09th June, 2025
A cider-maker from the New Forest who introduced Londoners to the joys of traditional cider has been recognised with this year’s Coopers’ Award for Craftsmanship in the Cider Industry at the Royal Bath and West Show.
Barry Topp, of New Forest Cider, was presented with his award by the Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Coopers, Wing Commander Stephen Borthwick, in the Orchards and Cider Exhibition at the Royal Bath and West Show today (Friday).
The award is given each year on the recommendation of the Orchards and Cider Committee, to recognise an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to keeping the highest standards of craft cider-making alive.
Barry Topp started making cider when he inherited a small-holding in the New Forest, complete with an orchard. He soon became an enthusiastic cider-maker, salesman and evangelist, taking his cider to all manner of local shows and events, but his greatest achievement was to take his cider to London: first at Greenwich and Southwark Markets, and then to the central hub of the London food and drink scene, Borough Market.
His thatched trailer, laden with cider barrels, became a familiar sight as he headed across the Hammersmith flyover at the crack of dawn every Friday. And among the countless Londoners who enjoyed seeing it was a certain Terry Wogan, who loved referring to it on his BBC Radio Two Breakfast Show, with its 8 million listeners.
Barry’s cider wagon has now become the London Cider House, still in Borough Market but now run by Barry’s daughter Mary, with several other well-known cider makers like Tom Oliver, Ted Dwane of Mumford and Sons and the London cider merchant Felix Nash.
But none of this meant that the New Forest was neglected. Together with another well-known cider-maker and advocate, the late Albert Rixen, in 2007 Barry started the New Forest Cider Festival, which has since gone from strength to strength, raising thousands of pounds for local charities.
All this, and India as well. In giving his citation for Mr Topp, Orchards and Cider stalwart, the cider author and poet, James Crowden, recalled how Barry had come up to him in the Orchards and Cider marquee several years back with an email he had received from a woman in India, asking for his help in making cider.
“He wasn’t sure whether to go or not, so I told him just to go, and he did. Spreading the gospel of good cider first to London and then to India! It doesn’t get much more influential than that, which is why this award is so thoroughly deserved.”