LEFT A drive to be self sufficient and encourage local businesses to use renewable energy have seen two windmills built on Orton Grange.


ABOVE LEFT Claire, Richard’s sister rents the buildings from Richard to run the cafe and gift shop.


ABOVE RIGHT A cafe was one of the first businesses to be opened on the farm in a converted barn.


BELOW RIGHT Richard Martin rents a food hall to leading Cumbrian butchers Cranstons. Opening in 2013 the business has attracted more customers to Orton Grange.


found for some redundant farm buildings which would be ideal for renovation.” Added to that, Richard had noticed the growth in farm shops on his travels across Cheshire.


Initially the Farm and Flower Shop was opened in Autumn 2004 selling flowers, which Claire had an interest in, and local foods including meat and bread. Two years later the renovation was extended further into the old barns with the swimming pool being built and a cafe replacing the Food and Flower Shop. “We found there wasn’t the foot fall to keep food fresh, so we stopped selling food in the shop and started the cafe. However, I felt there was no link between the farm and the cafe, so Claire started making ice cream with our milk to sell in cones through the cafe.”


The following year, in 2007, rooms for hairdressers and


THE JOURNAL OCTOBER 2014 35


beauticians were set up above the swimming pool, with the same stylists still renting these rooms now.


In 2011 the biggest change and opportunity materialised at Orton Grange when Dobbies Garden Centre opened across the road and created the need for a roundabout to be built at the entrance to Orton Grange. This allowed better access to the cafe and along with a Southern bypass of Carlisle opening, brought more passing traffic.


Having been previously approached by leading Cumbrian butcher Cranstons in 2007 to have a food hall on the farm, but unable to accommodate the increase in traffic, an agreement was reached and a Food Hall built in 2013.


The new build is in keeping with the original barns with a £550,000 extension aided by a £150,000 grant from the Rural Development Programme for England. The opening eight months ago has attracted more customers to Orton Grange and the other businesses have also benefitted. The business complex now employs 50 full and part time staff, 50 jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago.


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