New family-run Burton Latimer shop to showcase county's quality produce

This barn is being converted into a new family-run shop.

A family-run shop offering high quality Northamptonshire produce is set to open in Burton Latimer next month.

Thomas and Daughters Village Shop will open in converted barns in the courtyard of The Dukes Arms in High Street, selling locally-sourced meat, cheeses, fruit and veg, baked goods and more.

It will be run by Burton Latimer couple Steffan and Emma Thomas, as well as their daughters Lilly, 13, and top motorcyclist Annabel, who has recently been signed by Kawasaki aged 17.

And it's a 'bizarre' change of work for Steffan having spent his career travelling around the world working in motorsport.

He said: "I was getting a bit fed up with it and then Covid happened and there was nothing on. I wanted to do something different but worthwhile and then it came to me.

"We're always going to places like Beckworth Emporium and Twywell to get our local food.

"I just thought there's nothing like it here, so why go everywhere else when we can do it here?"

Work is under way to convert the barns ready for the shop's opening, which is hoped to be in mid-March.

The shop will offer meat from Franks Butchers in Rothwell and fruit and vegetables from Whites Nurseries in Earls Barton, with an artisan bakery and different cheeses.

News of the shop's opening has attracted a huge response on social media with scores of people excited to visit.

Steffan, 47, said: "It's going to be an honest, family-run shop and we can't wait to open.

"I think it's something Burton Latimer needs and judging by the response it seems to have really struck a chord with people."

The shop will offer home deliveries, helping those at home during the pandemic, with plans to take deliveries on an old style push bike in the warmer months.

And they want to invite market traders to get involved with them when they open.

Steffan said: "We are a Burton family and we want to help Burton."