AN artist's impression has been released of how a farm cafe and events venue will look on the edge of the city, when it opens next year.

Bennetts Farms - a traditional family run business - will open the venue at as part of an expansion at Manor Farm off Malvern Road in Lower Wick early next year - as a focus for the community.

Stef Bennett said: "We've been held up by flooding and the coronavirus pandemic but we intend to be open to the public early next year."

The artist's impression shows the building will be on stilts and have a seating area on decking extending over the pond, plus there will be a further outdoor seating area on the edge of one of the adjacent cow fields with views out to the Malvern Hills.

The venue room is the longer bit of the 'T' shape on the right of the image, with the café and commercial kitchen on the left.

Stef added: "It's so close to Worcester but it will feel for visitors like they're in the middle of the countryside.

"The farming industry was hit hard during the last milk slump and this will show people where our milk comes from, and we will host workshops, markets and farm feast nights - people really want to see where their food is coming from these days."

Around 30 new jobs will be created when the building is up and running, but no exact date has been set.

Worcester City Council cllr Richard Udall said: "Bennetts is a famous, old established business and I'm pleased they're diversifying.

"The farming industry, particularly the diary side, has been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic.

"All of their ice creams are nice but coffee and cherry flavours are delightful - come to think of it, any ice cream with the Bennetts name attached is my favourite!"

The family celebrated 100 years of farming in the county last year.

Christopher Bennett, a fourth generation farmer, recalled the family history - the most dramatic incident was when the farm was bombed in the war.

He said: “There was only one bomb on our farm in the war, a German plane was flying back from dropping a bomb on Coventry.”

He also recalled how Winston Churchill visited Manor Farm in 1950, welcomed by Christopher’s grandfather Stanley.

It all began when Robert Osborne Bennett, from St Ives purchased 500 acres in Lower Wick in 1891 with his wife Elisha Jane and their four children, Norman, Thomas ‘Stanley’, Hilda and Fred. The farm, Manor Farm cost £18,000.