A Warrington-based farm, run by the same family for more than 500 years, has revamped its management structure after completing the 90% Government-funded Help to Grow: Management Course to turn half a million annual visitors into long-term, sustainable growth.
The Cheshire farm, which has been worked by the same family since the 15th century, is set to welcome half a million visitors in 2026. As well as its award-winning farm shop, cafe and plant shop, Kenyon Hall Farm attracts people all-year-round to its range of fruit picking, Maize Maze, Junior Farmers Club and Pumpkin Festival activities. Visitor numbers have tripled in the past five years but managing that growth in a sustainable way had proved challenging for the business owners.
James Bulmer returned to Kenyon Hall Farm to support his parents ten years ago, following a successful career in IT. He is now one of four owners of the farm, which has been worked by the family for over five centuries. What was once a traditional farm, Kenyon Hall Farm now welcomes thousands of daily visitors at peak times, with strawberry picking tickets selling out in minutes. Kenyon Hall Farm is open to the public 360 days a year with a full calendar of seasonal events such as a sunflower field and themed maze - this year’s is a disco maze.
While the rapid increase in footfall was welcome and presented a significant opportunity, the expansion quickly outpaced the farm’s organisational structure. The four business owners were consistently working seven days a week in areas outside their core expertise to try and manage the growth. James reached out to a local university to understand his options and subsequently enrolled on the Help to Grow: Management Course, recommended and delivered by Salford University in 2024/25.
James Bulmer, Manager and Owner of Kenyon Hall Farm, said: “The business’ growth was out of control. We had too many customers and not enough structure to support that. The Help to Grow: Management Course helped me to realise that we needed experienced managers in place to help us to grow the business sustainably. As a direct result of going on the course, we now have a management tier in place. Now I get to spend more time at home with my family and I don't have to be on site all the time. The most valuable lesson from the course is the realisation that growth doesn't just mean growth in customers or size. It can be the growth of your systems, and of the foundations and structures in place that you need to run a business.”
James explained that the Help to Grow: Management Course’s mentoring and peer network are continuing to shape the business two years on.
He added: “I would say to someone in a family business: you can get support to help you to run your business. It doesn't have to be all on your shoulders. It's been life-changing to see what can happen as a result of this new way of thinking. It's very rewarding to see what the farm has become. My mum and dad have put in their whole life’s work into making it what it is, and I'm very proud to be able to continue that. And I'm also proud that looking into the future, the growth is going to be more sustainable, and less stressful. It feels as though we're heading in the right direction.”
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, which delivers the Help to Grow: Management Course, said:
“Kenyon Hall Farm is a brilliant example of what family businesses can achieve when they combine generations of expertise with the right structure to support future ambitions. Businesses that scale quickly can feel out of control without the right systems in place, and that’s exactly the gap that the Help to Grow: Management Course is designed to close.
“It’s wonderful to see how James and his family have put the organisational design modules into practice, building the structure needed to grow sustainably on top of five centuries of farming knowledge.”
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% government-funded leadership programme for SME business leaders, delivered by a network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools. The course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 10 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking. Its mission is to increase economic growth and productivity through improved management and leadership practice.