Farming business invests £400k in training facility
A LANCASHIRE agricultural businesses has invested more than £400,000 in a new corporate training and events facility.
Clough Bottom Farm near Clitheroe has redeveloped and expanded its ‘Out Barn’ to create a 3,350 sq ft venue for its corporate training business, Focus Experiential Training.
Founded by husband and wife Harry and Jane Backhouse in 1991, Focus Experiential Training delivers management development, change management, leadership and team building training for a range of organisations, from the likes of Coca-Cola and Marriott to NHS East Lancashire.
The Out Barn is a 17th century building on the 360-acre working farm and boasts views of Pendle Hill. As well as wooing the corporate sector it is also available for use as a venue for weddings and other private functions.
Originally a traditional livestock farm, during the past 30 years the Backhouse family has transformed Clough Bottom into a diverse operation which now includes a tree nursery and property letting business.
The business has also championed sustainability with investments in a biomass boiler and water bore hole to supply heat and water to the site’s eight properties, and the planting of new woodland and hedgerows to create wildlife corridors.
Harry Backhouse, owner of Clough Bottom Farm, said: “I am no stranger to diversification projects as our farm has diversified many times over the last 30 years. I have strong beliefs regarding renewable energies, recycling and sustainability coupled with business growth.
“I would like to think the farm and all its businesses are now in an economically much stronger, more attractive, less polluting and more environmentally friendly position than they were when I bought it. I am constantly looking to improve the efficiencies of the overall business without compromising our green credentials, after all, the farm has to strive for excellence and to continue for future generations, It doesn’t stop with us.”
The investment was made with the support of Yorkshire Bank. A funding deal was arranged by Tim Milne-Redhead, agri-business relationship manager at the bank’s business and private banking centre in Preston.
