# Pandemic-Prompted Ancient Mill Reopening 1000-Year-Old Mill Reopens to Provide Flour Amid COVID-19 By Grace Mahas | Published 2020-05-06 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1000yearold-mil References: [washingtonpost](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/05/06/1000-year-old-mill-starts-up-again-keep-homes-uk-supplied-with-flour/) Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK has been experiencing a high demand of flour while grappling with a short supply, so in an effort to meet demand, millers Imogen Bittner and Pete Loosmore decided to re-open the 1,000-year-old Sturminster Newton [Mill](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mill-for-workplace). The mill was updated in 1904 to be powered by water turbine and was still used occasionally to produce small [bags of flour for tourists](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/old-mill-goods). “When COVID-19 struck, all of the local shops ran out of flour very quickly,” said Loosmore, 79, a retired art teacher who has worked at the mill for 25 years. “We had a stock of [good-quality milling wheat](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/great-river-milling) and the means and skills to grind it into flour, so we thought we could help." So far, Bittner and Loosmore have ground more than a ton of grain and bagged several hundred sacks of flour to feed their community during these uncertain times. Image Credit: The Washington Post, Imogen Bittner ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 32% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Historic-mill Reopening:** Reopening historic mills to produce goods in high demand during a crisis may provide a solution for short-term shortages. - **Community-sustainable Agriculture:** Supporting local agriculture and mills may improve local resiliency and self-sufficiency during times of crisis. - **Traditional-craft Revival:** The revival of traditional crafts may offer both economic opportunities and traditional goods for today's consumers. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food Manufacturing:** Exploring historical food manufacturing processes may offer insights on how to respond quickly to changes in demand and local supply chains. - **Tourism:** Historic mills and other cultural institutions can explore opportunities to expand their reach and provide value to their communities during uncertain times. - **Agriculture:** Reopening historic mills can bring attention to the importance of investing in local agriculture and supporting local food systems. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Artisan-Quality Bread Mixes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/matthews-cotswold-flour.md) - [Industrial Artisan Baking Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slow-milling-ingredients.md) - [Gluten-Free Flour Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arva-flour-mills.md) - [Regenerative Pizza Oven Flours](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizza-flour.md) - [Versatile Artisan Baking Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/home-baking-products.md) - [Oat Milk Manufacturer Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oat-milk-manufacturer.md) - [Community-Oriented Cookbook Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/foodies-cookbook-shop.md) - [Prepackaged Craft-Style Breads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kingsmill-breads.md) - [High-Quality Organic Flours](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-flours.md)