WHEN Smithills Open Farm shut its gates back in March, owner Carl Grimshaw was worried it might spell the end for the popular attraction.

Now as the UK begins to emerge from lockdown, the farm can look back on a successful four months during which their milk deliveries more than doubled and they provided vital support for many of their vulnerable customers.

“It has been absolutely mental,” said Carl. “Our milk deliveries have more than doubled during lockdown to over 4,000 customers and17 milk rounds going out over six mornings a week.

“It has been a long hard slog and right at the beginning we were in the office from 7am until 10pm trying to make sure everyone’s orders were right and getting everyone booked on to the computer system.

“We would be back up at 3am the next day delivering and then back in the office ready to go again - there were three weeks solid when we were non-stop.”

Each year around 140,000 people visit the farm from across the region and further afield. It has been in the Grimshaw family since they took it over in the 1980s.

“We have a good team of staff here especially the guys who process the milk,” said Carl. “We were able to bring some staff off furlough to make sure we could supply all these people.

“We have also been delivering fruit, eggs, juice, butter and cream and our ice cream sales have been unreal - maybe it was being seen as a treat for the children and even the adults in these bad times!

“A lot of people have taken to cooking from home so our butter has been very popular - it’s been all-round chaos!”

Carl and his staff were also able to check in on a lot of their more vulnerable customers.

“People have stayed with us to supports us,” he added. “We’ve seen local businesses support each other too and it has brought a lot of people together and built friendships.

“For us as a family business it has been incredible to see that.”