A FOOD village in Launcells has been selected as one of two Food Enterprise Zones in Cornwall — creating huge opportunities for businesses on the site and potentially bringing an additional 40 jobs.

Norton Barton Farm Artisan Food Village has been chosen, alongside Trewithen Dairy's new production facility, near Lostwithiel, by Cornwall Council to benefit from the new scheme to make it easier and cheaper for food businesses to grow in the region.

Norton Barton Farm is already home to Popti Cornish Bakehouse, Cornish Charcuterie, Whalesborough Cheese, as well as North Coast Cider, who hope to start their first fermentation on the site this autumn.

If all goes to plan, Richard and Fionagh Harding, owners of Norton Barton Farm, are hoping to welcome many more businesses in the near future.

Richard said: "We want to keep the site artisan, so that the products will fit in with the existing ones we have on offer, and as a result appeal to our current market, making it more likely for the products to succeed."

By making the Artisan Food Village a Food Enterprise Zone other local food start-ups will be able to grow and flourish, using the state-of-the-art production units on offer and gain practical support to develop and trial new products before companies take the leap to their own premises.

Richard added that by offering some smaller units, small businesses will have the chance to try out their products without the financial risk that comes from going alone, which will hopefully encourage more people to join the food industry.

The village is also planned to include a new education centre looking at where food comes from and how it is made, adding another attraction to the diverse range of tourist experiences in Cornwall, where food and drink accounts for a third of money spent by visitors to the region, making the site a great spot for local businesses to thrive.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.