New lamps from old bottles!

With upcycling now an established part of the eco-friendly reuse, recycle culture, the team at Ottery’s Coldharbour Farm Shop has got into the spirit of it - literally!

Just arrived at the shop are new candles and lamps made from empty Flaming Barrel gin bottles.

The gin was launched in the autumn of 2021 by Andrea Broadhurst and Beth Ashfield who own and run the popular farm shop. Celebrating the town’s famous tar barrel rolling event, Flaming Barrel Gin became a huge success, as well as raising £725 for the tar barrel committee from sales at the Ottery St Mary Food & Families Festival, helping to keep the barrels rolling for another year.

Bespoke-made by Exmoor Distillery, Flaming Barrel is now a firm favourite amongst the many different West Country spirits showcased at the farm shop at the top of Slade Road.

The pair found themselves wondering whether use could be made of the empty bottles. Andrea said: “We were already stocking a number of bottle lamps so it made sense to see if the supplier could make our own empties into something useful.

“They were delighted to oblige, and when the Flaming Barrel lamps and candles arrived in the shop we were delighted with the result – a great way to reuse the bottles and keep the flames alight for our gin.”

The upcycled bottle candles use sustainable, biodegradable soy wax, while the bottle lamps have brass effect fittings and an exposed filament bulb, with a shade ring included for those wanting to add their own lampshade.

“I love the quirkiness of these new additions to the shop – they’d make an unusual feature in any gin-lover’s home and are something rather special to give as a gift.” 

The farm shop is celebrating 6 years in business this year, and Andrea and Beth are currently busy putting the finishing touches to the farm shop’s new field kitchen – set to open in May.