The Escapade Group Acquires Farmer Teds Adventure Farm
28th May 2026
The Escapade Group has expanded into the North West following the acquisition of Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm. Completed on Friday 8 May 2026, the acquisition marks the group’s seventh attraction and its first site in Lancashire.
Located near Ormskirk, Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm is one of the region’s best-loved family attractions, packed with indoor and outdoor play, animal encounters and seasonal events, including the UK’s only Shaun the Sheep™ attraction.
The site is also home to Farmaggedon, the award-winning Halloween scare event, which attracts over 30,000 visitors each year and has earned an international reputation within the scare attraction industry.
The acquisition marks another milestone in The Escapade Group’s continued growth across the UK attractions industry, following its expansion into the South West with the acquisition of Watermouth Castle in Devon in 2023.
Joe Ponte, Chief Executive Officer of The Escapade Group, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Farmer Ted’s into The Escapade Group family. It’s a fantastic attraction with a brilliant reputation, a passionate team and loyal customers. There’s already so much that families love about the experience, and we’re looking forward to building on what’s already there, supporting the brilliant team on site and helping Farmer Ted’s continue to grow for years to come.”
Nick de Candole and Richard Farley, founders of The Escapade Group, said:
“From the moment we visited, we knew this was somewhere we wanted to be part of. It’s packed with character, offers a genuinely brilliant day out for families and has created something really unique. Farmer Ted’s represents everything we love about the attractions industry: imagination, escapism and creating memorable days out. We’re hugely excited about what comes next.”
Mark and Diane Edwards, founders of Farmer Ted’s and Farmaggedon, added:
“Joining The Escapade Group is a really exciting next step for Farmer Ted’s. They really understand what makes a great family attraction, and there’s a genuine passion for creating experiences that guests want to come back to again and again. We’d also like to thank our incredible team who have been part of Farmer Ted’s journey over the past 23 years and helped make it what it is today. We’re excited for Farmer Ted’s and the amazing people behind it to become part of The Escapade Group, and we truly believe there’s an exciting future ahead as the attraction continues to grow and evolve.”
Families can continue to enjoy everything they already know and love about Farmer Ted’s, with the existing team remaining in place as part of the transition.
The acquisition expands The Escapade Group’s portfolio to seven attractions across England, including Hobbledown, Hobbledown Heath, Gripped London, Kidspace Croydon, Kidspace Romford and Watermouth Castle.
About The Escapade Group
The Escapade Group is a UK operator of visitor attractions and leisure experiences.
Its portfolio includes Hobbledown in Surrey, Hobbledown Heath and Gripped London in West London, Kidspace Croydon in South London, Kidspace Romford in East London and Watermouth Castle in North Devon. The group creates unique attractions designed to encourage adventure, imagination and memorable shared experiences for guests of all ages.
About Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm
Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm is a family attraction located in Lancashire, offering indoor and outdoor play, animal encounters and seasonal events for families with young children.
About Farmaggedon
Widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading scare events, Farmaggedon is a multi-award-winning Halloween scare attraction held annually in Lancashire and welcomes over 30,000 visitors each year.
Shaun the Sheep™ © and TM Aardman Animations Ltd 2026.
For more information or media enquiries, please email centralmarketing@escapadegroup.com
