THE Courtyard Dairy at Austwick near Settle has invested in what its owners claim is a regional, if not national, first: a cheese-vending machine offering a selection of the shop’s quality cheeses. The vending machine is located just outside the premises in a newly-constructed self-service ‘chalet’.

Owners Andy and Kathy Swinscoe took the inspiration for the contraption from similar machines they came acros during visits to cheese-makers in Switzerland.

“It has been a challenging few months during which we have had to adapt quickly,” Mr Swinscoe said.

“Most of our shop, wholesale and café business disappeared overnight when the lockdown was imposed, so we had to heavily promote our online and mail-order business to ensure traditional farmhouse cheese-makers could still find an outlet for their cheeses.”

“Since the relaxation of the lockdown rules, an issue has been how to serve the customers in our tiny shop whilst maintaining social distancing, coupled with finding ways to entertain those who kindly queue outside.

"The cheese vending machine is our attempt to make things easier for our customers, minimising contact and allowing them to buy cheese even if the shop is busy and they haven’t got time to queue.

"And the vending machine is open from 8 am to 8 pm, longer hours than the shop, which will mean those passing on the busy A65 can still buy cheese even when the shop is closed.”

Besides the cheese vending machine, the chalet also features ice-cream and coffee vending machines.

The coffee on sale in the chalet is produced by an Italian bean-to-cup takeaway coffee machine, using local free-range milk and freshly roasted coffee from Casa Espresso in Shipley. Meanwhile, the ice-cream vending machine stocks Bouncing Cows Ice Cream, which is made just a couple of miles away by dairy farmers Fiona and Gary Robinson.