Tulleys Farm, the family-run visitor attraction in West Sussex, has been named a finalist for The Gerald Edelman Family Business of the Year Award at The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026, the UK’s largest business awards programme.
The farm has been the Beare family’s home since 1937, and the family has worked in agriculture for nine generations. Under Stuart Beare and his son Sam, the business has evolved from a crop and dairy farm into one of the UK’s leading agricultural tourism destinations, according to its awards entry, with a national and international profile built on immersive seasonal events that have featured widely in the media and on national television.
From working farm to events destination
Constant diversification has driven that growth. The business says it was the first venue to offer a tulip festival, a format that has since spawned a host of imitators, and it now brings springtime colour to two further sites, in St Albans and Warwick. The farm is also home to Shocktober Fest, described by the business as Europe’s largest Halloween Scream Park, alongside its long-running Pumpkin Festival, a Christmas Lights festival and year-round attractions including escape rooms and corporate events, all detailed on the Tulleys Farm website.
A record year for visitors
The company reports strong momentum across the board. Shocktober Fest attendance rose from 97,892 to 113,565 in 2025, while the Pumpkin Festival grew year on year from 145,365 to 158,056 visitors. Across the business as a whole, total visitor numbers climbed 41 per cent to 687,520 and turnover rose 43 per cent to £20.8m, according to the entry.
Innovation remains a stated priority, with the business constantly seeking to offer new experiences. In 2025 it unveiled Feastwick, an indoor recreation of a Tudor street, at both Shocktober Fest and its Christmas events.
Customer experience sits behind the numbers. The business points to a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor from 8,400 reviews, and its entry quotes one 2026 reviewer: “I just wish we lived nearer to visit more often as I left there full of smiles.”
Family values behind the growth
Despite its scale, Tulleys says it maintains a strong focus on its family values. A dedicated welfare team supports full-time colleagues and the hundreds of seasonal workers who staff its events, the business reports, with measures in place to support neurodivergent and disabled employees and visitors. The company also says it works to minimise its environmental impact.
Tulleys Farm now takes its place on the Family Business of the Year shortlist alongside fellow finalists from across the country. Winners of the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards will be announced on 10 November 2026 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane.
