Mayor officially opens new artisan farm shop and café in Haywards Heath

Hart Country Stores in South Road is full of food and drink from Sussex and the rest of the UK, and has a delicatessen offering food from around the world.

The shop was created by Christian Harris and his partner Daryl Ruse, together with help from Daryl’s mother Susan.

Christian’s father and brother manage a family farm near Wales and will provided some produce.

Howard Mundin said he was impressed with ‘the remarkable level of business planning and detail’ that Christian, Daryl and their family had put into the shop.

“In our town council planning for the future of Haywards Heath, it has been noted that a particular type of artisanal, individual and unique retail offering for our community was needed to restore vitality to the High Street,” he said.

“The opening of this Country Store goes a long way to putting this right.”

Howard said it was ‘fantastic’ to see another new business opening in Haywards Heath that offered local produce, provided support for Sussex suppliers and offered employment opportunities in the area.

“Another wonderful aspect of this opening is the true family involvement of this business,” he said.

“I wish Christian, Daryl and Hart Country Stores every success in this venture,” Howard added.

“We are very environmentally friendly and keen to support the local economy by sourcing many of our items as locally as possible,” said Christian.

He said the shop aimed to minimise the use of single use plastic and would introduce a ‘gravity feed bin’, where people can bring their own containers to fill.

“We very much look forward to giving the people of Mid Sussex the very best that Britain has to offer,” said Christian.

Visit www.hartcountrystores.co.uk.