Orchard View Farm
Meet Jim Mackellar, a businessman who wants his customers to visit Buckinghamshire because there’s lots to do there, not just because it’s convenient.
I am starting a series of interviews with business owners who are innovating and making a real difference to the local visitor economy. They inspire me and I hope they will you.
Meet James Mackellar, or Jim, owner of Orchard View Farm.
If not in the area change your route
Orchard View Farm is nestled down a rustic, rutted Buckinghamshire lane in the Home Counties in South East England. Past the free range pigs, sheep and deer to park at their farm shop and cafe. Taking in the view of the Chiltern Hills, within an arms reach, hearing the red kites meowing overheard and at the time of visiting, the hawthorn’s were changing into their vivid spring greens. Magical!
A look on TripAdvisor to be reminded his customers are his biggest fans: “if not in the area, change your route” says one, “from farm to my breakfast fork” says another. Happy campers comment on the rising sun over the hills and what a great location it is for meeting up with friends and family. More of that double-edged sword later.
I have known Jim a while, always generous with his time, experience and offering his premises for workshops and networking. We were overdue a coffee and catchup.
We start talking about the business, and very quickly are down the Covid rabbit hole. How will we look back on a time that had such an impact on all us, professionally and personally? Jim was nimble and adapted his business during the pandemic to cater for a new and immediate need, community food distribution. In spite of the effort and stress, those customers don’t visit the farm. “Those were strange times” he says.
Diversify or die
Post pandemic, the business has been streamlined, some services discontinued, others developed to offer a better customer experience on fewer resources. The business units include; the cafe, campsite and glamping pods, butchery, farm shop and events.
It’s very personal with Jim: he stumbled into tourism in 2009 after leaving the City and office environment for 26 acres of barren land in rural Buckinghamshire. I too stumbled into tourism way back when… is that a thing? Very much a family business with three generations of Mackellar’s as well as Kerry, Jim’s fiancé involved. Alongside their excellent team, Alex and James and the youngest of the Mackellar’s, Isla and Archie are focussed on sustainability during their day-to-day running of the business. As we walk around the campsite and peek inside the new converted toilet and shower block (cost £100 - excluding the sheep who were living inside), the inevitable topic of planning permission comes up: here is a small business making an impact with providing mixed use accommodation (and jobs) where there were previously none, but the council doesn’t want to play. They make it very difficult for him, and despite being up for the challenge, I can hear just how frustrating it is. Add in climate change and how to respond adds more challenges to the business.
It’s all in the brand
There’s no wonder that Jim’s key message is to work together! Not least of all because the County Council is stepping away from the visitor economy, so once more, it is up to us to make a success of our industry.
Jim has insight into the usefulness of destination brands and slogans, about aspirations and how these are communicated to potential visitors. He has an insight because it impacts on his business. He likes the ‘Dreaming Spires’ of neighbouring Oxford because that has instant appeal. The county doesn’t fare so well however, but shaping a counties appeal around the city is a good start. This could be why Buckinghamshire struggles to articulate the visitor offer. It has no big visitor attraction or first tier city. A supporter of the local DMO, “We have to work even harder, together ” he says, “to communicate our own and the wider, very special offer.”
Let’s go and visit Buckinghamshire because there’s lots to do there
He tells me that many of his overnight guests are here because it’s a useful place to meet up with friends and family, not because there are things to do locally. Which there are, but these are only discovered once they are booked, or upon arrival having digested the welcome pack.
He is interested to learn what the new Protected Landscape means for the visitor economy. It’s early days, but if you know, you’d be welcome to guest blog here.
Where is your favourite place to go and recharge?
Weymouth in Dorset, in my family apartment overlooking the bay, where he also takes his dogs Murphy and Teddy. “I sit in my grandfathers wing-backed chair to relax, but to also write those planning applications!’
I know that resilience is an overused term, but without it, Orchard View Farm wouldn’t be the thriving business it is.
Jim is very open to collaboration and business partnerships. You can contact Jim on info@orchardviewfarm.co.uk
Links you will need
Find out more about Orchard View Farm and please recommend them to your customers if it means they will stay longer and spend more in our region.
Just like the arts, tourism is a soft touch: no benefits, it’s all just wishy-washy businesses serving sandwiches and a sightseeing tour. Slash and burn, when our arts and tourism sectors are the soft power, the reason 31-million+ visitors flock to these shores every year. Read my last newsletter Hello and Goodbye: when tourism runs out of road and the jeopardy our regional DMO, Visit Buckinghamshire finds itself in.
This is a link to the .gov.uk Protected Landscapes page that can explain what these set out to do much better than I can.
If you know of an innovative business, or a business owner making a difference, please get in touch in the usual way.
My popular Power-Hours are still available to iron out any marketing comms wrinkles that are resolved when another pair of eyes is on your website and socials. Get in touch in the usual way.