Keeping it local in Sussex

I hinted in my last post that I was going down with a spot of “man flu.” As things turned out, it wasn’t that bad. I did have a rather restless night where I felt like I was burning up, but that passed and I awoke this morning feeling surprisingly refreshed.

Mrs PBT’s was feeling a little under the weather as well. I don’t know if there’s such as thing as “woman flu,” and I’m not brave enough to ask, but she felt sufficiently rough enough to postpone our planned trip to Maidstone. Instead, she asked could we perhaps go somewhere a little quieter instead?

This was fine by me, as I detest major shopping centres and the large crowds they attract, especially at this time of year, so after we bounced a few alternative suggestions back and forth, we settled on the small market town of Wadhurst, which is just over the border from us, in East Sussex.

There was a reason for my good lady wife’s suggestion, (there normally is), and that was Wadhurst contains a branch of Jempson’s  - everyone’s favourite independent grocery store and, amongst other goodies, they sell “sausage rolls to die for.” So shortly before midday we jumped into the car and set off on our cross-border trip.

We drove down the A21, pleased that the bulk of the traffic was heading in the opposite direction to ourselves, before turning off at the start of the Lamberhurst by-pass. This was a bit of nostalgia for me, as for a three year period during the mid 1980’s,  I worked in Lamberhurst for a company called Crown Chemicals.  

Even three decades ago, Crown were that rarest of beasts, in being an independently-owned pharmaceutical company specialising in veterinary products. They were under-capitalised and lacked the ability to compete with the big international players, but they’d managed to strike a canny deal with a major US animal health company. The deal licensed them to sell a hormonal implant product, designed to "assist beef cattle gain weight and improve their feed efficiency."

The product was called Ralgro, and a quick Google search confirms it is still widely used in the good old US of A. For several years Crown grew rich on the back of this rather questionable product, but instead of investing the profits incurred from its sale, into new products and new ventures, the company sat on its hands not thinking that one day Ralgro might not be around.

That day came when the European Union slapped a ban on hormone-injected beef. Now even though this was likely to have a negative affect on my job, I thought the EU was quite right in taking action. Ask yourself, would you really want to be eating beef pumped full of a compound designed to stimulate the pituitary gland; because if it works on beef cattle, what effect might it have on us humans?

Mind you, once the joker in charge of the UK government has concluded his "amazing free trade deal" with the even bigger joker on the other side of the Atlantic, you almost certainly will get the chance; even though you probably won’t be aware of it!

I digress, seeing that the writing was on the wall, Crown picked up a major grant from the Irish government, and re-located to Galway, on the west coast of Ireland. Their site in the centre of Lamberhurst was re-developed and turned into housing. We noticed the houses, which are not so new now, as we drove through the village, which is now virtually free from traffic since the opening of the by-pass in 2005.

I also noticed that the village butcher, the sweet shop and the local bank have all long closed, along with the Horse & Groom pub, halfway up Town Hill. The pub closed in 2002, and is now an Airbnb property, but the disappearance of  Lamberhurst’s largest employer must have had an adverse effect on other businesses in the village. We’re getting bogged down again, but sometimes it’s necessary to wallow in a spot of nostalgia.

Although I have driven through Wadhurst quite recently, it must be 30 years or so since I last stopped off there. Mrs PBT’s had discovered the branch of Jempson’s, whilst out for a drive with our son Matthew. I’ll be expanding more on this local company in  a while, but for now their Wadhurst outlet is more a convenience store, rather than a full-blown superstore. With free parking behind the store, and a good selection of locally sourced produce on sale, (including Old Dairy beers), and friendly old-fashioned service, it seemed genuinely popular with the town’s folk.

Village shops (I hesitate at describing Wadhurst as a town), are like village pubs in so much they are the place where all the local gossip is aired. Whilst attempting to squeeze past a group who’d stopped for a natter, we couldn't help overhearing the bad news that was being aired.
I had originally planned to share it, particularly as there was a real sense of "gallows humour" involved, but in the cold light of day, I thought this might have been rather insensitive. The story was not for our ears, and whilst the chance of those affected reading this blog, must be pretty slim, it would still be inappropriate for me to share. (If you seem me in real life, and ask me nicely, then I might be tempted to tell you, but  until such a time, my lips are sealed!)


We bought the sausage rolls and a few other things beside. On the way back I suggested stopping off at the Elephant’s Head, at the nearby hamlet of Hook Green, but Mrs PBT’s wanted to get back for lunch. A pity thought I, as there was the chance that Harvey’s Old Ale might be on sale. She did suggest going out on another occasion with the express intention of a pub lunch, so all is not yet lost.   

So what about Jempson’s, the Sussex-based company, offering locally sourced products and services? The company was founded in 1935, as a bakery business in the village of  Peasmarsh, just outside Rye. Today the business had grown to become one of the largest family owned food supermarkets in the UK, consisting of  two supermarkets, two convenience stores, six cafe’s, a pharmacy plus a petrol station.

Jempson’s pride themselves in offering shoppers the highest standards of customer service as well as some of the finest foods from around the world. According to the company website, their intention is to become the most prestigious food retailer in the UK in terms of innovation, design and fresh food excellence.

We have often called in at their Peasmarsh Superstore, on the way back from visits to Rye, and have been impressed by what is on offer there. The store was opened in January 2002 on the same site as that  chosen by the firm’s founder, George Thomas Jempson 80 years ago. Today, brothers Andrew and Stephen Jempson  run the business, having taken over from their father Harold in the early 90’s.

I am a great believer in supporting local enterprises, particularly when they offer high quality, combined with good value, and this is just one more reason why I would rather support local pubs, rather than rattle around in one of Tim’s soulless beer barns.

If you find yourself in this part of the country, you could do a lot worse than call in at a Jempson’s store. As well as those already mentioned, at Peasmarsh and Wadhurst, you will find others in Battle, Northiam and Rye.

Meanwhile, the hunt for Harvey’s Old continues!