Skipton shop window for farmers’ latest products

The shop’s third generation owners James and Victoria Robertshaw will be welcoming shoppers through the doors of their new branch in Gargrave Road for the first time, bidding to build upon the runaway success of their maiden farm shop, which continues to operate in Thornton, Bradford.

As well as creating 108 new jobs, the new outlet is stocking new local products.

It becomes the first retailer in the country to stock a fat-free Icelandic product similar to yoghurt, called Hesper Farm Skyr, produced at Skipton’s Hesper Farm.

Sam Moorhouse, 22, one in a long line of Moorhouses to work on the dairy farm, honed his skyr-making skills in Iceland before developing his own recipe which uses milk from the farm’s 180-strong herd of pedigree Holstein Friesians.

Hesper is currently the only British farm making authentic skyr.

Another new supplier to Keelham as part of the launch of the new store is Dark Horse Brewery in Hetton which is supplying Hetton Pale Ale and rose-water infused Rosed Ale to the farm shop.

The store’s milk is delivered from Grassington-based Dales Dairies, eggs come from Hambleton View Farm in Burton Leonard and meat will be bought from Skipton’s auction mart which is located on the same street as the shop.

Mrs Robertshaw said: “We are building fantastic links with local suppliers here in North Yorkshire and it’s great to welcome new producers to the Keelham team, as well as being able to introduce our customers in Skipton to some of Yorkshire’s foodie gems that we’ve discovered over the years.

“More than ever before, people want to know where their food comes from and, at Keelham, that really does mean just down the road.”