delivery & more
who delivers it? how much does it cost?
We use both a courier service and Royal Mail Special Delivery (for more on this, see below). The following prices cover delivery to any part of the UK.
Orders under £25: £5.99
Orders £25-£100: £8.99
Orders £100-£199: £11.99
Orders over £200: £14.99
when will it arrive?
During checkout, we'll ask you for a delivery day - so if this matters, choose the day you'd prefer (Tuesday to Friday). Or - you can put 'any' or 'asap' (as soon as possible). If there's something you particularly want and we're out of stock, that might delay us a few days.
Please note that we generally need more than 24hrs notice to deliver. If you order on, say, the 9th for a birthday on the 10th, we can't guarantee to get it there, though we'll try. If in doubt, give us a ring to see what's possible.
We generally use an overnight courier service; for deliveries to Northern Ireland, the Highlands & Islands - and in fact all UK islands - we use Royal Mail Special Delivery as a surer way to ensure a 'next day' service.
As you know, nothing is 100% (especially when it involves the roads ...), and very occasionally the 'overnight' service isn't. Generally, however, there's no problem and the cheese arrives next day as planned.
We can send cheese to arrive between Tuesday - Friday, but not on a Saturday, I'm afraid: it's just too expensive.
substitutions
We occasionally run out of things. When this happens, we'll make an intelligent choice of substitute cheese. If what's missing seems to us to be a significant proportion of the order, we'll try to contact you to discuss possible alternatives.
lead time for wedding cakes
Please try and give us as much notice as you possibly can, and ideally at least a month. We can manage with less if we have to, but it's hugely helpful for us to have plenty of notice for these very important orders.
deliveries to more than one address
The delivery charge only covers delivery to one address. If you want cheese sending to more than two addresses, please place two separate orders.
picking up from Bovey Tracey
Yes, you can do this! Cheese can be picked up, by arrangement, from Mann & Son, 43 Fore St, Bovey Tracey. During checkout, look for the 'discount coupon code' box and enter COLLECT - that'll stop you being charged for delivery. Let us know what day you'll be collecting.
how is it packaged?
All gift boxes are packed in one of our lovely white boxes printed up with the Cheese Shed name and logo. Very smart! If you've opted for the Posh Box, this'll be inside the white one, for protection. For larger orders like weddings we often recycle boxes.
Cut cheese is wrapped in waxed paper. Most of the year, an ice pack is added to help keep the cheese nice and cool. We do put the ice pack in a plastic bag (to keep moisture away from the rest of the packaging): here James is re-using packaging which has come into his shop. We tend not to use ice packs when the weather is sufficiently cool.
what do we need from you?
Cheese, of course, needs to be delivered quickly. For this to be possible we need several things from you. We need an accurate delivery address. This is essential, and if an incorrect postal address is supplied we won't be responsible for any delivery problems which may follow. So it's worth taking a moment to make sure you've given us the right house number, postcode etc. And there should be someone in! So do think carefully about your delivery address.
We'll ask you for a safe place where the cheese can be left - as a fail safe in case there is no-one in. Try to make your instructions simple, clear and brief. Please note that if the package is left it is at your own risk: the ideal situation is always a delivery address with a person in it, whether this is home or workplace.
We also ask for a delivery day - and the recipient's phone number. From experience we know that sometimes the driver has trouble finding an address. This problem is usually quickly solved if there's a phone number to call.
cutting and weights
Cutting cheese accurately to a given weight is an art, not a science. What we can say is that we'll try to get pretty close to the quantity ordered, and if we go 'under' on one item we'll try and make up for it on another. Whole cheeses are also - as handmade products - approximate in weight, so bear in mind that a 'whole truckle' described as 1.6kg could well be more or less than that.