THE first thing to strike you about this place is its spaciousness. We understand that it used to be a furniture shop which may account for its size.

This food hall opened in August and aims to "reconnect our customers with local food producers and farmers".

We met members of the business at the Great Yorkshire Show and were impressed by the quality of the food they had on sale.

How would they fare once they had moved into serious retailing? And what would the caf be like?

On entry we had to inquire where the cafe was! Put it down to the gale force wind which had set our eyes watering.

The servery and tables are at the far end. There are only two tables, each accommodating eight people. The furniture is solid and modern. Our table, the lower of the two, was grooved which held crumbs.

There is also room for six people at one end of the servery. There was no one at the table we chose. Ann felt that not everyone would choose to share a table with six strangers. More, smaller tables might be advantageous.

At the simple end of the menu, a scone with butter cost £1.50. With clotted cream and jam it would be £2.50.

There was a variety of salads as well as Seafood or Weeton's slicing pie, from the award winning Minster pie range. Examples featured apricot chutney and triple curd cheese but, at £7.50, they were beyond our budget.

Ann fancied the sweet potato, pear, Dorset blue cheese Vinny soup with fresh bread and butter (£3.50). Although not on the menu, she was also offered leek and potato but settled for the former.

There was a long delay while our snack was being prepared/heated. Thick soup is notoriously difficult to get really hot and initially Weeton's failed. However the apologetic male assistant got it right second time round.

From observation, it appeared to have been heated in a carton and then transferred to a less-than-hot bowl. Once the problem had been resolved Ann reported the soup piping hot and excellent.

I was delighted with the country victualler terrine that came with two slices of fresh toast and mixed salad leaves (£4.50). It had a strong flavour and good texture.

For Ann, a hot chocolate, and, for me, tea, were intended to complete our snack but both arrived before the food. The hot chocolate lived up to its name, was in a generously-sized mug and accompanied by a biscuit.

My teapot was a good pourer, providing more than two cups. I also qualified for a biscuit.

The drinks cost £1.50 each.

We were intrigued by the twisted organic fruit juices on the menu. How do you twist juice?

From our table we viewed the stand displaying a variety of breads and a chill cabinet of fresh meat. As we were leaving I spotted a cabinet of mouth-watering cakes retailing at £2.50 a portion.

Throughout our visit, there were more staff on view than customers. Was this new business struggling for customers already? No, said our waiter. That day was unusually quiet perhaps because of the gale or the Craft Fair at the showground.

Before we left, Ann browsed the shelves of mouth-watering jars, meat and vegetables and thought the quality was excellent. According to the publicity literature, goods come from a range of local farms and producers.

Long may it continue.

Updated: 16:13 Friday, November 18, 2005