BUSINESS is booming for a Bolton couple, thanks in part to the television shows Game of Thrones and Vikings.
Ann Farrell and her husband, Gordon Baron, own the Lancashire Mead Company and attribute a large part of their success to the shows.
Ann Farrell of The Lancashire Mead Company.
“People are hearing mead being mentioned and it makes them curious about trying it,” explained Ann, 45.
“There’s also a video game called Elder Scrolls which is creating interest. Players have to collect metheglin for energy and metheglin is the technical name for mead.”
In the five year since they began the business, the couple have trebled their the size of their Horwich premises, have had to take on an additional member of staff and are selling six times the amount of mead.
Gordon worked as truck driver but as a druid, he was frustrated by the lack of availability of authentic mead he needed for his rituals, so he started making his own in his mum’s garage.
When Ann left a teaching career, she decided to get involved too and the business was born.
“We make it the traditional way by letting the honey ferment, which a lot of other suppliers don’t do,” said Ann.
The couple make 13 different flavours of mead, including mince pie and Christmas pudding.
But their most popular flavour is Vikings’ Blood, which includes blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants.
Viking's Blood Mead.
“Sales are fantastic,” said Ann. “As well as the general public who like the taste and are buying it for Christmas presents, we also get a lot of business from pagans.”
To find out more, visit www.lancashiremeadcompany.co.uk
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