Bromsgrove news, Bromsgrove Sport, Bromsgrove Leisure - From The Bromsgrove Advertiser

End of an era as farm park shuts

From the archive, first published Wednesday 25th Sep 2002.

A WORCESTER farm park and shop is shutting its gates to the public, a year after it was saved from closure.

Bennetts Farm Park and Shop in Lower Wick is finally closing this weekend.

Dairy farmer John Bennett has been taking people around the farm for more than 30 years to show how milk is produced.

"My wife and I are retiring," he said.

"We're in our 70s now. I enjoy taking people around but I might do it for only one day a week next summer."

The farm park and shop officially opened in 1988 but small groups were shown around the dairy farm and buildings for several years beforehand.

"We're getting insufficient income in the winter so we've decided to close for good," said Mr Bennett.

"The ice-cream will be expanded as the market is there and people will be able to buy it in other farm shops.

"We've got a very good product but we're having to react to commercial pressures.

"What we do complain about is the political influences that are so affecting us.

"Last year, we could see what was likely to happen, but we gave it some more time."

The closure of the farm park and shop on Sunday, September 29, ends an era at Manor Farm.

"The farm shop is going to be turned into offices," said Mr Bennett.

"We got planning permission last year but we decided to wait and see what happened in the meantime."

The farm park faced closure last spring after the foot-and-mouth crisis stopped people enjoying the countryside.

But after public pressure Mr Bennett and his team at the farm park decided to keep it open.

The farm is also home of St Cuthbert's, the second oldest building in the city. Mr Bennett hopes to be able to offer visitors the chance to view the building in the summer.

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