A Lake District Farmshop is a six-part Channel 4 series celebrating 50 years of trailblazing Tebay Services, Britain’s most scenic motorway services devoted to local sourcing on the M6 motorway.
Set up in 1972 by local farmers John and Barbara Dunning, Tebay Services was the first and remains part of the only family-run motorway services business in the UK. With 4.5 million visitors each year, Tebay Services is a lifeline to the local community and a delight to the visitors who stop to enjoy its Farmshop & Kitchen.
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The series offers insights into how this pioneering business operates, covering important topics including life in the Tebay farm, recycling, food tourism and making craft artisan products from waste wool.
Sarah Dunning, chair of the Westmorland Family, which owns and operates Tebay Services, said: ‘We’re all very excited for the second series, the first series offered a tremendous boost for our wider supplier family, it’s a great privilege to share these stories with the wider world.
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‘Quality local food was at the forefront of my parents’ vision when we opened 50 years ago, but it is the people behind the produce and our enduring relationships with our makers that gives our business direction. Local produce, local landscapes and communities have been at the very heart of our business today.’
The series starts on April 9 at 8.15pm and runs for six weeks. It follows Tebay’s team of buyers, farmers, butchers, builders, designers, cleaners and suppliers and shares some of the connections and special relationships between people living and working in the Lake District.
The lockdown brewers
Four brewers made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic set up the new brewery, Lakes Brew. The series follows their story of collaboration and friendship as they see their beers hit the shelves at Tebay.
The weaver
Undervalued waste wool from the farm is transformed into a Tebay Tweed with a local weaver Laura Rosenzweig. Buyer Tracey Clowes follows a series of “nearly lost” craft processes from scouring, spinning and the weaving a bespoke design inspired by the local countryside.
The cup-cycler
Tebay sells millions of cups of coffee at the services, which brings the problem of single use cup waste. The show follows the story from bean to recycled cup, all done locally with Croppers papers and artisan coffee suppliers Carvetti.
Craft cola maker
Newly crowned Michelin chef Ben Queen-Fryer’s business is given a lockdown lifesaver as they make a range of natural colas for the services as the team swap mass market brands for local alternatives.
Junction artist
James Dean is a softly spoken night shift worker at Tebay’s Junction 38 Truckstop with a talent for drawing who designs a series of cards to celebrate 50 years of Tebay.
The cash cow
Maria Benjamin and her Jersey cow Buttercup make a range of natural soaps sold at the services. They’re pitching a new range of natural dog shampoos which are tested by the farm’s sheep dog, Parsnip.
