It is housed in a newly-transformed cowshed
The picturesque Woolton Village has long attracted visitors from across Liverpool and beyond with its fascinating history, stunning cottages and bustling local businesses. Dating back to the 12th century, if you take a walk through the beautiful village at any time of year, it almost feels like you’re stepping back in time.
Over the years, Woolton Village has become something of a hub for independents, boasting everything from quaint shops, to family-run restaurants and cafes. It’s also got more than its fair share of watering holes, from the White Horse to The Cobden and more.
But tucked away off Woolton Street, you’ll find the newest family-run business to open in the area – Woolton Farm Shop. It’s a busy weekday morning and the old dairy site, which was transformed in a matter of weeks, is busy with customers wanting to get their hands on everything from local sourced produce to lovely gifts, loaves of bread, homemade cakes and more.
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An extension of their already established woodwork and bespoke furniture business located next door, Woolton Farm Shop is owned by Eve O’Brien and her husband Neil, and officially opened on November 6. Inside, the traditional farm shop has a rustic interior, autumnal decorations and has shelves full of fruit and vegetables, jars of honey and chutneys, Liverpool-themed gifts and more.
Eve, 44, told the ECHO: “This site used to be a farm and all around here there were no residential houses, it was all fields. The house at the top was the dairy and this was an old cowshed to hold the cows in.
“We only took it on because we were here already. We’ve been here for 12 years doing the woodworking and the logs.
“Neil being a woodworker, he’s made everything in here – he’s put the counter in, he’s made all the shelving. It’s been a massive transformation because it was just an old, dark room beforehand. “
Neil, 50, said it took six to eight weeks to give the building a new lease of life. He told the ECHO: “I started growing my own vegetables at home and it was boss quality, so we thought, why not?
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“There’s no fruit and veg shop around here, there’s no organic stuff, so that’s why it started, really, as an idea. It’s funny when you see people in here as this used to be my workshop.
“You didn’t see anybody for weeks and it was full of sawdust. It’s been really positive so far.”
Now over a week since opening, Eve said the products customers are loving the most so far is the fruit and vegetables, sourced from a local market, as well as the bread which is “always gone by lunchtime.”
Eve said their aim to keep everything as local as they possibly can and that in the future, they hope to grow some of their own produce for the farm shop. Eve said: “Everyone’s been really complimentary in what we’ve done.
“There’s lots of little independent businesses here and I think it’s just a nice addition and it complements everybody else as well. We all kind of work together and I think it’s a nice environment to work.
“It’s nice to support the farmers as well and I’m really pleased that all the locals really love that it’s here.” In the future, the couple want to offer plants and garden furniture in the outdoor area between their two sites.
Eve added: “I think we’ve opened up this part of the village, because when the gate are shut, you can’t walk through. Customers are all saying how great it is and that they’ve wanted something like this for a long time.”
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