Gelston Lamb has ‘loyal customer base’ on Grantham Farmers Market

A market stallholder who sells lamb has praised their “loyal customer base”.

Gelston Lamb started trading on Grantham Farmers Market, which comes to town every second Saturday of the month, during lockdown.

The stall is being showcased as part of an ongoing Journal campaign to support the market.

The business was formed by Chris and Louise Elkington, who met at a Young Farmers Club in 2008.

In 2010, they purchased 30 ewe lambs which were kept in some unused fields on the farm owned by Louise’s parents.

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They steadily built up their flock and by 2014 had 100 breeding ewes.

Gelston Lamb sold their meat directly, and decided to go into catering at local shows, events and farmers markets after having success at Corby Glen Sheep Fair.

In 2016, Louise’s dad sadly passed away, which meant the arable farm was no longer a viable option for her mum.

Chris and Louise decided to rent land off her, raising their ewe numbers to over 500.

By 2019, the couple’s dream to have a farm butchery became reality and environmental health gave them a five-star rating.

This has allowed them to develop and perfect recipes for burgers and sausages, while ensuring that the quality of their produce is to the highest of standards.

Gelston Lamb took a spot on Grantham Farmers Market during lockdown, after a previous stallholder who sold lamb stopped.

Louise said: “[The market is] good. We’ve got a different customer base that goes to Grantham market, because we also do our online sales.

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“For such a quiet market, we’ve got a loyal customer base.

“If people miss a delivery in the week, they can get it on Saturday at the farmers market.

“It’s good for people to be able to go and see the products rather than order online.

“Some people like to see exactly what they are buying. People can preorder as well online, or give us a ring, so it can just be collected on the market.

“It’s a good way to get feedback from people. We’ve never had any complaints, which is lovely. It’s a nice position to be in!”

Louise explained that selling directly from their farm to customers online and on the market is “a good way to maintain quality”.

“I’m not going to lie,” she continued. “It’s hard work doing it all, but it’s definitely rewarding.”

Grantham Farmers Market is the only one that Gelston Lamb sells its products on.

When asked how the market could be improved, Louise suggested that placing signs near roads on the way into Grantham, such as Manthorpe Road, could help raise awareness of the farmers market.

She said: “I think a lot of people don’t know about it. Even people in Grantham.

“I don’t know whether it’s because they don’t see it advertised, so they don’t know when it is.

“Years ago, when we first started, we used to do Sleaford Farmers Market and they put signs out on the A17 the week before the farmers market would happen.

“It’s something that’s not an expensive thing to do, but it’s something that everybody would see.

“We’ve been doing a pop-up shop once a month and we’ve had people come from Grantham to that who say ‘where else can we buy your stuff?’ and we ask if they know about Grantham Farmers Market and they say no.

“I don’t think people are fully aware of it. They go and do their shopping in town but they go to the supermarket and unless they’ve got to walk to the bank, they’re not going into town, as such.”

To find out more, visit: www.gelstonlamb.co.uk

You can find Gelston Lamb on Grantham Farmers Market tomorrow (Saturday).