Estate owner Benjie Cabbell Manners reveals how a bold diversification is helping to make his business a roaring success. Stephen Pullinger reports.

While 600 acres of farmland remains the backbone of his business, Benjie Cabbell Manners, 60, confesses that the long-term future of Cromer Hall estate could depend on what is happening on just 15 acres.

When conservationist Ken Sims struck on the idea of a zoo for Cromer, Mr Cabbell Manners was happy to lease him the land to open one in 2008 as part of any modern-day farmer's strategy of diversification.

But last year he took a bold decision that possibly not many other farmers would contemplate when he bought the business - Amazona Zoo - from Mr Sims and became actively involved in it, day-to-day, with his wife Dido.

Mr Sims, who had decided to focus on his first zoo, Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, near Great Yarmouth, as he approached retirement had succeeded in establishing the South American wildlife collection as a popular attraction in the resort.

However, Mr Cabbell Manners' vision was to build on that in a way that would safeguard the future of the estate for his three children, including his son Hughie, 22, who is currently taking a land management degree.

He said: 'Farming is the estate's core business but it is so volatile that for an estate like ours to survive we have got to be properly diversified into many things to weather the agricultural storms.

'The situation is starkly illustrated by the price of wheat which is £103 per tonne at the moment compared to £200 a tonne two years ago. The price depends on supply and demand but our costs are totally separate from that.'

He said their arable operation was too small on its own and they had diversified in many ways, from building industrial units and a short stay travellers' site to renting cottages and sites for phone masts.

Since taking over the zoo, Mr Cabbell Manners has committed to what he describes as 'sensible investment', building a new indoor play area, Jungle Tumbles, and improving the cafe with new insulatation, heating and mural decorations.

He said: 'We have also revamped the outdoor play area - adding jumping pillows - and improved the grounds with such features as a daffodil walk and wood carvings by Arnie, the well-known carver from Felbrigg.'

On the animal side, they had improved enclosures - his wife takes a keen interest in the floral displays in the reptile house - and added spiders, guinea pigs, a toucan and their newest arrivals, jaguarundi cats.

They had also opened the zoo all year round although only Jungle Tumbles was open from Christmas to February half-term.

Mr Cabbell Manners, who took over the estate from his parents, said: 'Extending the season has had the beneficial effect of giving our 12 zoo staff more regular hours.

'The zoo also makes the whole business more sustainable as farm workers can be kept busy doing maintenance at the zoo during the winter.'

He said their investment was already paying off with visitor numbers for May 56pc up on last year.

'There is a good chance we will reach 70,000 visitors this year. My target is to eventually get to 90,000 which will go a long way to securing the future of the estate,' he said.

Is your business successfully diversifying? Email stephen.pullinger@archant.co.uk