From field to fizz as Rollits highlights diversification at Driffield Show

Pictured at Little Wold Vineyard are (from left) Alice Maltby (Little Wold), and Pat Coyle (Rollits)

A LEADING LAW FIRMwill highlight the changes in the agricultural sector when it collaborates with a model of diversification at one of the region’s top country shows.

Rollits LLP, which has offices in Hull and York, will partner with Little Wold Vineyard to present wine tasting throughout the day at their stand G138 at Driffield Show on Wednesday 19 July.

Pat Coyle, the firm’s Director of Marketing and Client Relations, said: “As a law firm dating back to 1841 we’re even older than the Driffield Agricultural Society, we share their modern outlook and we are acutely aware of the pace of change in their sector and ours.

“We have been attending Driffield Show for many years and have become regular exhibitors. We have found the conversations are much more diverse than in the past, and this year we’ll be enjoying them over a glass or two of excellent East Yorkshire wine.”

Little Wold Vineyard is part of Market Place Farm at South Cave. It has been in the Wilson family since 1947 when it was bought by Robert Wilson, and over the years has been home to a beef herd and a dairy herd. It moved into intensive poultry and then pigs and has grown potatoes, sugar beet, sprouts, broccoli and, in the late 1980s cereals for the wholesale market.

The farm moved into renewable energy growing short rotation coppice for supply to Drax and the idea of a vineyard came from a visit to South Africa. Planting began in 2012 with the first wine harvest coming through in 2016.

Now a team of 19 is producing 86,000 bottles of wine a year from 23,000 vines on 23 acres. The farm has added a tasting room, vineyard tours and weddings.

Pat said: “In addition to our team of highly experienced agricultural law specialists at our stand we will be joined by Little Wold Vineyard who is a living, breathing example of diversification in the agricultural sector.

“Other than talking about agricultural matters, the informal environment often also lends itself to conversations about family matters which are linked to the business, particularly around estate and succession, and in the background to all of this is technology, which is increasingly important.”

Driffield Show will take place at the Kelleythorpe showground on Wednesday 19 July.  Rollits will be on Stand G138 at the show.