Rural business ideas for generating a rental income

The opportunity for generating an income from renting buildings or materials is often an option that is overlooked by those looking to diversify their farm business, but it could be one of the easiest ways to draw a revenue from your own assets.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking. Remember, you may have the buildings and facilities, but you don’t have to run the business yourself!

Couple diversify family farm to ‘his and her’ projects

Couple diversify family farm to ‘his and her’ projects For Ted and Jackie Howard-Jones inheriting the family farm in 2005 provided the opportunity to capitalise on its stunning location and practical facilities to establish multiple business ventures.

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HAVE YOU CONSIDERED?

  • Caravan storage
  • Vintage tractor or car storage
  • Craft aeroplane storage
  • Self-storage
  • Container units
  • Letting outbuilding for workshops
  • Letting buildings to groups i.e. scouts, WI, young farmers

Leisure opportunities

  • Art studio
  • Gallery
  • Craft centre
  • Sport and recreational use
  • Yoga studio
  • Boot camps
  • Tennis court
  • Letting of onsite facilities
  • Swimming pool
  • Woodland


Other ideas

  • Indoor horse riding arena
  • Stable blocks
  • Shops and retail
  • Antique centres
  • Floristry outlet and workshop
  • Car restoration
  • One-off events
  • Letting property
  • Leasing machinery

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED?

  • Letting ground for groups or organisations e.g. plane groups or dog agility
  • Hire out items for events e.g. tables, chairs, wedding, vintage hire, marquees
  • Offices
  • Landfill warehouses
  • Base for other activities
  • Doggy day centre
  • Dog kennels

Call for new sites for Bruce's doggy day care business

Jane Miller and her husband’s family have been farming for generations. Traditionally a mixed, arable, beef and dairy farm, the family made the decision to come out of dairy 10 years ago as the business became financially unviable.

“We have had some experience of diversification projects. So, when we were approached by Bruce Casalis who was looking for land to expand his doggy day care business we were very amenable to the business idea.”

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