PROMOTION Thrings meets. Andrew and Katherine Graham of Wallops Wood Cottages ndrew and Katherine Graham, owners f Wallops Wood Cotages in Hampshire's stunning have eight self-catering cottages. Four Werecently collected a VisitEngland cottages have wet room bathrooms ROSE Award for customer service and and guests have access to our indoor have made it to the national finals of wimmingpool and jacuzzi. Next year the Rural Basiness Awards in the 'best South Downs National Park, discuss we'll have a large space which will be rural tourism business' category. accessibility, hot tubs and owl-spotting used as a games room, a yoga retreat In April we also won the national with Thrings partner Rachel Brooks. and for small conferences. VisitEngland award for best dog Howdid Wallops Wood Cottages tartf And the hot tubs, ofcourse. KG: My grandfather bought this arm AG: Absolutely. All of our cottages have that we're doingthe rightthing in 1948 and my father carried it on hot tubs which everybody seems to for another 50 years, focusing on egg love. Theyareused all year round, even What about your future planst production, dairy and crops, and when snow is on the ground. Guests KG: Wehave planning permission to running a retail milkbusiness. When reularly tell ushow they enjoy sitting build another 10 cottages in secluded the land was sold, the farm buildings in their tubs at dusk, sipping a glass of woodland nearby. They will be builton were developed into offices and light something, watching owls hbunting foundations that won't interfere with industrial units. The views of the Isle acrossthe meadow of Wight and the Solent persuaded us to diversify into holsday cotages. Areyourcotlages disabled-friendly? building the first three next year t's the back for the teamand avalidation KG Theywere designed with mobilay, going to be an exciting project. hearing and vision impaired guests in mind, and have been rated under How would you describe your Had you toarist industry belore this KG: No! We both studied at Harper he National Accessible Scheme. We relationship with Hampshire? Adams Agricultural College, although try to cater for everybody-families AG:I'moriginally from Birmingham we met at the FarmersClubin London children, walkers, cyclists and dogs but now consider myself rooted here while I was working in marketingor But the first thing guests ask about Hampshireoffers something to those fresh produce growers. When dad amost without fail is the WiFi who enjoy city life, the countryside and Isecured planning permission to Someone recently suggested it's more orboth. The challenge it faces is convert the main buidings, Andrew mpoetant than running watee! left his farming job to help us with the Has it been easy to promote the business? AG: Winning awards has definitely the right people to work here. We're a small team, so in's vital everyone gels together to ensure our guests enjoy a How has the business developed? AG: We opened in May 2014 and now helped drive the business forward. truly memorable stay.* For more information about Thrings solicitors, please visit THRINGS