Since opening on Queens Road towards the end of 2019 The Allotment has been a big hit with the local community. Helping customers to reduce their food carbon footprint, as well as teaming up with other local businesses for events and offers, this is far more than a fruit & veg shop.

We caught up with owner, Monika, to find out more about it all.

The Allotment opened on Queens Road in December last year, how have you found things since opening?

We had great response, the Clarendon Park community is wonderful. Every single day I have someone tell me that they are so grateful for us opening up. Support has been great. 

Tell us a little more about the shop?

The allotment thrives to mirror our family’s way of living and being part of the community. We want to reduce our costumers’ food carbon footprint as much as possible. Not many people are aware, where from or how their food travels. I ask those questions from my suppliers when I source European produce and I make sure that the UK produce comes from as near to the shop as possible. I find it very important to eat local, unpackaged and plant based. This is your best bet to reduce your food carbon footprint. 90% of the produce I sell is packaging free. I urge my costumers to bring their own bags, eggboxes etc. the odd costumers that forgets bags or containers, I happily lend them my own or give out cardboard boxes. 

You’ve also recently teamed up with 100&Six to do recipe boxes providing ingredients to make some of their dishes at home. What a great idea! Can you let us know some of the recipes that will be coming up?

We have teamed up with 100&six two different ways. One is that they give The Allotment 1 seasonal recipe a month that we can showcase in our recipe box. And the other one was a recent six course vegan event, which The allotment provided all vegetables for.

Next we will be working together with Christopher James Deli, and will be adding their cheese to our recipe box no4, Homey Pie. 

Can people subscribe to the boxes?

You can subscribe 3 different ways. Facebook, email and in person in the shop. You have to pay in advance by Sunday and you collect the box on Wednesday. 

allotment greengrocers leicester

What made you choose Queens Road as an area to open in?

I have been originally introduced to Queens road by my lovely friend Lauren (NADA) who took me out for dinner here, soon after I moved to Leicester. I have been shopping here every now and then. I live nearby and when we learned that the greengrocers shut down, my husband and I thought that it would be great to open one. The way we wanted our shop, we knew it would be well supported in the Clarendon Park area. We want to be as Eco friendly as possibly, sourcing food from local and European producers, as close to our shop as possible. 

How supportive do you find the local community?

The community is extremely supportive, seems like they wanted a greengrocers back on the street as much as we did. We get lots of positive response and we are equally pleased that we are able to give back something to our community this way. 

What other exciting plans do you have for The Allotment?

There are exiting new things coming up for the allotment that I can’t yet talk about. Peel your eyes on our social media accounts this February. 

Where can people find out more about you?

Facebook and Instagram are our current social media accounts that we update daily. Hoping to start our website soon too. 

You’ll find The Allotment at 59 Queens Road.

allotment greengrocers leicester