It was an idea developed during the Covid pandemic to help Cornish producers sell their wares while hit by lockdown. But the Food Barn has grown since December 2020 to become a must-visit attraction for food and drink lovers.
Word of mouth has turned the pop-up market overlooking the beautiful creek at Flushing, near Falmouth, into a success story which also happens to be pretty cool and quirky. The lease for the building at Tregew, which was used to store farm machinery, came to an end and recalling that it was once the site of a farm shop, the combined efforts of neighbouring businesses Soul Farm and Sailors Creek Shellfish saw the formation of the community interest market during the second lockdown.
It started with just five stalls and up until last Easter there were about ten regulars, but then things exploded over the summer and it became one of the places to eat, hang out and buy some wonderful Cornish produce and wares, from meat and fish, to beer and cider, cakes and bread, to flowers and coffee – while taking in that stunning view.
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Held every Saturday, from 9am and 1pm, there is a rolling roster of stalls, which this week features – wait for it – Bizzy Lizzy’s Preserves, Jack’s Kombucha, Little Crumb, Poppyfields Pork, Pavilion Bakery, Wildways Foragers, Gould Cider, Homage to the Bovine, Matt’s Quay Fish, The Falmouth Distilling Co, Cornish Chillies, The Cornish Spice Man, Poke Food, Hanson Cheese, Penny’s Pies, Churn Me On Dairy (great name), Push Chocolate, Gwenen Apiaries, Kramers Bagels, Green Elephant Beer Cellar, Anna’s Cornish Kitchen, Soul Farm, Sailors Creek Shellfish, Wild Botanic Flower Farm, Green Rabbit Flowers and Zoltan the Sharpener.
If that wasn’t enough there will also be hot food and drinks available on site from Tinbox Coffee, Essen St Deli, Firebox St Food and Bien Manger. It’s a great space for families and dogs are welcome too. An initiative, which started last summer, to open on Wednesday evenings complete with a DJ and beer proved so successful that it will return during the Easter holiday from 4pm to 8pm.
Market manager Sophie Smith said: “We were able to open during the lockdown because the barn is open-sided, but once high street shops started to reopen we thought the market might have run its course, but people kept on coming and stall-holders get in touch with us now rather than us having to contact them. It’s testament to how many great producers there are in Cornwall. Customers are very discerning – they want to know where the produce has come from and the process, whether it’s beef or cider.
“It’s become such a success that we’re worried on some days that we won’t have enough room for everyone, and people still turn up even in the most horrible weather.” For more details about the Food Barn see its Facebook and Instagram pages. There is also a makers’ market every Sunday.
