THE quality of the dale’s diverse business sector has been highlighted by major landowner, Lord Barnard.
In a wide-ranging address to the Teesdale Business Awards last month, the Raby Estates owner spoke of the opportunities for farmers, those in the tourism sector, and businesses, as well as the challenges they face.
Updating the audience about developments at Staindrop, he noted that Raby Estates is broadly made up of three businesses – property, farming and forestry, and tourism and leisure.
Lord Barnard said: “Farming is still the backbone of this area and there must be few constituencies with as many farming businesses as here.
“There has been much talk of rewilding in the press and there are undoubtedly opportunities.
“But we also need to grow food, and if it can be produced in a more sustainable way, so much the better. “
He revealed the estate had adopted historic natural-process farming practices, but said using modern technology and biology, including direct drilling, meant a greater range of crops and cover crops.
The decision to leave the European Union had created massive change for the estate’s tenant farmers with farm payments diminishing and being replaced by payments based on “public money for public goods” .
Lord Barnard said: “These will not begin to replace what has gone before, they generally involve additional costs and of course the devil is in the detail.”
He noted that despite the estate’s heavy investment in tourism, more can be done in the area.
The landowner said: “This part of the world is blessed with beautiful countryside but as any farmer will tell you ‘The view doesn’t pay the bills’.
“As much as anything it’s about retaining and attracting skills and people.”
Raby Estates’ contribution to the leisure and tourism industry included renovations to High Force and Langdon Beck hotels and wide-scale developments at Raby Castle as part of the The Rising scheme, he said.
The project has seen the gardens being transformed, heritage buildings repurposed and an exciting children’s play-area being created.
Lord Barnard said: “For tourism, combined with The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle and the Auckland Project, along with High Force and attractive countryside for walking, that is a compelling combination.”
The estate has also invested restoring some of its historic properties such as Gainford Hall and Hilton Hall, he said.
Being part of small communities, Lord Barnard said, had a big positive in that reputation was important to doing business resulting in high standards and trust, which is impressive considering cost of living and inflation issues.
He concluded: “The fundamentals for business are strong in Teesdale – a great place to work with stunning countryside but most of all, it is the people.
“You’ll all know many of those whose businesses have been put forward [for awards] and it is that close-knit community that makes this place special.”
