TOP SHOP: Chrissie Shirreff at Elfords.

NATIONAL magazine Country Living has given a New Forest store a special best farm shop award.

Elfords of Lyndhurst, in the High Street, proudly announces itself as "purveyors of local produce, fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers".

And now it has another selling point - runner-up in the Country Living Food Shop awards.

Proprietor Chrissie Shirreff, who has been at Elfords for 24 years, was delighted with the award.

"It's nice to think you are doing something right. I really value the fact that the award has been prompted by a customer, rather than a trade contact."

The award isn't the first one satisfied clients have helped Elfords attain.

In 1996 an anonymous customer nominated the store for membership to the Guild of Master Craftsmen. It was the first greengrocer's in Hampshire to receive this honour.

Mrs Shirreff began at the shop as a part-time worker doing a summer job and never intended to stay, let alone become manager.

"You either love this job or you hate it, and most of the time I love it, although the daily 2am trip to Southampton market isn't my favourite thing." Elfords' window display is prepared fresh each day.

Catherine Chatters, who has been shopping there for over 12 years, said: "Since I've known Elfords I have never wanted to buy fruit and vegetables from anywhere else."

Mrs Chatters nominated the store for its large range of produce grown by local famers and also for the amount of organic produce on offer. But she felt it was the friendly service that marked the shop out among others: "The staff are courteous, helpful and cheerful and will do extra things for you like letting you try before you buy or ordering stock in specially, even if you only want a tiny amount."

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