31 July 2019
If you shop at Pantri Crwst, the official National Eisteddfod’s caravan site shop at Llanrwst this week, the food miles of those tasty Welsh products bought will be much less than those travelled walking the Eisteddfod maes all week!
And visiting the shop, a literal shop window to the many local, Welsh, home produced goods available at the many town businesses of Llanrwst, you will also be supporting a number of farming family businesses, benefiting the local Conwy Valley economy.
“It all ties in with the concept of Agrisgôp, the Farming Connect programme who has supported the five farming family members, who initiated this brand new co-operative to develop ideas, skills and the viability of rural Welsh businesses.” explains Myrddin Davies, the Agrisgôp Leader.
“It has been a mammoth challenge for these people who are already busy growing, creating, baking, producing and selling these Welsh products within their own individiual businesses.
But I’m delighted that the project has reached its fruition, and that they’ve achieved their ambition of showcasing the quality produce created and sold in Llanrwst, here on the Eisteddfod’s caravan site.”
The core group members of Pantri Crwst are:
- Belmont fruit and vegetables, Euros Evans, a fourth generation farmer and his family from Llanddoged harvest a variety of home grown vegetables from the family farm above Llanrwst.
- Emyr Hughes, Cae Melwr eggs plus ‘O’r Maen’ biscuits and bread produced from wheat grown at the family farm, milled in Wales and produced by Scilicorns bakery, Llanrwst
- Arwel L Jones butcher, situated at Denbigh Street, Llanrwst selling quality Welsh beef, lamb, pork and savoury home produced pies
- Siwgr a Sbeis, a leading Welsh bakery selling cakes, desserts and savoury quiches celebrating their 30th birthday this year and established in Llanrwst by friends Rhian Williams and Rhian Owen.
- Welsh butcher O Elystan Metcalfe has been at Watling Street, Llanrwst for over 30 years selling quality Welsh meats sourced locally from Conwy Valley and Vale of Clwyd farms.
In addition, Bragdy Nant will be on site selling fine Welsh ales, and have created a special beer, ‘Crwst IPA’ ready for the Eisteddfod. Bringing in other additional producers, such as Scilicorns Bakery, Blas ar Fwyd, Health and Food and Spar, Llanrwst assists in offering the ranges of produce people would expect from a one-stop shop on a caravan field site.
“We’re really excited,” explains Iona Edwards, the linchpin behind the Pantri Crwst concept. She not only brings in her specialism to the mix, her chartered accountancy skills, but being a farmer’s wife and servicing the financial needs of many farming families from her accountancy office based at Llanrwst, she understands the pressures of running rural businesses.
“The initial idea came from our Llanrwst Appeal Committee for the Eisteddfod,” Iona, Chair of the Llanrwst’ Appeal Committee explained. “We were keen to ensure the town was part of the event, and that the economic benefits reached the local people, as well as the many businesses and organisations directly involved with the Eisteddfod.
“Llŷr Serw, another appeal committee member and a farmer’s son, wanted to develop the idea that a shop on the festival’s site could be a shop window to some of the fantastic food and drink produced here in the Conwy Valley. And bringing a taste of the market town of Llanrwst to Eisteddfotwyr, showcases the best of what we have to offer, at a competitive price. It will hopefully offer a legacy to the Eisteddfod’s visit to Conwy,” Iona explains.
One of the producers looking forward to showcasing their produce at Pantri Crwst, is farmer Emyr Hughes of Cae Melwr farm, Llanrwst. Growing wheat on part of the 600 acre sheep and vegetable farm, milling on Anglesey, and producing flour for their local bakery, Emyr is delighted that six years on, ‘O’r Maen’ biscuits and artisan bread is continuing to sell well locally.
“Llanrwst’ Scilicorns Bakery experimented with the ingredients and decided to include some white flour into the wholemeal flour mix we produced to ensure a perfect dough. The taste is second to none, and takes people back to the traditional form of bread making using natural ingredients. Nothing is added to the 5 main ingredients, and the bread tastes lovely, fresh from the oven spread with homemade butter,” explains Emyr.
Cae Melwr eggs will also be on sale at Pantri Crwst: “Our 15,000 free range hens will produce more than enough eggs for Festival goers during Eisteddfod week!”
Funding and expertise support came from Agrisgôp, a Farming Connect project, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Welsh Government. Cywain, a Menter a Busnes project, adding value to primary Welsh products within the food and drink sector also supported Pantri Crwst, with additional support received from Conwy Cynhaliol, the LEADER programme for Conwy supported via the Rural Development Programme for Wales.
Pantri Crwst will open from 4pm onwards Friday 2 of August and then from 7am til 9pm every day (closed during lunch) for the duration of the Eisteddfod. For more information visit @Pantri Crwst on Facebook.