Situated along the Peak Forest Canal, with its locks, aqueduct and access to parks and lakes, the town of Marple is one of Greater Manchester’s most picturesque locations.
Not far from the town center and part of the wider suburbs lies Hawk Green, which runs along the Macclesfield Canal and is based around a traditional village square. Just down the road from the green you’ll find Goyt Mill, the last cotton mill to be built in Marple and the only building of its kind left in the area.
Although it counts the corner shop, hairdressers and chippy as neighbours, just across the road – and also overlooking the canal – the new addition to Hawk Green has been taking up residence in the last few weeks, giving locals and day-trippers yet another reason to wander down the winding towpath trails.
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Tawny Stores, a canal side cafe and grocer recently opened its doors and is fast becoming a one stop shop for bread, cakes, coffee and some special treats for your weekly shop.
It has been revived by chef Beth Hammond, formerly of Stockport’s Yellowhammer Bakery, who has been trying to wow foodies with her dinners and pop-ups over the past few years. After making a name for herself at the Little Window in Altrincham Market and the acclaimed Flawd in Islington Marina, the opportunity arose to fulfill her dream of opening her own venue.
“Originally I was just looking at the house on Goyt Road where I was going to live, but when me and my dad were leaving we drove past the unit and saw it was available,” recalls Beth of first coming across the idyllic waterside location . . “We just looked at each other and thought what an amazing place, let’s at least ask.”
That had been a few years ago, and while the bottle green markings had been visible from the towpath for just over a year, Beth wanted to make sure she was right before the doors opened. Being patient also paid off, the spot was overflowing with visitors on the opening weekend at the beginning of May.
Pop into Tawny Stores and you’ll be greeted by Beth, her fiance Lawrence and Ashley, who also worked at the Little Window as well as the Stretford Canteen and worked with them on nightclubs before they opened. All three are busy in the kitchen or behind the counter, giving customers plenty of room to explore the store or pick up something to eat.
To create a welcoming space, there’s a mix of mid-century and contemporary elements, with many of the furniture, accessories and tableware being upcycled or sourced from Facebook Marketplace. “That’s where I bought the bread trays in the window,” says Beth, who also suggested her father create the frame in the window.
“My dad will be retired after this, he’s helped me so much. He’s very good with restoration and renovations, I’ve been very lucky to have his support and attention to detail.
“Even with the outdoor signage, I wanted to reflect the canal element and Greg, who does all the signs at Altrincham Market, helped with that as well. I also wanted to have the typical colors of the canal boats. Basically I wanted to create a place where I wanted to come, filled with things, which I would buy or eat.”
Crates of fruit and vegetables in vibrant shades of red, green and yellow line the window shelves and are complemented by freshly baked focaccia and sourdough – some made in-house and some sourced from Yellowhammer. In fact, there are very few left, which is a testament to how popular they became.
Preserves, olives, tins of sardines, crackers and oils are dotted around the shop, while fridges hold a selection of cheeses, meats and tinned drinks waiting to be plundered. Many of the items in the store are locally sourced or from organic producers, which is very important to Beth and the Tawny team.
“We’re very passionate about all the goods we sell, so we try to make high quality products, but still accessible and reasonably priced for everyone. We’ve tried to use small, independent suppliers and many of them we know well and are friends with – very we try to enforce them.”
Coffee comes from Blossom Roastery down in Trafford Park, tea from Second Street at Goyt Mill, cheese from The Crafty Cheese Man in Preston, meat from Littlewoods and fruit and veg from Openshaw-based Organic North, along with Cinderwood Market Garden in Cheshire. , with whom Beth also worked on adjusting her menu.
The cakes that line the counter also include cinnamon buns from Yellowhammer, along with an Earl Gray tea loaf baked by Beth’s mum and a colorful apricot and almond cake whipped up by Lawrence last night. And in addition to the range of coffees, customers can sit by the window or even head down to the garden to enjoy Beth’s carefully thought-out lunch menu.
“After so many years at Altrincham Market, I didn’t want to do brunch, so it’s not brunch, it’s lunch specifically,” she smiles. “We’ve also applied for a liquor license so hopefully we’ll be doing an evening service soon.”
Dishes include the Tawny Morning Plate, which includes fresh vegetables, cheese, pickles, boiled eggs, dip and sourdough – although Beth points out that the dish can be mixed up depending on the season, as well as the previously featured fresh fruit.
This is joined by plump and juicy asparagus tips surrounded by crème fraiche, brown butter vinaigrette and a soft-boiled egg (£12), which looks particularly tasty as the sun pours through the large windows at the front of the shop. There are pork meatballs with marinated peppers, chickpeas and Ogleshield cheese (£14) and meat and cheese plates (£12) to get stuck into.
Beth believes that what attracts people is the amount of food and options on offer. “Sometimes I wonder if we’re offering too much,” she muses, before her fiance and work partner Lawrence chimes in.
“I definitely do,” he laughs. “We’re up until 11pm every night cooking and baking for people, we’re only supposed to do sandwiches but really it’s just about trying lots of things and seeing what works – but everyone seems to like everything.”
The couple say they’ve already had inquiries about using the space for parties and weddings, and hope that if the sun comes out this summer, visitors will be able to make the most of the terrace down by the canal, where they’re also building a pagoda. .
“We’re really happy to do it somewhere for the community as well. I’d love to have people run pop-ups or events here and do it for everyone.”