ALA Yorkshire – Dawnay Estates Visit & Networking Event

Wednesday 15 September 2021

Dawnay Estates comprise two thriving and particularly diverse rural estates 35 miles apart (7,000 acres at Wykeham (6 miles west of Scarborough) and 14,000 acres at Danby (12 miles west of Whitby)).

The estates employ about 55 full time employees and many more seasonal staff across the estate businesses particularly at the North Yorkshire waterpark and during the shooting season. Total turnover is c£7m pa. The 6 key businesses on the estates are :

o Let property – residential, commercial, agricultural, minerals & forestry (long lease to Forestry Commission plus 800ac in hand)

o In hand farming – approx. 2500 ac of mainly combinable cropping (farmed using local contractors)

o St Helens in the Park – a long established touring caravan park at (250 pitches, 10 pods, and camping plus storage and extensive ancillary facilities)

o Wykeham Mature Plants – a nursey covering approx. 250ac supplying trees, shrubs and hedging for ‘instant landscaping’

o Driven game shooting – pheasant and partridge shooting at Wykeham and a 10,000ac grouse moor at Danby – all run in hand with 6 keepers and seasonal help

o North Yorkshire Waterpark (NYWP) – a 200ac area of the estate which was former sand/gravel lakes (still active) which is now a thriving watersports and activity centre. The NYWP has been properly active for the last 4 yrs or so (with sailing etc taking place on the main lake for many years before that) but a £1m+ investment in early 2021 saw a major expansion of the facilities into the waterpark which you will see on the visit.

The visit will be centred on the NYWP (including future plans and proposals) but a more detailed overview of the wider estate will be provided as part of the presentations

Timetable:

o 3.30pm arrive and coffee/tea

o 4 – 5pm – presentations re Dawnay Estates (David Steel, Dawnay Estates chief executive) and focus on the NYWP (by James Whitehead – operations manager NYWP)

o 5pm – site tour & discussion

o 5.30pm – food and a drink in our café

o 6.30pm depart

This event is open to ALA Members only and is limited to 30 places.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE PLEASE CLICK HERE

Time : 3.30pm to 6.30pm

Cost : FREE TO ALA MEMBERS