Remarkable success grew from the trauma of the pandemic - Chichester business

Dubbed the “Narnia of Chichester”, as founder Emma Schwarz says, The Barn, Little London might not look very much from the outside, but step in and you will discover an amazing barn building and a beautiful 3,000 square foot courtyard. It flies the flag for independence and local – and sees around 750 people dine there a week, plus a host of events, making it a true lifestyle venue which celebrates slow food, community and wellness, with the emphasis firmly on uncovering emerging brands and supporting independent retail.

And it all began amid the worst adversity, as Emma says.

A couple of years in the planning, Emma had secured planning permission by December 2019 and was ready to go when news started to filter through of an impending global lockdown. It seemed unbelievable but Emma's husband insisted it would be wrong to sign the leases given what was going to happen: “We pulled out of both the properties and I spent the next six weeks adjusting to Covid and then the kids were home. For the first time in my life I felt totally and utterly trapped. I was cleaning the house ferociously. I was over-educating the children. And then I went out for a walk and just burst into tears. I thought this just must be the best time to support your local community, to buy local food, to keep food local. I wanted to prove my husband wrong!”

So Emma resurrected her plans and launched, through her Rare Brand company, a drive-through business, offering people high-quality local and independent food during the worst of the pandemic. By June of 2020 she had the confidence to go back and renegotiate the leases and the business opened as The Barn, Little London in autumn 2020. Soon came another lockdown, a few weeks of opening, then another lockdown but by April of last year they were able at last to really get going. And the success has been huge.

“We are fulfilling a gap. There are lots of big brands in Chichester, places to eat but not too many innovative independent brands. We majored on breakfast and brunch and what we were doing was unique. We were very active on social media and we created these sheds which were in effect private dining rooms which meant during Covid they were safe.”

The emphasis is very much on independent and local with ten per cent of everything the business makes going to UK Harvest, an environmental charity helping local communities eat more healthily and fight food waste. “We are very keen to be doing something hugely sustainable. Not only do people get to experience the food and eating in our chalets, but we are also doing something which really hits people’s hearts. We are wonderfully busy. We have about 750 people a week come and dine with us and we do lots of events as well. We have a supper club. We are very event driven.” The Barn Little London is also the by headquarters of Slow Food Sussex. It is open Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm, Sat 9am to 4pm, and Sun 10am to 3pm; 38 Little London, Chichester; 01243 769058; thebarn@rarelife.co.uk.