Restaurant at New Barns Farm

As the pattern of farming in Britain changes there is increasing pressure on farmers to re-invent the scope of their activities if they are to stay in business. For some this has meant setting up retail outlets, cutting out the middleman, and in particular establishing tearooms, restaurants and the like. The success of Hugh Fernley Whittingstall, however much it may have been fuelled by a high media profile, is a stirring example to all those who would go along this route.

Few counties have felt the farming revolution more directly than Northumberland, and at New Barns Farm the owners have established a restaurant in their buildings, serving lunch daily, with dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The menu is delightfully uncomplicated and speaks strongly of the local produce. Typical lunch might include lamb broth, homemade game terrine, roast Hereford beef or Cheviot lamb, all with lashings of quality vegetables, followed by homemade apple tart. This is home cooking at its best, and at prices that will leave you more than enough in funds to have a good spend in the farm shop, where high quality meat from various well looked after farm animals is always available.

The restaurant has a licence, service is friendly, and I would not mind having a little wager that it will not be long before you return.