5 minute read
THE STUDIO
Dual purpose property
Converting a barn into holiday accommodation and a film studio is a clever move. Mary finds out more
STAMFORD AND THE surrounding area is home to a large number of creative people, many of whom have gone on to launch their own businesses, be it magazines, creative agencies, design studios and many more. This area attracts so many like-minded individuals because, historically, many of us would have worked for EMAP, once one of the largest publishing companies in the country.
One such couple who did this is Martin and Julie Dupree who launched their business in 2001. Initially a creative agency it has now grown into a brand development agency with clients all over the world; Dupree International.
The company helps companies grow once they have initially, organically reached a growth ceiling and need that extra push to expand. In 20 years of business they have helped many businesses move their brand forward ‘and are very proud that we have never had a failure,’ says Commercial Director, Julie Dupree, who has a long professional history of business development and marketing.
Some of the brands they have worked with are country sports clothing Seeland and Harkila, American brand Streamlight and RAGT which is a worldwide agricultural seed producer, to name a few with brands based all over the world.
The business which employs 11 people is now based in Castle Bytham run from a converted barn next to their house. As well as this barn, there are more buildings and in 2019 Julie decided it was time to convert another one of them. nother o our clients is Teflon who ost people will have heard of,’ says Julie. ‘As well as managing the brand we also run an annual cookery competition for them, the ICG (Inspiring Culinary Generations) which is for young chefs. Dupree manages the whole process and so need to hire kitchen space. We used to hire a commercial kitchen in London but this cost us £4,000 a day which was a prohibitive price and we did not necessarily need to be in London anyway. We needed a ‘super duper kitchen’ as well as cameras and lighting. As we have other culinary clients as well I decided we would build our own.
‘We had a redundant barn that could be converted so I got permission and work started in October 2019. As well as a kitchen and studio, as we had so much space we decided to add accommodation as well. This meant that we would be able to produce extra revenue by not only having commercial studio space or l ing but we could also have holiday acco odation too nd to make even more use of the space I designed the downstairs bedroom to be able to be used as a board room/meeting room as well so that can be hired just for a couple of hours if needed.’
Julie is certainly inventive. And her design skills means they have
nished up with a high end converted barn or sel catered acco odation a eeting roo which can be let out and a antastic itchen space that can be used or l ing or ust en oyed by guests
The acco odation sleeps our and has a very pretty outside courtyard This courtyard with an outside itchen and bb area along with the large interior eans that they have been able to hold s all weddings here or up to people which have been very popular This acco odation has also eant that obs have been created locally and i guests do not want to coo they also use the local pub and shop
The conversion started in ctober and was able to continue throughout loc downs being nished in ugust ulie waited until pril or it to go live as we wanted to a e sure we had it ust right and o course wanted to be ree o loc downs nd it has been ully boo ed virtually all o the ti e since it opened t s very popular with guests who either co e or a rela ing wee end or to attend local weddings and parties or to visit riends and a ily ut this is only o the boo ings The other hal are co ercial boo ings or people wanting to use the itchen or l ing de onstrations or co ercial coo ing loggers and infl uencers use it olland and arrett and any local co panies too including The live ranch at lipsha nd o course the co petition is run ro here as well There s plenty o space to par and or e tra e uip ent
The acco odation is lu urious verything has been thought o and all urnishings and e uip ent are high end The itchen is obviously superbly e uipped and it s uite nice to now that you could be using the sa e oven there are two o the as a well nown che perhaps their culinary s ills ight rub off on you or people ust wanting a l studio the hob can be covered up and because it has been designed so cleverly you would then not even now you were l ing in a itchen astle ytha is an ideal location as it is ust off the and easily reached ro ta ord a ha and rantha a well as ro urther a eld s well as The tudio in the other hal o the converted barn is a uch larger itchen with bi olding doors leading out on to a pretty walled garden This is not available or residential acco odation but is popular or co ercial use
The uprees have ade e cellent use o their newly converted barn and with their creative thin ing have ade it doubly use ul able to welco e residential guests and co ercial ones too nd so eti es their international clients a e use o the acco odation as well as the beauti ul itchen luc y the
www.thestudiolincs.co.uk www.dupreeinternational.com
