Cowdray in Midhurst gets new Managing Director from Chichester

Cowdray say there are 'delighted' to announce the appointment of Richard Main in the newly created
Managing Director of the Farm Shop, Café and Lifestyle role. — Cowdray say there are 'delighted' to announce the appointment of Richard Main in the newly created Managing Director of the Farm Shop, Café and Lifestyle role.

Cowdray Farm Shop sits in the centre of the 16,000-acre Cowdray Estate, West Sussex, situated in the South Downs National Park and is an hour from London and the main airports.

Alongside developing the business, Richard is said to be responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the thriving Farm Shop, which prides itself on premium quality, ethically sourced local produce, the bustling Café, and a vibrant lifestyle shop offering a carefully curated selection of gifts and homeware.

With a background in retail and hospitality, Richard joins Cowdray after 16 years’ experience within the John Lewis Partnership where he worked his way up from shop assistant to Waitrose Branch Manager. During his career, Richard has worked in Waitrose Branches across Sussex, Kent and Surrey with his last appointment being at the Horsham Branch.

Richard said: “I am incredibly excited by my new role at Cowdray – it is an amazing environment to work in and I absolutely love the brand. I have always had a passion for retail and am particularly looking forward to getting the know our customers and to further enhance their experience of shopping at Cowdray.

“I am also excited to work with such a talented team at Cowdray from the skilled butchers, knowledgeable Deli staff, the fantastic chefs and everyone else involved in the business, who all feel passionately about the great products we have in abundance here.”

Born in Chichester, Richard was inspired to go into retail by his grandfather who was a shopkeeper. From a young age Richard helped in the shop and from there learnt how important customer interaction is. Residing on the South Coast with a young family, Richard is also a keen golfer who is looking forward to playing golf on Cowdray’s 18-hole championship too.

The Farm Shop, Café and Lifestyle are situated the heart of Cowdray, a 16,000-acre diverse country Estate in the South Downs National Park. It is walking distance from the world-renowned polo fields, and the landmark historical Cowdray Ruins, one of England’s most important early Tudor houses.