Barnsley’s cherished Cannon Hall Farm, run by the Nicholson family, is marking a remarkable milestone—35 years of welcoming visitors. To celebrate, the family has launched a podcast series that reveals a behind-the-scenes look at the farm’s history, including how it nearly didn’t make it past 1989.
The six-episode series, aptly named “The Cannon Hall Farm Podcast,” delves into the family’s challenging journey from the brink of bankruptcy to becoming one of Yorkshire’s top tourist attractions. The podcast features brothers Rob and Dave Nicholson, known from TV shows like Springtime on the Farm and The Yorkshire Vet, alongside son-in-law Henry Hewitt, an experienced podcast producer, and Tom Nicholson, the farm’s head of marketing.
Rob Nicholson reflects on the family’s unexpected dive into podcasting: “Podcasting was not something that was on mine or Dave’s radar. I think I’d listened to ten minutes of one before and Dave had been to watch one be recorded, and that was it. We have always tried to embrace new ideas and the younger generation of our family really felt this would be a brilliant avenue to have the opportunity to tell our story in more detail.”
The podcast provides an intimate recount of a pivotal moment in the farm’s history. In 1986, the Nicholson family faced foreclosure and were advised to sell the farm. In a desperate attempt to save their home, the family decided to transform Cannon Hall Farm into a tourist attraction. Rob recalls, “Our whole future depended on whether anyone turned up. It took three years of solid endeavour to transform a crumbling, decaying farm into something that was fit to invite local families onto.”
Rob and Dave, then teenagers, worked second jobs to support the family’s efforts. They borrowed animals from relatives and purchased inexpensive ones, including Shetland ponies from Doncaster, to create an appealing display for visitors. Their hard work paid off when, after a modest start, they saw their first significant income from visitors.
“When I think back about that week, that first year, it makes me quite emotional because it could have been nipped in the bud. Our hopes for the future, all that we’ve managed to enjoy along the way, could have been lost if we’d backed the wrong horse that week,” Rob reflects, highlighting the emotional journey.
Cannon Hall Farm’s story is a testament to perseverance and innovation, evolving over three decades into a beloved family destination. The farm’s consistent reinvestment and commitment to improvement have earned it numerous awards and accolades.
The Cannon Hall Farm Podcast is available every Thursday on all major podcast platforms. On its launch day, the podcast impressively charted tenth in the Apple UK Podcast charts, a testament to the Nicholson family’s compelling narrative and strong community support. Listeners can tune in at Cannon Hall Farm Podcast.
