With just one look Apprentice star opens project

With just one look Apprentice star opens project

28 March 2012 - by Joanne Fleming

WHEN The Apprentice’s Nick Hewer stands in your back garden and pulls ‘that face’ you know you’re in for some straight talking.

And that’s exactly what Colin Heron signed up for when he bravely volunteered his 18th century family home for new BBC series Farm Fixer.

Falling somewhere between Country House Rescue and The Apprentice, Farm Fixer  charts the efforts of farmers to develop and change their business for the better under the guidance of Nick, who owns two small farms and has worked with hundreds of small and medium businesses over the last 40 years.

Lord Sugar’s deputy on The Apprentice, famous for his eyebrow waggle among other withering facial expressions, travelled to farms across Northern Ireland for the series assessing cash flow, stock, production, management techniques, staff recruitment and time management, before devising individual action plans.

He believes the key to survival is diversification, and oversaw Colin’s plans for the creation of a wedding venue at Tullyveery House, which is located in stunning countryside outside Killyleagh.

The Heron family originally came to Ireland from Kirkcudbright in South West Scotland in about 1650. They began to farm at Tullyveery in 1740 and built the present Georgian house, named after the local townland, between 1825 and 1828.

The property continues to be a working farm, stocked with Limousin beef cattle and a breeding flock of sheep.

“In 1795 the Mrs. Heron of the day was involved in unspun linen, so she was doing a little diversionary business of her own,” said Colin, who, after a government career in England, returned home to run Tullyveery as a farm with his brother Michael.

“My brother is the professional farmer — I am the labourer,” he said. “We are both in our sixties, and the immediate succession are not farmers. So we were looking to see if we could do something else in business terms.

“When my daughter got engaged I saw a gap in the market in Northern Ireland. There seems to be a bit of a pattern here as to where you go for your reception and I wanted to cater for couple a who want a leisurely Irish country house wedding. There are relatively few places in Down and East Down.”

So when a researcher from Waddell Media contacted him last July, he didn’t take too long before deciding to take part, even though it would encroach further on the privacy of his family home.

“Of course I know the format of these programmes and I was prepared for it,” he said. “There are going to be a certain amount of cameras and you have to take sensible precautions before allowing such access.

“They’re here to make a TV programme and God knows how I’m going to come across. Then you think, how can this help? Well, if 10 girls ring up as a consequence of seeing the programme that’s good.”

Nick visited twice, the first time in late August and Colin’s first impression was of a man with a boundless energy that belied his 68 years.

“He saw lots of potential and was comparing it to places he knew in England,” said Colin. “He said ‘you have to consider fine dining’. My other thought was to trade on the American tourists coming over on the cruise ships, though there are issues over insurance.

“The only thing is he does not know is Northern Ireland society. There are nuances in our society you have to take account of.

“When Nick asked me at the start of the process if I was totally open minded I said ‘absolutely’, and then thought ‘yeah right’!”

With profit and loss margins key to Nick’s strategic advice in the first visit, Colin began to follow up on advice to restore yard buildings, provide car parks, and resurface the area. Now licensed by the Downpatrick Registrar to hold Civil Wedding and Civil Partnership ceremonies, there are two indoor locations and three larger outdoor venues which incorporate marquees.

“I knew right away I had to get on with it and that he was coming back in December to see how I was getting on,” he said. “I had to demonstrate flexibility in his next visit and hosted lunch for 11 members of the WI.

“I was told my lunchtime menu was too elaborate. And of course you do not know quite what he is saying to the camera. Those pieces to camera are disconcerting.

“Overall, however, it was great fun — character building stuff.”

And with Nick’s mood on a more or less even keel throughout the visits, Colin said he came across as a “better personality” than he does on screen.

“He is very, very sharp,” he said. “And those expressions. I am sure there was quite a lot more being said to the microphone than I heard.”

And on Sunday, during a mini wedding fayre, Nick returned to Tullyveery House for the third and final time — to cut the ribbon on a venue, which has already secured several bookings.

“I do genuinely feel it could be good fun for all concerned,” said Colin of his new business venture, deciding it had been very worthwhile to let Nick Hewer into his home for a couple of days.