Once the North East’s largest egg producer, Whitehouse Farm Centre near Morpeth, is now best known and loved as one of our region’s top tourist attractions. 2017 is a huge milestone for the centre as they celebrate their 20th anniversary, and everyone is invited to the big birthday bash this July!
In 1997, with egg sales in decline, the Slater family decided to diversify and opened a small Farm Park. They could hardly have imagined where the new initiative would take them and how different the Farm itself would be in 20 years’ time.
Originally a poultry farm, home to thousands of chickens, Whitehouse Farm’s animal population is far more varied these days, with a zoo licence granted in 2008 allowing more exotic creatures to take up residence. The Centre has an impressive menagerie, including a collection of snakes and other reptiles, meerkats, skunks, marmoset monkeys, deer, wallabies, llamas, ponies, owls and parrots, all living happily alongside the more typical farm animals you would expect to find in the Northumberland countryside; sheep, goats, pigs and cattle.
Whitehouse Farm Centre now welcomes around 100,000 visitors annually, providing fun for all ages with a range of indoor and outdoor activities across its 40 acres. Visitors can get hands-on feeding and grooming the animals, enjoy a tractor trailer ride or get to grips with the go-karts, adventure playground and trampolines. Whatever the weather, there’s always something happening at the Farm.
Facilities added over the years include a dedicated Visitor Centre, an indoor soft play barn, and
the Whitehouse Farm Kitchen. Heavily involved with the local and wider community, the Centre employs over 50 staff, welcomes pupils from many regional schools on regular educational farm visits, and works closely with countless local suppliers and traders.
The 20th anniversary celebrations are planned for the weekend 1-2 July and with numerous special activities and attractions taking place, a ‘farmtastic’ time is promised for all! Whether you first came with your parents, or on a school trip, brought your own children when they were small, or are yet to visit, Whitehouse Farm Centre is keen to welcome friends old and new to join in the festivities and mark 20 years of fun on the Farm!
