Stansted Park Farm Shop in Chichester

We came to Stansted Park for the day for the first time and visited the farm shop as part of our time. The farm shop is in an attractive new building with a spacious layout. There is no doubting that they stock a very wide range of quality produce which is to their credit. The shop includes a butchers and deli. BUT and it is a huge BUT, the prices are DESPERATELY HIGH across the range of merchandise. As just one example a standard 370g pot of jam is priced at £4.65. The upmarket Bonne Mamam jams at Waitrose are normally £3.65 and are all currently on offer at £2.85. The Waitrose "Finest" range standard price is £2.40. We did several other comparisons with similar markups. Normally we might spend £15-25 at a good farm shop but this time we spent nothing. Interesting that the shop was empty for the time that we were browsing, although they must have a fair sales volume to stay in business!! With a background in marketing I can't help wonder if more competitve pricing would yield higher sale voumes and higher profits?? So if you are tempted to buy at least bear in mind the "premium-plus-plus" pricing! We'll comment separately on the rest of the Stansted location.

A pleasent location but rather snobish and excessively overpriced. Farm shop has very little in the way of local produce but rather mostly overpriced branded items. Garden centre is also ridiculously priced. A visit to the ice cream stall at the entrance to the maze set us back £9.75 for 3 tiny (I'd say approx. 75ml) portions of rather glupy ice cream. We cut our visit short and was releived to get out.

Not been to this garden centre for several years now. Today we took friends there, and along with our 2 dogs we intended to have a good look around followed by some lunch. I was very saddened to see the awful amount of signs and notices plastered around the centre, which were, for example - No Cycling, no ball games, do not walk in the beds, and the worse was a large cut out of a dog at the entrance to the arboretum saying ‘ No dogs beyond this point ! What, no dogs in a shady wooded area ! We were not the only dog owners who felt aggrieved at the arboretum entrance, a group of owners had gathered and felt very insensed at this restriction. Of course the management might respond blaming dog owners, but this is to be expected I guess. We decided not to fork out for an overpriced meal, deciding the centre was not worthy of our money ! Sigh of relief on driving out !

Extremely well stocked shop and garden centre. The plants looked a good quality and the general displays also. The Gardener's kitchen is great for lunch. A good variety. Opted for the steak and kidney pie and seasonal vegetables. Food quantity was enormous and much as I hate wasting food, I could not eat it all. The pie was the best I have ever had. Fully recommend it. The staff are friendly and helpful.

Paid a visit to the farm shop and suitably impressed with the range on offer plus the fresh meat butcher and deli. Even stocks our favourite Mud pies which if you have never tasted before should be on your list to purchase.

Fantastic 9 course Burns night feast, featuring foraged foods and twists on Scottish classics. Each course was beautifully presented, highlights included a venison course, and unique takes on haggis, neeps & tatties and surf & turf. All guests were seated at one long table, which contributed to the atmosphere and friendly chats with fellow diners. I for one will be on the look out for these special events in the future; reasonably priced too...

Bit disappointed, whole place smelt of raw meat which was off putting. Goods looked nice but expensive and was not encouraged to buy Sad as lovely building and should have done well, maybe needs a rethink?

great farm shop so much to chose from also does snacks. Very clean and tidy with great staff. Seating outside and plenty more to see at Stansted

Great butchers section; their meat is better than everyone else’s. Good range of other produce, drinks, local gins etc. They do an excellent to pizza too, perfect at the weekend and if the weather is good you can sit outside. Great setting. Worth a visit. I love this place.

Not expecting such a amazing range of food. The staff really knew their stuff on what was being sold and the history on the meat is amazing and it taste so good! I would rather eat less meat and eat ‘this. We had a fab pizza on site as well and the cold did not seem to matter.

Enjoyed the most amazing scotch egg and salad with a coffee and finished with a brownie. It was beautiful. I light lunch and staff very helpful and lovely. Will return again.

My friend and myself had lunch there lamb chop roast ,it was fabulous ,compliments to the chef ,the chops were very tasty will defiantly go there again ,

I stopped for lunch here and eat an amazing scotch egg with beautiful dressed salad and a picalili just prepared that morning which was scrumptious. I could not the resist there delicious coffee and a freshly baked cookie. There is a choice of several places to eat now at Stanstead, but do give this one a try, you will not be disappointed. Seating area outside and toilets.

Went for a coffee and pastie - pastie at £3.50 with nothing and sandwiches at £6 odd, no thanks. All food really high prices or though drinks not bad. Certainly wouldn't bother again. As we wnt in some chap said to his companion that he would look round but not buy as everything too dear there - we certainly saw what he meant. I suppose they had to pay for the new cafe somehow but not a huge improvement.

Although the organiser of this event could not do anything about the weather, the event was Very disappointing., the lights were hardly there, a visit to longleat ( who knows they might offer you some of their lights for next year) would be a good thing to do. We were under the impression that drinks and snacks would be available, and yes there were a couple of places but nowhere to sit , no covered areas ,the cafe was closed, and the walk through the woods positively dangerous for the mature customers of which I was one, and where was santa and Christmas music to create a Christmas atmosphere? All in all it was a rip off for £10