Acton Scott Historic Working Farm handed back to estate after 47 years

The estate owners say they may set up a not-for-profit organisation to run it

A farm attraction that provided the backdrop for the BBC's Victorian Farm TV series is to be handed back to its owners after making a string of losses.

Acton Scott Historic Working Farm, near Church Stretton, has been operated by Shropshire Council for nearly 50 years.

However the local authority, which ran it as a visitor attraction, said it had been losing £168,000 a year.

The estate said it would explore future options but warned it would not be easy to make the land viable.

The working farm was set up in the 1970s by the then landowner Thomas Acton to demonstrate 19th Century farming techniques. It is well-known in the area with generations of school children visiting.

The council said the site was highly regarded by the public

Visitor numbers peaked at about 45,000 in 2009 with the broadcast of Victorian Farm, but have been in decline since.

Like many other tourist attractions across the country it was also affected by the pandemic.

Rob Gittins, cabinet member for culture and digital, said he was among those who visited with school and also went with his late grandparents.

"This is a really positive outcome because the last thing that we wanted to do was to close the site - it was important to us that we found a way of working with the Acton family to keep the site open."

But it was difficult for the council, which runs hundreds of services, to finance, he said, including considering the need to deliver social care.

And taxpayers had been subsiding the running costs "at a cost of £8.40 per visitor".

The council will be handing more than £500,000 to the estate owners as it is surrendering the lease 16 years early.

Maintenance work

Francis Acton, of Acton Scott Estate, said the team were pleased an agreement had been reached in principle and they would now focus on essential maintenance work.

"At the same time we will explore options for the future in accordance with the vision of my late father and taking into account the findings of the public consultation," he said.

"This will not be easy, as we seek to ensure that the site can be financially sustainable over the medium term."

They were likely to apply to the Charity Commission to establish a not-for-profit organisation to run the attraction, adding the help of supporters would be essential.

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