Jonathan Long of Ashton KCJ presents the BALE Champion of Champions award to Martin Ritchie of The Reid Rooms

THE winners of the BALE (Best Alternative Land Enterprise) Awards for 2011 – a ‘Champion of Champion’ contest to mark the awards’ 20th anniversary – have been announced. SARAH CHAMBERS reports.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

THE winners of the BALE (Best Alternative Land Enterprise) Awards were announced at a prestigious presentation luncheon at Trinity Park, Ipswich on Monday.

The Reid Rooms & The Room in the Rodings, a wedding venue near Great Dunmow, was winners of the BALE Award, with The Valley Farm Equestrian Centre receiving the accolade for Best Green Enterprise.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards, the 2011 awards were a ‘Champion of Champions’ contest, with winners from the past decade invited to participate. The three judges – The Rt Hon Lord Deben, Jonathan Long, partner and head of agriculture and estates at Ashton KCJ, and Margaret Holland, winner of the first ever BALE award in 1992 – visited the competitors over the course of two days in November last year.

The award, which is organised by the Suffolk Agricultural Association in partnership Ashton KCJ, is open to agricultural businesses across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, with the aim of finding the best farming diversification enterprise.

Speaking at the ceremony, attended by more than 70 guests, Lord Deben said: “What was noticeable amongst all the winners was a feeling of professionalism.

They were all committed to farming, yet what they are doing, they are doing better than their competitors without taking away from their primary business. These were all very much farm diversifications, not farm replacements.”

The BALE awards were the brain-child of Jonathan Long, back in 1992 when the sponsoring firm was Bankes Ashton Solicitors.

Subsequent mergers produced Ashton Graham and now Ashton KCJ.

As an agricultural lawyer, Jonathan’s aim was to create an award which gave recognition to farmers and landowners who were able to adapt their businesses to changes within the agricultural sector.

Jonathan said: “When we first launched the awards, it was on the premise that there is a need for change and to embrace new ways of doing things.

“The difficulty is in managing that change. So much can be achieved, however, with help and advice from professionals, such as solicitors.”

Martin Ritchie and his late wife Jane were winners of the award in 2001 for The Reid Rooms.

This stunning wedding venue, which comes complete with its own ceremony room, has been transformed from former horse stables built nearly 200 years ago, into an attractive wedding venue at Marks Hall Farm in Margaret Roding, Essex.

Since originally winning, the venue has gone through a range of expansion works, including development of an elegant 15th Century farmhouse bed and breakfast business.

The turnover of the business is now five times that of the farm itself, catering for around 200 weddings a year and employing 25 people from the local area.

Extensive work was also carried out on the village hall to create The Room in the Rodings, a second venue for weddings, parties and functions for those who wish to self-cater.

This has meant that the hall has been able to stay open for a range of community groups and meetings which are held there, while also attracting visitors into the village to use the facilities.

Commenting on the winner, Lord Deben said: “The Reid Rooms is an excellent business model, which is wholly founded in the farm – it is an excellent example of what true diversification means.”

Sarah and David Robertson’s Valley Farm Equestrian Centre, based near Wickham Market, were the 2005 BALE winners.

Originally a 200 acre arable and pig enterprise, the riding school runs clubs and classes for all ages and abilities, as well as activity days, school trips and summer camps.

The riding school attracts a wide range of visitors, including international visitors. The 82 acre site includes a café, stud farm, wedding carriage hire, camping and carvanning site, holiday rentals and a Bed and Breakfast.

Christopher Bushby, executive director of the Suffolk Agricultural Association, said: “Both the Reid Rooms and Valley Farm are highly deserving winners, not only for their original diversification undertaking, but for the way in which they have continued to evolve and to plan their future around changes in the economy and in consumer demand.”

Derek Scott, president of the Suffolk Agricultural Association, and Jonathan Long presented the awards, with The Reid Rooms receiving £1,000 to be spent on their business, along with the Ashton KCJ Challenge Cup, and Sarah and David Robertson receiving £100.

Ashton KCJ would like to congratulate all the competitors, and in particular the two winners.

Commenting on the judging process, Jonathan said: “What was particularly special about the Reid Rooms and Valley Farm is that through tough economic times their businesses have gone from strength to strength and are continuing to expand.

“In addition, they have made a huge impact on their local communities by employing local people and bringing in large visitor numbers to the area. Congratulations to you both.”

Martin Ritchie said: “We’re all delighted to have won this award. My children and myself feel this award is a special tribute to my late wife Jane, who died last year.

“She started the Reid Rooms and set the standard that we’re all striving to maintain.

“I was delighted with Lord Deben’s kind comments about our staff and the constructive and warm comments by his fellow judge, Margaret Holland.

“The staff are the greatest asset we have and I’m always very proud of them all. The award is, of course, a great morale boost to the whole team.

“I have always felt that the BALE award is a brilliant competition. We can all gain ideas from other businesses that enter. It is both educational and inspirational and I always try to encourage others to enter.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the SAA for so generously arranging this competition and also Jonathan Long and Ashton KCJ for their long standing and generous support.”

Sarah Robertson said: “David and I were delighted to win the Enterprise award, but much of the credit should also go to our fantastic team of staff, who put the ideas of conservation and green practice into their everyday working life.

“They arrange their rotas to allow them to car share to and from work, turn off lights when not in use and make excellent use of the rainwater collection systems.

“It’s a real team effort and awareness from everybody which makes it work.”

Commenting on the judging process, Lord Deben said: “We met a series of really enterprising and imaginative people, all of whom are at the top of their game.”