Hitchin Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and groups in our town and surrounding areas.

We showcase some of these businesses, organisations and individuals in a feature called 'Up Close in Hitchin'.

This week we have successful businessman Lincoln Hillan who is based at Offley Hoo Farm, only a few miles from Hitchin.

The site is flourishing with new businesses, shops and stores opening all the time - and is set to become a destination visit for those from Hitchin and further afield.

The farm already offers a top quality butchers, a coffee shop and garden centre - with plans well advanced to add plenty of new businesses.

Lincoln has only just recently opened his own shop at the farm, so read on for his take on the site, his business and how he coped during lockdown in our latest Hitchin Nub News UP CLOSE feature.

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Hitchin Nub News: You're a busy bloke, so thanks for your time Lincoln, tell our readers about your business and Offley Hoo Farm

Lincoln Hillan: We're on site with a different business. A direct mail and print firm. I was chatting to Alan the farmer when this was all an empty shell at the time and I asked him what was going in here.

He told me there would be a garden centre and shops. I quizzed him about the price and thought it would be a good vehicle for a lot of the stock we're already involved in. We've got millions of greetings card, really high end greetings cards. Victorian and personalised gifts. You name it and we can print onto it. Clocks. And it kind of evolved into a bit more.

It's like that thread you keep pulling and pulling. So it was going to be those products but we're now selling homewares and gifts. Retro toys, CBD products, second hand lego. vaping products, it's just gone mad. In spite of all that we thought we had way too much product but we've got loads of empty shelves as we keep selling out.

HNN: It's a lovely place and a lovely set up here at Offley Hoo Farm. What would you say to people in Hitchin and further afield in north Herts to get them to visit?

There's a garden centre, there's a café doing brilliant food, there's a butchers, the best butchers you'll ever come across. It's fantastic. There's a florist opening up. We've got a bakery, there's a patieserrie. We've got beauty treatments. We've got ourselves of course. Cider brewers. There's going to be cider tasting. The Dutch House devoted to all things Dutch. You name it, it's here. Fruit and veg and meat.

You'll be able to come and get your fruit and veg, your meat, everything you need and a coffee and a sandwich at the same time and do a bit of shopping as well and a bit of retail therapy. It's a one stop shop.

This is going to be a hive of activity. It's already becoming that as it's a way point for cyclists and walkers. The butchers are already seeing loads of people coming through which is only going to grow as it builds and builds.

HNN: And it's set in stunning scenery isn't it? Offley's a lovely place...?

LH:I call it chocolate box village as it's so beautiful. I live in Offley. I only live up the road. I could walk to work when the weather's better!

HNN:Three lockdowns in 13 months has been tough for everyone. What's your story been?

LH: The first lockdown we didn't have the shop, but it was hard with my other business. If it hadn't been for the bounceback loan I don't think we'd be here now. We got that eventually and it allowed us to pay off some of the credit we built up. We probably hemorrhaged around £200k of revenue around that time.

It was tough. But we've transformed the business. We prepay and we try and get all our customers to prepay us. It's been a good excuse to get people onto that. Cash is still king and if you can get payment up front it makes such a difference to your cashflow.

HNN: What would you say you've learned about yourself during the last year?

LH: This time last year I was the most stressed person on the planet. We owed a lot of money and I'm not one for sleepless night but I was worried. But now, even if things went like they did last year we don't owe all those suppliers anymore. I don't have those stressed times anymore. I'm a far more relaxed person.

So, it's made me realise I need to get out and do more leisure stuff. I need to start doing things away from work. I'm a Londoner. You're a Londoner. Have you ever been to the Tower of London?! Most of us have never done all that tourist stuff and got out and explore the country. It's beautiful round here on our doorstep too and I need to get out and explore it more.

I couldn't wish for anywhere better to live. Hitchin is a lovely town. Offley's great. I love it here. I've put down some good roots here.

HNN: What advice would you give to someone starting a business after what you've learned during lockdown?

LH: Id' say just go for it. It's a good time to start a new business. Just do it I'd say. I read a report that said 2020 saw more new businesses opened than any other year so it just shows you that people have been laid off or are doing other things that they want to do in terms of setting up little businesses.

I think this is a pivotal moment for retail. I think more and more people will come to places like this.

The 'High Street' really needs to reinvent itself. I really think everything will become more local. Look at Hitchin for example. There are virtually no big stores in Hitchin any more – it's all brilliant independents. I think that could be good for the fabric of society because the old lady who goes out shopping doesn't see anyone from one week to the next and she needs to meet people and shopping locally can facilitate that.

But that scenario will only happen if the powers that be look at business rates and the rents landlords are charging. If they do, I think the 'High Street' could thrive again.

But in the meantime places like this are going to be more and more attractive. Free parking. It's in a lovely spot in the county.

HNN: You're 52, what's your plans for the future?

LH: Yes, I'm 52, I don't want to be rubbing me knuckles when I'm 70. I'd like to be finished when I'm 60. I've got an opportunity here that I'm trying to grab with both hands. I've got a few other things going on. My plan is that at 60 I'd like to be spending my winters in southern Spain and my spring and summer in England. If I could do that I'd be happy. Half and half and playing a bit of golf.

Great stuff, I won't ask about our beloved Arsenal…

LH:Laughs ruefully No, no best not go there. Some of us still remember the glory days...!

See Hitchin Nub News for more from successful businessman Lincoln Hillan and the emerging Offley Hoo Farm which is sure to be a destination visit for shoppers from our town as well as north Herts and beyond.