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HS Shuts PYO Strawberry Farm

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Strawberry farm ends PYO over health and safety rules By Richard Savill Published: 7:00AM BST 04 Jun 2009 An award-winning strawberry farm has been forced to close down its pick-your-own fields after 40 years because its insurance company is demanding handrails are installed on drainage ditches and cordons placed around potholes. The Boddington family, which owns the 20 acre farm near Mevagissey, Cornwall, for the public to pick strawberries have decided they cannot afford the safety features required following an accident last year. Their decision has raised concerns that other farms may have to follow suit as insurers raise premiums. Phil Boddington, 45, whose grandfather William set up the farm 60 years ago, and whose father Richard pioneered pick-your-own in Cornwall, said: "It is a sad day. It is fulfilling to see a family go into a field and pick their own fruit. "Unfortunately, it is seen to be a risk to let the public onto what is deemed to be a strawberry factory in the eyes of the insurers and the health and safety people. It is not worth the aggravation." He added: "It is a sign of the times. When we tell people why we stopped doing pick-your-own, there is a lot of eye rolling. It does not sit well with the family." The farm, Boddington''''s Berries, produces 200 tons of fruit each year, and supplies award winning jam. Pick-your-own strawberries was only a small part of the business, Mr Boddington said. The farm''''s products have been supplied to Fortnum & Mason, and to Jamie Oliver''''s Fifteen Cornwall restaurant. Mr Boddington said that in four decades only two pickers had been hurt in the fields. But last year, one of them, an elderly woman filed a claim against the farm for injuries she suffered in a fall. The claim is being processed but Mr Boddington said it had led to the insurance premium doubling. Ian Johnson, of the National Farmers'''' Union said: "We live in a very litigious age. "It is a very sad and unfortunate incident at Boddington''''s, which I am sure they regret as much as anyone, that after such a long time of letting people enjoy coming to pick fruit, they will not be able to do that any more."

Phil Boddington, 45, whose grandfather William set up the farm 60 years ago, and whose father Richard pioneered pick-your-own in Cornwall, said: "It is a sad day. It is fulfilling to see a family go into a field and pick their own fruit.
"Unfortunately, it is seen to be a risk to let the public onto what is deemed to be a strawberry factory in the eyes of the insurers and the health and safety people. It is not worth the aggravation."
He added: "It is a sign of the times. When we tell people why we stopped doing pick-your-own, there is a lot of eye rolling. It does not sit well with the family."
The farm, Boddington''''s Berries, produces 200 tons of fruit each year, and supplies award winning jam. Pick-your-own strawberries was only a small part of the business, Mr Boddington said.
The farm''''s products have been supplied to Fortnum & Mason, and to Jamie Oliver''''s Fifteen Cornwall restaurant.
Mr Boddington said that in four decades only two pickers had been hurt in the fields.
But last year, one of them, an elderly woman filed a claim against the farm for injuries she suffered in a fall.
The claim is being processed but Mr Boddington said it had led to the insurance premium doubling.
Ian Johnson, of the National Farmers'''' Union said: "We live in a very litigious age.
"It is a very sad and unfortunate incident at Boddington''''s, which I am sure they regret as much as anyone, that after such a long time of letting people enjoy coming to pick fruit, they will not be able to do that any more."

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