Farm redevelopment to create up to 40 jobs
More than £500,000 is to be invested in improving a farm shop and cafe near Stafford.
Up to 40m new jobs will be created with the redevelopment of Canalside Farm at Mill Lane, Great Haywood.
Work is due to begin soon after planning permission was recently given for the extension of the car park and shops with a new building linking the different parts of the site.
Anna Barton, head of business development at the attraction, said: “We are really excited to have been given planning permission for the scheme.
“It will be a huge change for us, but one that is needed to guarantee our customers a space in the café and on the car park when they visit.
“We have become incredibly busy and are grateful for the support of our customers which has allowed us to grow.
“We are overwhelmed by the response we have had to the plans and all the positive comments we have received.”
The cafe is to be expanded from 72 to 135 diners with work to be done in stages to keep disruption for customers to a minimum.
The first phase will concentrate on the car park and take place autumn this year, with the cafe extension scheduled to start in January and be ready for the spring.
The new building will provide a new entrance to the farm’s pick-your-own experiences, provide a flexible indoor space for events and be home to food stalls including wood fired pizzas and ice cream.
The 8,665 sq ft development will be offset by the removal of 9,536 sq ft of existing glasshouse space near the farm shop, currently used for events, selling and growing plants.
