Historic Lancashire trout farming firm expands to fourth site, with support from Harrison Drury

One of the oldest trout farming operations in the UK has established a third site in North Yorkshire and its fourth site overall, after securing a 20-year lease.

The lease has enabled Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm Limited to open a farm in Kirbymoorside which spans five acres.

The business already has a trout farm in Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire, which dates back to 1926, and acquired two more farms in Sinnington and Pickering in North Yorkshire in 2019.

The four farms rear live brown and rainbow trout that are supplied to recreational fishing lakes across the country as well as fingerlings supplied to other commercial trout farms.

It is now one of the largest trout farm businesses in the UK, supplying around five million fingerlings each year to support recreational trout fishing.

The commercial property team at Harrison Drury solicitors, led by solicitor Wendy Newbury, advised the owners of Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm Limited, Philip Mart and David Jones, on securing the new lease at Kirkbymoorside. Harrison Drury initially advised the pair on a management buyout of the business from the Birtwistle family in 2011.

Philip Mart, a director of Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm Limited, said: “For our fourth site we’ve already hired two new employees and a new manager, Sam, who will eventually take over as a director. We have also been accredited by the RSPCA, Global Gapped and Quality Trout UK, allowing us to supply up to four million fish into the market and other trout farms in the UK.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Wendy and the team at Harrison Drury who have once again provided us with a highly professional service and valuable advice to secure the lease.”

Wendy Newbury, commercial property solicitor at Harrison Drury, said: “It’s been a pleasure once again to be supporting Phil and Dave on their business growth journey, developing Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm Limited into one of the largest and most respected trout farming operations in the UK.

“Phil and Dave’s passion for what they do and their commitment to quality and care have been instrumental to their success. I wish the whole team the best of luck in this latest venture.”

The new site at Kirbymoorside employs two full time staff, with plans to recruit more in the future. The original Dunsop Bridge site employs four full-time staff and one part-time worker and its Sinnington farm is co-managed by the team at Pickering.