The Chester House Estate Appoints New Management Team
21 January 2021
A new business manager at the Chester House Estate has grand plans for the future, which will be revealed in full on 1st February, 2021.
Tourism business expert, Jack Pishhorn, is now in situ and has ambitious plans for this project, which is joint funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council. Jack heads a dedicated team who are keen to get the project ready for its grand opening scheduled for late 2021 and have devised a brand-new business plan for the location, which is based near Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
Kerry Purnell – NCC’s Assistant Director Corporate and Community Services who made the appointment said: “We are very excited to have Jack on board with us for this exciting and historically significant project which has the capacity to become a leading light in the heritage sector.
“His previous roles have proved him to be a leader in the heritage tourism industry and we are excited to reveal the new business plans later this year.”
The Chester Estate has a history that spans thousands of years and is of national historical significance. Excavations on site have previously unearthed Palaeolithic flint tools and even the bones of a baby mammoth and woolly rhino, indicating the historical importance of the area. The site was also the location of a walled Roman town and later settled by the Saxons.
Jack takes on the business manager role following an illustrious career since graduating from the University of Manchester with a degree in Management and Leadership with a focus on the tourism and leisure sector. His previous experience includes managing visitor operations and marketing at Sacrewell Farm and the William Scott Abbott Trust near Peterborough and being visitor services manager at the Cotswold Farm Park owned by BBC Countryfile presenter, Adam Henson.
Jack said: “We have big plans for The Chester House Estate – starting with a complete rebranding exercise – and we hope the people of Northamptonshire are as excited as we are about what’s to come. We are eager to share all our plans in detail later this year.
“Part of the process will be to involve the local community in everything we do. We have the opportunity to create a legacy for many years to come. The future is positive and is, in itself, history in the making.”
Delays to the project were caused in part by the Covid-19 global pandemic. However, the pause in operations gave the team the opportunity to rethink and ensure the project could make a positive difference to the local community and become a location for people to be proud of, connecting them to thousands of years of unique history and creating a free attraction for Northamptonshire and beyond.
Jack said: “We envisage the Chester House Estate will form the hub for post Covid-19 economic recovery for the Nene Valley area, promoting local food and drink, small businesses, local farming, and creating nine full time roles, along with many part-time and seasonal positions. We will also have a place for conferencing in the countryside and will add to the tourism and leisure portfolio within the local area.
“The Chester House Estate will open in July 2021 with the project being complete in October 2021.”
Jack reveals the new plans are to include community engagement with voluntary roles playing a huge part in future operations. The site will also be sustainable, supporting educational plans including Archaeology, History, Geography, Farm Business Diversification, Media and Marketing.
The Chester House Estate will host one of the largest and most respected Archaeological Archiving Centres in the country, and work has already commenced on a special mooring platform, part of a £50,000 Natural England Stewardship Project and Bridges Replacement scheme.