A family-run fruit and vegetable business which is opening a new shop in east Cambridgeshire is confident it can give residents “something to look forward to”.
G and M’s Fruit and Veg will open on Soham high street next week after buying the premises last year as they ran their delivery service.
Gemma Bastick, who will run the Soham shop, said: “We have a stall on Cambridge Market but during the pandemic, the market has really struggled especially when Cambridge City Council closed the market down in January.
“So, we decided to purchase the shop in Soham as we started a delivery service last year and it’s taken off really well.”
The shop, which will sell local seasonal produce such as asparagus from Abington to strawberries from Milton, follows on from their stall on Cambridge market that has been running for around 75 years.
“I’m co-running with my parents and before that, my grandad had the stall and before that my great grandad, so this is a business through four generations,” Gemma said.
“The shop is going to be as plastic free as possible with everything being merchandised in old fashioned wooden crates and have a real rustic, vintage look about it.
“We will also be selling exotic produce from dragon fruits to kiwano fruit. Eventually we are hoping to sell local jams, honeys, olives and coffee.”
The business’ stall on Cambridge market will remain open at the same time as the Soham shop.
Perhaps one of the business’ most memorable moments is serving Prince Charles during a visit to the city in 1969, and from then on, the greengrocers has stood strong.
Gemma is aiming to open on May 11 and has been overwhelmed with the response she has received on social media.
She said: “It’s exciting, especially with all of the doom and gloom we have had over the past year.
“I think people have changed the way they shop and are now supporting local businesses which I think it’s fantastic for every small business.
“The feedback so far is overwhelming and we seem to have given the residents of Soham something to look forward to.”
Find out more about G & M's Fruit and Veg on their Facebook page.
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