Kirkham's Lancashire. Very Good News!

Update: Saturday 10 February 2024

It’s not often we make statements like this, but take it from us this is very heartfelt and one if, like us, you admire and support British farmhouse cheese and especially unpasteurised milk cheeses, you will understand where we are coming from.

It is with great relief we can say that KIRKHAM’S LANCASHIRE is now back making their wonderful landmark traditional cheese.  There was, as you may be aware, a precautionary recall by Graham Kirkham and the Food Standards Authority (FSA) on Christmas Day.  Throughout every stage of this recall it has been established and declared that the cheesemaking and hygiene practices at this farm and dairy are robust; Graham and his team have demonstrated nothing short of both skill and integrity as farmers and cheesemakers.  Over 40 samples taken of batches of cheeses that were recalled have had no positive result for the pathogen associated with the outbreak that caused the recall.  This result and also the close co-operation from Graham Kirkham with the Environmental Health Officer and the FSA, have confirmed their confidence in the cheesemaking procedures and that their cheese is safe for sale.

We at La Fromagerie have always championed and supported the farms and cheesemakers making unpasteurised milk cheeses; this has been the ethos of the business from its very inception.   It is of great importance to us this is preserved because it is in real danger of being a ‘threatened species’, and a practice that will be forgotten like many cheeses not only in Britain but now further afield too.  Losing the taste for tradition, not just in the cheesemaking but in the management of herds, pasture, recipes and regionality is something we need to address, otherwise we will see not only globalisation but also the loss of a huge part of our understanding of food and where it comes from and how it is made.

These are not sweeping statements, and if you, like us, want to continue to enjoy traditional farmhouse, hand made cheeses, and their delicious difference, then please make a start by buying Kirkham’s Farmhouse Traditional Lancashire – the last family run farm making unpasteurised milk Lancashire cheese.  We need to not only enjoy their cheese but also show our love and support after these very difficult few months.

Patricia Michelson

Product Recall Notification: UPDATE:
Wednesday 3 January 2024
All early tests carried out by government laboratories on Kirkham's Lancashire cheeses have come back negative. Furthermore, their local authority has not identified any issues or concerns in the Kirkham's manufacturing process. The Food Standards Agency is doing further testing and the results will take a few days to become available. The FSA is also continuing its investigations of other products with a view to identifying the source of the outbreak.

Monday 25 December 2023
We have been notified by the FSA and Graham Kirkham that they are issuing a precautionary recall of all Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese sold since 1st October.
If you have purchased Kirkham’s Lancashire from us please follow this precautionary advice and do not eat the cheese. If you have already eaten the cheese, please be rest assured that the risk is exceedingly low and that this advice has been issued out of an abundance of caution, not due to association specifically with any of the batches that we have selected or sold.
If you still have some or all of the cheese, please follow this precautionary advice and do not eat it, and dispose of it carefully.
For our shop customers: we will be happy to arrange returns/refunds, either in our shops or over the phone.
For our ecommerce customers: if you have purchased Kirkham’s Lancashire from please contact us when we reopen on 28 December to arrange a refund.
For our trade customer please speak with our wholesale manager, for further details when we reopen 28 December
Thank you for your understanding on this matter and be rest assured we take this very seriously and will update this information when we know more.
We would like to make it clear our cheesemongers have been tasting Kirkham's throughout the last 3 months as each cheese is opened and we have had NO reported illnesses. We offer Kirkham’s Lancashire our full support and look forward to it returning to our cheese rooms as soon as possible.
With kind regards,
LA FROMAGERIE LONDON.