TWO innovative Colne Valley businesses are expanding.

The award-winning Handmade Bakery has outgrown its base at the Green Valley Grocer and moved into spacious new accommodation on the canalside at Slaithwaite .

This has allowed the Green Valley Grocer to expand, offering a wider range of products.

Both businesses are co-operatives and will continue to work together closely, with The Handmade Bakery’s bread continuing to be available at Green Valley Grocer.

Green Valley co-op’s chair, Graham Mitchell, is pleased with the moves.

“Although we’ve yet to complete all of the planned changes, the feedback from our members and customers has been very positive already.

“There’s much more space in the shop and we’ve greatly expanded our range of cheeses and deli produce, including some great Yorkshire cheeses and excellent Italian olives”, said Graham.

“And we’re offering a wider choice of fresh fruit and veg as well as dry goods”.

The bakery is opening a café, offering sandwiches and cakes baked on the premises.

“We’ll be open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” said bakery spokesperson Dan McTiernan.

“As the business develops the café will be open every day except Monday”.

The bakery will have a sales outlet which will be open Tuesday to Sunday from the same date.

“We will be adding to the range of quality food outlets in Slaithwaite,” said Dan. “The village is becoming a kind of mini-Ludlow, offering great catering with an emphasis on local produce”.

The Handmade Bakery is a co-operative owned by its staff. Green Valley Grocers is a ‘community co-operative’ owned by both its customers and employees supported by a team of volunteers.

“We’re lucky to have such a good team of volunteers who are working incredibly hard to make all these changes happen,” said Graham. “As a community-owned social enterprise, we’re really pleased to be able to improve and extend the service we can offer to our community”.

Green Valley Grocers is open Monday to Saturday from 8.30 to 5.30, closing early on Saturdays at 3.30 but with late opening on Thursdays until 6.30. The shop is always looking for volunteers. If you’re interested, drop them a line at shop@slaithwaite.coop