AWARD-WINNING MEAT PRODUCERS JOIN THE A66 AT GRETA BRIDGE (November 2005)

One of County Durham's most successful meat producers has opened a new butchery shop at Thorpe Farm Peel House, near Greta Bridge, County Durham, on the A66.

Matthew and Tracy Betney, of Broom Mill Farm, West Auckland, accepted an invitation from Paul Barkes, who runs the Thorpe Farm complex, to open their own shop alongside his existing retail and catering business which began life as a deli and farm shop four years ago.

"I think this is fantastic news for local people," said Paul. "Broom Mill Farm has got a tremendous reputation for its produce and its new shop will be a great attraction not only for locals but for travellers using the A66 looking to buy genuine local food. The new butchery will give us an important addition to our successful deli operation. I have known Tracy who comes from this part of the world for many years, and she and Matthew have done extraordinarily well. I am delighted they are opening up here because it means we can further promote the wonderful produce of Teesdale. Already we carry stock from 25 local suppliers, but the butchery shop will provide an even more dedicated area for local produce."

Broom Mill Farm has won several national awards for its pork sausages and dry-cured bacon and gammon, produced by its home-bred pigs in a welfare-friendly environment, and its home-produced beef. The new shop at the Thorpe Farm centre will be selling Broom Mill pork and beef, lamb from local farms, Kingfisher free-range eggs, free-range chickens, local game, and a range of pies. Other lines will follow in due course, according to Matthew Betney.

He and Tracy took over Broom Mill 18 years ago and have gone on not only to run a successful pig farm which currently has 90 breeding sows, but to build an expanding food production operation serving 15 farmers' markets in the North East and Yorkshire. They also supply small and large retail shops. "We will still be attending our regular farmers' markets after we open the new shop," said Tracy. They will also be keeping open their small, existing farm shop at Broom Mill as well as running a growing mail order business.

Remarkably, the Betneys run their business with only two full-time staff to support their own efforts.

They have been consistently successful with their produce at national competitions in recent years. Their latest awards came at the Great Taste Awards in September when they won gold for their Toulouse pork sausage and two bronze for their cooked ham and beef sausage.