Gail & Raffe Tevola outside The Olive Tree, Elligham

Who are you and what’s the name of your business?

Raffaele and Gail Tevola, The Olive Tree Ellingham

Where are you based, what do you do and how long have you been in business?

We have been in business since November 1999, so 20 years, we are based in the small village of Ellingham on the Norfolk and Suffolk border in the beautiful Waveney valley.

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

We were living in London with our toddler Anton and small baby Giorgie, and Rafe, working long hours in busy London restaurants was rarely at home. So we made the decision that as a family we needed to be together, improving our work/live balance and giving our children a childhood in the countryside of my youth.  It started as a vague idea when a good friend suggested we visited a property on the market near Bury St Edmunds, it wasn’t suitable but had instilled the idea, so we started a search, developed a business plan and after a few months had bought a run down pub that even the pubco was reluctant to sell as a business.  After six months of really hard graft (by my amazing brother James and his team of local craftsmen), with Rafe still working in London to fund the renovations, sofa surfing as we had sold the house and amazing support from family and friends, we were able to open and life has never been the same!

Raffe making his legendary authentic Italian pizza…

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

Firstly the shock of having to close so abruptly was devastating, two days before one of the busiest and one of my favourite days of the year, Mother’s day.  Initially it was overwhelming, the thought of not seeing our fantastic staff, customers and friends, celebrating their birthdays, anniversaries and all the moments which make you strive and continue a business through recession and the constant daily problems which seem to conspire to throw you off course.

In our opinion the best pizza in the Waveney Valley - and further…

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

We had to adapt pretty quickly to takeaways, the following day after the Friday announcement of closures we were offering takeaway and by the next Wednesday had a menu, hygiene procedures with window service and other measures established.  Our customers have been incredible and we really can’t thank them enough, it is wonderful to see familiar faces if only for a brief moment.

One of dozens of pizzas served daily by The Olive Tree.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects from this new way of thinking about your business?  

The main benefit of the way we now work is the reduction in hours, we are able to spend much more time catching up with gardening and projects at home, it’s such a luxury to go to bed before 12!  We are just both really grateful that we are able to work in some form, to still support local suppliers and still provide a taste of Italian sunshine in the Waveney valley!

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

Really looking forward to seeing the restaurant full again with the hum of contented chatter, clink of glassware, aroma of good food and the love of our Olive Tree family.

Gail & Raffe at their temporary serving hatch with another superb order awaiting collection*.

*it was ours - and, as always, amazing!

Simon Thompson & Chris Giddens outside their temporarily closed greengrocers on Earsham Street.

We’ve already featured one brilliant Earsham Street retailer, Michelle Steele at the renowned deli but her greengrocer neighbours, Giddens and Thompson are also a more than worthy inclusion.

Simon Thompson and Chris Giddens have taken Bungay by storm. They are now the town’s sole independent providers of a full range of fantastic quality fresh fruit, veg, herbs and spices. Their shop is a perfect complement to the street and, with their loyal team, offer peerless, friendly service. This has never been more evident than in the last few weeks. The commitment and energy they’ve invested in continuing to supply their goods to customers is to their absolute credit.

We’ll let Simon pick it up from here….

Simon Thompson loading his van full of orders outside the G&T/Bungay Community Centre packing HQ.

Who are you and what’s the name of your business?

I’m Simon Thompson and my business is Giddens and Thompson Greengrocers. It’s run as a partnership with my ‘hubby-to-be’ Chris Giddens (it’s only taken us 14 years to decide to get hitched!!).  He owns the property and makes me the best food in the world to come home to, but I run the business day-to-day.

Where are you based, what do you do and how long have you been in business?

The shop is on Earsham Street in Bungay. It’s a street we’re all very proud of as it is home to some other fabulous food shops and the whole street only houses small independent businesses. We are a greengrocers, pure and simple, selling the best quality fruit and veg we can get hold of. Our emphasis is always on local and seasonal where possible.  We opened on the 15th May 2014, so will soon be celebrating our 6th birthday!

With hundreds of orders to fulfil, time is of the essence for the team at Giddens & Thompson.

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

I’ve worked in the service industry in one form or another for most of my life.  It’s probably a bit cheesy to say these days but I am a “people's person” and I always will be.  I love and am committed to providing the best service possible in whatever I do.  It makes me happy to make others happy (cringeworthy but true!).  I know how much I appreciate it when I go into another business and whoever is serving me is friendly, confident and proud of their work and this is the service I hope we provide at G&T.

So just over 8 years ago, Chris and I had decided to buy a house together in Bungay (where I had been living since 1997).  I had decided to back away from being a Project Manager in London (and all the commuting between Suffolk and London!).  I thought I’d take some time away from work to decide what my next ‘project’ would be.  I was thinking I might actually get on with writing a book about growing up in a hippy commune! However, life had other plans for me as I ended up helping out occasionally in The Little Green Wholefood Shop, a business which I had set up in 2002, the same time I became a dad to my wonderful daughter Ella, but sold the business 2 years later in 2004.  I loved being back in a retail setting and connecting once again with the fabulous community that Bungay has.

Chris and I heard, independently from each other, that the greengrocers operating at that time in Bungay, was closing down. Bizarrely we sent each other text messages that crossed in the ether at exactly the same moment, basically saying “hey maybe we should open a fruit and veg shop!”  So almost 10 years exactly from selling the wholefood shop I found myself back in the world of retail, this time selling something that Chris and I are both really passionate about; fresh natural ingredients which we know the provenance of.

What would you normally being doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

Normally at this time of year we would have an amazing display of potted herbs outside the front of our shop.  It feels so sad that we can’t do it this year.  We’re suggesting that customers go directly to our supplier ‘George’s Gorgeous Gardens’ as he is based locally up at Earsham Hall and is happy to deliver.

Asparagus season is in full swing and it won’t be long before we get scrumptious local strawberries in. It’s just a shame we can’t showcase them in our displays like we would do normally. We try to keep our customers abreast of what’s new and available via social media as much as possible.

A special Giddens & Thompson order amongst the tonnes of fresh produce being packed everyday.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

We realised very quickly that we couldn’t keep the shop open to walk-in customers.  It’s only a small shop and it wasn’t possible for staff and customers to keep a safe 2m distance from each other.  I had to very quickly find a much bigger venue to cope with a team of staff and volunteers packing up all the orders that started to flood in, especially when so many people had started to self-isolate and needed deliveries. So we moved the whole operation to the Community Centre.  

It’s been a steep learning curve and we adapt on a daily basis, but we’ve got some good systems in place to cope with a massive increase in orders and a whole new way of working. With a bit of luck I should have a website with online ordering in place very soon, which will alleviate the stress of needing to respond to a huge volume of email enquiries and orders everyday. It will also collate the quantities of produce ordered by customers, which will then make orders with my suppliers much more accurate. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for years, but sadly it took a crisis like this to kick my derriere into gear!

To deal with the challenge of having my wages bill quadruple, now that every single order has to be packed by (mostly) paid staff, I’ve introduced a modest ‘packing/delivery’ charge to every order. It’s been heartening that all our customers have accepted this without a problem. 

It’s really important for me to say how amazing our staff have been.  They have met the challenges and additional workload without flinching.  We know how lucky we are to have such great people working for us, but it’s at times like this that we realise just how amazing our little team is.

Unloading newly packed orders for collection from Giddens & Thompson.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

It’s easy to get stuck in the same way of doing things, when you do them day in and day out.  The massive challenge that this health crisis has presented to us as a business has made me look afresh at how we operate and at what we can do differently. Certainly having an online ordering system in place is something very exciting and will no doubt present us with a set of new challenges we need to adapt to. For example, we used to make up a limited number of veg box orders from the back of the shop, but, once we can no longer use the community centre, if we get a bigger volume of orders online as planned, we are going to need an additional space to pack the orders and meet this demand.  

Mid-unloading at Giddens and Thompson.

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

A holiday!!!!

A more efficient business, without losing the aspects of why customers chose to shop with us in the first place.

Knowing that a growing number of people will have learnt that shopping local has benefits on so many levels; better produce, great service, getting the right quantities, less packaging, provenance, supporting the community they live in.

I’ve already said how lucky we are to have such wonderful employees, but I also want to say that we couldn’t have met the challenges that this virus has thrown at our business without the help of our community supporting us. This is especially of the volunteers who have joined our merry band to either help pack orders or drive many miles doing all the deliveries, so a big THANK YOU to them.

Last, but by no means least, thank you Simon for putting this project together, it’s exactly the kind of involvement that shows why this little area of the world is so special and why we we all love living and working here.

Simon & Chris with their incredible team - at a distance!

All photos were taken observing strict social distancing measures in minimal time.

Jonny Crickmore with the Fen Farm Montbeliarde herd

In the last ten years we’ve witnessed the blooming of some incredible food and drink producers along our little strip of the Waveney Valley. Nationally there’s a renaissance in local food and drink production of high quality and provenance, and many of our friends and neighbours are receiving some highly deserved attention as a result.

Perhaps one of the best known and leading the way in innovation and creativity is Fen Farm Dairy - a longstanding family-run farm managed by Jonny Crickmore.

In an age where dairy farming is facing more challenges than ever, Jonny, with his family and first class team, has taken the business into new, exciting and rewarding directions. This is a new era where farming is having to adapt at lightning pace not just to fit with customers shopping baskets but their increasing environmental awareness and interest in where their food comes from. Of this fact, Jonny is well aware and reacting accordingly with great results. Leading by example, Fen Farm’s actions have inspired many, many other dairy producers around the British Isles to think about things a little bit differently… and that’s never a bad thing.

Who are you and what’s the name of your business?

Jonny Crickmore of Fen Farm Dairy.

Where are you based, what do you do and how long have you been in business?

Our farm and dairy is on the Flixton Road just a couple of minutes southwest of Bungay.

We are dairy farmers/cheesemakers/butter-makers and most recently yoghurt-makers too!

Our recent diversification into adding value to milk started in 2011 when we opened up our shop selling raw milk. The family farm has been in business since the late 1940's.

Jonny Crickmore with a handful of ‘Rocket fuel” - the lush, rich marsh grass his cows graze every day though the spring and summer months.

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

We started selling raw milk by the roadside inspired by freerange hen farmers selling their fresh eggs in honesty box-style sheds. We questioned why didn't dairy farmers sell their milk direct to the public anymore and thought ‘what can we lose?’. £1000 later we had a garden shed painted up with stylised cow markings, a secondhand fridge off eBay and an honesty box.

The raw milk proved a huge success and as every idea and opportunity came along we took it. We bought the very first milk vending machine in the UK which then went on to inspire countless other UK dairy farms to do likewise. Then we went on a mission to make the first raw milk brie cheese in the UK which later became our famous Baron Bigod. We changed our herd of Holsteins to the French Montbeliarde breed which produce great cheese-making milk.

After great success selling the cheese around the UK we then started a new mission to make a butter to rival the French Normandy Butter. Bungay Butter was born and again, being original in creating a cultured raw butter which nobody else was making, picked up a loyal following. This is now used by many top delis/farm shops and restaurants around the country.

In 2019 we went on a trip to Iceland to track down the famous Skyr yoghurt producer Thorgrimur and learn from him how to make the finest skyr style yoghurt in the UK. I'm very pleased to say we are launching this product in the next month.

Inspecting the latest batch of maturing Baron Bigod brie…

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

Normally, for myself, it would be several food and drink festivals and markets at the weekends. More travelling around the UK and Europe speaking to our wholesale partners. Instead I'm spending much of my time changing our business model on where we sell our products. Because of the restaurant closures this has killed well over 50% of our sales. Instead we are focusing on home delivery services and online orders through our own website and through our wholesale and retail partners.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

The biggest challenge by far was losing so much of our customer base over night. We tried giving away cheese wedges to many of our local customers as a goodwill gesture. I got in touch with several food journalists, presenters and celeb chefs to bring awareness of the problem the farmhouse cheese industry was facing and thanks to the amazing public response have turned our cheese mountain around. We are now in an amazing position of selling all the cheese we are making 2 weeks ahead of it being mature enough to be sold.

Just a tiny handful of the orders for Baron Bigod being processed since the lockdown began

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

Yes I think firstly our team on the farm have been amazing and the spirit of the people who work at Fen Farm has been the most enjoyable part for me. I'm very lucky to have so many great people put their all into farming and making dairy products at Fen Farm. We have seen a great many more followers on our social media platforms and many more sales on our website.

Personally I’ve enjoyed seeing my children at home more often. The other thing I’ve really enjoyed is the quiet weekends. Going out for a walk with my family with a packed lunch has been fantastic!

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

Going out for a meal with the team at the farm to celebrate the hard work we have all put in.

Keep an eye out for the launch of Fen Farm’s brand new range of skyr yoghurt in the next few weeks!

Jonny Crickmore outside the Fen Farm Dairy Kiosk

All photographs were taken observing strict social distancing and hygiene measures.

Phil & Hilary Halls manning their Grain Brewery drive-thru.

It’s hard to believe Grain Brewery has been trading for nearly 15 years. It has the feel of a heritage brand but is also highly contemporary in its persona, not an easy trick to pull off. It was established way ahead of the current explosion in craft micro-brewing and quickly proved to be a quality maker of award-winning fine ales.

Today, despite now being relatively old hands in a fickle trade, they continue to remain healthy and relevant and are arguably one of the leading names in local brewing. Never sitting still, they now have their own quiver of great pubs selling their trademark beers and continue to push forward with developing and refining their delicious, distinctive offerings.

Grain Brewery Drive-Thru ready to serve!

Who are you and what’s the name of your business?

Phil Halls - Grain Brewery

Where are you based and how long have you been in business?

Alburgh in the Waveney Valley, South Norfolk. Since 2006

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

Myself and my friend Geoff were keen to get out of corporate life. Geoff had some experience within the pub and brewing industry and could see a gradual move towards smaller independent brewers (this was way before 'craft beer' was a thing), and thought a brewery could be a fun and interesting business. I agreed.

Our funds were very limited and based on the sale of a car, a bit of savings and a house re-mortgage. This was enough to pay for the legal and planning costs, buy a second-hand brew-kit from Castle Rock and 100 plastic casks. It grew steadily from there.

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation.

Right now we would be preparing for our busy bar at Cambridge Beer Festival, this week. We’d also be squeezing in brews whilst catching up after a sunny Easter. That generally marks the start of the year and the move from ticking over to making ends meet, with hopefully some profit to see us through next winter. We would generally be brewing three to four times a week in May. As of now, it's been seven weeks since we brewed any beer at all.

The brewery is operationally closed and has been since the 23rd of March. On the 20th of March we changed our business model to cater for a drive-thru beer collection service at the brewery. Fortunately the layout lends itself to a one-way system and with no need for a customer to get out of their car. With staff furloughed, my wife Hilary and I run this a few days a week, with the aim of selling off our stock of beer instead of pouring it down the drain.

Seven weeks in and we are a third of the way through the stock. However, so long as there is demand, we could carry on indefinitely like this by brewing once a month, which will pay the rent and other overheads.

It is a bitter-sweet pill. I am so pleased that we may survive this as a brewery with a change of business model. But I am also well aware that our four pubs are receiving no income whatsoever, with continuing costs to pay, and the grant money running low. 

Phil & Hilary with Grain’s finest brews waiting for collection.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

The lockdown came in the very week that we anticipated business to pick up after a long and very wet winter that had left us running on empty for a number of months. With no spare cash, and employees understandably asking what would happen to them and the business, I went into crisis management mode. We cancelled all tax payments and moved what little cash we had into a savings account so that staff would be paid. Dealing with the shock and the inability to process what was going on in the first couple of weeks was tough but knowing everyone else is in their own crisis gets you through.

Communication is key in making reasonable agreements with people, and that in itself was a big challenge. With phones set to auto-hang-up when you make a call to HMRC begging for an extension on a tax payment communication becomes challenging. But patience and perseverance prevailed.

The biggest challenge has been the emotional dilemma facing many of us allowed to continue trading: 'should we or shouldn't we?'. We are constantly told 'stay at home and save lives' yet brewery shops are listed specifically as a business considered an essential service.

We set up an environment safer than any supermarket yet it is not as safe as not doing it at all. However, when we opened, it became clear that this service was one of those few things keeping us and our customers sane. A little bit of interaction (at the end of a 3m stick with a payment machine attached to it) could make an enormous difference to someone's day. But we still have to take a bit of flack on social media from time to time.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

We have seen new faces from the villages around the brewery who had never had our beer before, or even knew we existed. And we keep seeing them now, so I am hoping we will see them in the future when we return to normal.

I have seen the best of people throughout all of this, whether it is staff, suppliers, customers, or people we pass when out walking the dog. It can't help but leave me with a feeling of positivity and hope that something good might come out of this.

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

A proper night's sleep.

Arrowlight recommends all Grain’s fantastic ales but especially our favourites - ‘ThreeOneSix’, ‘Redwood’ and the classic ‘Oak’ available from their drive-thru.

All photographs taken observing strict social distancing measures.

Michelle Steele, Earsham St Delicatessen, ready with customer orders for collection.

There’s been a renaissance of sorts along Earsham Street over the last 15 years with high quality grocers, boutiques and niche retailers finding their home along either side of the road in the quieter western corner Bungay.

Earsham Street Deli is arguably one of the most popular destinations for any discerning food-lover, not just those living in the town but across the whole of the Waveney Valley and even further afield.

The fact that customers come from far and wide is a tribute to the deserved reputation Michelle Steele and her team have worked hard to build over the last 13 years. It’s a credit to Michelle that what began a few doors down in modest premises (with mum Elaine often helping out, as now) is today a beautiful, spacious award-winning store that serves a wide, loyal and happy customer base year round.

Michelle amongst the Aladdin’s cave of goodies that is Earsham St Deli.

Who are you and what’s the name of your business?

Michelle Steele, Earsham Street Deli

Where are you based and how long have you been in business?

Bungay, Suffolk. 13 years 

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

It was one of those ‘planets aligned’ scenarios… I’d finished uni and was starting to look for a ‘career’. My previous work experience and part time jobs had all been focussed around retail and food, and the opportunity to own the deli in its original smaller premises presented itself, and I just went for it. It wasn’t something I had ever planned, but I soon realised it was definitely what I was destined to be doing.

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

Usually we would be re-merchandising after a busy Easter, and creating a shopping experience centred around the upcoming Bank holidays, summer months and picnic season. At this time of the year we really start to notice more and more visitors, and of course we’d be getting ready for the Bungay Garden Street Market. Instead, we’re not currently operating as a shop in the usual way. We’re only ‘open’ for the collection of orders which have been placed via phone or email, so we haven’t actually let anyone inside the building for six weeks! We’re also offering a delivery service, which again has taken the ‘shopping’ out of the process.

Michelle Steele, owner of Earsham St Delicatessen beside her newly installed customer pick-up point.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

Our biggest challenge from the offset has been how to keep getting the good food to our customers in the safest possible way. We took pretty drastic measures very early on, because we wanted to keep our customers safe, and also I have a brilliant team that I need to keep well. This has meant a big ask from our customers; to change their way of shopping with us for the time-being. We’re grateful that all the systems have been really well received and seem to be working for us all.  

Our other challenge has been that the deli is of course full with products with best before and use-by dates, so we’ve had to consider how to make sure as much gets out the door to you as possible. We’ve made some charitable donations as well as including ‘gifts’ in orders, to ensure there is minimal waste. There have been some issues sourcing certain products as demand has increased so dramatically, so maintaining stock levels and making sure we meeting our customers’ needs has involved a lot of extra work logistically. This has meant trying to keep everyone informed as much as possible, a lot of it over the phone to customers who don’t use social media or email.. all very time consuming but we’ve been more than happy to be able to make that extra effort in these strange times.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

This whole process has given me the chance to take a step back from the business as I know it and be more objective than ever about what we do, so we’re really evaluating our product range, layout, and some of the smaller day to day details. It has also allowed us to ‘dip our toe’ into offering a mail order or delivery side to the deli, which is something I’ve never really wanted to do, but now I’m more of the opinion “never say never!”. 

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

I can’t wait for my fellow traders in Bungay and especially on Earsham Street to return, because I miss our little community so much! I also can’t wait to go back into a pub or restaurant for dinner for the first time. So many of the little things will no longer be taken for granted!

Earsham Street Deli, Bungay

Hannah and Ben Witchell surrounded by some of their online orders and this year’s, newly bottled, Flint 2019 vintage.

We have to start with a disclaimer: Simon has been photographing Ben and Hannah Witchell’s adventures with Flint Vineyard from the very start of their journey. In the last four years they’ve become firm friends of ours so we have many reasons to be biased in our belief they are making a truly phenomenal range of wines.

The thing that justifies this heavily influenced opinion is that it’s quantifiably true. They are blazing a trail of innovation and quality and as a result are receiving plaudits from all quarters of the winemaking world. With enviable reviews, industry accolades, an association with Berry Bros & Rudd and a personal determination to create a fresh brand that challenges the convention they are firmly on a path to being one of the UK’s leading winemakers.

It’s been a real privilege to document Flint’s evolution so far and we are proud to continue our association with them. We cannot wait to see the reaction to the new 2019 vintage being released at the end of May, it’s stunning.

Follow Flint on their social media for updates on this and their future plans. If you love good wines you certainly won’t want to miss out.

Ben & Hannah Witchell with their daughters in the winery at Flint Vineyard.

Who are you and what’s the name of your business? 

Hannah & Ben Witchell, founders of Flint Vineyard.

Where are you based?

In the Waveney Valley just near Bungay, Suffolk, although geographically we're in Norfolk.

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

Having spent years dreaming of living and working on a vineyard, Ben re-trained as a winemaker in 2010 and gained experience at wineries around the world alongside his studies.  After a couple of years winemaking in France, a chance encounter with a local farmer here in Norfolk led to a partnership being formed and the creation of Flint Vineyard in 2016.  We planted the vines and established the winery ourselves.  We're just in the middle of bottling our 4th vintage.

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

We have had to postpone all our vineyard tours and lunches, which would usually be in full swing by now, so the focus has very much shifted to online wine sales and deliveries.  We have seen a big spike in online sales, as have many other local producers, and have been busy sending out orders daily.  It's also been a busy time for Ben as he's been working to get our 2019 wines bottled and spend time in the vineyard which is coming on a little early due to the recent good weather.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

We were worried about cash flow in the immediate weeks after lockdown started and the knock on effect of having to delay the bottling and release of our 2019 wines due to lockdown.  Initially we tried a drive thru collection from the tasting room window which attracted a lot of interest but then felt we couldn't continue this when tighter measures were introduced. Luckily our online wine sales are helping to make up for the lack of tours and visitors to our tasting room.

Ben Witchell tends the vines at Flint Vineyard, summer 2019.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

Yes, it's clear to us that direct sales via our website is an area we should have been focusing on before.  We've had an online shop since day one, but have not promoted it anywhere near as much as we now realise we should have done.  We have dropped our free delivery threshold right down from £120 to £25 per order, which I also think gives customers much more incentive to order online for delivery to their door.

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

Sharing a glass of wine with people face to face again.

Flint’s new 2019 wines are due for release later in May.  Keep an eye on their social media for updates and pre-orders.

These recent exclusive portraits were all taken observing strict distancing measures. Simon Buck 2020

David Little & Kevin Wainwright, Graze at The White Horse, Beccles, Suffolk*

We are lucky to have a wide variety of eateries, cafés and restaurants in our immediate stretch of the Waveney Valley.

One of the local go-to destinations for a full on, top quality dining experience is Graze at The White Horse in the heart of Beccles, a thriving market town on the banks of the Waveney river. We’ve known Kevin & David for a really long time - since their days running Satis House Hotel in Yoxford. They are consummate hosts with unrelenting standards of care and quality and have brought a long overdue flourish of vibrance to the old White Horse pub they now call home.

A “relaxed Restaurant Bar & Grill offering delicious food from a modern British cuisine” Graze’s menu changes frequently to reflect seasonal produce as well as offering fantastic cocktails, beers and wine.

Their new take-away service launches tonight, May the 1st from 5-9pm and then continuing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

They personally recommend The Widow Maker Burger and Thai Red Curry - but from experience EVERYTHING will be superb. And, whilst delicious take-aways will suffice for now let’s hope we can enjoy their fine fare and a tipple or two in their sunny courtyard garden soon!

Who are you and what’s name of your business?

Kevin Wainwright & David Little. Graze at The White Horse 

Where are you based and how long have you been in business?

Beccles Town Centre, 29 New Market. Based in Beccles for 5 years

Tell us how you started…

We originally owned the Bear & Bells in Beccles from 2005. After a couple of years we moved out of the town and bought and ran Satis House Restaurant & Hotel in Yoxford. Nine years later, in 2015, we came back!

What would you normally being doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation.

We would be open as a restaurant & bar 6 days a week!

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

Not being able to open full time hours has been extremely difficult and without any income would mean the end of Graze. We have decided therefore, to open as a take-away service offering a limited menu for delivery and collection.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

There are only a small amount of benefits to be honest, we are able to provide a service to the people of Beccles and stay present in their minds. We are also able to employ a handful of staff and continue to keep Graze ticking over until a time comes when we can return to our full glory. 

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

Just getting back to normal, however we may have a thriving take away business as well!

*Kevin and David were photographed exclusively for this article observing strict social distancing measures.

Introduction…

We weren’t expecting to launch our brand new website in the midst of a global pandemic - who would have?
It’s a strange time indeed. One that few could have seen coming, the hindsight warriors on social media notwithstanding.

Some of the shine may have been taken off this event but we’re still excited to officially launch our newly established business venture that has its roots in many years of experience.

This experience comes from many exercises in trial, error and correction; a dozen stumbles for every success and a million lessons learned. These lessons have ultimately given us the foundations for now being able to help businesses navigate the often overwhelming and rather sticky business of marketing, creative strategy and content production. You can read more about all of this on our About page if so inclined.

If you think we may be the right people to help your business hit the ground running after lockdown then don’t hesitate to drop us a line. We’re happily carrying on with Zoom, Skype and FaceTime consultations and will always make time for any enquiry.

Now, without further ado, our first blog post follows below….

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OUR LOCAL FOOD HEROES

Just a handful of the many fantastic local producers we’ve worked with. Clockwise from top left: St Jude Cheese, Flint Vineyard, Ampersand Brew Co., Penny Bun Bakehouse, Bull of the Woods Brew Co., St Giles Gin.

‘May you live in interesting times” so goes the apocryphal ancient curse.

And that is exactly where we find ourselves. As we near the end of April 2020 it’s a time that is deeply unnerving and frustrating for many.

Pushing aside the obvious concerns when it comes to staying free of this unwelcome viral visitor, there are a huge number of us wondering when we can resume business as normal. The fact is that many businesses will not survive, or at least be forced to make long-lasting changes, as the ramifications of this event unfold.

The motivation that this prospect can inspire in the savvy business owner is however becoming widely visible. Many industrial manufacturers have commendably turned their hand to making much needed PPE and medical hardware. But there are also many other producers stepping up to ensure survival, none-more-so than those in food and drink production and supply.

Of course, we need to eat and drink. Those who provide the ingredients, processing and products we venture out for on a once, maybe twice-weekly, sanitiser-infused, mission have come up with a raft of ingenious workplace controls and delivery systems to enable at least some continuity.

Factories who mass-manufacture the colourfully packaged, yet mostly indistinguishable, goods on the supermarket shelves have quickly adapted operational systems and manpower resources to carry on as normal-ish. And, they’re doing a fine job indeed.

Probably more notable, however, are the small craft-level producers with little to no spare facilities, staff or funds who through sheer grit have made a few good, instinctive decisions to enable them to continue to operate and satisfy their loyal customers.

These are the businesses who have sweated and toiled to give themselves that fighting chance of making it past their third birthday.

These are businesses dreamt of and built by plucky people who believe passionately they have something not just good but GREAT to offer. These folk who’ve worked tirelessly (and often at huge sacrifice) to make our dinner plates and drinks glasses that bit more tasty, interesting and healthy deserve our support.

In our neck of the woods there has been somewhat of a boom in incredible artisan food and drink producers. We’ve found ourselves in the lucky position to have helped many of them with what we do.

Over the next couple of weeks we want to highlight these friends (and we do count them as friends either in business, personally or both) and open a window into how they’re succeeding despite the current odds.

Please stay tuned and why not give us a follow on our Instagram account for the latest bitesize insights….