There are no University courses for my line of work. As a result of an accident of circumstance I was thrown into the ownership and running of the Tissington Estate north of Ashbourne on the early death of my Uncle, Sir John FitzHerbert, in 1989. I was only 25 and living a frantic life in London as a humble wine merchant. Overnight I was thrown into the management of 2000 acres, over 50 properties and the mansion that is Tissington Hall itself.
The Hall has 61 rooms 48 chimneys and seven staircases but, like most families, we live in the sitting room and kitchen as those are the warmest rooms. Soon after my inheritance we learnt that in order to keep the place going on account of the enormous expenses – the heating bill is £25k per annum – it became obvious that we had to create extra alternative income in addition to the rent roll. First my wife and I took on the tearooms (Tissington being a popular destination for walkers cyclists and families) then opening the Hall to visitors (and groups such as Women’s Institutes, History Societies and the U3A) further plans were to create holiday accommodation on the Estate that now runs to seven units – and ultimately the final bastion to host weddings dinners and functions in our Grade II* listed property.
Now, 35 years later and after a great deal of hard work and commitment in alliance with a good team, the Estate employs 20 people full and part time. Our skills combine catering and hospitality as well as overseeing those essential traits of customer service, staff training and constant HR knowledge and implementation.
With my passion for the county, the heritage and the countryside I now chair Visit Peak District & Derbyshire (the Tourist Board) which combines both the public and private sector. Never has it been more important for the former to influence the latter by expressing how our tourism and hospitality offer in the Peak District fights well above its weight in terms of economic benefit. Some politicians are persuaded but we need to convince more especially those newly elected in July.
We live in a 415-year-old Hall that our ancestor Francis FitzHerbert built in 1609 in which our family have lived ever since -a feat that only a smattering of families can boast of in the country. Public perception is such that our family are deemed ‘lucky and fabulously wealthy’ to live in such a place. Our aim is to persuade people that could not be further from the truth. My wife Fiona and I see it as our goal to preserve our heritage and create employment opportunities in the rural economy but also share it with locals and visitors alike so that the Estate is sustainable in order to pass it on to the next generation with their modern youthful thinking. Living in a listed building in a conservation Village in a National Park in the most regulated country in Europe does not make that task easy. The arrival of a new Government and its proposed new legislation regime will not make it any easier.
