Rollercoaster of rural life.

Running a business park along-side farming sheep means I have a foot in two camps and in the last few weeks there’s been good news from one and not so good from the other.

The business park is going great guns. Our new tenant is already up and running and has fitted out his unit beautifully. Meanwhile two other tenants, who took on the minimum twelve month arrangement, have found things are working so well for them that they want to take on a longer lease. They have invested in their units and their businesses are flourishing, so now they want to take the next step and ensure their security of tenure. It’s good for them and it’s good for us.

We are always happy to talk to young businesses who are in the early stages and don’t want to overcommit to premises, so they can get a taste of what it’s like to work out of Westway Farm and when they decide the time is right, they can take on a longer lease as so many have before.

We are always looking to be flexible, so we are currently considering ways in which one of our tenants can expand their business, whilst another, Wonderland, has recently told me they’ve had some of their busiest days ever with grandparents bringing children into their air-conditioned play area – with a lovely café area alongside.

But it’s not all good news. The relentless heat has produced a drought that has turned the ground to concrete. We are relatively lucky because we don’t farm our sheep intensively so they still have adequate grazing, water and shade. Plus, we spray them regularly to keep the flies off.

I do feel for people milking cows. They started the year struggling after the last long and wet winter meant food reserves were already low. The first cut of grass was quite good because of warm and damp conditions, but since then there’s been virtually no growth so they’re going to need to feed fodder soon meant for the winter months. When you add into the mix the fact that milk prices are low, it’s not a pretty picture.

On a broader front, you just need to look at the distressed state of so many of our trees which are already dropping their leaves. I think there’s a real risk that a good number won’t survive the winter and they’ll be dead in the ground come next spring.

So, there you have it. A typically mixed picture, where some parts of the rural economy are doing well, but others are up against it. As usual we’ll do our best with whatever’s thrown at us.