After Tebay Services was propelled into the national spotlight last weekend, colleagues and admirers of Cumbria’s award-winning family-run motorway services business are eagerly awaiting the second instalment of a documentary series that celebrates its people and its produce.
The first episode of A Lake District Farmshop, a four-part documentary series filmed at Tebay Services by Purple Productions, was watched by 1.4 million viewers last Saturday night, an audience share of 10 per cent.
Tebay Services was trending on Twitter immediately after the programme. Users were enthusiastic in their praise of the programme’s beautiful landscape photography and endearing Cumbrian characters, with Tim Burgess, lead singer of The Charlatans, telling his 250,000 Twitter followers that ‘Seeing @TebayServices on TV is making me miss being on tour’.
‘A Lake District Farmshop is about the county I live in’
One of the stars of episode one, Tebay’s head butcher Dave Morland, was even invited to sit beside Naga Munchetty and Jon Kay on the BBC Breakfast sofa. “They are really nice and made me very welcome,” said Dave, who is Tebay born and bred.
“It wasn’t about me; it was about the business I work for and the county I live in. It was an honour to chat to Naga and Jon and represent Cumbria and the Lake District.
“So many people have commented to me how natural the documentary is. It doesn’t feel scripted or acted. That’s because it shows us how we really are: we really do work closely with all our suppliers and know them all personally.”
‘We trusted Channel 4 to tell our stories’
Episode two, to be broadcast at 8pm tonight, shows Dave visiting his old school, Tebay primary school, to teach the children how to make sausages and inspire a new generation of skilled butchers.
It also features local preserve maker Jake Winter, of Wild & Fruitful, Penrith-based potter Mary Chappelhow and the Tebay Services estates team and their endeavours to help Tebay’s red squirrel population.
Sarah Dunning, chair of the Westmorland Family, which owns and operates Tebay Services, said: “We trusted the team at Purple Productions and Channel 4 to tell our stories, and they told them with respect, care and love for the place we all hold dear.
“Tebay Services is special because of our people: our producers, our colleagues, our community. It is a pleasure to share our place with a wider audience and celebrate the local talent that makes us what we are.”
Episode two of A Lake District Farmshop is on Channel 4 tonight at 8pm. Episode one is available on catch-up.
More about A Lake District Farmshop
A Lake District Farmshop goes out with a zesty flourish. Read more here.
Read our review of the first episode here.
Meet the record-breaking potter who stars in episode two here.
Find out more about the series here.
Meet the butcher and baker who are integral to Tebay Services here.
