Our first stop doesn’t take us too far from the Brewery, with the The Barn at Berryfields. A family run restaurant with a fantastic story and familiar values…. Local, seasonal and sustainable.
So what happens when two brothers from the 4th generation of a farming family decide to step out of the farm and into the world of hospitality? Well in the case of Joe and Tom, after years away in the corporate world, they decided to return to the family business with a combination of new skills, experience and a whole new appreciation for the beautiful farm they call home!
Wedged just 5 miles from Birmingham airport and 6 miles from Coventry, lies The Barn at Berryfields. Multiple acres of stunning farmland belonging to the Barber Family for over 100 years. Starting with Joe and Tom’s Great Grandmother Lydia, the first lady to ride a motorcycle in Solihull(!), she set about creating an arable farm here in the heart of Warwickshire. It wasn’t until her son-in-law, Hartley, Joe and Tom’s Grandfather, took over the farm that an array of livestock were introduced.
Joe and Tom’s Father, Chris, then took over the farm at 16 and decided to specialise in pig farming. Breeding and selling them locally to butchers, before eventually opening their very own butchery circa 15 years ago crafting their very own bacon, sausages, pork pies and other goodies.
Only 7 years ago, Tom was working for Aldi as an Area Manager and Joe in London as a Strategy Consultant in Financial Services, both a long way from their roots at Berryfields. Tom then made the decision to step back into the family business and worked exclusively on the farm for 3 years. After many late night conversations, Tom and Joe, and their parents Chris and Fiona, agreed that a restaurant is the natural next step for the business, utlising their own pork and local produce and before long the dream was realised. The restaurant was created within the old potato shed, enjoying picture postcard views over the stunning farm land, with local meat prepared in the on site butchery and most importantly a selection of great local beer to accompany it! So we asked Tom and Joe what it was that made them choose Purity:
“We always ensure all of our ingredients are sourced as locally as is possible. We wanted to align our drink offering with our local approach and we both instantly thought of Purity. Not only does it tick the seriously local box, but it ticks the seriously ‘good drop’ box too, so it was a perfect match! We can now pair premium local food with premium local beer.”
“If people ask what beer I recommend, I always point to Purity. I should be on some kind of commission!!” Joe adds. “If it’s lager, it’s always Lawless. Four ingredients, unfiltered and it comes in a really cool glass tankard! I even took a couple down to our farmhouse to watch the rugby last weekend… certainly got a few looks as I walked across the carpark with them!”
A business passed down through the generations now sees itself building a new family. One that spans across more than just the generations, but bringing in those from outside the family name. Putting a huge emphasis on culture and empowering their team, the family do not underestimate the invaluable contribution the team make to their business. Joe and Tom are building a sustainable business that offers long term career opportunities for the employees as the business continues to grow.
Not wishing to stand still, there are huge plans for their already successful field to fork restaurant. Plans to create an outside seating platform to admire their incredible view in the summer months, could arguably see it become one of the best outdoor drinking spots in Warwickshire.
The introduction of a new 30x48ft polytunnel will also allow them to grow heritage products, many of which are hard to get hold of from suppliers and will allow their chefs to forage daily to create inventive dishes. New root veg plots are being prepared, with eco landscaping taking place, including beetle banks and hedgerow to provide additional habitats for local wildlife.
Joe & Tom’s ambition for The Barn at Berryfields shows no limits and, with that, the local community is recognising the fine work taking place. So it’s little wonder they were recently awarded “Best Independent Family Restaurant in the West Midlands 2018”.
We continue to enjoy working with the team at The Barn at Berryfields and can’t wait to see what they have planned for the future. We highly recommend you join us in following their amazing story unfold and pay The Barn at Berryfields a visit in the near future.