Tebay services back for second Channel 4 series of A Lake District Farmshop

The second series of A Lake District Farmshop, which delves behind the scenes to meet the staff and Cumbrian producers that keep Tebay Services running, will air this week on Channel 4 after delighting viewers with its first series last year.

And the six-part series is even more special with the services celebrating 50 years of business.

Set up in 1972 by farmers John and Barbara Dunning, Tebay Services was the first and remains part of the only family-run motorway services business in the UK and welcomes 4.5 million visitors each year.

The series covers important topics including life on the Tebay farm, recycling, food tourism and making craft artisan products from waste wool.

Read more: Popular service station to feature in its own documentary series

Sarah Dunning, chair of the Westmorland Family, which owns and operates Tebay Services, said: “We’re all very excited for the second series, the first series offered a tremendous boost for our wider supplier family, it’s a great privilege to share these stories with the wider world.

“Quality local food was at the forefront of my parents’ vision when we opened 50 years ago, but it is the people behind the produce and our enduring relationships with our makers that gives our business direction.  Local produce, local landscapes and communities have been at the very heart of our business today.”

The programme starts on April 9 at 8:15pm and will follow Tebay’s team of buyers, farmers, butchers, builders, designers, cleaners and suppliers and shares some of the connections and special relationships between people living and working in the Lake District.

Meet some of Tebay’s local producers set to feature in the series:

The Lockdown Brewers

Fate brought together four brewers from Kendal, who were made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic, to set up new brewery the Lakes Brew Co.

The series will explore their story of collaboration and friendship as the team sees its beers hit the shelves at Tebay.

The Weaver

Undervalued waste wool from the farm is transformed into a Tebay Tweed with weaver Laura Rosenzweig.  Buyer Tracey Clowes follows a series of “nearly lost” craft processes from scouring, spinning and the weaving a bespoke design inspired by the Cumbrian countryside.

The Cup-cycler

Tebay sells millions of cups of coffee at the services, which brings the problem of single-use cup waste. The show follows the story from bean to recycled cup, all done locally with Croppers papers and artisan coffee suppliers Carvetti.   

Craft Cola Maker

Newly crowned Michelin chef Ben Queen-Fryer’s business is given a lockdown lifesaver as they make a range of natural colas for the services as the team swap mass market brands for local alternatives.

Junction Artist

James Dean is the softly spoken night shift worker at Tebay’s Junction 38 Truckstop. His manager discovers he has a talent for drawing and with the help of Tebay’s buying team James sets about to design a series of cards to celebrate 50 years of Tebay. 

The Cash Cow

Maria Benjamin and her Jersey cow Buttercup make a range of natural soaps sold at the services. They are pitching a new range of natural dog shampoos to “Quench the Stench” and the farm’s sheep dog Parsnip gives them a test run.