Farm shops across Britain are booming, with new research showing the sector now generates £1.4 billion in annual sales nationally and employs 25,000 people. A third of all farm shops have opened within the last decade, and 89 per cent of operators have reported higher sales in recent years, according to a study by Harper Adams University and the Farm Retail Association.
That national picture is reflected right here in our corner of North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, where a handful of outstanding farm shops have become destinations in their own right – drawing customers from Worksop, Retford, Rotherham and beyond with a combination of quality produce, expert butchery and the kind of personal service you simply cannot get in a supermarket.
Whether you are after a weekend joint, a proper pork pie, artisan ice cream or a full tearoom lunch with countryside views, here is Worksop Wire's guide to five of the best farm shops on your doorstep.
1. Welbeck Farm Shop – Worksop
Address: Welbeck Estate, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3LW
Opening hours: Daily 9am–5pm (4pm Sundays), including bank holidays
Phone: 01909 478725
Website: welbeckfarmshop.co.uk
If Worksop has a flagship farm shop, this is it. Sitting on the historic 15,000-acre Welbeck Estate just a few miles south of the town centre, Welbeck Farm Shop was named UK Large Farm Shop of the Year 2024 and UK Farm Butcher of the Year 2024 – two of the most prestigious awards in the industry.
The shop stocks butchery (beef, lamb, pork, poultry, venison and house-made sausages), an artisan bakery, a cheese counter with cow, goat and sheep varieties, seasonal fruit and vegetables, a deli, and a well-stocked off-licence. Much of the produce is sourced directly from the Welbeck Estate and its resident food producers.
The on-site Harley Café is a destination in its own right and offers collection-only online ordering for those in a hurry.
2. Arrow Farm Shop – Steetley, Worksop
Address: Steetley, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3DZ
Opening hours: Monday–Saturday 9am–5pm, Sundays & Bank Holidays 10am–4pm
Phone: 01909 723018
Website: arrowfarmshop.co.uk
A family-run farm shop and café-diner sitting on a working farm at Steetley, right on the border where Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire meet. Arrow's motto is “Real Farming, Real Food, From Field to Fork” – and they mean it, growing their own Marfona potatoes and seasonal vegetables on site.
The in-house bakery turns out fresh cakes, scones, tray bakes and cream treats daily, while the Meadowfresh award-winning butcher counter supplies meats, pies and deli foods. The café-diner has countryside views, and the shop regularly hosts craft fairs with up to 75 stalls on selected weekends – worth keeping an eye on if you enjoy a browse.
3. The Country Victualler – Tuxford, Nottinghamshire
Location: Tuxford, Nottinghamshire
Phone: 01777 870270
Website: thecountryvictualler.co.uk
A family-owned artisan butcher and baker that has been operating in the heart of Nottinghamshire for over four decades, The Country Victualler is the nation's sole producer of the Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham – a signature product that has earned them a place on the counters of Fortnum & Mason, Harrods and Partridges.
Everything is made to order, by hand, using heritage recipes and high-welfare ingredients including Packington free-range pork and Red Tractor certified meat. Alongside the famous glazed hams, they produce award-winning pork pies, sausages, charcuterie, terrines and bakery goods. They are members of The Guild of Fine Foods and offer nationwide delivery alongside local collection.
A true Nottinghamshire food institution and one that deserves to be better known locally.
4. Anston Grange Farm Shop – North Anston
Address: North Anston, Worksop, S81 8BD
Opening hours: 8am–4pm
Website: facebook.com/AnstongrangeFarmshop
Tucked away in North Anston, just over the South Yorkshire border from Worksop, this no-frills farm shop has built a loyal local following for its quality meats and friendly, personal service. It is the kind of place where the butcher knows your name and will cut exactly what you need while you wait.
Anston Grange is a working farm first and a shop second, which is part of its charm. If you prefer your meat sourced from a place where you can see the fields it came from, this is as honest as it gets. A proper local gem.
5. Thaymar Ice Cream & Tearoom – Bothamsall, near Retford
Address: Haughton Park Farm, West Drayton Avenue, Bothamsall, Nottinghamshire, DN22 8DB
Opening hours: Daily 10am–5pm (last hot food orders 4:15pm)
Phone: 01623 862632
Website: thaymaricecream.co.uk
A family-run dairy farm between Retford and Ollerton that makes its own ice cream on site from the milk of its own herd – about as field-to-cone as it's possible to get. Thaymar has become a hugely popular family day out in the warmer months, and the tearoom serves a full menu of hot food, cakes and cream teas alongside the ice cream.
Set on a working farm with rural views, it is a genuine destination rather than just a pit stop. If you have not been, it is well worth the short drive from either Worksop or Retford.
Why farm shops matter
The growth of farm shops is not just a lifestyle trend – it is a genuine economic force in rural areas like Bassetlaw. According to Harper Adams University research, the UK's 1,581 farm shops collectively generate £1.4 billion in annual sales and support 25,000 jobs nationally. Every pound spent at a local farm shop circulates back through the local economy far more effectively than money spent in a national supermarket chain.
“This is the first substantial survey of its kind into farm retail. It establishes growth and enormous local economic value.”
— Alastair Boot, Senior Lecturer in Food Retail and Marketing, Harper Adams University
For shoppers, the appeal is straightforward: better quality, shorter supply chains, proper customer service, and the knowledge that you are putting money directly into the pockets of local farmers and food producers rather than distant shareholders.
Know another great farm shop near Worksop?
This is not an exhaustive list – there are plenty more excellent farm shops, butchers and producers across Bassetlaw and the surrounding area. If you think we have missed one that deserves a mention, drop us a tip and we will add it to a future round-up.
