A family-run farm park on the outskirts of Derby has announced plans to double its yearly visitor figures by 2028. Bluebell Dairy, in Spondon, has been providing an educational adventure for families since 2008.
It sits in 320 acres of farmland, and pulls in visitors from across the region and beyond including parents of young children. In the last 12 months, the Brown family, which owns the site, has invested hundreds of thousands of pounds diversifying the farm and enhancing the visitor experience, and now want to make it the premier farm park attraction in the East Midlands.
The investment includes a robotic milker for the micro-dairy and the launch of new family events, and the family is currently in the process of building a new ice cream parlour and a new entrance.
Co-owner Oliver Brown said: “We are delighted to have welcomed so many new visitors to the farm this year, not just from the East Midlands but those who have travelled from further afield too.
“We first opened the doors to visitors in 2008 and since then have gone from strength to strength.
“Currently we’re projecting to see around 20,000 visitors coming to the farm this summer, a figure that has grown year-on-year, and a number that we’re incredibly proud of.
“We’re thrilled to be becoming a trusted name on the map for great days out with the kids.
“It’s really important to us that we’re able to offer our cows the very best life, to ensure this we have upgraded our milking facilities.
“Not only does this mean our cows are able to be milked whenever they need, it also adds to our education programme by showcasing the milking process throughout the day.”
New operations manager Cathy Parsons joined the 45-strong Bluebell team this year.
She said: “I am so excited to be supporting Bluebell’s future plans through our improved educational facilities for local schools and visitors, ensuring the next generation know exactly where their food is coming from.
“We pride ourselves on offering a number of schools and nurseries the opportunity to join us for a day, providing first-hand farming experience to children of all ages, and through our new programme we will be increasing our offering further.”
The Brown family has been milking on the farm for almost 60 years. In 2008, the farm opened to the public and diversified into artisan ice cream making, producing 26 flavours of ice cream and sorbet.
