Is Lancashire's food industry still fruitful?

Assignment 2 - Article 1

Lancashire has seen its local food industry in recent year’s boom, having been well and truly put on the map.

From celebrity endorsements by chefs such as Jamie Oliver to the successes of local chef Nigel Haworth with Northcote Manor and the television programme The Great British Menu, times have rarely been better.

The county has a rich heritage of producing wonderful local produce such as meat, vegetables and beer but is arguably most famous for its cheese.

Credit Crunch

But with the credit crunch sweeping the globe and the UK recently falling into recession, has anything changed?

Small businesses employ 13.5 million people and have an annual turnover of £1,400 billion, something the government has taken note of stating they “are the lifeblood of the UK economy” and “we have to do everything we can to help.”

However, recent figures estimate that 280 small businesses are closing down every week, so has Lancashire’s local food industry felt the bite?

Ups and downs

Peter Ashcroft, of H&P Ashcroft, Tarleton admits: “We grow a variety of vegetables, but we’re in the November doldrums, it’s always quiet around Christmas. I have extended my overdraft though.”

Andrew Lanigan, a fishmonger of Lanigan’s of Lytham said: “Yes, I’ve noticed a change in the luxury end of the market, particularly lobsters.”

It’s not the food industry that has had the real problems though, the brewing industry seems to have suffered the worst.

Ian Bearpark, of Daniel Thwaites Brewery, Blackburn, says: “The brewing industry has got its own issues at the moment, however the credit crunch has further compounded these problems.”

But it’s not all bad news for Lancashire food producers with many having noticed very little difference at all.

Ian Banks of Eaves Green Game Farm, Goosnargh says: “We’re just about keeping up with demand with Christmas coming. Maybe I’ve just got my pricing right.”

Andrew Sharp of Farmer Sharp, Lindal in Furness, said: “We sell naturally reared red meats; beef, veal and mutton. We sell at the high end of the market so have not felt the effects of the credit crunch. Our major protection is our speciality.”



Gillian Pugh, of Pugh’s Piglets, Garstang, who supplies top chef Raymond Blanc with suckling pig added: “We sell to a very niche market, it’s very difficult to say whether it’s affected us.”

The press hold some blame

Reg Johnson, of Johnson and Swarbrick, Goosnargh said: “There has been no change at the top end of the market. I supply game to some top London restaurants and there’s never a change in demand.”

He adds: “There’s been about a 10% drop in general demand, mainly in the lower end of the market such as cheaper hotels.”

Reg has plenty of ill-feeling towards the press. He thinks that under knowledgeable journalists at tabloid newspapers can “destroy markets” and that “the power of the pen is very worrying.”

Optimism for future

With the credit crunch seemingly had little effect, there is a mood of cautious optimism among some people.

Amanda Dowson, of Mrs. Dowson’s Ice Cream, Clayton-le-Dale, hopes next year will be better. “It’s difficult to say whether the credit crunch has affected us because of the bad weather in the summer.”

She added: “We’ve noticed customers are paying slower, but sales are up on last year.”



John Midgely, of Blundell Farm Salads, Tarleton, is optimistic for the future. “We’re in a niche market, growing decorative salads such as fennel, endive and celeriac.”



“We did really well in the last recession. We are the only people in the North to grow these salads so we did a lot of trade with businesses in Scotland, popular with American and Canadian tourists.”

“With the pound so weak again, there may be a tourism boom next summer. I’m hoping for a better year next year.”

Thanks to Richard Moran for the photographs.