AS Larderhouse in Southbourne marks it’s ten year anniversary it’s owner James Fowler is our well deserved Trader of the Week.

James also owns Parlourmentary - the former funeral parlour converted into a cheese store, across the road in Southbourne Grove - and Terroir Tapas further up the street.

Despite the odds the resourceful businessman has kept busy during the pandemic. The Larderhouse is now open as a kitchen market in lockdown, whilst Parlourmentary continues to sell around 200 cheeses, charcuterie and essential produce.

Larderhouse marked its tenth birthday with a week of on- line fundraising events for customers. Incredibly this raised £11,800 for charity.James said the amount raised for its chosen charity, Action Against Hunger, had far exceeded expectations.

He said: “We normally raise £5,000 throughout the whole year and had, somewhat ambitiously, set a target of £10,000 for our anniversary. To end up raising £11,800 is amazing.”

The restaurant, which normally employs 40 people, staged a variety of online events to mark its first decade in business. These included cocktail and wine tastings and a ten course celebratory meal showcasing some of The Larder House’s favourite dishes over the last ten years.

A raffle featured prizes donated by friends and suppliers of the restaurant while a prize auction was also held. One lady won a 5 course Valentine’s Day meal cooked on her doorstep by Head Chef Quentin Royles.

“Although a different way of celebrating a milestone anniversary, the team thoroughly enjoyed it. We were blown away by the support from our customers and suppliers,”said James.

The Larder House has converted its restaurant into a kitchen market, selling the ingredients from its suppliers direct to customers to cook at home.

James, who was named 2014 World Class UK Bartender of the Year, said: “We have vegetables from the local Sopley farm and onsite fishmonger (Burt of Cove on the Quay).The chefs run takeaway dishes and we have daily handmade pasta, bakery products and even our own butchery station.”

James- who lives on an eco home at Sopley Farm, uses all their vegetables, they have bread from Bakehouse 24 plus their own bakery.The kitchen market is open 10am - 6pm, Thursday until Sunday showcasing local suppliers.

“We’re trying to do our every bit to keep the industry alive” he said.

The restaurant is also extending its outside space to accommodate more diners while social distancing.He is making the courtyard and garden bigger for when lockdown ends.The area will be seasonal with a roof that opens during the summer months.

Meanwhile, the Terroir Tapas team are”in a really good place and eager to get back in,” he added.

“ One of the chefs keeps pushing forward with our sustainability ethos and just being playful with ingredients."

As for Parlourmentary he says: ”The guys in the shop love it and are doing really well . I’m amazed by the many cheeses they have - a couple of hundred ! And they chop and change all the time. They do takeaway coffees, desserts, charcuterie. And there a few pop ups coming and we may put a fish monger there - we have everything else on the high street now including a great butchers and baker but not a fishmonger. “

Living in his home made of two shipping containers has its benefits.

“I live on the farm at Sopley so I can see what they are growing all the time . I’ve an eco home which is solar panelled . There is zero waste so I can connect with the farm and buy up the organic wonky vegetables and also make cocktails from the produce . I use pick your own fruit and winter veg.”

He has lived there for three years with his wife and children. There is no running water - only rain water collected on the roof in a storage tank.

James says ,“ You wouldn’t know, apart from the maintenance. It’s like super posh camping!

“A lot of people claim to be sustainable but we really do do it as far as you can go. One of the old farmers built the home and I’m adding to it. I’m adding more solar panels . It’s  two big shipping containers bolted together. Inside it’s like a cabin lodge inside . We rely on wood fires to keep us warm and I chop up trees that have fallen down.”

James has a one year old boy and two older children, aged 10 and 13, who live with him part of the time, plus a Great Dane and a cat.

“My wife used to be in the trade and had a pub in Christchurch but she takes a back seat now as she’s busy with the family.”

Prior to running his Southbourne businesses James was in business with Mark Cribb for 6 years running Urban Reef.

“ I was his second guy and it was great fun but I wanted to do my own thing. I studied marine biology at university and just fell into hospitality . I just love food and drink. Once we are back open it should be easier but we have great support from the customers. We keep in touch through our news letter and social media and just having the doors open people pop in to say hello.”