Pumpkins, Piglets & Piccolos: A Masterclass in Diversification from Uproot Coffee

The lovely Ali and Fi of Bates Farm and Uproot Coffee take business diversification to the next level. From piglets to pumpkins to piccolos, these talented ladies have a finger in just about every pie you can imagine. We were lucky enough to visit during pumpkin picking season to learn a bit more about how using Bustle keeps their coffee business humming, allowing them to focus on building a community focussed family destination in Warrington.

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Blending Urban Hospitality With Rural Charm

Born from a huge demand for reconnection with green spaces during the pandemic, Ali and Fi started out running lambing tours to introduce the public to farm life. The tours exploded in popularity and quickly became the backbone of what would grow into a full, multi-layered visitor experience.

Honestly, people were saying it's harder to get tickets for lambing tours than it is for Glastonbury. Like, we couldn't keep up. But, I think as we’ve grown the farm has become more of a backdrop to the public experiences, and we’ve started to blend urban trends into the farm space - with cinnamon buns flying, aesthetic photo opportunities and even offering matcha, so it’s kinda a city offering on the farm! 

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Creating Reasons to Visit - and Reasons to Return

For Ali and Fi, a consistent focus on community events and engagement is essential. They know the farm is a destination, not a drop-in spot - visitors need a reason to make that intentional first trip. After that, Bustle helps them keep guests coming back by giving them a seamless, welcoming hospitality experience.

We're more of a destination. We're not like a high street where you can stumble across us. You have to intentionally visit us. We found the hardest visit to get is the first visit. Once they’ve done that, then they can come back and it becomes more habitual.

After the success of the initial public days, having a simple, but considered hospitality offering on-site was a no-brainer, queue Uproot, the sisters’ adorable on-site coffee cart. As their offering expanded, the larger barn behind the cart was transformed into a self-service dining hall featuring coffee, sweets, crepes and even pizza depending on the day. To complement this, Fi and Ali have transformed the barn beside for families hoping to snap halloween themed memories on the hay bales - though transforming a working farm into a family-friendly activity hub wasn’t without challenges. (The newly installed loos were a huge source of excitement during our visit.)

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Finding Profitability Through Clarity and Community

When it comes to making two of the UK’s trickiest industries profitable - farming and hospitality - Ali and Fi stay focused on the positives. Owning their land gives them stability most hospitality businesses dream of, and Bustle helps them maintain total transparency around costs, margins and performance. That clarity means they can confidently invest in local suppliers who share their values, like Kickback Coffee, whose passion for the outdoors mirrors their own.

A huge secondary bonus of financial visibility has meant they can support causes close to their heart. A corner of the barn is dedicated to pink pumpkins and a pink tractor raising funds for cancer research in tribute to their dad, Michael Wilshaw, who they sadly lost in 2023. Since, they’ve raised an amazing 16,548 pounds and counting.

If you missed pumpkin season, Ali and Fi are kicking off Christmas with a night of live music, markets and proper festive magic. Make sure to pre-book - tickets are selling fast.

Diversifying your own offering? Bustle can help you cut through the noise, bring all your services into one place, and give you clarity on what’s really driving profit. Chat to our team here.

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