A local business entrepreneur thinks we should ‘Reach for the Sky’.
Guy Rolfe co-runs the beautiful Penton Park estate at Penton Mewsey will share stories and experiences on Andover Radio’s The Word this Monday night.
A proponent of ‘going self-employed’, Guy will share his experiences from ‘blowing things up on movie sets’ to identifying and creating deals for global property company Jones Lang LaSalle. But his most recent adventures are the most enlightening and the most exciting.
On ‘The Word’ on Monday evening at 8pm Guy will talk to host Ben Morris about what motivates him to get up each morning and be determined to achieve and make positive change.
A movie poster of the 1956 film ‘Reach for the Sky’ hangs prominently above Guy’s desk at the Lodge. It’s a reference to Douglas Bader, played by Kenneth More in the film as to why people should push beyond their normal boundaries in order to achieve.
39-year old Guy set-up his first business aged 16 and today is the co-founder of the incredible James’s Place, a day service for adults with learning and physical disabilities. He runs the organisation with his wife Danielle after an almost complete renovation of the 17-bed property.
Guy and his family acquired Penton Lodge ten years ago. It is an impressive 18th century manor house, which had been a convalescent home for American officers during the second world war and subsequently a Benedictine Convent. However by the early 2000’s, the property and grounds had seriously deteriorated.
Guys says, “I do believe country estates are having their renascence and ambitious thinking is the only way fellow owners of these precious buildings can secure them for future generations.”
Penton Lodge is now an award-winning wedding venue. Indeed it is listed by the Evening Standard as being in the top 50 wedding venues in the UK (and the only one in Hampshire).
Guy sees opportunities everywhere and is excited about Andover’s future. Commenting that naysayers about Andover is one of the town’s biggest problems, he says it can be solved with identifying and supporting the huge amount of potential for the town. He says, “I am looking forward to talking about entrepreneurship and why not winning is good for the soul”.
In 2018 he created Penton Park Brewery in some space available on the lower ground floor of Penton Lodge. The microbrewery supplies ales and porters such as ‘50 Not Out’ amber ale and the very popular 6.0% ABV Penton Porter. These ales are for sale in pubs like The Crown at Upton and at select Waitrose stores.
Hear Guy’s tale, the story of James’s Place and more about his optimistic views of Andover, identifying opportunities and ‘reaching for the skies’ on Monday evening (10th February 2020) from 8pm on 95.9FM Andover Radio.
You can hear the programme again the following Sunday at 6pm.
