Ben’s Yard retail village with shops, restaurant and Ely Cathedral-themed adventure playground coming to Stuntney Estate
A new retail village will open in spring 2023 on the 2,500-acre Stuntney Estate, near Ely.
Ben’s Yard is promising local and independent shops, a restaurant and cafe serving seasonal and locally-produced food, head-to-toe spa services and an artisan food hall.
It will offer boutique fashion, homeware, a florist, hairdressing and an adventure playground themed around a replica Ely Cathedral, plus green space across several acres with five kilometres of marked trails through woodland, fenland and wildflower meadows. A two-kilometre loop on hardcore has been designed with wheelchairs, bikes and buggies in mind.
The founders are Alastair and Victoria Morbey, who have four young children and say they have designed the site with families and the environment in mind.
They said: “Ben’s Yard is all about making someone’s day a little better. That might be a delicious cup of coffee, a wander in the fresh air, a spa treatment, a new haircut, some retail therapy, or the sparkling service we will be offering our guests.
“Ben’s Yard isn’t an indulgence or guilty pleasure, it’s a beautiful, nurturing, special, and accessible place for everyone.”
Alastair runs the estate and the farm with conservation in mind, and is rewilding an area of the farm.
The estate, off the A142 to the south-west of Ely, sits on what was once an island in the floodplains of the fens and is home to wildlife including buzzards, lapwing and roe deer, and you might spot a kingfisher on the reservoir.
Solar panels will help to meet the site’s energy needs, while concrete has been reused for the pathways.
There will be a secure bike rack in the Ben’s Yard car park, with the site expected to be a stop-off for cyclists tackling the Cambridge to Ely circuit.
The Ben’s Yard Café will open seven days a week and promises “relaxed yet sophisticated all-day dining with an eclectic menu serving modern British and international classics” that will cater “for everyone whether in heels or wellies, pulling up a barstool or slouching into a fireside sofa”.
An outdoor terrace with heaters and umbrellas means it will be suitable in all weathers.
Meanwhile, Ben’s Yard Larder will sell food gifts, including luxury, seasonal and novelty food favourites, and food to go, such as fresh salads, pizzas, sandwiches, sausage rolls, confectionery, jams, condiments and cake.
The founders plan regular brand partnerships, events and outdoor theatre productions throughout the year, including summer dog-shows, local food fairs and Christmas markets.
