Inside cute new Wee Scone Shed honesty box - located in 'hidden' Scottish town
A new honesty box style business has popped up in a Scottish seaside town - and it has been a sellout success.
The honesty box has been around for generations, but if you’ve lived in a large town or city, you may never have come across one in your day-to-day life. These small sheds or boxes have been used by crafters, bakers and farmers to share things like excess eggs or their creative wares with the community. The idea is simple, customers take what they need or want and leave the money for the items in the box.
They’ve more recently seen a surge in interest in social media, as people look for new experiences online for when they are visiting a - usually rural - area.
Within the last 10 years, honesty boxes in Scotland have been springing up - with most dedicated to home baking. From Cakes in the Call Box in Cladich, to Croft Farm on Barra, these picturesque sheds have been finding fame on Instagram and Facebook.
The latest addition to Scotland’s cake-led honesty boxes is the Wee Scone Shed, located in Cupar in Fife. Often described as the East Neuk’s ‘hidden’ town thanks to its more popular nearby tourist hotspot St Andrews, the Wee Scone Shed is the brainchild of Sandra Smith who describes her business as “very Fife, very local and not too intimidating.”
She said that the idea came about: “during conversations with my sister – I love baking, and my friends and family kept telling me I should do something with it. The idea of a wee honesty shed at the end of the drive felt very Fife, very local, and not too intimidating to get going. I thought I’d maybe sell a few scones here and there – I never imagined it would take off the way it has.”
It was other Fife-based honesty boxes that inspired Ms Smith, which she explained saying “Living in Fife, I’ve always loved the honesty boxes and small food businesses you see dotted around. I wanted to create something in that spirit – simple, accessible, community-minded and centred on good quality, home baking.”
The Wee Scone Shed has been a sellout success since Ms Smith launched it earlier this summer and while she’s still working, the scones - which were meant to be a “wee sideline” have “become such a joyful part of my week.”
Ms Smith said that “baking has always been a big part of family life. I grew up watching my granny, aunty and mum baking. I’ve always loved the comfort of it, and sharing what you’ve made with other people.”
After setting up an Instagram account for the Wee Scone Shed, Ms Smith asked followers their favourite flavours, which she adds to a “basic scone recipe” she’s been making for years. While not a family recipe, she said:”the scones are definitely inspired by the home baking that was such a big part of my childhood.”
While the favourite scones are the classic fruit, plain and cheese, a guest flavour of white chocolate and raspberry has been so popular that it’s now a more regular feature.
The Wee Scone Shed opened in August and was a sell-out from the go. Mr Smith said of the success: “It’s been beyond anything I ever could have imagined! I sold out on the first day and thought it might just be beginner’s luck – but it carried on.
“I’ve even had to start offering limited pre orders so people don’t miss out. The support has been amazing. People are turning up from all over Cupar and surrounding areas specially to pick up scones. Some customers have been making trips from miles away, which is really humbling.
“Customers are all mostly locals at the moment – and neighbours who’ve all been so supportive! Word of mouth travels quickly in Fife! The shed has really brought people together, all coming for their favourite flavours. It’s heartwarming to see strangers chatting in the queue while waiting for scones.”
A local collaboration may be on the cards in the future, as well as new flavours but for now Ms Smith “wants to keep enjoying it, focusing on quality and making sure the scones stay consistent and delicious. I’d love to experiment with new flavours, maybe collaborate with other local producers, and see where it all leads.
“I’ve got so much gratitude - to everyone who’s supported the shed so far and made it such a success, the locals of Cupar (and beyond!), my neighbours, and of course my partner and family for their endless encouragement.”
Find out more about the Wee Scone Shed on the Facebook and Instagram pages.
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