A CLA member’s bold leap into snow sports
We visit the Luton Hoo Estate to learn how a snow sports venture is benefitting its business portfolio
CLA members are often seeking new business opportunities to diversify their incomes. Luton Hoo Estate is a prime example of a traditionally diversified estate, with an in-hand farm, residential and commercial properties, and a historic walled garden that is a heritage asset. The estate is also used extensively as a filming location.
With a gin distillery on site, a Land Rover driving experience and a security dog training centre, estate chief executive Edward Phillips and his wife Marina are always open to novel diversifications. The newest addition to the business portfolio is Inpiste, an indoor snow sports centre.
“We were looking for something to occupy a large, converted building that has previously been used as a theatrical rehearsal space,” explains Edward. “It has a nice big floor print and high ceilings, but it is not particularly easy to heat and make a comfortable office space.
We were wanting to create something a bit different to diversify and secure our income via other streams. This is very important to us, particularly given the headwinds we face as a landed estate
Having seen videos online of indoor ski and snowboarding simulators, Edward and Marina decided it was time to bring a similar winter sports experience to the estate.
Their research led them to a company in the Netherlands that supplied what is known as an Infinity Piste – a large white rolling treadmill-like structure that enables you to ski as you would on the slopes. It replicates the feel of real snow and is a perfect machine for both beginners and more advanced skiers to hone their technique.
They also discovered a SkyTechSport Simulator, a specialist machine that helps skiers and snowboarders practice their carving and race techniques and replicates real-world slopes through immersive virtual reality and authentic G-force.
Marina, who is a director at InPiste, believes their centre offers something different to most snow sport centres in the UK. “With a lot of other companies that offer snow sports experiences you often have to contend with going up on lifts and queuing,” she says. “By their nature, they’re also shorter runs.
“With our Infinity Piste, because it just keeps rolling, you can ski for as long as you want to. Thirty minutes on the machine equates to a full morning of skiing on the slopes.
“The SkytechSport Simulator is designed to help you improve your carving technique. We’re hoping it will give British racers a way to cement their race training in a way that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Farming on the estate
On top of its diverse range of business ventures, Luton Hoo Estate also farms more than 1,200 acres in hand and operates a busy contract farming operation.
The farm has been managed in hand for over 100 years and focuses on conservation farming, incorporating a long-term holistic approach. Crops grown include oilseed rape for oil production, winter and spring barley for feed and malting, and winter wheat for bread making.
