When I go into Gloucester Services off the M5 near my home, my wife groans.
I come away with delicious meats, pies and cheese from this amazing food emporium off the motorway. It is a real food experience in itself and now works with 130 food producers within 30 miles plus 70 in the South West region.
Sarah Dunning, chairman of the Westmoreland family, which owns the two services, now employs 400 local people there and very much sees the business as a food company. Sarah shared the story of the family’s two services with the Business West networking breakfast at the Bowden Hall Hotel, Upton St Leonards. The event was sponsored by ITEC. I much admire the Westmoreland Family’s business philosophy which embodies four key focuses: farm, food, people and place. Sarah’s family are farmers and they set up their first service station—Tebay in Cumbria when the M6 went through their land. It was unique then as its whole business focus was selling locally produced food. Here it’s a great asset for Gloucestershire and a shot in the arm for our growing army of great food and drink producers.
Images from the breakfast event can be viewed here.
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