FOOD
At Beales Hotels, we try to source our food locally where possible, as befits a company that has been present in the area for eight generations and whose family has links in Hertfordshire back to the fifteenth century.
The following are local suppliers and organisations with whom we have a connection and who assist us in our quest for good quality local produce proudly grown in Hertfordshire and neighbouring counties. As you can see from the list below, we have a large network of suppliers that work year round to bring good food to the table for our guests.
Our current intention is to increase the amount of locally sourced food from Herts and a 50 mile radius to at least 10% of the total annual purchases – but we would like it to be much more than this. For some of our suppliers listed below, we have provided the post code and distance from the hotels. This information is underneath in green.
Andrew Beale - Managing Director & Wayne Turner - Executive Chef
Check out our fantastic menus at the Mary Beale Restaurant - West Lodge Park
Check out our fantastic menus at the outsidein restaurant - beales hotel
Download our Local Food & Drink booklet
www.blenheimpalace.com - Blenheimpalace Mineral Water - Until recently we have served Hadham Water from Hertfordshire at both hotels, but sadly it is no more. At West Lodge Park only, we are now proud to serve Blenheim Palace mineral water. The tradition started when Henry II built a pleasure pool for his mistress Rosamund Clifford, fed by a spring which, it is said, has never dried. Rosamund’s well can be seen to this day and the water has been highly prized ever since.
WLP 70.8 miles BH - 67.2
www.diaperpoultry.co.uk - Diaperpoultry - Finest Suffolk Chicken. Charles Nash of Kennel Farm, near Woodbridge, grows Sutton Hoo organic free range chicken. The chickens eat organically grown food and live on organically registered grassland. The birds live in small groups in mobile houses and range freely over acres of pasture adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burial site of Sutton Hoo. A wonderful fuller flavour is the result. Not the nearest, but far and away the best chicken we have found.
WLP 89.7 miles BH - 96.5
www.tcfinefoods.co.uk - Town and Country Fine Foods is committed to delivering the finest products and service for the UK's hospitality, catering and pastry industry. With over 34 years experience specialising in the hospitality and pastry industry, we understand that we must continue to supply you with the finest product, customer service and value for money.
Contact: Ms Fabienne Taylor, Sales Manager
HP10 OPE - WLP 33.63 miles BH - 37.99
www.foodsmiles.com – local suppliers to hotels restaurants and schools of a wide variety of local Herts produce.
Main contact: Mark Harrison MD
WLP 17.7 miles BH - 12.9
www.hertschamber.com – tireless advocates of Brand Hertfordshire and assisting small local businesses to break into the wider markets.
Main contact: Tim Hutchings - Chief Executive
WLP 9.8 miles BH - 0.4
www.hertsshow.com – the Hertfordshire Show run by the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society has become the leading showcase for local produce and has become the focal point for Hertfordshire food. A wonderful event that shows off this great county at its finest. Main contact Mike Harman Secretary to the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society
WLP 20.5 miles BH - 15.1
www.wrightsflour.co.uk – Wrights Flour A five generation family business and London’s last independent flour mill in Ponders End with high quality flour made from wheat farmers in Essex. Used in our scones, breads and pastries.
EN3 4TG - WLP 10.2 miles BH 17.1 miles
www.victoriabakery.co.uk – Five generation family business – a wonderful local bakery business based in Barnet with delicious wedding cakes, pastries, bread etc.
Main contact: James Freeman Managing Director
WLP 4.8 miles BH - 8.8
www.enjoyhertfordshire.co.uk – great source of information on everything going on in Hertfordshire including particularly good details on local produce and farmers markets.
Simmental cows
Bridget is the fifth generation to work at Sacombe Hill Farm, north of Hertford, with a fine herd of tenth generation pedigree Simmental cows, kept in lush pastures in summer and wintered in comfortable barns. Their bull won the Supreme Champion accolade at the Royal Show in 2006 – the highest achievement in farming. Simmental cows are a fine Swiss breed noted for their milk used in Suchard chocolate, and for the extremely tender steaks and mince that we serve in the hotels
Old Spot Pigs
Sacombe Hill farm near Hertford is also the location for a herd of rare breed Gloucester Old Spot pigs, kept outside in summer and in straw filled barns in winter. Bridget Borlase and her family supply Beales Hotels with pork fillet, as well as dry cured bacon from these remarkable animals.
Game and Venison
Sacombe Hill Farm is situated in classic deer country in the most rural part of Hertfordshire and as a consequence is populated by large herds of wild deer often visible in broad daylight on the edge of woodland. The venison that is shot on the farm has a slightly more gamey taste than the tamer farmed deer but as a result is far more authentic. As well as deer, Bridget Borlase supplies our hotels with pheasant, partridge, wild duck, rabbit, pigeon and hare, as and when any animal or bird has the misfortune to be targeted by her gun ! Truly local, truly organic, a true taste of Hertfordshire.
SG14 3NL - WLP 22.1 miles BH 14.7 miles
www.cafedumonde.co.uk – Based in Kent and offering some of the finest coffee around.
Main contact: the very affable Mike Osborne Managing Director
www.tiptree.com – fourth generation family Jam, marmalade and honey business based in Tiptree, Essex. We are proud to serve all their products at our hotels.
Main contact: Peter Wilkin, Chairman
CO5 0RF - WLP 53.8 miles BH 60.7 miles
www.timsdairy.co.uk – Tims dairy is a second generation family dairy in Chalfont St Peter, Bucks. Delicious organic yoghurt that you will find on the breakfast buffet at both hotels.
SL9 0QH - WLP 28.8 miles BH 24.4 miles
www.statonfoods.com – second generation family butchers based in Hitchin Herts, supplying meat to both West Lodge Park and Beales Hotel.
Main contact: Mark Staton Managing Director
HP10 OPE - WLP 33.63 miles BH - 37.99
www.criterion-ices.co.uk – third generation family ice cream producers at Manor Farm Creamery near Bury St Edmunds. Started by the Valenti family in 1920. Delicious range of ice creams and sorbets on the menus at both hotels.
Main contact: Jim Valenti Sales Manager.
IP31 3QJ - WLP 81.8 miles BH 73.6 miles
www.cheese.biz – Premier Cheese based in Beaconsfield serves a wide range of English and Continental cheeses at both hotels. We serve the cheeses in order of strength and maturity. The delivery van is a treasure trove of pungent delights !
WLP 34.6 miles BH - 31.1
CM9 6UZ - WLP 44.9 miles BH 51.7 miles
www.denhamestate.co.uk – one of the finest Venison farms in the UK, based near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, with 1200 acres supporting 3000 fallow deer. The venison is always served on our Autumn and Winter menus
IP29 5EQ - WLP 71.6 miles BH 63.4 miles
www.elizabethshaw.co.uk – fine chocolates and mints served at West Lodge Park
www.thomasridley.co.uk – Seventh generation Suffolk based food retailer based in Bury St Edmunds.
Main contact: Hugh Godfrey Managing Director
www.twinings.com – Tenth generation internationally renowned London tea company founded in 1706 on the Strand.
Main contact: Stephen Twining Managing Director