KNOWN locally as Brock Mart, Brockholes Arms Mart, which lies just to the South of Garstang, Lancashire, has undergone a comprehensive modernisation programme but retains its reputation as ‘the friendly mart’.
Brockholes auction mart claims to be the only auction mart company where the farmer directors work in the market on sale days and all the staff come from farming families.
David Hargreave, chairman of the Brockholes Arms Auction Mart company, Claughton-on-Brock, near Garstang, said: “We believe this makes Brock market something special. It is a friendly market where most people know each other and newcomers are made really welcome.
“We are confident that most of the smaller marts, like our own, have a good future, as we are able to offer a personal service that the large markets cannot match.”
The company was formed on its present site in 1927 by a consortium of farmers who took on a 21- year lease from the landlord, Major Fitzherbert-Brockholes.
Sales commenced in May of that year and the market was officially opened by Mr Fitzherbert- Brockholes on March 20, 1928, though auctions had been held on the site since 1923.
On October 18, 1948, it was agreed by the directors to purchase the land which Major Fitzherbert Brockholes offered to them for the sum of £450.
Since the incorporation of the market, the auction has been run by a board of directors and owned by shareholders, most of whom are farmers.
While the mart has always been successful commercially, it benefitted by the closure of Preston livestock auction in 2001. Many farmers who had previously used Preston turned to Brock and this coincided with a major development programme at Brockholes.
Outdated old buildings were replaced with modern, light and airy facilities. Work included a new sales ring and pens for both sheep and cattle, high-quality handling systems, and loading bays.
The core of the business is commercial livestock, though dispersals will take in pedigree livestock and the mart has just seen the complete dispersal of the Buckdon flock of pedigree Charollais sheep.
A field adjoining the site was bought five years ago and developed as a car park and a further extension has just been added.
Auctioneering is in the hands of local firm, Armistead Barnett, with Richard Furnival selling cattle and James Fish selling sheep.
Armitstead Barnett Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents has roots dating back to 1880 and had predominantly operated under the name T Armitstead & Son.
The company has strong agricultural connections throughout the North-West and also operates throughout the rural property sector.
The main sale day is Tuesday with lambs, cull ewes, clean cattle, bulls and store cattle.
Entries vary over the year, but are typically about 1,200 sheep, 70 to 80 prime cattle, and 160 to 170 store cattle. Cull cattle are sold on Wednesdays with numbers currently peaking at 174. Over the past 12 months alone about £300,000 has been spent on mart improvements.
Brock Mart’s closest neighbouring marts are Clitheroe, Bentham, Gisburn, all about 25-30 miles away, Lancaster, about 15 miles away, and to the south, the next mart is Chelford in Cheshire, almost 60 miles away.
Mr Hargreaves, who runs a 900- acre mixed beef, sheep and arable farm near Kirkham, Lancashire, said: “Round here, there has been a move to more sheep going through liveweight. If anything, there have not been so many prime cattle going through the ring, but this is happening all over the country as more of these cattle go deadweight.
“We have a strong demand from butchers for this type of animal and could do with some more in our sales.
“We have no problem with the prospect of the large new Kendal mart about 30 miles up the M6 motorway. There will always be a place for both the well-run smaller markets like Brockholes and for the larger markets. We will simply stick to what we do best, selling quality livestock and offering the best service with a personal touch.”
At a mid-November sale, clean cattle met a steady trade, levelling at 175.43p/kg and peaking at 221p/kg for a Limousin-cross heifer. Bulls sold to 168p/kg and averaged 151.60p per kg. Prime lambs were a little down on the week averaging 148.32p/kg with the top price per kg going to Texel crosses at 193p/kg.
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