Success of Kenton Hall Estate to be showcased at flagship event

Two sisters from a thriving Suffolk rural business have been invited to take centre stage at the CLA’s (Country Land and Business Association) flagship national conference in London to highlight how their family farm has been transformed.

Emily and Lucy McVeigh of Kenton Hall Estate will take to the platform in front of more than 500 influential industry leaders at the CLA’s Rural Business Conference (Thursday, November 29), which will explore how landowning businesses are shaping the rural economy.

Kenton Hall Estate near Stowmarket is privately owned and family run. In recent years, the estate has been developed into a successful and diversified rural business which incorporates a productive arable farm, Longhorn cattle herd producing high quality beef, wedding venue, glamping site and cookery school.

Speaking ahead of the conference Emily McVeigh said: “It is an absolute pleasure to have been invited to speak at such a prestigious event and to share our experiences of farm diversification. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved at the estate and speaking at the CLA conference is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our achievements.

“In developing our business there have been many challenges and obstacles and it has certainly not been an easy journey. Our passion, determination and unwavering belief in our business have been key to our success.

“By giving an insight into Kenton Hall Estate we hope to inspire other landowning businesses to be ambitious and explore new ways to develop their own ventures in the future.”

CLA East Regional Director Ben Underwood said:

“The CLA is proud to have Kenton Hall Estate as one its members and it has been fantastic to see how the business has diversified and thrived in recent years. I am sure their appearance at our national conference will provide plenty of insight that will be of interest and benefit to other rural businesses.

“Our conference is an important date in the calendar and comes at a crucial time for our industry. It will celebrate success stories like that at Kenton Hall Estate, but also examine how rural businesses can be fit for the future in what are uncertain times for the landowning and farming industry.”

The CLA represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses and its members own or manage more than 10 million acres of rural land across England and Wales.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is due to be the keynote speaker at the conference that will take place at the QEII Centre in London.

Pictured – Lucy and Emily McVeigh – Photo credit: Kat Mager.

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