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“He loved building this house,” said Kath. “I’ll never leave it. This business is my life, I’d be a lost soul without it!”

For Kath Allison, owning and managing Stoupe Cross Farm Holidays isn’t just a job, it’s a lifelong vocation.

Formerly a working farm, Kath was born on the site to William and Margaret Trotter, who bought the farm back in 1949. “I’ve lived and worked here all my life, I remember milking the cows when I was very young,” said Kath. The hard-working family’s life was turned upside down in 1958 when William died suddenly, leaving Margaret with three young children to raise and a mixed-use farm to run. “We did what we had to do,” Kath explained. “My brothers helped mum, everyone worked together.”

The family always had a handful of holiday caravans on the farm and this side of their enterprise expanded as the farming aspect declined, with Kath taking on the reins of what became Stoupe Cross Farm Holidays in the early 1970s. She said: “My mum built it up then delegated one section to me, and another to my brother, who now runs a neighbouring caravan park. She carried on working alongside us well into the 1990s, she was such a strong woman.”

When Kath married and started her own family, her husband was instrumental in further developing the site, helping to build a new road and install electric and water systems. Later, when the original farmhouse needed demolishing and replacing, he took great pride in building a new family home. Heartbreakingly, within a year of this accomplishment, an aggressive cancer claimed his life. “He loved building this house,” said Kath. “I’ll never leave it. This business is my life, I’d be a lost soul without it!”
As Kath’s family tree continues to grow with the arrival of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, kind-hearted relatives pitch in to support her livelihood. She said: “My son and son-in-law are wonderful. They regularly come here in their spare time and look after the grounds, cutting grass and keeping everything neat and tidy.”

Another bonus of such a long tenure is the friendships that have blossomed over the years with long-term customers. “Some of our customers have been here since the 1960s,” she added. “It’s lovely to get to know people who return here year after year, but I’m always very welcoming to newcomers too.”

The site is open from March to October, and draws holidaymakers from all over the UK as well as further afield. Child and dog-friendly, it appeals to people of all ages who are seeking a bolthole that’s near enough to Whitby to easily access all of its many attractions, while remaining far enough from the town centre to enjoy some calm cliff-top seclusion.

For more information about availability at Stoupe Cross Farm holidays, contact Kath now by email, telephone or via the online enquiry form.
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