‘Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail’ brings the farm to the city of Lincoln

July 11th, 2017

Now we’ve all got yet another reason to visit the beautiful city of Lincoln. Redhill Farm Free Range Pork’s brand new city centre shop – ‘Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail’ – is open. Located a stone’s throw from Lincoln cathedral, its arrival adds to the fantastic range of local independents that line Steep Hill and Bailgate. What’s more, Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail brings a permanent source of locally farmed free-range meat to the city centre. In fact, as far as we know, it is the only shop in Lincoln that’s owned and run by Lincolnshire farmers.

The shop sells free-range meat farmed by Jane and Terry Tomlinson of Redhill Farm, which is situated 20 miles away near Gainsborough. Redhill Farm was born in 1991, employs a team of 15, and is renowned for its exceptional levels of animal welfare. Current ‘Made in Lincolnshire 2017’ winner, the 185-acre farm produces free-range pork, lamb and grass-fed beef, plus award-winning Lincolnshire sausages, black pudding, haslet and more, right down to the lard used in their pork pies’ hand-raised pastry.

George and Louise, who look after the shop

There is a first-class ‘Shop on the Farm’ at Redhill Farm but other than that, Jane and Terry have always used Lincolnshire farmers’ markets to sell to the public – something they still do. They never envisaged opening their own off-site bricks-and-mortar shop. So what changed?

“We never planned to open a shop because we thought it might take over – we’re farmers first and foremost,” says Jane. “But when we heard that a premises on Lincoln’s Bailgate was becoming available, our ears pricked up. The shop is literally a few yards from where we’ve stood at Lincoln Farmers’ Market every month for the past 16 years, so it felt just right for us. We fell in love with the idea of being able to bring our farm to Lincoln everyday.”

And that’s great news for Lincoln and its visitors, who can pop into Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail for pork, lamb, beef, pies (the very same that Redhill Farm distributes to English sporting institutions Lord’s, Wimbledon and Silverstone), sausage rolls and more, with plans for charcuterie in the offing. Some non-Redhill Farm meat is sold in the shop, but only that raised by fellow Lincolnshire farmers highly regarded by Terry and Jane. Excitingly, Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail will soon offer hot food, too.

Redhill Farm Shop in the Bail is located a stone’s throw from both Lincoln Cathedral and the spot where Redhill Farm usually stand at Lincoln Farmers’ Market

This new shop, looked after by Jane and Terry’s son George and long-term Redhill Farm employee Louise, is a wonderful addition to Lincoln. If provenance and taste are important to you, look no further.

To read our other articles on Redhill Farm, click here.