A FREE delivery service is being offered by a dale artisan bakery to keep people in food and household goods as supermarket shelves empty and people begin self-isolating out of fear of coronavirus.
Coghlans of Barningham is also offering to deliver hard-to-find items such as hand-sanitisers and loo rolls at cost price.
Owner Andrew Coghlan said he is using his own suppliers to offer free delivery of items such fresh meat, fish and dairy products to complement the bakery’s own products of bread, scones, pasties and ready meals such as cottage pie, soups, quiche and chilli.
In-house preserves and dressings are also available.
He added: “We are a wine merchant, so we will even deliver wine as the supermarket shelves become empty.
“Supermarkets aren’t able to deliver at volume, so what we are trying to do is localise that.”
Coghlans will deliver for the likes of McFarlane’s Butchers, in Barnard Castle, and Hodgsons fishmongers, of Hartlepool.
He added that as a service for people who are self-isolating, items can be dropped sterilised at front doors, or at a designated area, and people can make payment over the phone.
Mr Coghlan said: “This isn’t about Coghlans making fortunes out of people, this is about helping people.
“We are just trying to be there for the community and to be there for our staff to keep them employed.
“We seem to be moving away from globalisation and into localism a bit more.”
The baker concluded: “We just need to do what we can to help each other, especially the elderly.”
To access the service contact Janet on 07494 582444.
