The business between Middleton-in-Teesdale and Barnard Castle is run by twin sisters Stella Laird and Jodi McSherry
Blackton Grange hopes to use the funding to market itself.(Image: NEL Fund Managers)
A wedding venue and holiday homes business in the North Pennines is looking to grow thanks to five figure loan funding.
Blackton Grange Estates hosts weddings at its Balderhead site, which includes 11 acres of countryside, a converted barn, and a farmhouse property sleeping up to 18 people. The property is also let for holidaymakers.
The business is run by twins Stella Laird and Jodi McSherry who are said to share a passion for property, interiors and creating a place to entertain. The sisters turned a formerly tired outdoor activity centre and hostel into a luxury venue, and started taking bookings for the property in 2023, later opening up for weddings.
Now, a five-figure sum from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans, which is managed by NEL Fund Managers, is hoped to prompt growth. The money will be used to bring in marketing agency Venue Spark, who will help the entrepreneurs promote their newly restored wedding barn and growth the Blackton Grange brand.
Ms Laird said: “Partnering with NEL has been a brilliant experience for us at Blackton Grange Estates and a very smooth process working with all levels of the management team, we are excited for the future working with NEL and how they can help accelerate our growth plans, not just with this project, but over the coming years as we continue to build and grow our brand and business.”
Susan Snowdon, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers led this investment. She said: “Stella and the team were fantastic to work with and it’s so impressive to see what they have done with the space at Blackton Grange. I look forward to continuing to work with them and wish them both the best of luck for their next stage of business growth.”
Sarah Newbould, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Backing ambitious businesses across the North is central to driving sustainable regional growth. Through NPIF II, we’re committed to improving access to finance so that companies with strong potential can scale and create local opportunity.
“Blackton Grange reflects this ambition, building a distinctive luxury venue in the North Pennines and investing in its brand to support the next phase of growth.”
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