A BORN-AGAIN farmer has exchanged the rat race for the bee-keeping racket with his latest commercial venture.

William Alldis, 31, used to run the printworks company Lab 247 at Weald Place Farm, in Duck Lane, Thornwood, creating everything from leaflets to brochures to banners.

Despite the company once reaching a turnover of £750,000 the downturn in the economy meant the end for its commercial life and William decided to go back to the historical family business of farming.

He said: “We had very small margins anyway and then clients decided they didn't want to pay their bills. We put tens of thousands of pounds into the company to keep it afloat but it just didn't work out.

“We decided to go back to farming. My family here goes back to 1920. My grandfather had a successful chicken farm business, and we've always kept a small amount of animals here.”

Using a tiny start up fee, in 15 weeks William has created the largest commercial bee farm in the district selling his stock to bee-keepers across the land.

“It's been a roaring success really,” he said. “I started off on £400 which was all the money I had in the world when the printing company closed. We've expanded from that and we have sold about £4,000 worth of bees.

“We have got 76 hives and we are looking to expand to 400 by the end of next year. We primarily supply bees, and our secondary crop is honey and other things like wax.”

A true family business, William's farm holds three different generations who all help out. His mother has recently returned from a bee-buying mission to Slovenia.

The entrepreneur farmer's next step is to open a farm shop to the public selling jams, preserves, honey and live poultry.

The grand opening for the shop has been timetabled for Saturday, August 28 with a harvest festival event which will include a growing competition with a celebrity judge.

For more information visit wealdplacefarm.co.uk.