In the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, John Brookshaw and his mother Della (centre) are congratulated at the show by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s president Harry Fetherstonhaugh and his wife Davina

Family owners and team at a North Wales holiday park are celebrating after scooping a top design award for the conversion of its historic farm buildings.

Plassey Holiday Park in Wrexham was named as the overall winner in the 2022 Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Farm Buildings and Works Competition.

The society presents its prestigious accolade annually to a farm-based business which has successfully turned ancient buildings into modern, working premises.

This year, judges decided that Plassey’s imaginative and forward-looking conversion represented the highest quality standards they were seeking.

The Dee Valley park is based on a 250-acre dairy farm which has been owned for over 60 years by the Brookshaw family, and is today run by John Brookshaw and his wife Sarah.

A recipient of many regional and national tourism awards, Plassey features at its heart a guest complex based on stables, barns and other buildings constructed in 1902.

They now serve as an acclaimed restaurant and bar, coffee shop, function rooms, and as home for various independent retail outlets specialising in Welsh produce.

The barns and other farm buildings were constructed in 1902

Judges were greatly impressed at the lengths to which the park had gone to retain many of the original features and fittings, and to highlight them in the overall design.

They include cow stalls, bull pens, mangers, water troughs, and grain and hay stores.

Also winning praise was Plassey’s use of traditional building methods and materials which have ensured that the premises celebrate in full their long and proud heritage.

John Brookshaw said that he and his family felt honoured and humbled by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s award:

“I would like to dedicate this award to my late father Tony who, with the love and support of my mother Della, began the huge transformation that we see today,” said John.

“What was once Edwardian model dairy farm buildings are now thriving food, drink and retail venues providing employment and supporting our regional economy.

Many original features are retailed in the new conversion

“It was wonderful to witness my mother receive this fantastic award in person, and I know that my dad would have been immensely proud,” added John.

The presentation of the award was made at this summer’s Royal Welsh Show at Builth Wells in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.

Plassey Holiday Park’s many attractions include an indoor pool, golf course, games courts, five fishing ponds, beauty salon, and nature discovery trails.

Staying options include super-luxury glamping accommodation plus holiday homes to rent and buy, and pitches for tents, motorhomes and touring caravans.

More information about the park, graded five stars by Visit Wales and a previous winner of the AA’s top park award, is available at www.plassey.com