Popular Aberdeenshire A96 roadside farm shop set for further expansion

The popular Marshall’s Farm Shop could soon be expanded to meet customer demand after business owners Kenneth Marshall and wife Moira submitted plans to Aberdeenshire Council.

Plans for the facility, found on the A96 near Kintore, include two extensions – one to the gift shop and the other to the busy restaurant. The proposal is the latest addition to the site following the success of the family-owned firm’s £50,000 drive-thru. Opened last February, the drive-thru was believed to be the first of its kind in the north of Scotland.

Under the proposals, the shop floor would be extended out and connect to the Fireside Bothy which operated throughout the pandemic. The bothy itself would be integrated into the new retail space. A short, flat roof glass corridor would link the newly extended shop and bothy area. The new connection would also give customers access to the outdoor play area which infamously went viral last year.

Meanwhile, a conservatory area could be added to the restaurant. It would have a large seating area, arranged around a two-sided stove similar to the one already located in the existing dining room. However, the new space will feature mostly sofas and armchairs to create a more relaxing and “cosier” atmosphere. Dining tables and chairs are expected to be located around the edge of the conservatory, offering views of the courtyard. While diners can still enjoy meals from the restaurant, the new area will focus more on creating a quiet space for customers to enjoy coffee and cakes. The conservatory has been designed to include skylights that will aim to naturally brighten up the new space.

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