The Team

Grace is also gardener at our sister site, Lawson Park, and Blackwell, where she keeps the Edwardian Mawson garden on the straight and narrow.

Favourite gardener? Local gardener Gary Primrose. His ethos of a gentle, light-touch approach where a garden can have many yields (and not just for humans) influenced me hugely.
When you’re not gardening? Orienteering — our local club is really welcoming and it’s something I can do with my kids as well as solo. I like how it requires total focus – it’s like a form of meditation!
Must-have gardening tool? Good, sharp secateurs and a secateurs holster

Francis joined The Farmer’s Arms team in February 2022 in an unconventional move from London to Lowick. It may have been a shock at first, but he’s developed a great appreciation of the local community.

Least favourite thing to make for the pub? Plates. Whilst I don’t mind actually making them, they take up so much space in the workshop during their production.
When you’re not in the workshop? I’ll unashamedly admit to switching off with some real trash TV, interspersed with some high brow, cultured films here ‘n’ there.

Serving up frothy coffees and dishing out delicious cakes ever since we opened the doors back in 2021, Debbie has lots of previous experience in the catering industry. Her last job was in a boarding school catering for 22 different nationalities.

You’ve been in Lowick for a long time? I met my husband in the Red Lion at Lowick Bridge in 1984 – both our families have lived locally for at least five generations!
Hobbies? Gardening, cooking, cycling and tending to my flock of sheep
Best things about The Farmer’s Arms? The people, customers, fresh flowers, food and not forgetting, the cycle to work.

With nearly 40 years experience in horticulture, I am now the gardener in the walled garden at Ford Park, Ulverston, working with volunteers to maintain the garden, grow fruit and veg and propagate and produce plants to sell. Prior to this I was at the Growing Well charity for 16 years, teaching accredited horticultural courses and working with volunteers while growing veg and running educational visits for school children. In my spare time I walk our dog, Milo, go hill walking when I can and enjoy cold water swimming/dipping.