Many families made it an annual tradition to visit
A general image of a strawberry picking field (Image: Mirrorpix)
A popular strawberry-picking spot near Bristol will not be operating this summer due to rising costs.
Fruit picking is a much-loved family past-time but one stalwart of the tradition will noticeably be absent from the area this year.
St Aldams Nursery in Westerleigh Road, Pucklechurch, has confirmed the closure of its pick-your-own fruit facility, with the exception of its pumpkin patch in autumn.
Established for over 40 years, the garden centre is focusing on its primary purpose as a traditional plant nursery. Expense has been blamed for the reason that St Aldams Nursery will no longer offer pick-your-own fruit as an option this season.
When approached by Bristol Live, a spokesperson said: “Due to the extra labour and other costs that have been imposed on us, we unfortunately are no longer growing pick-your-own fruit.”
The news will come as a disappointment to regulars, many of whom have left positive reviews over the years of the pick-your-own operation. Writing on Google, one customer said: “Such a lovely little nursery! Visited here to pick some fruit during the summer months. There is a free car park and no entry fee either which is fab.
“The staff members are super friendly and knowledgeable, they also provide free punnets. We picked lots of strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants.”
The reviews mentioning strawberry picking date back 12 years, with another visitor writing: “Excellent. Easy to get to and park. This is the place for pyo strawberries !”
St Aldams will still offer pick-your-own pumpkins which will be ready in September, but the option of picking your own fruits – which used to include varieties of strawberries, gooseberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and raspberries – has now stopped. However, it has been confirmed on the company’s website that pumpkins will be ready in time for Halloween which is good news for carvers.
The industry nationally is said to be feeling the pinch due to rising energy costs, wage increases and other expenses. The struggle is despite the British berry market reaching a total market value of £2 billion for the first time, according to British Berry Growers — the industry body representing 95 percent of British berries sold in the UK.
However, despite reaching this milestone, the future success of the UK production industry is by no means secure — with conditions for growers becoming increasingly demanding, experts warn.
Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, said earlier this year: “We are immensely proud of reaching this milestone, and of the industry’s resilience in the face of challenging operating conditions.
“But it is also clear that there are very tangible risks which threaten the industry’s future. In particular, it’s clear that retailers have a significant role to play in the industry’s recovery.
“Without their support, growers will struggle to expand production and meet the ever-growing demand for fresh British berries. This would be a tragedy when the ongoing growth of the overall retail market gives a huge opportunity to increase our UK home production and self-sufficiency.”
The report from the industry body shone light on some of the difficulties being faced by farmers. It said 85 percent of British growers previously recorded declines or a stagnation in revenue over a three-year period and during this year — the share of British berries has shrunk by 2.54 percent. Meanwhile, the volume of imported berries increased by 15.11 percent.
However, ideal weather conditions have made for a bumper crop for strawberry growers this year, potentially offering a much-needed boost for growers.
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