Meet Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards judge, and 2019 Retailer of the Year winner Richard Nicholson from Cannon Hall Farm Shop.

Richard Nicholson

“I’m interested in hearing an interesting story about a journey that a business has gone on to get to where it is today.”

We caught up with him for a quick Q&A session, read on to find out more about Richard and why his Dad has been his biggest influence..




Who are you? Where are you from? And what do you do?

Richard Nicholson, Director of Cannon Hall Farm

What was your first job?

Serving Ice cream and cashier in Home Farm Tearooms, our first farm diversification in 1981. Wage was 50p an hour. £2 for a four hour shift.

What is the most rewarding part of your current job?

Meeting the farm’s supporters who are always so enthusiastic about the work we do here.

What have been your career highlights so far?

Winning so many awards in food, farming and tourism. We also received several awards during lockdown for helping to keep spirits up with our online broadcasts. These included The Telegraph’s Lockdown Lift Award and the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award.


What are you looking for in a winning entry for the Awards?

I’m interested in hearing an interesting story about a journey that a business has gone on to get to where it is today. Provenance, creativity and innovation are important.

 

Why should retailers enter these Awards?

It’s a great showcase for talented individuals to display their product and a way of promoting your business to lovers of good food UK wide.

 

Who or what has been your biggest influence to get you to where you are today?

My dad Roger Nicholson, now just a few days from his 79th birthday he’s still in the farmyard every day, working hard, caring for his animals. He showed myself and my brothers that hard work and persistence will eventually be rewarded.

What’s the most unusual situation you’ve found yourself in because of your job?

I was once photographing a dwarf Zebu cow in the farmyard as part of my marketing duties. I don’t think it liked the camera flash and before I knew what was happening I was on the floor being attacked. I managed to grab its horns, getting a small amount of control of the situation (but not much!) and pass my camera stuff to an old lady who was watching and climb out as quickly as possible! I was left with cuts and bruises. Apparently when she left the farm she asked if “the young man who’d been gored by the bull was alright?”

What would be your karaoke song? And why?

Paradise by the Dashboard Light. I love the music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf who have both sadly passed away recently and it’s a perfect chance to belt out an epic with some over the top acting thrown in for good measure.

Where/when are you happiest?

Fishing on our boat at Whitby.

Where in the world would you tell everyone to visit?

The world is a big interesting place and it’s difficult to pin it down to one. I loved the food and history in Mexico. I experienced amazing saltwater flyfishing and diving with sharks in Cuba and Norway has stunning pristine scenery.

Meet our full judges line-up for 2022 here.