One of Harborough’s favourite shops is celebrating 35 years of serving the town

One of Market Harborough’s favourite shops is celebrating chalking up its 35th year.

Set up in 1985, Farndon Fields Farm Shop has won a string of top awards over more than three decades in the town.

And the top shop and restaurant on Farndon Road, Market Harborough, is targeting many more accolades as the country gradually returns to normal after the Covid-19 crisis.

Nicola Stokes, their marketing and branding manager, said the global pandemic had unfortunately forced them into a birthday rethink.

“We were planning to host a big birthday party in July.

“But we will no longer be doing this due to the coronavirus,” said Nicola, whose visionary parents Kevin and Milly run the amazingly popular business.

“We are now working on a new idea to celebrate our milestone with our many customers this summer.”

She saluted their staff for battling against all the odds to make 2020 a year to remember for all the right reasons.

“2020 has been a great (yet challenging) year for Farndon Fields after we won Shop of the Year 2020 in the Guild of Fine Food awards in March,” said Nicola. “We are very proud of our hard-working team who have continued to create a great, safe shopping experience for all our customers.”

Her dad Kevin Stokes deserves immense credit, sowing the first seeds as he launched the groundbreaking venture in 1983.

Bending his back and rolling up his sleeves, he ploughed the grass fields and planted the first potatoes at Farndon Fields Farm.

“The potatoes were sold from the farmhouse and soon the farm shop was born.

“Kevin and Milly have together grown the business.

“Today it consists of a 550-acre farm and a large farm shop selling the farm’s produce along with an extensive selection of local and British food,” said Nicola.

“Farming is at the heart of Farndon Fields.

“It’s where it started, what the business has been built on through the years and what Kevin loves doing every day.”

The Stokes have poured blood, sweat and tears – and no little innovation and imagination - into creating one of the best farm shops anywhere in the UK.

“Milly joined Kevin at Farndon Fields in 1989 and brought her interior design skills to the business.

“She designed the farm shop layout and displays.

“In 1998 the farm shop had outgrown the farmhouse garage.

“Milly designed a new purpose-built farm shop in the field next door which is where the farm shop is situated today.

“Since then the farm shop has expanded four times and added more facilities - the butchery, deli and a café. “The most recent building project was the extension of The Farmer's Kitchen and gift shop in 2015 which Milly designed and project managed.

“We're always looking to improve and innovate.

“So our most recent project has been the redesign and fitting of our brand new butchery, fresh fish and deli counters, all designed and led by Milly and completed in September 2018,” said Nicola, whose shop draws in an army of loyal customers from throughout Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

“Farndon Fields has now been going for 35 years with Kevin and Milly Stokes at the helm.

“Our mission is to work together to provide outstanding customer service and to inspire our customers by creating an exceptional food experience.

“The business continues to grow and develop.

“Some processes may have changed with the times.

“But the vision is still very much the same here at Farndon Fields - to be the ultimate destination to experience local food and farming.”