Patchetts Equestrian to close 3rd August

[Jane_Lou]

Just seen this - I imagine the value of the property now far exceeds the effort required to run as an equestrian venue. Shame as it was local enough to us for dressage - hated SJ there and the parking left a lot to be desired but still a great loss - hate to think where all the liveries will go!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patchetts-Equestrian-Centre-Official/142920569183171?fref=ts

 

[spottybotty]

Sad really. We go for the showing.

 

[CrazyEquestrian]

Very sad. I've had plenty of pony club rallies there and its always fun and lovely. Will be a sad loss.

 

[comet!]

Such a shame and a surprise. It's my favourite venue and probably my closest at about 35 minutes away.

I wonder if it will reopen under new owners or whether the site will be redeveloped for residential use.

So far this year both the Area Festivals I've been planning to go to have been cancelled/venue changed and now this (which would've been my winter regionals venue). I wonder who will get the winters show in place of Patchetts? Really hope it's not the two local venues I'm not a fan of!

 

[spottybotty]

Such a shame and a surprise. It's my favourite venue and probably my closest at about 35 minutes away.

I wonder if it will reopen under new owners or whether the site will be redeveloped for residential use.

So far this year both the Area Festivals I've been planning to go to have been cancelled/venue changed and now this (which would've been my winter regionals venue). I wonder who will get the winters show in place of Patchetts? Really hope it's not the two local venues I'm not a fan of!

I suspect it will be sold to developers. It was the only decent show venue with a surface for us, especially when the ground is so hard in Summer

 

[comet!]

I suspect it will be sold to developers. It was the only decent show venue with a surface for us, especially when the ground is so hard in Summer

For me it's by far the best venue for my horse. He likes it (apart from the cob-killing horse walker) the indoor surface is fab and hardly anywhere else in this area holds DTM at the moment. Also always liked the fact that you generally get a different judge for each class. Going to really miss it 😔

 

[star]

That's a shame. Always been one of my favourite venues, especially in winter.

 

[DressageCob]

It's going to be houses. They've already started planning consultations.

 

[shortstuff99]

What a shame I'm hoping keysoe gets the winters tbh (only as it's closer for me!)

 

[dollyanna]

I am saddened by this, I grew up at Patchetts and left when the riding school closed (although it was a very different place by then already). I visited at the beginning of this year and there was a fair bit that had run down considerably when you looked beyond the competition side. I am way up north now but it will be a huge loss to the area, and I can't help wondering where on earth all the liveries are going to go. Having lived through one exodus it was hard enough then to find livery for those of use who were on working livery. Sad for the staff too, I wonder where Les will go now?!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I am saddened by this, I grew up at Patchetts and left when the riding school closed (although it was a very different place by then already). I visited at the beginning of this year and there was a fair bit that had run down considerably when you looked beyond the competition side. I am way up north now but it will be a huge loss to the area, and I can't help wondering where on earth all the liveries are going to go. Having lived through one exodus it was hard enough then to find livery for those of use who were on working livery. Sad for the staff too, I wonder where Les will go now?!

Les is still there?! I was a WP there between 86-88, was my favourite job ever and its been downhill ever since :/

 

[dollyanna]

Oh yes, Les is still there! Maybe he will stay, help build the houses and then stay on as residential handyman :-D

 

[MotherOfChickens]

such a shame, have very happy memories of the place even though the guy I groomed for there died. Is the farmhouse not listed?

 

[Llanali]

Yep, Les is still there........maybe he will frequent Bury Farm now, with the other chap?!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Yep, Les is still there........maybe he will frequent Bury Farm now, with the other chap?!

you'll be telling me Simon is still there next!

 

[PaddyMonty]

I'm hoping keysoe gets the winters tbh (only as it's closer for me!)

After the shambles at keysoe summer regionals in2014 I hope they don't!

 

[spottybotty]

Its seems I was correct. The Heronslea group will be developing the site with 61 homes on it.

 

[Cortez]

Oh what a shame, I learned to ride there many, many (too many!) years ago.

 

[muckypony]

Its seems I was correct. The Heronslea group will be developing the site with 61 homes on it.

No way such a shame to loose the venue but I was really hoping that it wouldn't be developed.

I wonder how long it will be until there are no good venues left due to the costs....

 

[dollyanna]

Comment on fb from a current member of staff says that everyone - staff and liveries - were all told on Tuesday and given 5 weeks notice. I am a little puzzled over the speed of it all - must have been one hell of an offer that was made :-(

 

[SO1]

Well I hope if the offer they got was that large and they are going to be making a lot of money from the sale that they give the staff really good redundancy pay and they should also give the liveries free livery for the last 5 weeks too.

There is so much money in the middle east and oil producing countries now and an interest in equestrianism that I thought they have might been able to find a buyer who was willing to continue to run it as an equestrian business would have been ideal for UAE SJ team base or some rich Saudi Family, being near London as well.

I wonder if it was ever on the open market or if it was a closed deal but I suppose it is difficult if they are not making money and the family are no longer willing or able to subsidize it, and you never know what people's circumstances are it could be that the family circumstances changed and they could no longer afford to run it at a loss or needed access to a lot of money very quickly.

It was a great venue and we were very lucky to have it and I hope the staff and liveries can find someone good to move on to.

Comment on fb from a current member of staff says that everyone - staff and liveries - were all told on Tuesday and given 5 weeks notice. I am a little puzzled over the speed of it all - must have been one hell of an offer that was made :-(

 

[Kati*89]

Well I hope if the offer they got was that large and they are going to be making a lot of money from the sale that they give the staff really good redundancy pay and they should also give the liveries free livery for the last 5 weeks too.

They still have bills to pay, staff to pay in that 5 weeks, so I hardly think they are obliged to give free livery! They said it hadn't been a profitable business in a long while.
I imagine livery around there is hard to find, so must be worrying for owners!
I like it as a venue...horse didn't so much but it was always well organised, nice clean toilets and nice cafe so it is a real shame

 

[muckypony]

I imagine livery around there is hard to find, so must be worrying for owners!

This is what I've wondered too.. There are few places around here as it is, let alone with that many spaces! There were a lot of horses there.

 

[Fuzzypuff]

This is what I've wondered too.. There are few places around here as it is, let alone with that many spaces! There were a lot of horses there.

There are quite a few yards in the area, but I think it will be hard to find that number of spaces. Having said that I think a chunk of those there are professionals with several horses so they may potentially look for their own yards or move further out rather than stay in the area.

 

[Bigbenji]

Planning hasn't been approved yet. I presume the building company have already made the purchese and that's why everyone has to out asap.

Hertsmere are not a push over with planning and I bet there will be a lot of objection.

Anyone remember Suzanne's riding school being sold for development? Well the companies, and it has been sold a few times, cannot get approval despite the many many plans and money spent trying to do so.

I understand Mc Taggert wanting out if he's been running it at a loss but such a shame it wasn't sold as a EC before going the easy option of the developers.

 

[livetoride]

So very sad to read this news. I spent many happy days at Patchetts though we're no longer in the area now. I remember when it was a riding school too - far too many schools have closed in this area Suzanne's, Belmont...
I do hope Les and the other employees are looked after well.