The Rt Hon Boris Johnson
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Dear Prime Minister
Making Rural Attractions part of the road to recovery, and getting the rural economy back on track.
I am writing to you as the operator and tenant of Cotswold Farm Park, a diversified rural business with holiday accommodation, a restaurant and shop, a visitor attraction and a working farm employing up to 100 team members over the season, and making a significant contribution to suppliers and service providers in the local economy. We are also a member of the National Farm Attractions Network, a sector organisation with over 200 operator members, and our situation will be similar to many other rural diversified businesses.
I would like to start by thanking you for your support through the 2020 season, the most significant being the help of Furlough, the access to a CBILS loan and the Business Rates holiday. This support has been vital to our sector to date, and has enabled us to operate viably and protect as many jobs as possible.
Through my work as a farmer and TV presenter, I am fortunate enough to share the enjoyment of the countryside on screen and to visitors at Cotswold Farm Park. A role I feel very privileged to have. We are very aware of the benefits we have been able to offer to society by offering safe access to green spaces, leisure and recreation within the guidelines and feel confident that this will be a much-needed resource on the nation’s road to recovery.
Keeping everyone safe
Providing safe outdoor spaces has meant rural attractions have had to limit numbers, invest in PPE/infrastructure and significantly enhance daily operational and cleaning procedures.
We are proud to confirm this investment has been worthwhile with zero traced visitor to visitor, visitor to staff or staff to visitor infections reported within our sector. We are also humbled to confirm that farm attractions had zero complaints through the We’re Good to Go kite marque.
We look forward to returning to better times. Pre-Covid, the Farm Attraction Sector welcomed 25 million visitors through our doors and paid £100 million in wages each year. We are also one of the biggest employers of 16-24 year olds, with one in three jobs being in tourism and hospitality.
It has been hard
At Cotswold Farm Park we were open for just 55% of our normal trading period in 2020. This is actually more than most farm attractions across the country who opened on average for 50% of their normal times last year.
It has been tough. Across the sector, revenues were impacted further as we restricted numbers to keep customers safe, missed the busy Easter and Christmas periods and only managed to open for 1 Bank Holiday throughout all of 2020.
This reduction in visitors has caused significant cashflow issues across our sector. Outside of the Farm Attraction sector, many, many independent diversified rural businesses are in a similar situation, from goods and services suppliers to holiday accommodation, restaurants and shops – the impact has hit us all hard, but we would like to work together to be part of the recovery.
We want to be part of the recovery
Farm and rural attractions can play an important role in the road to recovery and restoring normal life. Through 2020, we’ve already proven we can operate safely with our 100% record of safe practice.
But this needs to be a partnership between resourceful business operators and the Government. We need to support each other to rebuild the economy.
The following ongoing support will make an enormous difference to our sector. They will make reopening viable and give us the best possible chance of success
- Extend the reduced VAT rate to March 2022 and potentially beyond, enabling our business to trade in a cash positive manner, plan for survival and invest to safeguard jobs.
- Extend the Business Rates holiday for hospitality to the end of 2021: as with VAT, this would free up investment to repair businesses.
- Continue with flexible furlough for the hospitality sector.
We cannot deny the government have listened so far to our sector; however, we need this support to be continued. Rural attractions like the rest of hospitality were one of the first to close in 2020 and will be one of the last to return to normal.
We’d really love to welcome you to Cotswold Farm Park or to any of our colleague’s farm attractions around the UK to show you how we are ready to get back to work and rebuild our rural economy.
Thank you in advance for reading this letter.
Adam Henson
Supported by
Nicola Henderson, Chief Executive Officer – Godstone Farm – 80 employees
Jay Wood, General Manager – Green Dragon Eco Farm, North Buckinghamshire – 15 employees
Bean Chapman, Owner – Chobham Adventure Farm – 63 employees
Lynn Kidner, Director – The Playbarn, Poringland – 12 employees
John Sinclair, Managing Director – Craigies Farm Ltd – 55 employees
Simone Uncle, Programme Manager – Kentish Town City Farm – 10 employees
John Sinclair, Managing Director – Craigies Farm Ltd – 25 employees
Grant Bell, Managing Director – East Links Family Park and Clyde Valley Family Park – 55 employees
Ray Hole, Managing Director – Ray Hole Architects – 5 employees
Simon Cox, General Manager – Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm Park – 17 employees
Andrea Stevens-Moore, Co-owner – Middle England Farm – 2 employees
Lorraine Bentley, Director – Colour Heroes Ltd – 9 employees
Gillian Kerton, Partner – Churchfields Farm – 28 employees
Richard Waring, Director – Rand Farm Park – 50 employees
Sally Jackson, Director – The Pink Pig Farm – 12 employees
Tracy Knapton, Partner – Hall Farm Park – 15 employees
Gary Charalambos – Regency Purchasing
Martin Goymour , Managing Director – Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure – 100 employees
Doug Douglas, Owner – Avon Valley Country Park Ltd – 52 employees
Edward Gwyn, Partner – Court Farm Country Park, Weston S Mare – 15 employees
James Gammell, Managing Director – Conifox Adventure Park – 25 employees
Joseph Manning, Director – Old Macdonalds Farm & Fun park Ltd – 40 employees
Sophie Holder, Business Administrator – Regency Purchasing Group – 30 employees
Natascha Crump, CEO – Odds Farm Park Ltd – 53 employees
Janet and Alistair King, Business Partner – Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre – 10 employees
Mark Navin, General Manager – Cockfields Farm Park – 40 employees
Richard Hirst, Owner – Hirstys Family Fun Park – 20 employees
Christopher Murray, Founder – Pennywell Farm – 80 employees
Salim Sajid, Director – Advantage Buying Limited – 4 employees
Katy Cullimore, Operations and Marketing Director – Cattle Country Farm Park, Gloucestershire – 70 employees
Sandra Palmer-Snellin, Director – Farmer Palmers Farm Park – 48 employees
Julie Nicholls, Partner – Rays Farm Country Matters – 8 employees
Bryan Pass, Director – Longdown Activity Farm – 32 employees
David Gibbons, Owner – Tamar Valley Donkey Park & Sanctuary – 10 employees
Rosemary Brown, Director/Joint Family Owner – Bluebell Dairy, Derbyshire – 45 employees
Tom Robinson, Director – National Forest Adventure Farm – 70 employees
Bevis Spears, Business Owner – Foel Farm Park – 5 employees
Darren Lamb, Director – 4 Kingdoms Adventure Park – 122 employees
Kevin Dockley, Owner – Jakes Play barn, Animal farm and Fishery – 45 employees
Antony Robinson, Partner – Manor Farm Park and Woodlands – 40 employees
Chris Philpot, Director – Barleylands Farm Park – 50 employees
Christian Carver, Director – William’s Den – 20 employees
Ben Barraclough, Owner – Mini Meadows Farm – 25 employees
Vanessa Dalton, Director – Wiggleys Fun Farm – 20 employees
Robin Inglis, Owner/Partner – John Inglis and Son Briarlands Farm – 20 employees
Mrs Eunice Finney ARAgS, Managing Director – Amerton Farm Ltd – 40 employees
Judith Phillips, Partner – Kentwell Hall – 30 employees
Ian Russell MBE, Director – Wroxham Barns Ltd – 45 employees
Julie Gardner, Proprietor – Newbridge Farm Park – 7 employees
Tom Davis, Farm Park and Open Space Manager – Mudchute Park and Farm – 50 employees
Heather Hogarty, Owner – The Whitehouse Farm Centre – 40 employees
William Esse, Owner – Church Farm, Stow Bardolph – 25 employees
Allan Shuttleworth, Owner – Mabie Farm Park – 25 employees
Jill Dillon, Managing Director – Reddish Vale Farm – 35 employees
Val James, Senior Manager – Play @ Lower Drayton Farm – 50 employees
Joseph Manning, Director – Old Macdonalds Farm & Fun park LTD – 40 employees
Anita Waddell – Agility Marketing Ltd – 10 employees
Judith Phillips, Partner – Kentwell Hall – 30 employees
Tom Rollings, Director/General Manager – Fishers Farm Park – 150 employees
Rick Turner, Director of the Flock – The BIG Sheep, Vice Chair of Devon’s Top Attractions and Director of Visit Devon and Vice Chair of SW Tourism Alliance – 45 employees
Robin Rager, Owner – Talbot Fashions LLP – 5 employees
Paul Copage, Managing Director – Jumping Pillows Ltd – 7 employees
Lucinda la Velle, Company Director – Millets Farm Centre – 140 employees
Tom Pearcy, Director – York Maze – 200 employees
Anne Gow, Director – Farmer Gow’s Ltd – 7 employees
Amanda Dowson, Director/Company Secretary – Mrs Dowsons Farm Park – 30 employees
Steven Briggs, Owner/manager – Windmill Farm Park – 18 employees
Stephen Legg, Owner/Director – Putlake Adventure Farm (Legg & Cobb Ltd) – 10 employees
Peter Frost-Pennington, Director – Tyg Tickets – 4 employees
Andy Jeffery, Director – Farrington’s – 55 employees
Maria Kerr, Director – Woodside Animal Farm – 28 employees
James Holliday, Estate Director – Castle Howard Estate – 90 employees
Gill Slinger, Owner – York Maze – 15 employees
Matty Slinger & Gill Slinger, Owners – Windmill Animal Farm, Lancashire – 15 employees
Emma Collison, Owner – Alpaca Trekking Cornwall and Moor View Alpacas – 3 employees
Lyndy Birse, Farm Manager – The Ark Open Farm – 20 employees
Lydia Parker, Animal Keeper – Brockswood Animal Sanctuary – 6 employees
Oliver Arundel, Head of Marketing & Development – Attwell Farm Park – 20 employees
Becky Hildrey, Director – Bocketts Farm Park – 180 employees
Holly Robinson, Operations Manager – Cotswold Driving Experiences – 10 employees
Lee Sutton – M G SUTTON – 4 employees
Lee Scowen, General Manager – Sacrewell Farm – 35 employees
Sarah Booth, Owner – Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm – 4 employees
Hamish Campbell, Owner – R-Oil – 5 employees
John Dean, Owner – Tallyho Bed and Breakfast – 2 employees
Catherine Newman, Director – Catherine Newman Tax Services Ltd – 1 employee
Chloe Jackson, Marketing Manager- Farm Business Innovation Show
Helen Mein, Director – Lakes View Farm Herefords LTD – 3 employees
Nicola Aitkin Co-owner. – The DMD Group – 2 employees
Kelly Snipp
Jackie Wilson, Owner – Playdale Farm Park – 20 employees
Oliver Brown, Director – Bluebell Dairy – 45 employees
Edward Dee, Managing Director – West Lodge Farm Park – 45 employees
Katherine Watkins, Director – Playworks The Meadows Ltd T/A The Meadows Farm Village – 33 employees + 30 Volunteers
Richard Green, Business Partner – Crich Lane Farm, Guesthouse – 4 employees
Fiona Siddall, Owner – Easton Farm Park – 30 employees
Emma Matthews, Administration Assistant – Ian Matthews Haulage – 5 employees
Jez Wallace, Director – Stratus Home Finance Ltd – 1 employees
Larry Bush, Managing Director – Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm – 88 employees
Richard Bower, Managing Director – Play@ Lower Drayton Farm – 45 employees
Andrew Wolfe, Shareholder/Director – Willows Activity Farm – 80 employees
Martin Holden – SIP Distribution UK LTD – 2 employees
Neil & Katie Milbourn, Directors – Walby Farm Park – 30 employees
Paul Gubby – Christmas Tree Farm – 4 employees
Carol Halling
Christopher Wells, Owner & Director – Cotswold Bees Ltd – 2 employees
Alastair Moore, Owner – Alastair Moore Farm – 1 employee
Charlie Waters – Finkley Down Farm – 18 employees
Martin Dupee, Director – Norfolk & Suffolk Tourist Attractions
Sue Heseltine, Director – Hesketh Farm Park – 35 employees
Tom White, Software Support Analyst – Journey Hospitality – 67 employees
Steve Baxter, Senior Underwriter Sport & Leisure – Axa XL Insurance Company – 7400 employees
Jacqueline Franklin, Postmistress at Tysoe Post Office, Owner of Hope and Glory Flower Co & Director of ProGardens Ltd – 10 employees
Daniel Wahlstrom – W Fire Pits – 1 employee
Ed Sykes, Director – Piglets Adventure Farm – 25 employees
Richard Powell, Owner/Director – Park Hall The Countryside Experience – 29 employees
Ann Packard FRSA HonFRIAS
Anna Littler, Creative Director – Rentadinosaur (Entertainment for Farm Parks) – 2 employees + 20 SE
Rachel Buxton, Partner – Hoveton Hall Estate – 5 employees
David Taylor, Managing Director – David Taylor Design Ltd – 4 employees + 30 SE
Jonathan Crump – Jonathan Crump’s Gloucester Cheese – 4 employees
Stuart Burnell, Farm Park Manager – Over Farm – 50 employees
Ceri Roberts, Director – Fron Farm Country Holiday Park – 5 employees
Steve Gardner-Collins – The Hatton Collection – 160 employees
Neil Payne, Director – West Wight Alpacas LTD – 12 employees
Cliffird Freeman, Owner – St Mary’s Hall Hotel – 40 employees
Graham Donoghue, CEO – Sykes Holiday Cottages – 854 employees
Joe Hodgson, Owner – Falconry and Exotic Mobile Zoo – 1 employee
Funpark Supervisor – Wroxham Barns Rural Craft Centre – 11 employees
Charlotte Kingham
Simon Goaman – Seckington Dairies & Elmscott Farm Holidays – 20 employees
Victoria Faller, Project Manager – All Things Wild – 25 employees
Paul Harris, Managing Director – Blackberry Farm Park – 34 employees
Mike Butler, Partner – PKF Francis Clark – 700 employees
Mrs Pauline Hintz – Sturt Farm Stables (Riding school) – 3 employees
Nicola Fear, Financial Controller – R Keene & Sons t/a Over Farm – 40 employees
Anna OKeefe, Owner – Pyle Hall Farm – 5 employees
Daniel Bennett, Business Development Manager – Hillsgreen Marketing Ltd – 5 employees
Nick Steele, Director – Farm – 1 employee
Peter Shaw, UK Sales Manager – BERG – 95 employees
Phil Pickersgill, Managing Director – Innovative Leisure Ltd (NFAN trade member) – 4 employees
Neil Baxendale , Managing Director – GTF Event Equipment Finance – 4 employees
G A Robinson, Partner – Manor Farm Park & Woodlands – 50 employees
Owen Gleadall, Managing Director – Merlinsoft Ltd – 12 employees
Vanessa Fox, CEO – Farms for City Children – 21 employees
Mark Edwards, Managing Director – Farmer Teds Adventure Farm – 63 employees
Amanda Murray, Owner – Audley end Miniature Railway – 45 employees
Regine Wilber, Creative Director – Essence Design Ltd – 2 employees
Greg Rankin, Director – Heads of Ayr Farm Park – 90 employees
Denise Wayman, Manager/Director – Tweddle Children’s Animal Farm – 15 employees
Sam Porter, Recruiter – Charlton Recruitment – 5 employees
Marco Calzini, Managing Director – Adventure Valley – 34 employees
Owner – Go Active Falconry – 4 employees
Malcolm Lyons, Owner – Malcolm Lyons Agricultural Trading – 1 employee
Neil Archibald, Director/Owner – Savoy-Consulting-Group Ltd – 1-20 employees
Catherine Grice, Director – The Farm Burscough Ltd – 12 employees
Alex Demetriou, Managing Director – Regency Purchasing Group – 500 employees
Karen Addison, Managing Director – Karen Addison Associates ltd – 2 employees
Sholto Moger, Director & Founder – Terra Nova Land Management Limited – 7 employees
Maria Kerr, Director – Woodside Animal Farm – 28 employees
Dawn Hawking, Partner – Marshfield Farm Ice Cream – 30 employees
Kevin McIlmurray, General Manager – Willows Activity Farm – 80 employees
Dorian Mead, Chair of Trustees – Heathrow Special Needs Centre – 9 employees
Simon Stacey, Director – Go Active Falconry – The Bird of Prey Centre – 5 employees
The Reverend Catherine Cowie / Deacon in The Church of England / Assistant Curate of The Benefice of The Guitings, The Slaughters and Naunton, Gloucestershire – Minister of Religion in the Church of England
Sarah Taylor, Director – SRTaylorEducation – 2 employees
Katy Wright, Director – The Equestrian Business Awards
Jeremy Jagger, Managing Director – Battlefield 1403 Ltd – 48 employees
Sara Spencer, Director – Sara Spencer Ltd
Taya Street, Farm Park Manager – Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park
Rupert and Joanna Burr – Roves Farm Visitor centre – 31 employees
Jules Arrowsmith, Managing Director – Manorafon Farm Park – 15 employees
Sharon Gibbon
Lorraine Thorn, Founder, Owner and Sole Trader – Ugly Pig Farm Foods – 1 employee
John & Sandy Young
Harry Acland, Partner of Notgrove Farms – Notgrove Holidays – 16 employees
Nick Laister, Director – Fairytale Farm – 20 employees
CEO – Digital Visitor – 15 employees
Alison Peedell, Matriarch
Victoria Lee, Owner/Director – Little Orchard Alpacas Ltd
Dr David J Knowles, Owner – Safestate Consulting Ltd – 1 employee
Amy Armitage-Reay, Owner – The Woolley Farm – 4 employees
Emma Harrison, Managing Director – Thornton Hall Country Park – 30 employees
Nigel Burnett, General Manager – Wellington Country Park – 85 employees
Suzanne Shallis, Accounts – Firoka Hampton by Hilton and Firoka Holiday Inn Express, Oxford – 16 employees
Johnnie Arkwright, Owner – Hatton Country World – 80 employees
Jacqueline Berryman, Business Manager – Tulleys Farm – 50 employees
Jonathan Lawson, CEO – Liberation Group and Butcombe Brewery – 890 employees
Jane Wadsworth, Proprietor – Lakeland Maze Farm Park – 12 employees
Andy Mercer, Owner – A J Mercer Agricultural and Environmental Services – 3 employees
Richard Bowe – Re-generation Earth – 10 employees
Archie Ruggles-Brise, Partner – Spains Hall Estate – 7 employees
Richard Bowe – Re-generation Earth – 10 employees
George Cushing, Associate Producer – Thursford Collection – 300 employees
Will Edwards, Director – Priory Farm Estate – 52 employees
Andrew Lazenby – The Royal Agricultural Society of England – 2 employees
Fraser Bairstow, Co-Owner & Managing Director – Ark Farm Limited – 11 employees
Emily Hudson, Owner – Green View Lodges, Lake District National Park – 2 employees
Oliver Muntz, Director – Umberslade Farm Park, West Midlands – 25 employees
Tom Chatfield, Managing Director – European Fine Cheese – 1 employee
Ken Christy, Owner – Ken Christy Rural Support – 1 employee
Ben Jones, Chief Operating Officer – BeWILDerwood – 150 employees
Christopher Murray, Founder – Re-generation Earth – 75 employees
Barry Davies, Principal – Davies & Co
Joseph Hodson – Head of Sales
Ed Simpson, Director – The Fox Inn Broadwell Ltd – 8 employees
Peter Atkinson, Director – The Grainstore Brewery – 28 employees
Mark Ashbridge, Owner/Director – Ashbridge Partners – 6 employees
Ashbridge Partners, Tom Windett
James Del Mar, Founder/Director – James Del Mar Ltd
Susan Aikman, Director – Ardardan Estate – 50 employees
Spiros Spozitos, Park Manager – Woodlands Family Theme Park – 80 employees
Kevin Milner, Owner – Kevin Milner Farming and Countryside Photographer – 2 employees
Lotty Hawkins, Assistant Manager – Matlock Farm Park – 45 employees
Candia McKormack, Editor – Cotswold Life Magazine – 13 employees
Michael Welsh, Owner – Agrifacts & Figures – 1 employee
John Kearney, Owner – Horses Impossible Ltd – 1 employee