Fern: Like it? Love it

AVOCA is the bubble not even the yummy mummy of all recessions could burst.

Begun in the 1970s, when the Pratt family stepped in to save an 18th-century woollen mill from being turned into a holiday complex, the food and retail empire has grown into one of Ireland’s greatest brands.

Even in these challenging times, weekend queues still throng Avoca foodhalls in Dublin, Wicklow, Belfast and Galway. Customers still devour the mohair throws, nostalgic toys, quirky kitchenware and homemade pies of our poshest pick ‘n’ mix. It’s a remarkable success story.