My New Life “Down on the Farm” September 01st 2025
Lambs Farm in beautiful Swallowfield, deep in the Berkshire countryside has been a major part of my life since we bought it over twenty five years ago.
I ran French Sole from there for twenty years and watched as each and every new building was constructed and the site grew and grew under my husband's brilliant vision of creating a unique commercial working environment within beautiful , manicured and peaceful countryside surroundings .
Having sold French Sole and embarked on my new life of holidays, shopping, beauty treatments and endless lunch parties in blissful retirement, it was a terrible shock when my wonderful husband suddenly died and left everything to me - with strict instructions to take it over and run it!
Out of the blue I was catapulted from a world of fashion and gorgeous people into something totally opposite!
From day one I could see and had seen for several years that there were historic problems with key staff unable to cope with modern technology or change of any sort . The accounts and the office infrastructure were outdated and archaic and the planning and development plans were excessive for the new times we were experiencing post covid.
Unsuitable people were replaced , new professional architects, planners and surveyors were brought in to advise and supervise where required and I immediately embarked on modernising and implementing a correct approach to the surveying and maintenance of the buildings and to date my new painting scheme has dramatically improved the look of the older buildings to the delight of my tenants and visitors alike.
I now have a wonderful new team employed in the office who are united in managing the lettings, tenant administration and relationships, the accounts and the complicated legal framework required to run the business with a modern and updated way forward and a breath of fresh modern air now blows through the Estate Office.
We opened a Coffee Shop trailer on site but again it was poorly managed and we are now hoping for a new professional and experienced tenant to continue to provide the Lambs Farm tenants and their visitors with early morning bacon sandwiches and all day fabulous barista coffees.
It is now three years on from my starting point and together with my wonderful co-directors and fabulous new office team, it is a vibrant, professional, well run environment and since July 1st it has become a happy place to spend my working life with “out with the old and in with the new” as our mantra.
Historical mistakes and more recent incompetent failures have finally been identified and rectified and tenants now feel safe and secure with the new updated and professional approach.
We are on social media so please visit us for updates and information about Lambs Farm, Winkworth Business Park and Preymead Industrial Estate - all forming part of my collected Business Parks portfolio of properties owned and managed by JP Winkworth Ltd.
Visit the Lambs Farm websire or get Directions to Lambs Farm Business Park, Reading, Berkshire