Customer focused Lizzie sets sights on success on three fronts T
he coronavirus pandemic and ensuing lockdown have resulted in many challenges for Bromsgrove businesses, not least its hard-working and innovative independents. Completely Bromsgrove caught up with one of the district’s best known – and cheeriest – business owners, Elizabeth Monk. Lizzie, as she is affectionately known, recounted the story of how the pottery studio, Lizzie’s Farm Shop and tearoom have evolved at Chadwich Manor Farm over the past 15 years. Having always lived on the farm, the eldest child of John and Valerie, Lizzie loved being a farmer’s daughter and admits her dad is her “hero”. Her artistic and practical flair led her to study ceramic design at university in the Potteries and after graduating, she worked for the Department of Education and Employment in Stoke-on-Trent where she was responsible for writing NVQ standards. After approximately three years with the DEE, Lizzie, who has a brother named Jonathan, began an
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apprenticeship at Whichford Pottery in the Cotswolds and in 2005 she moved back to the farm. At that time, her father John was a dairy farmer. Due to the drop in milk prices, he made the heart-wrenching decision to sell off the dairy herd and moved into beef and sheep farming. Although Lizzie is very hands on where farm matters are concerned, she saw an opportunity to open a pottery studio and started running courses and offering children’s parties. The studio is still as busy 15 years on with enthusiasts coming from far and wide to buy a unique piece as all Lizzie’s work is only sold through her studio. With help from her parents, Lizzie opened the farm shop in 2012. Initially the farm sold meat boxes from their own home bred beef and lambs. As well as the beef herd, John bought Valerie two Highland cattle to
