Kent Life

What Kent Life does

Kent Life is a 28-acre heritage farm and living history attraction located in Sandling, Maidstone, Kent, approximately one hour from London and adjacent to the M20 motorway. Originally opened in 1985 as the Museum of Kent Life on the Cobtree Manor Estate, the attraction has been rebranded to Kent Life and is operated by Planning Solutions Limited on behalf of Maidstone Borough Council. The site combines a working farmyard (200+ animals including rare UK breeds, 12 owls at the Kent Owl Academy) with authentic relocated historic structures including Petts Farmhouse, Ulcombe Village Hall, and Cuxton Chapel, plus the last working coal-fired Oast House in Britain.

The core product portfolio spans family play areas (indoor soft play barn, outdoor play, Mr Moo's Messy Play), the Vintage Village, Kentish Gardens with hop garden, and on-site experiences such as Paint-a-Pot studio, tractor rides, and animal adoption programmes. The business generates revenue through seasonally tiered general admission tickets, annual memberships, food and beverage (Dotty's Tea Room, The Pantry, Ice Cream Hut, The Pizza Garden with wood-fired oven), a gift shop in the Oast House, weddings at historic venues, school and youth group educational visits, and a calendar of paid special events (Halloween Spooktacular, Fireworks Spectacular, Experience Christmas, Hops & Harvest, Ice Cream Festival, character meet-and-greets).

Kent Life serves predominantly families with children and school/youth groups in South East England, with secondary segments in wedding parties and pet-owning families. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via online booking (tygit.com), on-site admissions, annual memberships, and gift vouchers, supported by content marketing through the Farmyard Chatter blog, social channels, and partnerships with children's character brands and local tourism bodies such as Visit Maidstone. The operator is a privately held private limited company; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kent Life

Legal name

Planning Solutions Limited

Website

https://kentlife.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Farm Attraction

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Hog and Pig Farming (11221)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Agritourism Eco-Lodges & Farm Nature Stays (THAAAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Heritage/Specialty Breed Hog Farming (AFAEAEAJ), Landscape, Turf & Groundskeeping Trades (EDAOAOAC)

Keywords

• Heritage farm attraction
• Family entertainment venue
• Educational school visits
• Living history experiences
• Seasonal event ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Day visitors purchase tickets for entry to the 28-acre heritage farm attraction. Pricing varies by season (High, Mid, Low) with different opening hours and last admission times. Family tickets available (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children). Children under 2 admitted free.
2. Annual Membership Passes: Annual membership provides daytime admission for 1 calendar year. Family memberships valid for 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children. Includes 20% discount at Paint-a-Pot and 10% discount in food outlets. Some events excluded (Fireworks, Christmas Experience) but members receive gate price discounts.
3. Animal Adoptions: Annual animal adoption program at £35 per year. Adopters receive a photo, certificate, complimentary ticket, fact sheet, and fridge magnet. Premium 'Meet the Farm Experience' available at £60 for 2 people.
4. Food & Beverage Operations: Multiple on-site food outlets: Dotty's Tea Room (1950s-inspired, local produce), The Pantry in Play Barn (snacks, drinks), Ice Cream Hut (peak season), and The Pizza Garden (wood-fired pizza).
5. Retail Gift Shop: Gift shop located in the Oast House selling toys, games, homeware, books, vintage giftware, and local Kentish products including ciders and chutneys.
6. Venue Hire - Weddings: Wedding ceremonies at Ulcombe Village Hall and the Old Pink Chapel (originally built 1897), with receptions in various historic buildings. Catering options include hog roasts, BBQs, afternoon tea, and four-course wedding breakfasts.
7. Education Programs: Schools and youth groups book educational visits including theme days (Roman, Victorian, WWII), workshops (pottery, cookery, nature), and self-guided heritage trails. Approved 'Public Learning Destination' for Kent Children's University.
8. Experiences & Activities: Additional charge activities including Meet the Farm experiences (£60), tractor/land train rides, and Paint-a-Pot studio (starting from £3.50).
9. Special Event Tickets: Separate ticketing for major events including Halloween Spooktacular, Fireworks Spectacular, Experience Christmas, Ice Cream Festival, Hops & Harvest, and character meet-and-greets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kent Life is a 28-acre heritage farm and living history attraction offering family day-out experiences with animal encounters, vintage village exploration, gardens, indoor and outdoor play areas, and year-round seasonal events. Operations include educational school visits, wedding venue hire, on-site food and beverage, a gift shop, animal adoption subscriptions, and add-on experiences such as Paint-a-Pot and Meet the Farm.

Product overview

Kent Life is a 28-acre heritage farm and living history attraction offering a diverse portfolio of family experiences. The core offering centres on hands-on farm encounters (Farmyard & Nature with animal interactions and Meet the Farm experiences), heritage exploration (Vintage Village with historic buildings and Kentish Gardens), and family entertainment (indoor/outdoor play areas, Paint-a-Pot pottery studio, Kent Owl Academy). Additional revenue streams include food & beverage operations (Dotty's Tea Room, Pizza Garden with wood-fired oven, The Pantry, Ice Cream Hut, Gift Shop), venue hire services (Birthday Parties, Weddings at historic venues), and education programmes for schools. The attraction runs seasonal events (Easter, Summer, Harvest, Halloween, Christmas) and offers Adopt an Animal and Annual Membership as loyalty products. Planning Solutions Limited operates Kent Life on behalf of Maidstone Borough Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family Play Areas Indoor and outdoor play areas including a three-floor soft play barn for children aged 2+, outdoor play area, bouncy castle, paddle boats, and Mr Moo's Messy Play outdoor area with mud kitchen, music area, water sprinkler and games zone. Designed for families seeking all-weather entertainment.
• Farmyard and Nature Hands-on farm experiences with 200+ animals including sheep, pigs, horses, donkeys, goats, poultry, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, ducks, geese, and alpacas. Includes donkey rides, tractor rides, animal feeding sessions, and Meet the Farm private experiences.
• Vintage Village Living history attraction featuring historic buildings including Petts Farmhouse, Ulcombe Village Hall, Lenham Cottages, and Cuxton Chapel showcasing Kent's rural heritage.
• Kentish Gardens Ornamental herb garden, apple orchards, farmhouse gardens, hop garden featuring Fuggle and Goldings varieties, and Britain's last working coal-fired Oast House.
• Kent Owl Academy Owl sanctuary and education facility currently home to 12 owls with live flying demonstration shows for visitors.
• Paint-a-Pot Studio Indoor pottery studio offering ceramic painting activities with tiles, animals, piggy banks and seasonal specials. Prices start from £3.50, glazed and dried on-site for same-day pickup. Annual members receive 20% discount.
• Adopt an Animal Annual animal adoption programme at £35 per year. Adopters receive a ready-to-frame photo, certificate, complimentary ticket for recipient plus guest, fact sheet, and fridge magnet. Premium 'Meet the Farm Experience' available at £60 for 2 people.
• Birthday Parties Venue hire for children's birthday parties with various entertainment options and catering on the 28-acre heritage farm site.
• Weddings Wedding venue hire offering ceremonies at Ulcombe Village Hall or the Old Pink Chapel (originally built 1897) with receptions in various historic buildings. Catering options include hog roasts, BBQs, afternoon tea, and four-course wedding breakfasts.
• Education Programmes School visits and educational workshops including theme days (Roman, Victorian, WWII), heritage trail, pottery and cookery workshops, and pre-school play days. Approved Public Learning Destination for Kent Children's University.
• Events Programme Seasonal events including Spring into Easter, Little Farmers Summer Pass, Hops n Harvest Festival, Halloween Spooktacular, Fireworks Spectacular, Ice Cream Festival, character meet-and-greets (Peppa Pig, Bluey, Gruffalo), and Christmas Experience. Experience Christmas is a Gold award winner at the Beautiful South Awards 2022.
• Annual Membership Annual pass offering daytime admission to Kent Life for 1 calendar year. Family membership covers 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children. Includes 20% discount on Paint-a-Pot and 10% discount in food outlets (excluding alcohol and books). Members receive gate price discounts on major events.
• Dotty's Tea Room 1950s-inspired tea room serving fresh local produce, homemade cakes, light lunches, and cream teas sourced from local Kentish producers.
• Pizza Garden Weekend and school holiday pizza service featuring freshly made pizza from an on-site wood-fired pizza oven located between the tea room terrace and herb garden.
• Gift Shop Gift shop located in Britain's last working coal-fired Oast House selling games, toys, homeware, books, vintage giftware, and local Kentish products including ciders and chutneys.
• Meet the Farm Experience Private one-hour farm experience for up to 2 people priced at £60, featuring exclusive session with the livestock team and animal interactions with a minimum of 3 animals. Minimum age 5 years (Donkeys 8 years+).

Quantifiable outcome

• Award-winning Experience Christmas event recognized with GOLD award at Beautiful South Awards 2022
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maidstone Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent Life is managed by Planning Solutions Limited on behalf of Maidstone Borough Council. The council owns the Cobtree Manor Estate and has entrusted the operation and development of Kent Life to this management arrangement.
• Planning Solutions LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanning Solutions Limited (PSL), established 1995 and tracing history to the Rank Group, manages Kent Life and other visitor attractions including CONKERS, Sandwell Ropes, Vertigo Adventures, and Springfields Adventure Land. PSL operates as a specialist tourism, heritage, leisure and economic development consultancy.
• Curly's FarmminorOthersSource of Lithuanian pigs (Aubrey, Angela & Ada) who arrived at Kent Life in January 2023 from Curly's Farm. Ethel the pedigree Middle White also joined from this source.
• The Donkey SanctuaryminorOthersDonkeys Dora and Ellie were rescued by The Donkey Sanctuary in Romania and Blackpool respectively before arriving at Kent Life in 2009.
• Maidstone Family ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides costumes and volunteers for annual Farm Nativity and Christmas on the Home Front events. Created and directs the living nativity re-telling with volunteers wearing authentic costumes.
• Various Ice Cream CompaniesminorOthers8 different ice cream companies supply the annual Ice Cream Festival featuring 60+ varieties and 35 flavours including free-from options.
• Vincent's CateringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWedding coordinator Tracy Locke from Vincent's Catering manages wedding enquiries and provides catering services for wedding events at Kent Life.
• Visit MaidstoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism body offering downloadable cycle trails and promoting Kent Life as a visitor attraction in Maidstone. Part of Kent tourism network.
• Kent Children's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent Life is an approved 'Public Learning Destination' for Kent Children's University, supporting educational visits with learning credits for participating children.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Longdown Activity Farm: New Forest family farm attraction with hands-on animal feeding, indoor play barn, and seasonal events — a directly comparable regional farm attraction to Kent Life.
• Cotswold Farm Park: Heritage farm attraction founded by Adam Henson focused on rare and native breeds, with indoor/outdoor play, camping, and seasonal events — comparable to Kent Life on rare-breed positioning, family programming, and event calendar.
• Farmer Palmer's Farm Park: Dorset-based family farm attraction with animal encounters, indoor play barn, tractor rides, and birthday party venue hire — directly mirrors Kent Life's mix of farmyard, soft play, and venue hire.
• Odds Farm Park: Family-focused working farm attraction in Buckinghamshire offering hands-on animal experiences, indoor and outdoor play, and seasonal events — directly comparable to Kent Life's core farmyard, play, and event-based offering.
• Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park: Family attraction near Bristol combining animal experiences, adventure play, and seasonal events — comparable in product mix and target market to Kent Life.
• Hobbledown Heath: Adventure farm attraction in Surrey/Hillingdon combining animals, themed play, and immersive experiences for families — comparable to Kent Life on family-targeted adventure + animal mix.

Others

• Rare Breeds Survival Trust: UK charity focused on conservation of rare native livestock breeds — comparable to Kent Life's heritage/rare-breed livestock positioning and education programming, though as a conservation non-profit rather than commercial operator.

Broad incumbents

• CONKERS: Family adventure attraction in Leicestershire also operated by Planning Solutions Limited (Kent Life's parent operator) — directly comparable operating model, management peer, and visitor target.
• Springfields Adventure Land: Family adventure attraction also operated by Planning Solutions Limited — directly comparable operating peer under the same parent operator as Kent Life.
• Twycross Zoo: Mid-sized Midlands zoo and family attraction; former employer of Kent Life's current General Manager Rob Bracken (COO). Comparable scale, family-attraction operating model, and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KentLifeFamilyFun
• Instagraminstagram.com/kent_life_farm
• Xx.com/kent_life

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kent Life