25/10/2026
When you’re running an independent business, days like today are beyond frustrating. 💚
Weeks of planning, months of preparation, thousands of pounds invested and a whole team working incredibly hard to bring our first ever Pumpkin Festival to life.
We’ve battled strong winds, wet weather and everything else the British autumn has thrown at us. But what we didn’t plan for was a major A47 road closure, with absolutely NO warning, NO communication and NO diversion signs to help customers reach us.
So here we are, with our owner Sam standing on the roadside directing traffic himself, trying to help customers find their way to Goat Shed.
We fully appreciate that road closures are sometimes necessary, but where is the consideration for the independent businesses directly affected? Where is the communication? And how can we possibly prepare our teams and inform our customers when we’re given no notice whatsoever?
Weekends like this are hugely important to us. We’re a family-run, independent business, navigating an increasingly challenging climate, and events like Pumpkin Festival take an enormous amount of time, money and effort to bring together.
We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for basic communication, proper planning and a little consideration for the businesses working hard to keep going. Surely that’s not too much to ask?
To every single person who has braved the weather, navigated the closures and found their own way to us today, THANK YOU. 💚
Your support means more than you probably realise, especially on days like these.
Our team are still smiling, the pumpkins are still waiting and we’re doing everything we can to make sure you have the best possible experience once you reach us.
We’re proud to be independent, but days like today really do make you wonder why it has to be made quite so difficult. 🐐🎃
National Highways💨⛔️🚧
EDP 24
Marcus Pearcey
