Northumberland businesses Particularly Good Potatoes and the Bamburgh Castle Inn share insights on rural challenges

Chantelle Ellis from the Bamburgh Castle Inn.Chantelle Ellis from the Bamburgh Castle Inn.
Chantelle Ellis from the Bamburgh Castle Inn.
The way two north Northumberland firms are adapting to challenges in the rural economy have been showcased.

Particularly Good Potatoes, at Wooler, and Seahouses’ Bamburgh Castle Inn have shared their insights for the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE).

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The new films highlight the effects of unpredictable weather on Particularly Good Potatoes and its steps to reduce carbon footprint, and staff accommodation and a car share scheme at the Bamburgh Castle Inn to mitigate the lack of affordable housing locally for employees.

The insights videos complement NICRE’s State of Rural Enterprise findings into the impacts of rising costs, climate change, staffing and skills availability and agricultural transition, and were shown to key figures from policy, business, and community and voluntary sectors in the region.

Particularly Good Potatoes' Rebecca Maitland and Mark Robson.Particularly Good Potatoes' Rebecca Maitland and Mark Robson.
Particularly Good Potatoes' Rebecca Maitland and Mark Robson.

NICRE director Jeremy Phillipson, Professor of Rural Development at the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University, said: “These real-life experiences chime closely with our evidence into how firms are responding to an ever-changing business environment with innovative coping mechanisms and much resilience.

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“They portray powerfully the state of rural enterprise, providing policymakers with a much better understanding of the ways businesses are tackling challenges head-on and how support could best be channelled.

“At a time of great opportunity for the region with the new North East Combined Authority and Government’s emerging programme of work, we hope that these insights and our evidence will help to further recognise and unlock the potential in the rural economy. We’d like to thank both businesses for sharing their insights with us.”

Both films are available on NICRE’s website.

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