Hobbs House Bakery named Farm Shop &amp; Deli Awards baker of the year

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Hobbs House Bakery has been declared Baker of the Year in the 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Awards.

The business’ Tetbury store collected the award in a ceremony at the Farm Shop & Deli Show in Birmingham’s NEC yesterday. The store also took the South West regional award.

Awards judges praised the store for its importance to the local community, good staff retention and development, and strong charity work.

They added: “We love the idea of courses and giving out recipes and teaching people how to make things.”

Hobbs House was one of the 13 category winners and nine regional winners of the Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2017.

The other bakery award finalists were Bondgate Bakery, Otley; Hambleton Bakery, Rutland; and The Hungry Guest, Petworth.

Now in their fourth year, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards recognise the best specialist independent retailers in the UK and celebrate high levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement.

The North East region dominated this year’s awards with five winners from across the 13 categories, and three of the nine regional winners, including the 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year Keelham Farm Shop.

The awards were judged by a panel of experts from the world of speciality retail, fine food and food media, including Arthur Howell, fourth-generation butcher and 2016 Farm Shop & Deli Awards Retailer of the Year; Jon May, managing director of Fabulous Food & Drink; Nigel Nugent, head of product development for Iceland Foods; and Vince Bamford, editor of British Baker.

“It’s a real privilege to acknowledge food and drink retailers of this quality,” said chairman of judges Nigel Barden. “These are passionate, enterprising, knowledgeable and diligent people.”

A Beetroot Multiseed Sourdough loaf, produced by Seasons Bakery, was named Britain’s Best Loaf 2017 at the Farm Shop & Deli Show yesterday.

The full list of winners comprises:

Baker of the Year

Winner: Hobbs House Bakery (Tetbury), also South West regional winner
Commended: Bondgate Bakery (Otley) / Hambleton Bakery (Rutland) / The Hungry Guest (Petworth)

Butcher of the Year

Winner: Cunningham Butchery and Food Hall (Kilkeel), also Northern Ireland regional winner
Commended: Brace of Butchers (Dorchester) / Meat NW5 (London) / The Pink Pig Farm (Scunthorpe) / Walter Rose & Son (Devizes)

Cheesemonger of the Year

Winner: Paxton & Whitfield (London), also South East regional winner
Commended: Cheese Please (Lewes) / Cheeses of Muswell Hill (London) / The Courtyard Dairy (Settle)

Delicatessen of the Year

Winner: Delilah Fine Foods (Leicester)
Commended: Arch House Deli (Clifton) / Billington’s of Lenzie (Glasgow) / Papadeli (Bristol) / The Gourmet Pig (Fishguard) / The Norfolk Deli (Hunstanton)

Farm Shop Large Retailer of the Year

Winner: Keelham Farm Shop (Skipton), also North East regional winner and Retailer of the Year
Commended: Bodnant Welsh Food Centre (Tal y Cafn, Conwy) / Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop (Bakewell) / Drewton’s Farm Shop (South Cave)

Farm Shop Small Retailer of the Year

Winner: The Gog Farm Shop (Cambridge), also East Anglia regional winner
Commended: Cross Lanes Organic Farm (Barnard Castle) / Dahlia’s Farm Shop (Blackpool) / Foxholes Farm Shop (Hertford) / Roots Farm Shop (Northallerton) / Uncle Henry’s (Grayingham) / Welbeck Farm Shop (Worksop)

Fishmonger of the Year

Winner: Ramus Seafood Emporium (Harrogate)
Commended: Latimers (Whitburn) / The Fresh Fish Shop (Haywards Heath)

Food Hall of the Year

Winner: Delifonseca Dockside (Liverpool), also North West regional winner
Commended: Bakers & Larners of Holt (Norfolk) / Cranstons /Brampton Food Hall (Brampton) / Ludlow Food Centre (Shropshire)

Greengrocer of the Year

Winner: Rafters of Driffield (Driffield)
Commended: Andreas of Chelsea (London) / K D Davis & Sons (Rotherham)

Local Shop of the Year

Winner: Siop Pwllglas (Ruthin), also Wales regional winner
Commended: FINK (Boroughbridge) / Shropshire’s Own (Shrewsbury) / StockGhyll Fine Food (Ambleside)

Market of the Year

Winner: Horsforth Farmers’ Market (West Yorks)
Commended: West Malling Farmers’ Market (Kent)

Newcomer of the Year

Winner: Brace of Butchers (Dorchester)
Commended: Court Farm Shop (Cheltenham) / Donaghy & Sanderson (Pitlochry) / Love Cheese (York) / The Lambing Shed Farm Shop (Knutsford)

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