Cranstons, Penrith

OUR FARM SHOP

A family run butchers for more than 100 years, Cranstons are passionate about offering the highest quality local meat and produce for their discerning customers. Cranstons Food Hall is a real mecca for northern food lovers offering Cranstons own delicious butchery, deli and takeaway food plus complimentary food and drink from scores of Cumbrian producers, all in attractive displays. It’s loved by Cumbrian locals and visitors alike.

Cranstons, which was established in 1914, has evolved from a travelling butcher’s shop, to a high street butchers, and is now known for its large local produce Food Hall’s. Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall in Penrith is Cranstons flagship site, they also have three other Food Hall’s in Northern Cumbria, two traditional high street butchers shops and a growing online presence.

Alongside Cranstons renowned butchery and delicatessen goods their food halls (the companies butchery centre and kitchens produce over 200 products daily) sell food and drink from more than 50 Cumbrian producers, making them destinations for anyone interested in the county’s food scene.

Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall which is conveniently located two minutes from Junction 40 of the M6 in Penrith was opened in 2003 and expanded in 2009 with 40% more retail space and the addition of a large cafe. It is open 7 days a week 8am-6pm and serves over 6000 customers a week.

Cranstons buys the best beef, pork and lamb from farms within a 30-mile radius. Cranstons have always championed traditional butchery skills and old-fashioned standards of customer care.

The Food Hall team are really friendly and have a huge amount of foodie expertise. The 6 strong butchery team have over 100 years butchery experience and are happy to advise you on the best cut of meat, how to cook it and what local produce to serve it up with.

Cranstons is best known for its sausages, in particular the iconic uncoiled Cumberland sausage with its high pork content and distinctive seasoning. Cranston make over three miles of Cumberland sausage a week!

Cranstons also specialise in dry ageing beef (they have a specialist humidity controlled ageing chiller), dry curing bacon and making traditional pork and meat pies. They hold a string of Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards for their bacon and recently picked up a trio of Great Taste Golds for their beef products- Rare roast beef, Beef Wellington and Steak pies.

In recent years the Food Hall has also become known for takeaway food too. The busy production kitchen produces fresh salad bowls, baguettes and fresh cream desserts and customers can help themselves from a huge salad bar featuring seasonal salads from fruity wild rice to sun blush tomato orzo.

Cranstons huge craft butchery range and the fact they produce so many delicatessen and fresh lunch

items makes their Food Hall’s an exciting place for foodies. They aim to be an anti-dote to the generic supermarket shopping experience through their commitment to local sourcing, huge bespoke product range and old-fashioned approach to customer care.

Cranstons buyer Caroline Dinham works closely with local producers as the Food Hall is keen to support Cumbria’s thriving artisan food scene. Caroline ‘’ Cranstons are really lucky to be able to work with a huge array of talented local producers, making everything from ice cream and chutneys to nut butters and Skyr yoghurt. Our local gift hampers are a popular choice with visitors looking to take home a taste of Cumbria’

On entering the Food Hall your eye is immediately drawn to a huge range of Cumbrian products – from ‘Home Grown here’ local vegetables and fruits to ambient goods from local bakers, confectioners and sauce makers. Customers can grab everything they need to make a full meal with Cranstons meat and also choose a bottle of wine or local ale to accompany their meal.

At the heart of the shop you will find raw butchery counter featuring Cranstons specialist butchery ranges from dry cured bacon to speciality sausage, expertly dry aged beef, local lamb, pork and chicken. The counter has a large section devoted to oven ready meals and Cranstons butchers work behind the counter offering specialist advice and cut to demand steaks and joints.

Cranstons butchers are renowned for their Christmas creations -- think festive wellingtons, giant sharing sausage rolls and expertly prepared stuffed poultry and also for their Barbecue counters packed with king kebabs, marinated steaks and succulent burgers.

Next to butchery counter you will find Cranstons deli packed with artisan pies and sausage rolls, roast cooked meats and salads all made on site. Next to the deli is a self-serve salad bar and a hot counter which featured hot breakfast rolls and hot lunches, it’s popular with local office workers, tradesmen and school children.

The busy hot food counter is much loved by locals. It serves a top notch hot meat butty and a series of daily specials including the ”Cranstons Big Foot Cumberland Baguette”, an imperial foot of Cumberland served in a baguette with local tomato chutney which has developed a bit of a cult following.

This year has seen Cranstons develop a new bakery on site, the bakery supplies both the café and the Food Hall with fresh traybakes, scones and cakes.

Rob McManus Food Hall Manager said, “Cranstons moving into bakery is a new initiative and is proving a hit with customers. We are always trying to think of new ways to develop and it is great to see people picking up freshly baked cakes when they pop in for butchery and delicatessen goods- who doesn’t love a freshly baked scone?’’

The new bakery also supplies the Food Hall’s large first floor café. ‘’ Café Oswald’s is run by Cranstons and show cases the best of the food hall below. Open 7 days a week - the stylish space was completely refurbished during lockdown and is a ‘must visit’. Serving a classic Cumbrian style menu using quality, local ingredients as well as many of Cranstons own award-winning products. The most popular dish? You guessed it The Cranstons Full English featuring Cumberland sausage, dry cured bacon and black pudding made on site.

Cranstons has been part of the Eden Valley community for over 100 years and the company continues to support local charities and community groups generously. Cranstons regularly hosts Young Farmer groups for behind the scenes Food Hall evening tours. During covid a car park collection service was set up to help vulnerable customers.

Dave Dobson, Assistant Manager said,: “Cranstons is a well-loved community business and we are fortunate to have the loveliest customers. It’s a real joy to be part of the hard working team here at the Cumbrian Food Hall, serving customers tasty food and show casing Cumbria’s amazing food scene. It’s very simple, we are passionate about great meat and really good food’.

For opening times and more information: https://cranstons.net