The shop, housed in a transformed cowshed, is set for another expansion this year
Eve O’Brien, co-owner of family business, the Woolton Farm Shop(Image: Photo by Andrew Teebay)
A family business tucked away in a picturesque Merseyside village has told its fans: “This is just the beginning”. Woolton Village has long attracted visitors from across Liverpool and beyond with its fascinating history, stunning cottages and bustling local businesses.
Dating back to the 12th century, if you take a walk through the beautiful village at any time of year, it almost feels like you’re stepping back in time. Over the years, it has become something of a hub for independents, boasting everything from quaint shops to family-run restaurants and cafes. It’s also got more than its fair share of watering holes, from the White Horse to The Cobden and more.
But tucked away off Woolton Street, you’ll find Woolton Farm Shop. Run by Eve O’Brien and her husband Neil, it officially opened in November 2024. During the week, it is filled with customers wanting to get their hands on everything from locally sourced produce to lovely gifts, loaves of bread, homemade cakes and more.
Now, the couple have shared “big news” in an announcement on social media. The team said: “We’re so excited to share that we’ve secured a piece of land very close to the shop to create our very own regenerative farm.
Eve O’Brien from the Woolton Farm Shop(Image: Photo by Andrew Teebay)
“This means we’ll soon be growing lots of organic produce, with pasture-raised hens for eggs, bees for local honey, cut flowers from our micro flower farm, and so much more — all grown with care for the land and our community.
“The dream is to be able to pick produce in the morning and bring it straight to the shop, no food miles, nutrient-dense organic fruit and veg grown locally and eaten locally. Good for the soil, good for biodiversity, good for the planet and good for you. This is just the beginning.”
Eve confirmed to the ECHO that “all the behind the scenes work” is currently happening, with construction due to start as soon as the ground dries up. The new farm, named Hope Acre Farm, is expected to be in use by March.
Eve O’Brien from the Woolton Farm Shop(Image: Photo by Andrew Teebay)
Inside, the traditional farm shop, an extension of the couple’s already established woodwork and bespoke furniture business located next door, has a rustic interior, autumnal decorations and shelves full of fruit and vegetables, jars of honey and chutneys, Liverpool-themed gifts and more.
Eve previously told the ECHO: “This site used to be a farm, and all around here there were no residential houses; it was all fields. The house at the top was the dairy, and this was an old cowshed to hold the cows in.
“We only took it on because we were here already. We’ve been here for 12 years doing the woodworking and the logs. Neil, being a woodworker, has made everything in here – he’s put the counter in, he’s made all the shelving. It’s been a massive transformation because it was just an old, dark room beforehand.”
Handmade Toxteth chocolate at the Woolton Farm Shop(Image: Photo by Andrew Teebay)
Neil said it took six to eight weeks to give the building a new lease of life. He told the ECHO: “I started growing my own vegetables at home, and it was boss quality, so we thought, why not?
“There’s no fruit and veg shop around here, there’s no organic stuff, so that’s why it started, really, as an idea. It’s funny when you see people in here, as this used to be my workshop. You didn’t see anybody for weeks, and it was full of sawdust. It’s been really positive so far.”
Eve highlighted how the products customers are always coming back for are the fruit and vegetables, sourced from a local market, as well as the bread which is “always gone by lunchtime”.