Key Points
- Westmorland Farmshop & Co Ltd are looking for local farmers, growers, bakers, food and drink manufacturers and craftspeople to work with the new £65m Tatton Services, located on the M56.
- The company has pledged to source from a minimum of 70 producers who operate within a 30 mile radius of the site.
- A “Become a Tatton Maker” Meet the Buyer event will take place at Groobarb’s Wild Farm in High Legh on Thursday 19 November 2026, from 10am to 3pm.
- The company needs suppliers of bread, cakes, confectionery, snacks, soft drinks, tea, coffee, deli items, seasonal produce, meat, dairy, and artisan items.
- The priority is to have a named local dairy producer especially for milk used in the farm shop and in tea/coffee provided at the services.
- Craft makers are also being sought including makers of jewellery, ceramics, candles, clothes, textiles, artwork and home-wares.
- Tatton Services is being developed as an 80-20 joint venture between Westmorland and the Tatton Estate, located between junctions 7 and 8 of the M56 near Millington and Rostherne.
- The development will open in the Spring of 2028 and will provide employment opportunities for more than 400 people.
Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 29, 2026 — The company behind the new £65 million Tatton Services development on the M56 has begun recruiting independent local producers to supply its planned farmshop and butchery, offering businesses across Cheshire and the surrounding area a route to a major new roadside retail site.
Westmorland Farmshop & Co, the family-owned operator behind Tebay and Gloucester Services, has launched the search under the initiative Become a Tatton Maker. It is inviting farmers, bakers, growers, food and drink producers, artists, designers and craftspeople based within 30 miles of the development to help shape the site’s local offer.
What is Tatton Services looking for?
The company is particularly seeking locally produced food and drink, including bread, cakes, confectionery, snacks, soft drinks, tea, coffee and deli products. It also wants farmers and growers able to supply seasonal fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy products.
Finding a named local dairy supplier has been identified as a priority. As reported by Altrincham Today, Westmorland hopes to source milk both for the farmshop and for the thousands of teas and coffees expected to be served at the new services each day.
The recruitment drive is not limited to food. Westmorland is also encouraging local artists, designers and craftspeople to come forward, with the company seeking products ranging from jewellery, ceramics and candles to clothing, textiles, artwork and housewares.
How can producers apply?
An informal Meet the Buyer event will take place at Groobarb’s Wild Farm in High Legh on Thursday 19 November. It will run from 10am to 3pm and give local businesses the chance to meet Westmorland’s buying team, present their products and discuss potential supply arrangements.
Businesses interested in attending can find further information and register their interest through the official Tatton Services website.
As reported by Insider Media, producers will be able to drop in to introduce their businesses and products, meet the buying team and explore opportunities before Tatton Services opens.
Why is Westmorland recruiting locally?
Dan Pearson, Commercial Director at Westmorland, said the company’s approach is centred on independent, locally rooted products.
“At Westmorland, our ethos is about celebrating the small and special, which we’ve been doing for over 50 years,”
he said.
“We want the unique, the interesting and the joyful, products made with care by people who have a story to tell,”
Mr Pearson added.
“This is a chance to build something rooted in its surroundings, where customers can discover the area through what they eat, drink and take home.”
He said the location could give smaller producers access to a far larger customer base than they might otherwise reach. “With millions of motorists passing along the M56, Tatton Services offers local producers the opportunity to reach a much wider audience,” he said.
“We want to build lasting relationships, helping our producers grow as we grow,” Mr Pearson said.
What has Tatton Estate said?
Annette McDonald, Director of Sustainability and Partnerships at the Tatton Estate, said the area has a strong base of food, drink and artisan businesses. “We are surrounded by exceptional food, drink and artisan producers across Cheshire, from dairy farms and cheesemakers, brewers, bakers and artists,” she said.
“The Tatton Services project has always had a special place in our hearts because of the opportunities it will create for local producers and the benefits it will bring to our communities and neighbours,”
Ms McDonald said.
“We want local producers to feel part of this from the beginning and help shape a place that does Cheshire proud,”
she added.
What is the scale of the development?
The £65 million development is being delivered through a partnership between Westmorland and the Tatton Estate, with Westmorland holding an 80 per cent stake. Construction began earlier this year on the site between Junctions 7 and 8 of the M56, near Millington and Rostherne, just south of the Bowdon Roundabout.
The services are due to open in spring 2028 and are expected to create more than 400 jobs. Like Westmorland’s existing sites at Tebay in Cumbria and Gloucester, the development is intended to focus on locally sourced food and independent producers rather than a conventional motorway services model.
As reported by The Grocer, Westmorland chair Sarah Dunning said the company had committed to working with at least 70 producers within 30 miles of the site, with the number expected to grow as relationships develop.
The same report said Tatton Services would also include a dedicated community grant programme distributing a minimum of £100,000 each year to local initiatives.
What support will smaller businesses receive?
Westmorland says it will offer support to smaller businesses, including guidance on food accreditations and help bringing products to market.
The company has not published detailed commercial terms for suppliers in the announcement. However, it has said the aim is to establish long-term relationships with local producers as the services develop.
Background of the development
Tatton Services is a £65 million motorway services project being developed on Tatton Estate land between Junctions 7 and 8 of the M56, near Millington and Rostherne in Cheshire. It is an 80–20 partnership between Westmorland and the Tatton Estate.
Construction began in 2026, with the development scheduled to open in spring 2028. The scheme is expected to create more than 400 jobs and will include a farmshop, butchery and a focus on produce from Cheshire and nearby areas.
Earlier reporting by Great British Life said the project had secured funding from HSBC UK and forecast around four million visitors annually, with an annual turnover of £36 million. That report also said the development was expected to create 558 construction-phase jobs and 325 permanent roles once operational.
Tatton Estate’s own placemaking material has previously described the project as supporting up to 170 local producers and creating a local supply chain within a 30-mile radius.
Prediction: what it could mean for local producers
For Cheshire farmers, food makers and craft businesses, the recruitment drive could provide a new, high-visibility sales channel once Tatton Services opens in 2028. Producers selected for the farmshop and butchery may gain access to motorists travelling on the M56, alongside potential opportunities to build longer-term supply relationships with Westmorland.
The emphasis on dairy suggests particular potential for local milk producers, cheesemakers and dairy businesses, while the request for seasonal produce, meat, bakery goods and deli items points to opportunities across the wider food sector. Craft makers may also benefit from a new retail outlet for products that would otherwise depend on markets, independent shops or online sales.
For businesses considering applying, the November event is likely to be the first practical step in assessing whether their products, capacity, accreditations and supply arrangements match Westmorland’s requirements. The company’s stated commitment to at least 70 local suppliers indicates that the development could become a meaningful part of the regional food economy, although individual outcomes will depend on commercial discussions between Westmorland and each producer.
