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A joint retail venture between the Englefield Estate and Cobbs Farm Co. has seen a major investment into the redevelopment and expansion of farm shop ‘Cobbs at Englefield’.
Work is now well underway to transform the 500 square foot site on the A340 between Theale and Englefield - formerly Fielders Farm Shop - into a 7000 square foot retail space with a traditional butcher and delicatessen counter.
In addition, a new 80-seat restaurant set around a courtyard will be built as part of the project, serving homemade refreshments, lunches and afternoon teas.
Cobbs at Englefield is still open for business during the work, with access to the farm shop and delicatessen counter as usual.
25 new jobs are due to be created, the Cobbs at Englefield team expanding from just five to 30 by the time the site re-opens in 2019. The company is holding an open day on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th September at the farm shop site to find potential new employees.
Tom Newey, Chief Executive of Cobbs Farm Co., said: “This investment will help to breathe new life into the currently redundant farm buildings, not only creating new jobs directly, but with a bigger farm shop we can work with even more local suppliers, farmers and growers. We have always tried to source as much of our produce locally as we can and will continue to do so.”
Established in 2007, Cobbs Farm Co. was founded out of a passion for supplying quality food with provenance to its customers. The company now includes seven farm shops across Berkshire, Hampshire, Shropshire and Wiltshire, including the 55-acre flagship site, Cobbs Farm on the Berkshire/Wiltshire borders.
Edward Crookes, Estates Director for Englefield Estate, said: “We’re extremely proud to be working in partnership with Cobbs Farm Co. to help revitalise the site. The new farm shop and café will be a huge asset the local community, bringing a range of fresh local produce to residents and offering space to socialise. We’re excited to be part of this project and are looking forward to unveiling the completed project next year.”
The Englefield Estate is a thriving community of farms, woodlands, residential and commercial properties covering 14,000 acres in Berkshire and Hampshire. Based in West Berkshire, the company manages a diverse range of land and property, in both rural and urban areas.
Tom Newey added: “This is a really exciting time for Cobbs and we’re really pleased with the progress on site so far. This redevelopment has been more than six years in the planning, so to finally see the work underway is fantastic. It simply would not have been possible without Englefield Estate’s investment and we’re really grateful.”
As well as an extended retail and hospitality offering, the all new Cobbs at Englefield will have improved access for visitors with disabilities and will link up to a cycleway to encourage sustainable travel.
Work began on the site in April 2018 and work is due for completion in early 2019.
Find out more about Cobbs at Englefield at www.fieldersfarmshop.co.uk, or follow them on Twitter @Fielders_ or Facebook/FieldersFarmShop.
For more information about the Englefield Estate, visit www.englefieldestate.co.uk/ or follow them on Twitter @EnglefieldUK or Facebook/EnglefieldEstate for updates.
Header image: Cobbs Farm Shop in Hungerford.
