Turning Point Brew Co in Knaresborough has seen home deliveries soar during lockdown.

The brewery had always accepted online orders but received as few as “three over a few weeks” prior to lockdown, according to co-owner Aron McMahon.

But with more and more people craving their favourite beers when pubs were closed, home delivery orders rocketed to 200 each week.

Now the company has resumed supplying local bars and pubs, it is looking at its business model to see how it can sustain the increased number of home deliveries.

Mr McMahon said:

“Towards the end of lockdown the home delivery trade and our normal trade sales were neck and neck, whereas normally our home deliveries are much less.

“It definitely helped us big time. The first few weeks we really didn’t know what was going to happen without pubs. Before lockdown we had a few orders here and there – nothing really. Then over lockdown we were reached 200 orders a week!

“We also got a lot closer to our drinkers, which was great. Previously we only really knew our business contacts. Now it’s all about balancing out each side of the business.”

The brewery has quickly filled the space in its Knaresborough unit since moving less than a year ago.

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The brewery moved to Knaresborough in the past year after out-growing its previous site in Kirkbymoorside, Ryedale.

Covid delayed the opening of its taproom for customers.

Mr McMahon said:

“We opened the taproom for the first time about a week ago. It’s been a bit of a challenge but it’s gone smooth so far. All orders are done on an app and the tables are nicely spaced out outside so we’ve had no issues.”

The brewery is also raising funds for local charity Henshaws by donating 10p from the sale of cans of the pale ale Perpetual Dawn.

For five consecutive weeks, a vulnerable Ripon woman  received food boxes from a government-led scheme containing items unfit to eat.

The woman, who wishes to stay anonymous, contacted The Stray Ferret, after receiving weekly boxes containing bags of rotting potatoes and carrots and dented tins.

The woman who is currently staying in sheltered accommodation, as she recuperates following life-saving surgery, has been in self-isolation for many weeks and has shown The Stray Ferret timed and dated photographs taken on her smartphone of the sub-standard items received in boxes delivered over a five-week period.

A dented can of peach slices

To verify her claims, we have also taken our own photography of goods, which are delivered each Wednesday from a Bidfood-UK depot in Wakefield.

The woman, who initially complained direct to the depot via phone and email, was unhappy with the response received and decided to call The Stray Ferret.

She said:

“For five consecutive weeks I received boxes containing some items, particularly potatoes and carrots, that were unfit to eat. There were also numerous dented cans. I am not being ungrateful, because the boxes are delivered free of charge, but I think it is only right that people who already have health issues should receive food that is fit to eat.”

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In May, the government’s Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick, announced that more than a million boxes of essential food had  been delivered to those at highest risk across England.  He praised national food distributors, including Bidfood, for the part played by the company in delivering packages directly to clinically vulnerable people’s doorsteps.

The food box programme, which began in late March has seen government partner with the food industry and local councils  and in May, Mr Jenrick said:

“The coronavirus emergency has brought uncertain and difficult times but the willingness of people to pull together and support those most in need is an inspiration to us all.”

Jim Gouldie, supply chain and technical services director at Bidfood:

“We’d like to apologise for the experience this individual has received, and reassure her that all feedback is incredibly important to us. Bidfood takes the quality of the products we supply very seriously and would never knowingly supply products of poor quality.

“This has come as a surprise to us as we’ve previously spoken to the lady concerned to ensure that we had addressed any issues she had faced, and taken appropriate actions to resolve the matter. We also revisited this issue subsequently, and the recipient indicated that she was happy with our response and approach.”

Mr Gouldie, added:

“Our service to Defra is managed against a strict set of performance measures, and our performance both in terms of delivery, and box contents has always been exceptional. We are, however, grateful to have received this feedback, to help us in identifying any issues so that these can be rectified going forward and will do all we can to ensure she encounters no further problems.”