The team from Hawes Mart Cafe
There is something special about walking into Hawes Auction Mart Café on a busy sale day. The chatter of farmers swapping stories over a plate of Yorkshire pudding with sausage and mash, the aroma of freshly baked scones, and the comforting glow from the log burner all blend into a sense of belonging. It is a traditional mart café in every sense, but with a hearty welcome that sets it apart.
The mart has a long-standing reputation for its following of good hill breeding stock, and it is a traditional mart through and through - a hub of the rural community - and the café is at its centre. Run by a small, dedicated team, the café has become known not only for its hearty home-cooked food but also for the warmth that greets everyone who walks through the door.
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"We're absolutely thrilled," says café manager Alison Champion, after winning the award, "We were nominated last year, so to come away with it this time means a lot. Our customers are very pleased too – there has been such a buzz about it."
Alison's passion for cooking and for the community shines through everything she does. "I make everything from scratch," she says. "All the meat is local, and we use lamb that is sold here at the mart. Customers asked for more lamb dishes because we sell so many lambs, so we listened and delivered."
Favourites on the menu include the quiche, cottage pie, Yorkshire pudding with sausage and mash, chicken pie, steak and onion pie, and lamb hotpot. And when it comes to puddings, the choice is just as nostalgic - cornflake tart, banoffee pie, and fruit crumble are best-sellers. Every day begins with freshly baked scones, still warm from the oven.
Alison's journey to the café was a natural one. After working in catering for local firms, she took a break to raise her family.
She says: "I was a stay-at-home mum for nine years. I had lots of practice making hearty, home-cooked food. But it is not just me; it's the whole team. We all put our hearts into it."
The café has a capacity of around 50 people, and it can go from empty to full immediately after the sales have finished. "It's all hands-on deck," explains Alison. "We have a great system, with seven regular staff, but at busy times of year, this can go up to 15 members of staff all with their own stations."
According to auctioneer, Ian Atkinson, the café is key to the success of the mart. "It is vital to what we do here. Mart trade can be similar anywhere, but we provide a good day out, because the café and the general atmosphere is hard to beat. It is a good crack, good food, with good people," he says.
For many local farmers, the café offers a vital place to connect, and a good meal in good company. "It's always a really good atmosphere, full of laughter," says Alison.
