Fish farm targets Yorkshire expansion after securing 15-year lease with Environment Agency

By Harrison Drury

01 Mar 2023

Costa Spring Hatchery Commercial Lease

One of the oldest fish farms in the UK has expanded with a third site after securing a 15-year lease with the Environment Agency.

The lease has enabled Costa Spring Hatchery Limited, a trout farm based in Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire, and Sinnington, North Yorkshire, to open a third farm in Pickering, North Yorkshire, and the business is already eyeing a fourth site to help it meet demand from the industry.

The three trout farms rear live trout that are supplied to recreational fishing lakes across the country as well as fingerlings supplied to other commercial trout farms. Its original Dunsop Bridge trout farm, which supplies brown and rainbow trout, was established in 1926.

Now one of the largest trout farm businesses in the UK, Costa Spring Hatchery supplies over 20 million fingerlings each year to support trout fishing in the UK.

Philip Mart, a director of Costa Spring Hatchery, said: “Recreational fishing remains the most popular sport in the country in participation terms and the demand for our trout is very high, so we’re delighted to have secured the lease with the Environment Agency for our third site.

“We have now set our sights on another location in Yorkshire to further expand the business and we continue to seek and recruit people interested in a career in trout farming because there is certainly plenty of work for them.”

Harrison Drury provided legal advice to Costa Spring Hatchery’s owners Philip Mart and David Jones in attaining the 15-year lease at Pickering. Our team had initially advised the pair on a management buyout of the business from the Birtwistle family in 2011.

Wendy Newbury, commercial property solicitor at Harrison Drury’s Clitheroe office, said: “It’s always a pleasure when a client returns to us for further advice when they are growing a business. Phil and Dave have a long history of trout farming in the region and their knowledge is unsurpassed. It’s no surprise their business continues to thrive.”

Philip added: “Wendy’s support has been instrumental in getting the business secured in Pickering and we are grateful for the speed and expertise she provided in organising the necessary paperwork and valuable advice to secure the lease.”

The new Pickering site is now the largest for the business and employs four full time staff and one part time worker. Owners Phil and Dave are seeking to grow its team at the site.

The Dunsop Bridge site employs four full time staff and one part time worker and its Sinnington farm is co-managed by the team at Pickering.

Latest news

1

Dragons' Den star to shine on Lancashire Business Day Derry Green

Dragons' Den star to shine on Lancashire Business Day

21 Oct 2025

2

Eden Project Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 marks 25th anniversary Eden Project garden

Eden Project Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 marks 25th anniversary

21 Oct 2025

3

Breck Homes appoints new managing director Phil Dolan, Breck

Breck Homes appoints new managing director

20 Oct 2025

4

Management buyout at Suresite Group Steve Holden

Management buyout at Suresite Group

17 Oct 2025

5

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company Helen and Richard Chalu new

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company

16 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

Chamber Business Lunch – October
LBV Hub Networking
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – October

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

11:00 - 13:30

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancaster District Business Support Expo
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Lancaster District Business Support Expo

The Platform, Morecambe, LA4 4DB

10:00 - 15:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin