The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2018 - Issue 56 | Page 33

PRIORY FARM 33
• APR/MAY 2018
Our Barclays Managers and Relationship Directors know about arable farming.
They also know the lay of the land when it comes to building a relationship.
72332 - Hart Law LLP - QUTR.pdf 1 24/04/2018 14:47:26
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‘The way in which everything has
come about with the vodka has seemed
as though fate has taken a hand. I’d
had an interest in visiting Herefordshire
farmer William Chase whose potato
vodka is now available in supermarkets
throughout the UK. He’d wanted to put his
potatoes to a better use, something that
provided a premium. At the same tim e, I
had a Polish man – Eric the Pole – come
to work with me and there’s not much you
can tell an Eastern European about vodka.
Eric believes Polish vodka is the best in the
world and will tell you vodka started in Po-
land. We boil and mash the potatoes turning
the starch into sugar. We ferment, and it
turns into alcohol distilling at 96 per cent
ABV and 192 per cent proof. We then use
local spring water to dilute to 40 per cent.’
‘Our potato harvest is conducted by
Fridlington Farms. We grow the varieties
Pentland Dell and Royal for McCain’s that
are destined for McDonald’s fries.’
Six years ago, David’s plans were some-
what different to the other enterprise oper-
ated today at Priory Farm. Changes had to

be made to the original concept of swim-
ming pool, gymnasium and other up market
leisure facilities but he now has a thriving
wedding venue business that is run by one
of his daughters Serena.
‘We were originally going for an events
venue but where we have arrived at today
is a full time concentrated wedding venue
facility with accommodation on site in the
luxury cottages for up to 29. We have book-
ings three to four years in advance and
having the wedding venue work allows us
to share labour between farm and venue.
We try to keep the farm as our core activity,
but the weddings are very important to us
and having a quality venue means we also
Hartlaw LLP are proud to have a long standing relationship with Priory Farm, having been
involved in many of David’s diverse, innovative ventures. Hartlaw LLP provides a full range
of services from business and farming affairs to property and family matters.
Legal services provided:
• Acquisition & Sale
of Businesses
• Agricultural Law
• Conveyancing
• Commercial Property
• Company &
Commercial Work
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• Dispute Resolution
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• Employment Law
• Education Law
• Family Mediation
• Insolvency
• Landlord & Tenant
• Licensing Law
• Notarial Services
• Partnership
• Planning
• Powers of Attorney
• Probate &
Administration
of Estates
• Tax Planning
• Wills, Trusts &
Estate Planning
01937 547000
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