com

Berkshire

Hampstead Norreys Community Shop Hampstead Norreys www.hncs.co.uk A community shop run by a mixture of paid staff and volunteers with several accolades including being crowned ‘Best Rural Shop in Britain’, 2019. The community shop stocks over 2000 lines focusing, wherever possible, on local produce. "The shop has been a lifesaver for many in these challenging times: we now deliver where needed and work hard to ensure as many goods as we can are still available. Our thanks to our suppliers who make this possible!"

Buckinghamshire

Peterley Manor Farm Great Missenden www.peterleymanorfarm.co.uk Peterley Manor Farm is a family-run farm based in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Since Covid-19, the farm has closed it’s café, postponed all events and had to redesign it’s retail area to make it safe for customers and staff members alike. They’ve created an online store overnight, to provide goods on a click&collect or delivery basis, to help the most vulnerable of customers.

Hampshire

The Pickled Pepper Odiham, Hampshire www.thepickledpepperdeli.com The Pickled Pepper is a family run Deli located in the centre of Odiham High Street. Founded as a passion project by husband, wife and daughter in November 2019. "We stock it all, from charcuterie and cheeses to pies, cakes and fresh bread". All can be found on their new website The Little Barn Health & Gift Shop, Worting, Basingstoke www.eoco.org.uk

The Little Barn Health & Gift Shop is an aromatic independent family run business established in 1993 and situated on the outskirts of Basingstoke in Worting Village at Scrapps Hill Farm.

Specialising in award winning British aromatherapy products including local The Essential Oil Company, Summerdown Mint, Neal’s Yard and Absolute Aromas. We have ethical home and body-care products and also a REFILL centre for Faith in Nature & Bio-d. The Little Barn is Basingstoke’s premier shop for all legal CBD products and a wide range of vitamins, minerals and tried & trusted remedies and a huge knowledge base of options to help with sleep, anxiety and everyday aches & pains.

We also have a Soap Bar, organic teas and vegan chocolates, lots of candles and unusual gifts like hand painted gin glasses and salt lamps. Bespoke gift bags can be made up with lots of our unusual items not found on the High Street. A hidden gem and so far no-one has had to queue outside!

All products are paraben free, SLS free, cruelty free and many are vegan. Wherever possible we source locally. We have lots more in store than we show online but you can either visit for a stress-free shopping experience or go online.

Headley Community Shop Headley, Thatcham headleyshop.org.uk Located in North Hampshire between Basingstoke and Newbury just 200m off the busy A339 this convenience store and Post Office was rescued from closure in 2008 and has since been run by the local community in what is a converted chapel. It has become a true local "Hub" as well as attracting passing trade. Members of Hampshire Fare, they stock a good range of local produce as well as everything you would expect for a local shop. They sell fresh fruit and vegetables and bake on the premises as well as stocking a selected range of wines and locally brewed beers. In the Community Room attached to the shop they hold a variety of local events including Art exhibitions twice a year and monthly Village Lunches which are well attended. La di da Andover www.ladida-andover.com La Di Da is an award winning interiors and gift boutique specialising in helping their customers to create a beautiful lifestyle. From fabulous furniture, unusual gifts and lots of “life’s little luxuries” that you just can’t live without, they have something for everyone. Fast nationwide delivery with great service. Caviste Overton and Newlyns Farm Shop, Hook www.caviste.co.uk Caviste offers a broad and exciting selection of wines, gins, whiskies and beers, sourced from family owned vineyards, craft distilleries and breweries from its two shops (currently closed) and via its online service. Whether your taste is for soft juicy Sottano Malbec with its gentle tannins, or the dry, textured citrussy Soalheirho Alvarinho from Northern Portugal to accompany some grilled fish – or any of their range of local gins to add some zest to your evening’s isolation – Caviste can help Tashinga Bishops Waltham www.tashinga.co.uk Owner Rachel tells us "Tashinga is a 'Shona' word and loosely translated means 'Strength in Adversity' and I can honestly stay this is the worst thing to ever have happened in my 20 years of trading, I literally cried when it was announced we had to close. However, I have used the time to completely overhaul and update my website and have invented a means of offering 'Virtual Shopping' via video calls which has worked a treat. My shop ethos, where possible, is for products to be ethically sources, local, handmade, innovative and purposeful and when first introduced to Summerdown Mint felt it fitted in perfectly and it has proved a great success with our customers". Abbots Ann village store and post office Abbots Ann, Andover 01264 710230 A small community Village Shop & Post Office, stocking everything from fresh milk, bread, fruit, veg and any other necessities villagers require. Opening from 08:30 to 13:00 to allow customers to browse. The afternoons are for sorting and delivering food orders & prescriptions. They say "Versatility and adaptability prevail!” Wood Green community shop Fordingbridge www.woodgreenshop.org The focus of Woodgreen Community Shop is local food, from meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables to luxury items such as Summerdown Mints and local crafts. Recently, social distancing has successfully been introduced, restricting the number of customers at any time, and ensuring the safety of staff.

Leicestershire

Oakley Grange farm cafe & deli Hathern www.oakleygrange.co.uk Unprecedented times have seen Oakley Grange Organic Farm’s once buzzing Café & Deli change into a high quality order & collect service offering homemade artisan breads, a variety of delicious cakes, tasty savoury pies & quiches along with cheeses, fresh meats, fruit, vegetables, general groceries, local beers, wines and of course quality chocolates.’

Surrey

Kingfisher Farm shop Abinger Hammer www.kingfisherfarmshop.com A farm shop nestled in the Surrey Hills that sells a distinctive range of food and flowers and offers an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, locally produced breads, handmade cakes and local pies, alongside local jams, chutneys, coffee and of course chocolate treats. Fresh meat from a local butcher is delivered six days a week. A selection of English wines, beers and ciders from Surrey and Sussex are all stocked. "Since the beginning of the Covid 19 crisis we have responded to the needs of our regular customers and begun to offer a delivery and collection box service for those who have been self-isolating. We have adapted our opening hours to 9am-4pm daily (closed Sunday) and we are allowing a maximum of 4 customers inside the shop at any one time.Rather inevitably this means a short queue for our loyal customers, however we have nicknamed it the ‘queue with a view’ as people wait patiently around our beautiful lake. Our normally bustling Flower Shop is temporarily closed however we are still selling a range of beautiful posies and stems inside the Farm Shop."

Wiltshire

Semley Village stores Semley, Shafetsbury www.semleyvillagestores.co.uk A small community shop which stocks something of everything. Lal, their manager,has a particular interest in whole foods and healthy eating. "Since the crisis began we’ve greatly increased our supplies of fruit and vegetables and goods from local producers, especially bread, eggs, honey and cheeses. Thank you to all our customers, old and new."

Yorkshire

Thorpe Farm Centre Barnard's Castle, North Yorkshire www.thorpefarm.co.uk Thorpe Farm Centre offers a range of tasty products in their Farm shop and Gift shop. Ranges include everything from butchery, bakery, dairy, and essential larder cupboard must haves to a vast frozen section including ready meals, fish and much more. "There’s always the opportunity to purchase a treat though, such as chocolate including the delicious Summerdown Mints!”

Scotland

The Corner on the Square Beauly, Inverness www.corneronthesquare.co.uk "Our Deli/cafe/speciality food shop is now 17 years old and Summerdown Mint is one of our favourites especially in our hampers. Please help support us, we are open and seen as essential as we also run a fruit and veg store next door. Our takeaway is open in our deli as well as operating delivery boxes locally via our website. Lochend Farm shop Scotlandwell, Kinrossshire www.lochendfarmshop.co.uk "Since lockdown began, we've expanded our existing shop offering. We stock local, seasonal produce such as eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables, cheeses, sweet treats and baking supplies, vegan range, oatcakes, jams and chutneys, pulses and oils. We are proud to support our local community through these tough times".