Farlam Hall has been owned by three members of the Quinion family since 1975. One of their guiding principles is that an “extended family” approach, using local staffing, brings tangible benefits to both guests and employees.
All the hall’s staff is local, and some have been with it for more than 30 years. The owners, whose background is in catering, have first-hand experience of the unstable employment conditions faced by many in the sector. All employees develop on a clearly-defined path, starting in housekeeping and moving progressively to front-of-house roles as their skills allow. In addition, all are offered long-term, stable working patterns. As life circumstances change, the owners shape roles to match. But loyalty isn’t the only benefit. Front-of-house staff have a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the local area—key for more intrepid guests who venture into the surrounding wild countryside, where weather conditions can change rapidly. The hall has devised its own walks, and the team takes pleasure in offering detailed advice about where the area’s wildlife, such as native red squirrels, can be seen.