[erainn]

Bought from my local nursery a blackcurrant bush, it has about four branches, roughly 2 feet in height. I had read that after planting it was adviseable to cut back to around 6 inches above soil level. Is that the case? Or can It be left to develop, along with the leaves and buds? It's presently planted on our allotment. Any help/ideas most welcome.

[Trillium]

Black currants differ from red and white in that blacks fruit on 2nd and 3rd year old wood. You don't want the plant massed with stems as you do need good air flow through them, but you also need new growth coming up each year to replace the older ones which will be cut away in subsequent years (4 yr old wood doesn't produce well and should be cut away. this will be the darkest of all wood).

It's hard to know what bearing age your plant is but I wouldn't cut down everything. Perhaps one or two central stems that appear very dark to encourage new growth for this year. If anyone else on your lotty has black currants, introduce yourself and ask what they do. Most are glad to share info.

And here's more for you:
http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_fruits/how_to_grow_black_currant.php