The family behind Hampshire Caterers, Bowtells Event Catering, first arrived in East Tisted near Alton to take over Home Farm in 1910.
Born in Chawton, Percy Bowtell set about creating a family farm with 12 cows, pigs and sheep and 60 acres of corn. The cows were hand-milked and the milk was transported to the local dairy in Alton. In 1984 we opened our first farm shop, a fridge in the corner of the dairy for self-service of milk and cream (still fondly remembered by some of our customers), and an open jug for payment!
It was at the Farmers’ Markets that we first started catering selling our own burgers and bacon rolls. These proved so popular that we were soon asked if we would provide them for other functions, eg birthday parties, weddings and shoot & buffet lunches and Bowtell’s Event Catering was born. It was an opportunity to provide not only our own meat but to use local produce from other suppliers that we have got to know well over the years at the Farmers’ Markets. We have carried this ethos on as we have grown and pride ourselves on using local
produce wherever we can.
