The Peak District and Derbyshire is a haven for locally produced food and drink and since the lockdown began in March, shopping local for groceries has rocketed. The corner shop, farm shops and local produce delivery services have all seen a huge surge in customers and sales. The big weekly shop is back as our trips to the supermarket have reduced significantly and that means that in between the big shop we’re turning to local offerings.
Since being advised to only head to the supermarket for essentials, many of us have sought to buy from what’s on our doorstep.
Understandably, shoppers are wanting to avoid crowds and the queues outside supermarkets where possible. Supermarkets are struggling to keep up with demand for online orders. On the other hand, local food and grocery delivery services have been much easier to access, especially useful for anyone self-isolating or less mobile. Local produce is experiencing a boom…
We’ve been talking about our local producers so much more and and the words got round. Some of us have tried cheese, milk, eggs, pies and more from a local farm shop or diary for the very first time – then wondered why we’d not done it sooner.
And when it comes to home delivery, there’s something rather exciting about a box full of local produce arriving at your door. There’s a sense of satisfaction to see your eggs are from Congelton, the sausages are made in Bakewell and the ice cream is produced in Tideswell, for example. This is all going to taste so good, you think to yourself – and it does.
Handily, the Peak District and neighbouring counties are packed full of local producers.
We were already seeing a growth in this market; more of us have been increasingly beating a path to farm shops, local bakery’s and the local butcher. And the ‘deli’s on the go’ delivery businesses have continued to spring up too. The urge to shop more sustainably, animal welfare and food quality, for example, has become far more important to shoppers in recent years.
Then the coronavirus pandemic happened, changing our everyday lives in just a few weeks. Lockdown happened, supermarket food shopping became challenging and our shopping habits changed virtually overnight; and local food and produce businesses are booming as a result.
Who’s doing what local to Buxton?
We’d be really interested in your experience – where did you shop for local food and/or groceries? Was it delivered? How is it different to the supermarket? Do you think it costs more? Would you do it again? Get in touch at [email protected].
In the mean time, here’s our round up of some of the best local options covering the Buxton area:
Sauced Here
Offering a convenient delivery service from a range of specially selected Peak District farmers, food & drink producers and local businesses. Owner Luke is a self confessed ‘proper food lover’ and Sauced Here ‘only choose the best’ products looking for taste, origins of produce and quality. Orders are made via their website and they offer dairy, bakery, fish, meat, Peak District ice cream, snacks, biscuits and more. They have a great range of Peak District beers and wines, soft drinks and Peak Bean fresh coffee too. There’s also a lovely range of hampers and gift bags – perfect if you’re stuck for a gift in lockdown. Orders can be edited up until a certain point before delivery which is convenient.
Delivery: Free delivery to many areas in the Peak District. Use their postcode checker to see whether you qualify for free delivery. Contactless home delivery – the team will call you to let you know when they will be arriving and leave items outside your door for you to take in. Courier delivery also available (delivery fees apply) across the UK.
Minimum order value: £35
T: 07842 302210
Peak District Deli
Peak District Deli are another ‘deli on the go’, offering delivery of a range of food and drink from local producers including store cupboard essentials, conserves and honey, dairy, grains and flour, fruit and vegetables, meat, bread, pastry, oils, condiments and more. Their range of ‘Almost Ready Meals’ features some lovely dishes and ideal if you fancy a break from cooking. They are stockists of Buxton Roastery Coffee and have a superb selection of locally produced gins (inc. Shining Tor, Peakys and Apoteca) and local beers and wines. The team pride themselves on sourcing the very best quality local produce from around the Peak District and they’re also keen on being as sustainable as possible. Peak District Deli are also well known for hosting pop-up supper clubs across the Peak District, which hopefully in time will make a return.
Delivery: Delivery is available across the Peak District (a 24 mile radius from Bakewell) and some areas of Derbyshire. Use their postcode checker to find out more. Orders are usually a two day turn around.
Minimum order value: £35
Chatsworth Farm Shop
Chatsworth Farm Shop is open as usual with increased safety measures to enable social distancing. If you can’t get to the farm shop (near Bakewell), they conveniently now offer home delivery with a wide range of items from local producers, farmers and the Chatsworth Estate. Fresh fruit and vegetables, various meat products (sausages, burgers, chicken and more) and fresh fish – much of which is from the estate, chutneys, pickles and condiments, patés, preserves (jams, lemon curd and marmalade), pasta, pasta sauces and oil, tea and coffee, fresh bread, cakes, cheese, pies and pastries, dairy and eggs and more. They also have a range of essential store cupboard items, beers, wines and spirits, soft drinks and a nice range of confectionery (sweets and chocolates). Everything is picked for its high quality and over 60% of products are produced or prepared on the Chatsworth Estate. Orders can also be collected at the farm shop. All deliveries are contactless. Orders are made online via their product list and this is simply emailed or you can call to place your order if you prefer. Deliveries and collections are available Tuesday to Saturday.
Delivery: Free delivery to some areas.
Minimum order value: £40
T: 01246 565411
Tomsons
A range of store cupboard essentials such as pasta and rice, sugar, tinned kidney beans, chick peas, tinned tomatoes and other tinned goods, bread products and bakery, fresh dairy produce including cheese, milk, butter and cream, fresh fruit and vegetables. Tomson’s are Stockists of Caudwell’s Mill flour from Rowsley. Fruit and vegetable boxes are available for £25. Orders can be made online for delivery and collection. New lines being added all the time.
Minimum order value: £25
Delivery: Free delivery to local areas in the High Peak such as Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Whaley Bridge, New Mills, Hope Valley and more. All deliveries will be contactless, the driver will knock at your door and walk away, for both yours and our driver’s safety.
T: 01298 72099
Pig & Pepper
This lovely little independent bakery has built up a loyal following in Buxton with their great range of freshly made bread and pastries, made on the premises. They also sell lots of tasty store cupboard products ( and equally good for picnics) such as cheeses, pickles, crackers, olive oil and more – many of which are made in the Peak District or Derbyshire. PS, their homemade sour dough bread is delicious and they’re very own ‘croissage rolls’ are lovely.
Opening times: Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 9am – 2pm.
Delivery: Deliveries are on a Tuesday afternoon for those not able to leave home.
Minimum order value: Ask for more information
T: 07546 321167
Buxton Diary
Buxton Dairy primarily delivers milk and can also delivery eggs, cream, bread, butter, juices and yogurts. Ideal if you’re struggling to get to a supermarket for these everyday essentials. Deliveries only, no collection.
Delivery: Delivery charge applies – for more information, call the dairy. Deliveries are Monday – Saturday for milk and produce.
Minimum order value: For more information, call the dairy
T: 01298 23966
Dukes Drive Farm Shop
A family run butchers with a farm shop on Duke’s Drive, near Lime Tree caravan park. A superb source for local produce such as meat (sausages, bacon, chicken fillets, stewing beef) and homemade pies, eggs, butter and cheese and sacks of potatoes.
Delivery: Free delivery to some areas.
Minimum order value: Contact for more information
T: 07890 637833
facebook.com/dukesdrivefarmshop
Geoff Mycock
This traditional family butchers offering local fresh and cooked meats as well as various fresh pies and pasties, sausage rolls, eggs and potatoes is a local favourite. They now offer free delivery in Buxton and the surrounding areas – telephone orders welcome. The shop is also open, with social distancing measures in place.
Delivery: Free in Buxton and to surrounding areas.
Minimum order value: Ask upon enquiring
T: 01298 23330
Fitzgerald’s Bakery
A wide range of bakery goods at their shop on Spring Gardens, including bread freshly made bread (inc. sour dough) flour (self raising, plain and gluten free), cakes, pies, pastries (inc. sausage rolls) cakes, teabags, sugar, rolled oats and fresh coffee beans.
Opening times: 9am – 4pm daily
Delivery: Some deliveries are possibly available although this is changing all the time.
Minimum order value: Please check upon enquiring
T: 01298 22923
Six reasons to eat local
The quality of food is higher
Local produce can mean less pesticides and less chemicals used. The food can taste much better because it’s fresher having travelled less distances and the produce has usually been picked and produced very recently, especially fruit and vegetables. Ripe fruits and vegetables contain the most nutrients; eating locally-produced food has been allowed to ripen fully (not always the case with supermarket produce) so not only does this give us food rich in colour and flavour, it means that our body gets the highest nutritional value possible.
The supermarket shopping experience which has become even more of a chore
Ideally it’s best for anyone in a higher risk category not to visit a supermarket and indeed for everyone making a trip to a busy supermarket we increase our social interaction and risk of exposure to infection. Seeing shoppers wearing face coverings has become the norm. With stores limiting the number of customers entering at anyone time, the queues can be long – it’s been sunny lately but what if it’s throwing it down? What if you’re not feeling great that day? Or you’ve choice but to take the kids with you? Once we’re inside, the experience isn’t the same either; browsing isn’t really the done thing nowadays, we try our best to stay 2 meters away from others (a distraction in itself) and you hit the dairy aisle and it’s suddenly really busy and people are in the way of the Cheshire Cheese you’re trying to grab out of the chiller without being frowned at for being too close, so you wait patiently. You get the picture; shopping local, using a delivery service, takes away these experiences.
Quicker delivery than supermarkets
Online orders with supermarkets have been and remain difficult and near to impossible, even for those supermarkets prioritising anyone classed as vulnerable (which some supermarkets are offering). Most of the local food delivery services we’ve listed in this article can offer really quick delivery (within a few days of ordering) and of course all businesses are doing contactless deliveries.
Supports your local economy
Every time you buy produce from someone other than a local producer your money leaves the local economy. By shopping locally you keep money in your area, which helps to sustain local producers and create local jobs. By supporting your local farmer today, you’ll help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow.
It’s more sustainable and kinder to the environment
Choosing to buy your food from local sources eliminates the need for fuel-intensive transportation where journeys Where possible, select farmers who follow organic and sustainable farming practices to minimise the environmental impact of your food.
It’s more likely to be organic
It can mean higher levels of animal welfare, lower levels of pesticides, no manufactured herbicides or artificial fertilisers and more environmentally sustainable land management – meaning the local wildlife can benefit.
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