A FARM shop is marking its 10th year trading with an expansion and plans to secure a slice of the restaurant and pub trade.

Dropswell Farm Shop and Farm Yard Cafe, at Trimdon Village, County Durham, has recently opened a butcher’s shop and is branching out into speciality meats and pies.

The shop, which is run by Paul and Christine Craddock, sells locally sourced meat including produce from the attached Dropswell Farm.

It is now starting to provide speciality products including chorizos, salamis, pies and smoked venison.

Mr Craddock said: “The shop and cafe have been popular for 10 years, and we enjoy meeting customers. But we would like to diversify further and are making a range of pies and meats to supply restaurants and pubs in the region.”

The Craddocks, who also run a butcher’s shop in Trimdon Village, started the farm shop the year after the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic.

They are introducing regular steak nights and tapas nights at the cafe and have invested in a hog roast for event catering.

Mrs Craddock said: “The provenance of our food is important to us and we source as much as possible locally. You don’t get much more local than the farm next door.”

The couple have been helped in their expansion plans by regional membership food and drink group Taste North East.