Can This $4 Million Mansion Be Saved From Closure? | Country House Rescue | Abode

[Music] there's a way to make an entrance my destiny it was now a conspiracy of witches download today [Music] this is Melbourne Park a grade 2 listed mansion in Northumberland this historic estate has been in the cookson family for nearly 200 years today the house is lived in by James and Emily cookson with their three young daughters but they're struggling to make ends meet I feel sick when I walk up outside and I see the smoke out the chimney knowing that it's costing me 10 pounds an hour maintaining the house is a never-ending task and the jobs keep mounting up the money's not coming in but is going out can businessman Simon Davis help Revitalize this ailing estate and show the couple that they must work in harmony if they are to avoid it being lost to the family forever do you work well together I think sometimes we find it easier not to you seem to suggest that I will arrive and just wave my magic wand and suddenly money will form the sky James holds the purse strings got a bank account open but I've got no money in it so it's a grumpy owner on that yeah I'll be too grumpy so far not yet no give it time [Music] five miles from morpeth in Northumberland is melden Park which was built for the wealthy Newcastle Merchant Isaac cookson In 1832 successive Generations have seen the family's fortunes Wax and Wane and with it the size of the estate do you know you just feel that you're permanently you know hemorrhaging money it's like a leaky bucket at times you're dealing with all of that something else crops on anything income from the house doesn't keep up with the escalating running costs of 70 000 pounds a year parts of the building are starting to crumble and time is running out you know you can live with it and you can walk past it but it's a great shame that you know you want to keep these properties in the state that they should be kept so that they don't go to rack and run it's Fallen to the seventh generation of the family James cookson and his wife Emily to try and turn it around you're throwing money at the place and you're not getting anything back and at the end of the day the money ain't coming in time is just never on our side you're always fire fighting you're always rushing from one thing to the next the couple are desperate to find a solution that would allow them to remain living in this important historic building to sell a house would be a very very difficult decision it's what um I fight on a daily basis not to do I very much hope that we will be able to stay and keep this amazing property going in a last-ditch attempt to save it James and Emily have asked businessmen and entrepreneur Simon Davis to come to Melbourne Park can he find the money making ideas which will secure this estate's survival was slightly bogged down in it and were trying to move forwards you know fingers crossed he will come up with that magic idea which is gonna you know Propel us into the next 10 years with you know success [Music] ah here we go here's the main entrance quite Grand [Music] [Applause] that is a sort of um looks like they're trying to sell some snowdrops and some wood off a moldy old table with an honesty box imagine that's the most thriving business work to be done if we ignore them the problem is going to get 10 times worse and so we really have to put it straight [Music] foreign 's tour of the 32-room house starts with the grand hallway that's magnificent isn't it phenomenal so how long have you been here as a family we moved in in 2001 so 10 years just over 10 years and it works well as a family house I can see here basketball hoops and walking horses and everything is this is a family home yeah no definitely and in the holidays that everything gets pulled out and wheeled out and it really is a very entertaining Hall so despite the fact it looks very Grand it's not a museum no no absolutely not new the overheads must be significant it is costly I mean an example is um the heating yeah and we are you know it's 10 pounds an hour in oil 10 pounds an hour yeah and um how often as little as possible to be honest I mean I I I I um I feel sick when I walk up outside and I see the smoke out the chimney knowing that it's costing me 10 pounds an hour the couple moved in in 2001 but having grown up here James was well aware of the problems they would face I can remember to this day as a child when it was raining putting 20 plus buckets out to catch the catch the dripping drips coming through the roof because the roof was completely cooked it was it just didn't work James's parents received a substantial Grant to re-roof the entire house but 30 years later water damage especially in the library is an annual occurrence and the urgently needed Renovations don't stop there the main ponds which we've really got to deal with as soon as we can is we our chimney Stacks are pretty much rotten what sort of numbers are we talking if you need to redo the change on a house like this you've got a chimney stack which has got say four pots yeah and you're probably looking at in the region of about ten thousand pounds a stack and then we've got what seven so 70 000 pounds just for the chimney Stone just for chimney stacks and is the house open to the public at all no it's not um it used to be what's your view about having people in the house now we definitely have people in to do functions or things like that but I wouldn't like it open all the time so it's a family it's your home yeah to get the house to bring in some Revenue James does occasional tours charging 180 pounds of time for a minimum of 15 guests but successive generations of cooksons have had to sell off most of the important artworks and Furniture to help pay the ongoing renovation bills leaving little of historical interest for paying visitors on a more regular basis imagine James when you first moved in that must be quite a daunting Prospect such a large house we knew it was going to be a challenge but I don't think we knew how big that challenge was actually going to be until we actually lived in it for a certain period but we did reckon that we would give it 10 years um before we would then made the next decision and what did you hope to achieve during those 10 years we wanted to continue living here but afford to live here uh which means that we wanted to make sure that our income and expenditure you know were covering each other if after the next 10 years you don't reach that point what situation are you in then [Music] very seriously consider you know is it realistic to continue living here [Music] to discover more about the existing businesses Simon will be spending the night in the self-catering accommodation located in a separate wing of the house and which currently brings in an income of just seven thousand Pounds a year so the self-catering is is very much your operation yes it is yes right you've got your kitchen in there Simon Okay your sitting room is there and how many bedrooms do you have it's two a twin and a double right and how often are they occupied uh about half the year and what do you charge um 450 for a peak season your bedroom's in here lovely thank you very much indeed when you're settled come over for a drink [Music] clear to me there is a pressing financial situation here but to come into this pretty nice self-catering accommodation and realize that it's only occupied for half of the Year makes me wonder how many other missed opportunities there are yes we have had many ideas that we luckily some of them we haven't started and others we've thought about dabbled are two in the water and then jumped out quickly foreign [Music] struggling to make ends meet James and Emily have thrown themselves into selling the produce grown in The house's Walled Garden at local markets and on a stall by the side of the driveway when I drove in earlier on I noticed there was a table uh there's a market store by the size the rather sad and dejected with an honesty box well what's the story behind all that it started when we initially moved in we had Surplus in the garden and I decided that um we should put something out on a barrow and James said don't say bloody stupid and has it been successful I think it's been very successful and saddling that Honesty box has been broken into but on the whole most people are pretty generous and pretty good so what are the other income streams then well there's obviously is the the income of the estate from the rentals in the last 12 months just started farming I noticed some firewood is that that's obviously something you know we've started we started selling um firewood as well which is another small Enterprise and um in the kitchen Garden we've had it let out twice and unfortunately didn't work um on both those occasions [Music] Farms forestry and other small businesses currently bring in 600 000 pounds it must all be reinvested in the upkeep of the estate leaving nothing to pay for the restoration of the house so how do you divide up the labor here who who does what and does it work James does all the estate and I do the house the garden and the children do you work well together do you think um I think sometimes we find it easier not to would you say that was a fair assessment yeah no I think it is for assessment we don't work brilliantly together um when we are sharing kind of the same same project why do you think that is um I think that we both come at the problems in different ways and we maybe both think we're right James and Emily seem like a Charming couple but increasingly it's clear to me that as business partners it simply isn't working and maybe that's the reason why they come up with all these ideas and none of them seem to make enough money but when Simon finds out more about the failed kitchen Garden Project that's lost them sixty thousand pounds can he overcome the cookson's apathy we're quite busy elsewhere and time is short to be honest I'm a bit sick of it melden Park in Northumberland Northeast England this grade 2 listed Mansion was built between 1832 and 1835 for Isaac cookson a wealthy Merchant from nearby Newcastle it was designed by the renowned architect John Dobson the clean unfussy exterior which showcases Greek architecture and detailing a characteristic of his style internally parts of the house were remodeled by the equally celebrated architect Edwin luchens in the 1920s in particular Dobson's iron balustrade was replaced by more elaborate mahogany James cookson is the seventh generation of the family to live at Melton Park having moved there with his wife Emily and young family in 2001. but the house is losing 40 000 pounds a year there is urgent maintenance work needed that will cost well over a hundred thousand pounds the decision of whether to sell up is looming you know I'd hate to solar place I suppose at the end of the day I'd feel that I've I've failed I mean you know it was built for his family I mean how can you be the one to say I can't do this anymore it's a huge huge decision in a desperate last attempt to save this important part of our heritage entrepreneur Simon Davis must come up with a business plan that will safeguard its future he spent the night in the self-catering accommodation and has been finding out more about melden's rich history just the most fascinating historical document list it's the bill of work from 1832 the original and it really illustrates how much money Isaac cooked and spent on this place I mean Money Was No Object at all but of course Isaac did his descendants no favors because he saddled them with a house that costs huge amounts to run and they don't have the money that Isaac cookson had and that's their problem thank you to help raise funds for The house's running costs and Renovations Simon is Keen to incorporate the family's existing activities and interests [Music] oh Simon how are you for the cooksons this means their Love of All Things horse related beautiful Stables we've got here I wanted to stay to the Stables end um they're okay unfortunately the the roof over this side of the yard um is say four years ago it was the quote was 30 000 to replace um and I don't really want to be spending thirty thousand to put a a roof over my horse's head Simon is hoping that better opportunities lie within a short walk of the main house the one acre walled kitchen Garden has been the focus of James and Emily's commercial hopes for the last few years do you want to come and have a look inside yeah absolutely yeah come in that's a good space isn't it you know it's excellent actually um does a good job a substantial development Grant contributed to the 230 000 pounds costs of a cafe and Conservatory dining room along the north wall of the garden I said another look at the conservatory yeah absolutely but a succession of failed Enterprises here has left the buildings empty costing the cookson some sixty thousand pounds in upkeep and lost rents well wonderful space isn't it lovely view out there shame it's empty a crying shame Simon yeah how long has it been empty for yeah it's about two years two years and what was the original idea behind it we had it let out twice it just didn't work first tenant tried to get a restaurant what sort of restaurant was it when you're paying five pounds for a bowl of soup in this part of the world that's quite expensive we let it out again and um again it didn't work I'm afraid and why was that there's just not a lot of passing traffic they didn't have enough business coming through the door could you explain to me your decision on both occasions to lease it out to go to a third party as opposed to you yourselves doing it we're quite busy elsewhere and time is short to actually run this um would have taken up all of our all of our time the day-to-day running of the 3800 acre estate and managing the 87 tenances mean James has no time for developing other Ventures and with the income from the estate barely covering the outgoings there's no money for extra staff but if the cooks and fortunes are to be turned around Simon knows that someone will have to make the time morning Emily oh hi Simon how are you very good so when people come and have a look around the garden at the moment yes what how's it work they pay and come and walk around on their own well no I think one of our fundamental errors right from the word go is we never charge for entrance into the garden I'm Amazed by this setup here yes well that was all down to James but you worked in there for a while how was that short while I loved it actually I really it was really good because I felt part of it although it did conflict terribly with family life if this got up and running again would you consider having an involvement in it it would very much depend what sort of involvement but you are aware that you know there has to be an application and you've got to have to work with stuff to make it work absolutely I think we both don't know what to do and and to be honest I'm a bit sick of it so it's probably I shouldn't say that but I am more than 80 people live in the estate Cottages or work on the farms at Melbourne Park and they all have a vested interest in the estate's continued welfare Cheers Cheers Simon has arranged to meet a handful of them at a nearby public house to hear their thoughts on the Walled Garden and Cafe are you live in that Cottage that's just next just by the wall Garden yeah and if you how did it go when they had the restaurant there they hadn't done very well there but um there still seems to be a need for it because you get a lot of people coming in every people driving driving realize there's nothing now I'm gonna drive off again very disappointed yeah so there's a demand you think yeah if man with a young child I often go for coffees and things with other moms on the estate and you've got to travel all the way to morpeth so just to have a coffee with your friends and children you're driving sit with six seven miles isn't it down the road when you could have just gone there I mean made the Stables right next to it and we would use it we would go and have a break in there we've got people that come up at the weekend to do the horses and stuff you wouldn't have been there and have a coffee in a bit yeah or something obviously it's a bit of a downer they've been two efforts at this and they've both failed but if something was created to really try and give it a proper chance is there a sense of enthusiasm of helping them make it work with his research complete Simon returns to Melbourne Park to deliver his findings to James and Emily and to lay out his business plan for their financial future [Music] now it's a beautiful home and that's precisely what it is it's it's not a museum it's not really viable for opening to the public in my view and I think it should it should stay like that secondly the accommodation don't understand for a minute why it's only occupied for half of the year in that respect I think you should promote the idea with the self-catering as a place for people to come who have horses who want to bring their horses with them away for a weekend they can ride in the most beautiful countryside and stay in lovely self-catering accommodation the horse holiday business in the UK was worth 330 million pounds in the last decade if the cooksons can increase their occupancy by just 10 weeks a year by targeting this lucrative market then they would be looking at an extra 5 000 pounds in turnover no I don't think it's going to be any Revelation to you that I felt the main focus of Revenue is the wall garden and the the restaurant area I think it's very important that you view that area up there as an all year round focus of events and activity Simon wants to create a culinary Hub a focal point of food related ideas that will exploit the Fantastic produce available in the Northeast and make the Walled Garden appeal to locals and those from further afield so essentially you've got a cafe that's constantly bringing in money and while they're there hopefully they'll buy some plants in the garden there needs to be you know a massive activity and a massive events and I think if you create all that activity and you go and then you can charge for people to come in not an enormous amount but you can charge them to come in although the cooksons currently bring in an income of ten thousand pounds selling produce at markets and through their honesty box scheme Central to Simon's plan will be the creation of a retail space within the cafe which will help attract more visitors and increase their profits he wants the cooksons to work with local suppliers to Source a wider variety of foodstuffs to sell as well as marketing the produce that has already grown within the Walled Garden the honesty box system well some charming and admirable I don't think is a particularly feasible way to to earn any decent money all that does by having that Honesty box at the gate is to trap people from coming to the main Center I think it's much better if we scrap the honesty boxes and we get we get people to pay for things in the past the food operation at melden Park was leased to outside tenants giving the cooksons no control of it but Keen to harness their talents Simon believes that taking charge of the culinary Hub themselves will be the key to its future success and could generate a turnover of 65 000 pounds in the first year it's very very encouraging that you admit that you don't work well as a business couple the next thing to do is to separate your roles and I think James you should focus on the running of the estate and the farming and the forestry and I think Emily you should focus on the kitchen garden and the Hub now I know you can see you're both looking slightly rabbit in the headlights I'm not suggesting you do this all on your own we were trying not to have to employ anybody else yes but your time is already by your own admission completely chocolate block but the reality is if you don't employ anyone else that's going to stay empty yeah simple as that [Music] I was certainly sick of the kitchen Garden I had had enough and so now I feel right we've got a direction and we must try and take it as best way we can Simon will return in just six weeks time when he will be expecting to see significant progress in the Walled Garden but whilst Emily business herself readying plants for sale James is already having second thoughts about the direction that the new business will take I'm nervous about the food hub we took it basically to me in a shop selling local and Regional food we've tried this before and it was not a FlyAway success and I'd really like to think that we've learned from our mistakes in the past and that we don't go down that route again but as he has suggested that Emily be in charge of the entire world Garden Project Simon has arranged for her to make a research visit to anik Gardens a half hour's drive away over the last few years anik has undergone a substantial transformation and now attracts nearly 350 000 visitors a year charging up to 12 pounds per person includes many of the ideas that Simon wants Emily to try at Melbourne Park including growing selling and serving food from a central Conservatory Hub he hopes that touring it with the instigator of the project The Duchess of Northumberland will provide Emily with much needed motivation everything that I've learned over the last 17 years is that I assumed the most difficult part of what I've done here was in raising the money and building it but without a doubt it's the most difficult thing is is is management of it you you can't do it all yourself but you can be responsible for for standards and quality control I think the other thing that I've really noticed here is that um everything fits together one one can't stand alone of the other so for people to use your cafe or a marquee or whatever the core attraction has to be there whatever you do you've got to make it different either unusual give it a USB and really getting a buzz about the place yeah [Music] having been armed to anik I came away with lots of thoughts lots of ideas sadly we're not on the same scale as them so we're never going to be able to you know come up with something as big as Grand as anik but I definitely think we will be able to involve the whole community and the local suppliers and everything so as Simon said it becomes more of a sort of Hub of people rather than just a standalone Cafe being on its own with a garden Simon has asked Emily to arrange an open day for local producers to gauge their interest in the reopening of the Walled Garden but when he returns will he and the cookson see eye to eye on the division of labor so I don't have full-time help with the children I don't have your children at boarding school foreign [Music] will soon be returning to Melbourne Park to check on progress in the walled kitchen Garden James cookson is hesitant about using some of the space in the Garden Cafe to sell food and produce hi there it's Emily from Kitchen Garden at Melbourne Park but as Simon wants Emily to be in charge of the project he's asked her to arrange for some of the local food producers and suppliers to come to an open day 40 people there 40. but one of Simon's ideas has had a better reception from James inspired by the prospect of revitalizing the self-catering accommodation James has contacted Karen Johnson from Redlands equestrian a leading horse holidays company to arrange a visit to Melbourne Park uh there's a number of public rights of way but a jumping it's pretty much right as Paradise to be honest yes it looks it although the historic stables next to the house need 35 000 pounds worth of repairs before they can be further utilized there are other Stables on the estate managed for the cooksons by Rowena old that could be offered to prospective holiday makers so this is the yard so they're quite big boxes they're all about 14 by 14. and it's fairly easy to separate the horses on turnout yes there's individual paddocks as well as as mixed grazing okay it's a beautiful setting and it's it's quite unique the equivalent would be to ride in the chateaus in France or in the castles in Italy there isn't anything else that compares in the UK that we've currently got and just riding around the estate it makes you want to stay here for a few days and keep riding so I think it will work really well coming for three or four days I I won't have a moment where I was wondering what to do like it looks like this week as Simon returns to see James and Emily after six weeks away one thought is Weighing on his mind what I really hope I find is that they Define their roles and that Emily has been allowed to take on more responsibilities and been allowed to shine and that James focuses on the things that he's good at his visit is coinciding with the open day for Local Food suppliers which will kick off the efforts to relaunch the whole Garden in April but it's clear that Emily and James have not embraced all of his suggestions to increase their revenue [Music] Emily Emily how are you very well very good to see you again thank you I was pretty shocked when I came by I thought the sign was great right but it says admission free I think what I did was maybe if we did events then we would ask for a charge of people to come in that problem is if you establish it as free it's incredibly difficult to then start charging people no I'm not suggesting that a lot of money is charged and it could even be a voluntary contribution right but I think a nominal fee could raise you eight to ten thousand pounds a year right yeah I'm just concerned that that's never been picked up on since you last night so am I next Simon wants to discover if Emily and James's working relationship has improved by your own admission you said you and James were you know Wonderful married couple Dreadful business partners yes as he let the rains go a bit and allowed you to to really take on this new project up here yes he's been very good about that um as I've said before James holds the purse strings so um we're sort of taking one step forward and then I'm waiting so it's just obviously it's quite difficult at the moment but I've got a bank account open but I've got no money in it I think it's a hugely wasted opportunity if you're not allowed to yes to take on a project but but timing so I don't have full-time help with the children I don't know your children at boarding school my children away and that all I'm doing is you know I mean I yes the children are away but there's still things to do and I know that this is going to take a huge amount of time and I don't know if I'm going to have enough time to do it all concerned that James isn't giving Emily the support she needs Simon sets out to find and confront him yeah everybody's tells me she's got a bank account now and for hopefully for the business up here there's no money in it there is now as of 10 minutes ago brilliant that's some seed money essentially yes okay now what about the whole kitchen Garden culinary Hub I think that um the retail of food um is a difficult area [Music] um we've tried it before and it didn't work you you've had two failures there so that area quite rightly you thought it's just cost me a lot of money people haven't come and the food thing hasn't worked what I'm saying is the food thing does work if you take a month-long period two Saturdays out of that month there'll be a farmer's market which where you can focus the marketing on it and get lots of people here you don't try and do it every day and then for three Fridays during that month there's a guest Chef that comes there's always a cafe the garden's always open you've obviously got all the ideas Simon yeah and we're very happy to work with you yeah but um you know the I mean the visit to annik was fantastic I think yeah but it we may have it may have been useful to have seen somewhere else as well okay well did you not then decide to go out and do that I mean I'm not the Fairy Godmother um you seem to suggest that that I will arrive and just wave my magic wand and suddenly money the point of me being here is to put you perhaps on a slightly different track be a separate pair of eyes that looks at your relationship with Emily uh and then collaborate with you now in terms of allowing Emily to get on with it she's still led me to believe there was some frustration I'm only trying to offer Sport and help really are you letting it get on with it yeah [Music] a chance for James to prove this arrives in the afternoon the cafe at Melton park has failed twice costing the cooksons thousands in Lost rent and Revenue Simon believes that the best way to achieve success this time is to turn it into a focal point for local produce by enlisting the support of some of the northeast's most important suppliers I'm just gonna have to try and find a space we've seen got so many people that we're short of space the sun shining down here on Melbourne Park which is a good omen and we've got an enormous number of producers that have turned up here today from the Northeast which I'm really thrilled about because it shows some enthusiasm from the people that will ultimately be the contributors to helping make this project work I'd like to welcome you all very much to coming to the kitchen Garden at Malden Park James and I are passionate about the Northeast locally produced food and drink and with this in mind we want to make it a focal point of the cafe culinary Hub we are going to create Simon wants Emily to take this opportunity to forge valuable Partnerships with the suppliers so that they can work together in the future I think you need unique things here to make this work because there's a lot of competition out there and I think if you can do something unique with training courses demonstrations and I think you're under ruin again have you got a pen and hard with you to write down these things and who told you what yes well I will go and get their details well yeah because the crucial thing is when there's a room full of people like this you won't keep them all in your head no so having had the chance to meet Emily and to see the cafe space are the suppliers willing to support the relaunch we're a little bit choosy sometimes about where our products are so we like to have them in a quality environment and I think that's what we're seeing here at Melton Park I'm fairly close by so I can bring you everything as fresh as possible and I can definitely see this being ideal place um sell my bread and my pastry but is the skeptical James finally convinced that a true culinary Hub in the kitchen Garden including space for some of these products is a good idea yeah and I think it's fantastic Simon it's great to see I couldn't see all these supplies here you know I've already spoken to two of them who have said that um I'll give you examples about other setups not dissimilar to us but who are even more remote you know you've gave me the example of this place and he said you know they get 70 000 visitors here so why the hell can't you yeah so um I didn't come there it's good good to see you excellent as the suppliers depart Simon wants Emily and James to be aware of the hard work that lies ahead really successful um and we've definitely I feel like we've moved it Forward sort of what happens next when I come back for the next for the next visit so I think probably the best thing to do is have the cafe element as much as possible up and running do a suppliers Market with these people who are already excited have some planting of the vegetable garden going on the other absolutely crucial thing I think is when the members of the public leave on that day that you have provided with them an outline of the other activity potential activity that will be happening at Melbourne Park kitchen garden over the next 12 months so they come back they don't think it's a one-off and they can see that there's constantly going to be new activity going on [Music] I'm really encouraged by what I've seen here today and James and Emily should be very encouraged as well but of course the true tests will be when they can bring this all together when they've got to do it for real [Applause] [Music] I do now feel that I have got the freedom to move on without having to go and check with James I don't have to involve him in every decision you know we've had two disasters here and it's Third Time Lucky without a doubt with Simon's last visit timed to coincide with the grand opening of the Walled Garden in six weeks time work to get everything ready steps up into high gear this is my best job now the bank loan of twenty thousand pounds has been made available Emily has employed the staff that Simon suggested to help run the cafe but it's clear that she will have to be a Hands-On manager to begin with there is all the stop to unpack priced everything needs re-cleaning And So It Goes On but there's one final addition to the cafe that will make Emily's life all the easier oh thank you because I can't see the till [Music] yes perfect but when Simon returns for the grand opening will the Northumberland weather put a dampener on everyone's spirits the real Shameless you know I've got a hail storm now it's really going to put people off it's April and six weeks since his last visit Simon Davis is traveling to Melbourne park for the last time I'm really looking forward to seeing the reopening of the kitchen Garden even in this robust Northumberland weather that we're having up here I'm thrilled that James decided to release the fun so Emily could invest not only her time but also some money in this project and I hope that that has instilled in them a better working relationship [Music] despite the inclement weather Simon is anxious to see what progress James and Emily have made great huh very smart entrance Emily hello oh hello Simon how are you lovely to see you this looks fantastic oh good I'm glad you like it yeah how's it all going oh very busy yeah very busy too busy I'll never be too busy excited though getting getting excited yeah I can feel it taking shape now while there is still some work to do inside the bank loan of twenty thousand pounds has allowed for a transformation from redundant space to productive Enterprise [Music] outside Simon is happy to discover that Emily has adopted one of his Revenue raising ideas oh brilliant yes the honesty box so you've done you suggested donation three pounds per adult mine is receiving your kind donation will help towards the cost of the continued restoration of the kitchen Garden at Mountain Park also the way that's worded it means people aren't feeling forced to do it so it's up to those at their discretion yes James seems full of beans is he being good and hands off and yeah no he has been I have to say he's been very good I was just Keen that if you wanted a device you would go for him as opposed to him just offering it without you asking now I want to see the dragon okay this way yeah brilliant [Music] taking inspiration from her research trip to anik Emily has worked with local sculptor David edwig on an idea which he hopes will put melden park on the map ah the Melton Dragon the Melbourne dragon so what was the idea behind this well the idea behind it was that we wanted to get something together the children and to bring them more into the Melbourne Pot and also get them out of the wall Garden a bit so they'd come into the wild garden what's she called is it a she we think it's a she but we don't really know yet no we're having a name in the dragon tomorrow really yes the idea is that everyone will put the money in their pot and name her and then we'll draw it how much are you taking off people for for the rights that's a good idea good I'm glad you like it it's really good foreign ly impressed with James and Emily not only have they listened to a lot of my advice but they've really picked up the Baton and run with it and that's the point of this exercise of course the real success can only be gauged tomorrow we just need a lot of people here and a lot of people who want to spend some money [Music] first convinced the cooksons to reopen the Walled Garden and Cafe the day of the relaunch has finally arrived [Music] ah morning Emily good morning excellent how are you I'm just doing a sign inside Emily is making last minute preparations for the opening do you like that upcoming events exactly all I would say is you need to put your website address Simon's idea of combining the garden and Cafe into a culinary Hub incorporating a retail space has been fully embraced so here you've got your nominated suppliers fantastic and some of these came to the event that we we did the last most yes they did yes most of them did yeah and this will change every every month or when when we add things into the menu is different we will five of the suppliers from the Showcase have been invited to set up stalls and the plan is that in the future a regular rotation of others will be here in their place splitting their profits with the cooksons James has the honor of buying the first coffee of the day good man thanks I'll give you a spoon back [Music] Cafe starts to fill up and Emily is rushed off her feet attending to customers and managing the staff [Music] are you good yeah yes it's good and busy in there yeah I'll let you get on well done I'm so pleased to see how everything is filling up now I mean if you every table in here is taken it's not even 12 o'clock yet so hopefully all those efforts that they've made will really pay off the retail side of the operation is also thriving but Simon knows that it will take a calendar of events to bring people back week after week it would have to be something slightly different to get the crowds up here but I think there's there's opportunities to do all sorts of things with food beer and food matching looking at the events on the board and everything that's going to be going on I think you know we've got a really good chance of making the market because that's what they've got to do isn't it [Music] despite the threatening Skies the garden is proving popular but Simon is concerned that some of the retail opportunities are perhaps being overlooked yet again they've made a really good effort in here really beautifully done I'm a bit worried though that people don't know that they can come in here I think if we've got another Blackboard or something we can just put to the right of the door just so people know that they can go in yeah has no sooner been put out then the heavens open and the Northumberland weather takes a turn for the worse [Music] I've got a hail storm now it's really going to put people off however they mustn't let this get them down because the fact is what they've done is fantastic and they're playing a long game here and today is still a very positive start just need the sun to come out but on the positive side with everyone driven indoors the cafe continues to do a roaring trade everything all right for you good and when the sun does return the garden fills up once more putting on a range of different events and activities should ensure that word spreads and that the garden will appeal to locals and those from further afield garden and then we found out it was opening again and we just couldn't couldn't believe it we thought we'd just come along and get there like 15 minutes that was it and we just can't believe there's absolutely stunning we only live five minutes down the road I can see us coming here again and again well if what I've had for my lunch today is anything to go by I think it has a very bright future and I would recommend it to anyone [Music] the relaunch of the Walled Garden has been a great success takings for the day from the cafe retail space plant sales and honesty box amounted to 1100 pounds the cafe has proved a hit with locals and James and Emily have a series of planned events over the coming months that should draw in the crowds the self-catering accommodation is being marketed for horse holidays and James is already planning to increase their capacity by making more rooms and Stables available Simon's business ideas have the potential to generate seventy thousand pounds in extra turnover and should allow the cooksons to build up a much needed renovation fund so Emily how do you think it went today it was good it was busy it was frantic it was a bit mental but no people came which was lovely it's great seeing you you two working so well together you know I'll never forget that phrase when I first came here of greatest American couple rubbish as business partners but just seemed to me today observing you that the partnership as a Business Partnership actually has found a much more even kill definitely thank you best of luck for the future and I hope everything goes well thank you all right okay thanks Simon bye-bye most people when they live in their homes they have to deal with a personal relationship but if you own a place like this you have to have a business relationship as well when I first came here it was in tatters now as I leave it's on a much shorter footing and for that reason I think the future of Melbourne Park is far Rosier than it was when I first arrived [Music] thank you [Music]

Channel: Abode

Views: 221,344

Keywords: home and garden, Abode, Abode channel, home renovation, renovation, home and garden channel, home and garden tv shows, home design ideas, garden design ideas

Id: 2mQgIkDePfo

Length: 47min 10sec (2830 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 11 2022