Cheshire Cheese Wins Gold in the County's Heartland at the Cheshire Show

Award-winning cheese makers Belton Cheese have scooped a lucky 13 top awards at the prestigious Cheshire Show - including a coveted gold for its prized Cheshire Cheese

The family run company from Whitchurch, just over the Cheshire border, also won the Supreme Championship Runner-Up cup for its rinded red Leicester and the new trophy awarded by the Cheshire Show Society for the most points overall in the show.

There were golds, too, for their three varieties of Double Gloucester (rinded, cloth-bound and with onion and chives) and , just for good measure, four silver and three bronze awards to add to the trophy room at Belton Farm.

"We are obviously thrilled and delighted to have won four golds but we are especially pleased to have been awarded gold for our Cheshire cheese in the county's heartland at the Cheshire Show", said managing director Justin Beckett.

“Our Cheshire cheese is made from milk supplied by local farms and it is now the most popular of all our cheese”.

After the judging visitors packed the cheese marquee to sample the winning Cheshire – historically the oldest cheese in Britain with records dating back to Roman times.

“There are still some people, even in Cheshire, who do not realise that Cheshire cheese at its best is one of the really great cheeses and I am sure that we now have many more devotees among our loyal following, “said sales manager, Shaun Johnson.

Belton’s organic Cheshire cheese – one of eight different cheeses produced on the farm - is made today using the same special starter cultures and recipe used by the Beckett family for three generations.

The cheese making business was started by Justin’s grandfather, Stanley Beckett, who left the family textile business in Manchester to work at Belton as a farm pupil, progressing up the ladder to become manager and eventually owner.

Justin’s father, Mr John Beckett, who still works in the business, was among the first to restart Cheshire cheese manufacture at Belton after the war.

The company recently launched its specialist deli-counter Belton Farm’s brand, initially focussing on its organic Cheshire cheese, the rinded Red Leicester and the Double Gloucester with Onion and Chives.