Removing the Flatbed Press

It was in the Spring of 2006 that the old flatbed press was removed from the pressing building in order to make more room for storage vats. Two years before in October 2004 Ivor and Susie had decided to buy a modern belt press in order to increase the amount of juice that could be pressed each day – sales were increasing and the old press could not press enough juice each day to keep up. The belt press can produce three times the amount of juice in the same amount of time.

When Susie and Ivor moved to Herefordshire and decided to start making cider the old press had been found neglected in a Herefordshire field. He bought it from the farmer, had it restored and for the next 23 autumns this rejuvenated piece of machinery staunchly pressed the juice to make Dunkertons cider and perry.

Susie and Ivor found it a difficult decision to reach to sell the press but storage space for more vats was at a premium so reluctantly it was removed from the pressing barn and sold to a farmer in the south of Herefordshire where it is still being used to press fruit juice.

The photograph of Ivor and Susie moving the cheese to go under the press was taken in autumn 1991.

- Written by Robert West, former chief cider maker and and dear friend of Dunkertons Cider