Oakham Up Close: The Rutland Cheese Co. display their True Grit

On Tuesday the 21st of June 2022, Liam and Tom opened the doors to their brand new cheese shop in the heart of Oakham, The Rutland Cheese Co.

However, the run up to this momentous occasion was not all plain sailing, and the pair have taken a long journey to get to where they are today.

7 years ago, Liam had returned from his travels in Malaysia and Singapore and had been inspired by the range of teas and treats he had tried while journeying. As such, he decided to open Rudyard's Tea Teahouse, a name inspired by the author of the classic novel The Jungle Book.

After running this shop in Beeston for 3 years , the crippling cost of the Highstreet brought this dream to a close, but opened up new doors for Liam and Tom to explore a wider range of foods and consumables, which they began selling at local markets and festivals.

image courtesy of The Rutland Cheese Co.

During this time they were known as the Two Guys Company and they really refined their knowledge about all things cheese.

Upon moving back towards Tom's family in Melton Mowbray, the duo decided to make the most of this newly acquired expertise and open a cheese shop at 40, Melton Road – locally famous for being the old headquarters of Rutland Radio.

Before they had the chance to put this knowledge into practice though, Covid hit, and the pair were forced to wait a little bit longer before their dream could become a reality.

Eventually they filled the chillers, opened their doors and have begun stocking local homes with a huge selection of fantastic artisan cheeses and more.

image courtesy of Rutland Cheese Co.

Liam said: "We've had pretty good feedback, which has been nice. People love trying the cheeses in a slow paced, no-rush, no-obligation environment. People can buy whole wheels or small amounts of lots of cheese to try. We're flexible like that."

This duo are cheese pros and have a great selection on offer in their store including crackers, cakes, snacks, chutneys, and 'free from' alternatives, such as gluten free scone mix – and of course, cheese!

On top of this, they have tables and chairs indoors and out, meaning that visitors can order a tea, coffee, freshly made sausage roll or cheeseboard to sit in or out and enjoy the tranquillity of Rutland. At £2 - £3, the sausage rolls are an affordable snack and come in a variety of flavours, including stilton, black pepper, or tomato, ginger and sultana. They certainly are a carnivore's dream, while the selection of cheeseboards, made to order, are great for the vegetarians and range from £6 - £12.

For those simply wanting to stock up their cheese supplies, the duo know all that there is to know about cheese and, when I went in, they helped a range of customers find the perfect cheese for them in a personal, friendly environment – they even recommended one of my personal favourites, True Grit.

For those feeling adventurous, the shop also stock mystery cheese boxes, which contain off cuts and end-of-line cheeses that still have plenty of life, but are too small to sell at the counter.

These contain approximately 500g of cheese and come in at between £9 - £11.

They are also adding another chiller to their fleet and will soon be selling charcuteries and meats, as well as British fruits and veg.

On top of this tasty supply of delicacies, visitors to the shop can also enjoy the company of the duo's delightful dog, Biggie.

image courtesy of The Rutland Cheese Co.

For now the pair can be found instore, although a website is on the way, so soon Rutland resident will be able to satisfy their cheese cravings from the comfort of their sofa, desk, or kitchen table!

The shop can be found on Facebook here.

Liam concluded: "We're a traditional cheese monger, so if you want a chat and to really get to know your cheese, let us know. We look forward to meeting you."

The shop has parking and can be found at Unit 3, 40 Melton Road, Oakham.

The shop is currently open 9am - 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.