Our Purchasing Policy
We aim to find the best balance possible between the following criteria:
Taste
We love good food and want to share it with our visitors. We will seek out and prepare the best-tasting food at affordable prices.
Local
Some food has travelled hundreds if not thousands of miles before it reaches the plate. Buying local food is better because: - it supports local producers and small scale production
- it reduces food miles which contribute to global warming
- it means fresher produce
- it supports local distinctiveness not bland conformity
We will source our food from the closest sources possible and, when we have to go further afield on grounds of cost or sustainability, we will explain why.
Organic
We support organic production because: - it is generally better for wildlife
- it severely limits the use of chemicals and pesticides
- it has high standards of animal welfare
- it is a sustainable system of land management
 We will source organic produce whenever possible. We will offer non-organic alternatives for some products and in these cases we will use other selection criteria based on the environmental and animal welfare performance of the producer and we will clearly explain our decision to customers. We will set minimum standards and strive for the best environmental / welfare standards possible.
Fair-trade
If products cannot be sourced locally and they have to be imported then they should be fairly traded with the producers receiving a fair price for their produce. For producers in the developing world this helps give them some stability and supports economic and social development.
Healthy
We believe that local food produced using environmentally friendly methods is more likely to be healthy and less likely to contain harmful additives and preservatives, or be over processed during its journey from field to shelf. We will promote:
- fresh local produce
- organic produce
- a balanced diet
- regular exercise
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