New lease of life for Broomey Croft Farm
A former children’s farm in North Warwickshire is set for a new lease of life as a destination for dogs and their owners.
Broomey Croft Farm in Kingsbury will be transformed into a canine centre providing a new dog-friendly haven in the area.
It will feature dog exercising paddocks, walking routes, a farm shop selling local produce and will also be home to dog training business K9 Solutions.
The new canine centre will be run by Jarryd Bassett and Nathaniel Lewis after they signed a 10-year letting agreement for the land with Warwickshire County Council, through its managing agent Warwickshire Property Management Ltd (WPM).
Nathaniel owns and runs K9 Solutions and the dog training business is already operating from the farm, while work gets underway to create the new canine centre.
Jarryd and Nathaniel will also continue to operate the land as a working farm and have previous experience of managing smallholdings.
The pair are in the process of renovating the farmhouse on the site and will then set about work that will prepare the farm for visits from members of the public.
Plans include building turning paddocks in the fields for dog exercising, which will benefit dogs that get stressed on walks and who struggle with walking anxiety.
The new coffee and farm shops are anticipated to be welcoming their first customers by the end of the summer.
The coffee shop will include a space available for local community groups to hire and the shop will sell produce from Broomey Croft Farm and other farms in the local area.
Jarryd said: “Our goal when everything is up and running is to have a space for all of the local community to visit, with a focus on providing a safe and dog-friendly environment.
“We have lots of exciting plans in the works, including weekend fayres for local businesses and creators, and days where we encourage dog owners with specific breeds to visit us.
“We are working hard to get the farm in a position to open it back up to the public, after previously being a popular children’s farm, and we hope to be able to welcome our first visitors in the summer.”
Nathaniel added: “The coffee shop will be the first part that we open on the site, but we are already running the dog training business from the farm.
“It’s a brilliant space with a lot of potential. It’s a great location with good transport connections, meaning we are easy to reach whether bringing your dog to a training session, visiting for a cup of coffee in a relaxing setting or enjoying a walk around the site.
“This will be a business and attraction rooted in the local community.”
WPM is part of Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG), which manages lettings on hundreds of Warwickshire County Council-owned properties.
Mandeep Padan, Asset Manager at WPDG, said: “When we went out to market with the opportunity to lease this farm, we were looking for tenants that would embrace the local community and bring something new to the area.
“Jarryd and Nathaniel’s business case is amazing, it really stood out and it was clear to see how passionate they were about their plans for Broomey Croft Farm.
“We’re pleased to have worked with them to complete the lease agreement and play a part in the bright new future of the farm.”
Mark Ryder, Executive Director of Communities at Warwickshire County Council, said: “The transformation of Broomey Croft Farm is a real credit to the dedication and vision of our Country Parks team, who have worked tirelessly to breathe new life into this site and create the fantastic premises we see today.
“We’re delighted to have secured tenants who are bringing exciting ideas and a business that not only offers something different for Kingsbury Water Park, but also connects with the local community. We’re proud to see this site being given a new lease of life as a destination that welcomes dogs, their owners, and all visitors looking to enjoy what our park has to offer.”