CONSTRUCTION IS due to begin on a multi-million pound development which will aim to put Welsh cuisine back on the menu.
Furnace Farm in Bodnant, near Eglwysbach, will soon play host to a new £6.4m food centre, which will promote the best of Welsh food and drink.
The creation of the specialist food centre is set to bring more than 30 jobs to the area.
Involving the adaptation of the existing 18th century farm buildings, the development of Furnace Farm will give more people a chance to take part in the food economy at every stage, from harvesting and production to distribution, and strengthen links between farmers and consumers.
Its retail outlet will provide traders with an opportunity to introduce new products, building on the experience of the area’s long-running farmers’ markets.
As well as a retail outlet, the centre will serve as the location of a new restaurant and tea rooms; production facilities for cheese, ice cream and yoghurt; a cookery school to provide short courses in food preparation; and catering facilities which will showcase new and quality Welsh produce, as well as new ways of using and preparing locally-sourced foods.
Furnace Farm will also provide a home for a new National Beekeeping Centre for Wales, offering training courses for all levels of beekeeping and a visitor centre with observation hives, supervised handling of bees in season, honey production etc., and which will provide an attractive venue for beekeepers, the general public, schools and conservationists.
Deganwy Cllr Jason Weyman, who visited the site during the early stages of planning, said he had been pleased by the direction being taken by the developers.
He said “It’s a fantastic development and the plans will be tremendous for the area - they’re designing it sympathetically.
The actual use of the building will attract a new element of tourism to the area, building on events like Conwy’s food festival, but gives an all-year round facility.”
Furnace Farm Ltd is looking to work with local producers to make the project a success. For further information, contact FurnaceFarm@bodnant.co.uk.
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