The owner of the BarnYard has hit out at comments on social media after she announced she was closing her farm shop at Upchurch near Sittingbourne.

Director Joanne McInnes has managed, and then owned, the restaurant and wedding venue in Oak Lane for four years.

She said: "I hope lots of people can see through the pointless comments put on social media by those who don’t have a clue about running a business.

"Unfortunately, in this world business has to move forward and not stay still.

"I really didn’t think the fact we are closing the farm shop building as a farm shop would warrant this much attention."

She said: "When we took over this gem it was in decline but we have managed to bring it back to a lovely standard for customers to enjoy.

"Our farm shop was refurbished two years ago and more local items were sought to sell.

"We do lots of advertising but no matter what we have tried the farm shop has proved an impossible task.

"We sell great things but unfortunately they can’t be sold cheaply because we can’t compete with the ‘big boys’ for fresh fruit and veg.

"Our farm shop stands empty most days. My hat goes off to our fab staff who stand there day in, day out. hardly seeing a soul and certainly not serving many people, unless it is in the middle of December when we are busy.

"It is just a total loss-making exercise and has been before we took over. Each year it gets worse.

"As a business we have to think of the future. If we continue to let the farm shop stay as it is, it will pull the rest of the business down with it."

She said own-label apple juice, chutneys and jams would continue to be sold in the restaurant and garden ornaments will be be sold from the gift shop, soon to be moved to a log cabin on the terrace.

She insisted: "The only thing changing is that the farm shop building won’t be a farm shop any more and we won’t be selling fruit and veg. There was just too much wastage."

The barn where the farm shop was housed will be put to a better use, she added.

Three years ago The BarnYard closed its petting animal farmyard.

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