A crafty cook turns old potato shed into the Back of Beyond in Caledon

By Eleanor McGillie

A POPULAR cook who has been dishing up food to the rural community for 20 years has turned her attention to an old potato shed in an entrepreneurial move which is transforming a rural County Tyrone village.

Ann Henderson, who was born and bred in Caledon, decided to make the entrepreneurial move because people in Caledon had nowhere in the village to sit down, have a meal and enjoy some wine.

The Georgian village, which on October 1 will host its Caledon Village Georgian Festival, borders the counties Tyrone, Armagh and Monaghan and lies on the banks of the Blackwater River.

But, with no hotel, pub and no restaurant in the village, the crafty cook saw an opportunity to turn an old potato shed into an opportunity as a business idea but also as a chance to inject life into the rural community.

Speaking about ‘Back of Beyond’ Ann, who also owns Cafe Rose, said: “This is the year of Food and Drink in Northern Ireland. The old potato shed has been lying in a state of disrepair for years. But it’s a lovely shed which is built in the same architectural style as the rest of the village.

“So I thought I would get creative and turn the potato shed into a 24-seater casual dining restaurant which serves food which is produced locally, has created a few new jobs and is a place where local people can congregate on Friday and Saturday nights.

“With more and more people moving to the village we wanted to provide a quaint eatery for local people, and people from further afield, which offers a totally new dining experience.”

This old potato shed lay vacant for years, but, with a creative eye and a passion for food, Ann Henderson has created a beautiful restaurant which boasts its own courtyard, with plenty of free parking on the Main Street and you can Bring Your Own.

Ann added: “Caledon is a beautiful place.  As a community we are working hard to inject new life into the village, create jobs yet maintain the beautiful historical context of Caledon.”

ENDS:

NOTES TO EDITOR:

 

• Back of Beyond is a casual dining restaurant in Caledon which is open for business in what was an old potato shed. The proprietor is Ann Henderson. The restaurant is open on Friday and Saturday nights and is injecting new life into a rural community.

• For further information contact Eleanor McGillie of MGMPR Ltd on 028 3756 9569 | 07709805379 | mgmpr.co.uk | Food and Drink PR | PR Northern Ireland | Public Relations UK | Brand Journalism UK | Brand Journalism Northern Ireland | Brand Journalism Experts | Tourism PR