Somewhere more than an influencer

‘authentic voices with valuable insights’

Updated 10 October 2025

CLIFFORD FREEMAN

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Sustainable livestock farming

Sustainable meat production

Ultra processed food

Food labelling

Hospitality trends

Business rejuvenation

CREDENTIALS

Influential beef farmer

Successful hotelier and restauranteur

Isles of Scilly’s largest accommodation provider

Track record in business turnarounds

Consumes only unprocessed food

Former industry leading chicken processor

Family saved the Pedigree Gloucester cattle breed from extinction, alongside Adam Henson’s

Contact

Call Petra at St Mary’s Hall Hotel on 01720 422316 or
use the links below.

Email

Passions & expertise

Animal welfare and meat

Committed to producing the UK’s finest beef.

Invested in whole life cycle of red meat production, from birth to plate. Proven that there are five impacts to creating the most tender, nutritious and flavoursome meat:
- Slow rearing, feeding only grass from indgineous pasture;
- Minimising stress by reducing handling and movement;
- Reviving the UK’s historic livestock gene pool;
- Reviving traditional ageing time and butchery cuts
- Improving chef knowledge and practice

Consumer knowing the journey of their food

Passionately believes the consumer knows far too little about the origin of their food

Continues to engage consumers with events on his farm to improve their connection and understanding.
Believes food processors have disrupted the true value of food and consumers need to reduce ingredient intake

Growing new cultures within businesses

Employs around 50 staff across his businesses, primarily based in the Isles of Scilly.

His experience rescuing the family’s chicken processing company – formerly one of the UK’s largest independent chicken processor before its sale – has equipped him to successfully turn around a series of smaller enterprises.
He credits much of his success to fostering a strong sense of culture and pride within each business.

Topical opinions

Ultra processed food

Clifford champions the movement against ultra processed food.

Believes the consumer needs to be wary of bread, counting (in one case) over 100 ingredients listed in a gluten free sandwich (real bread only requires four!)

On the forthcoming budget…

Clifford believes the consumer needs more guidance on exacting better value from their weekly grocery shop

Strongly believes that, given soaring food inflation, the consumer needs guidance to purchase food more wisely, and be less distracted by foods he says are “price-inflated and nutrition-deflated” through increased processing and ever more seductive convenience marketing.

Media

Clifford has been regularly featured on BBC Countryfile alongside BBC R4 Farming Today amongst other TV and radio programming, in addition to features across many farming media.

Current release

13 October 2025

Farmer who transformed a failed hotel by applying animal welfare standards is awarded 4 AA stars.

Go

Future media opportunities

Please contact us regarding potential participation in the following subjects.

November 2025

Less is more – an insider’s guide to beating food inflation

Clifford will be explaining the benefits and savings of cutting the processor out from the weekly food shop.

British Pudding Day – November 9th

Release of C;ifford’s hotel survey on guest’s favourite British pudding, with a chef’s recipe.

December 2025

Beef for Christmas, turkey through the year

Clifford will argue that turkey should be considered as part of a family’s monthly shop rather than just for Christmas, and a beef joint from a named and local farm may be more suited to celebrate over at Christmas.

Seasonal turkey production is becoming unsustainable
Beef is becoming an expensive meat but critical to maintaining the British landscape
Lack of fodder this year, less breeding stock and increased competition from other land uses (solar farms, rewilding etc) are all contributing to soaring beef prices
Beef prices unlikely to drop next year

News release 13 October 2025

Farmer who transformed a failed hotel by applying animal welfare standards is awarded 4 AA stars.

A hotel has just been awarded 4 AA Stars by treating guests with the same care and attention
given to prize livestock.

Embargo until Monday 13 October

When Gloucestershire farmer Clifford Freeman purchased St Mary’s Hall Hotel on the Isles of Scilly in 2009, the hotel was bankrupt having struggled with an occupancy rate never more than 40%.

Fast forward to today, and the hotel is thriving — and has been awarded 4 AA Stars, with August occupancy soaring past 92%. Clifford’s secret? Applying the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare [listed below], a standard of care in livestock farming, to the hospitality world.

“I had never run a hotel before,” Clifford admits, “but I knew exactly how I wanted guests to feel. Farmers’ second nature is to constantly look and listen for signs of fear, discomfort, pain, or distress in animals. It turns out caring for humans isn’t so different. Service, service, service — it’s that simple.”

Just as his cattle are given the best feed and care, Clifford insists that hotel guests are treated to the very best ingredients and attention. When he took over, the restaurant was sourcing fish from Greece, chicken from France, and beef from South America. Today, the hotel sources (where possible) fish straight from local boats, vegetables from nearby farms, and premium Gloucester beef from Clifford’s own pedigree herd, creating a foodie destination that has become a magnet for visitors.

TV presenter and farming friend, Adam Henson, was quick to congratulate Clifford on his success, saying:

“Clifford’s approach is brilliant. When you think about it, a successful livestock farm is not so different from a hotel – both demand exceptional care and attention to welfare. Animal or human – it pays off.”

Clifford believes that hospitality revival can learn much from the fast growing regenerative farming movement.

“Too many generations of farmers took the soil for granted. In hospitality, staff have too long been undervalued transients. But investing in your team is no different to investing in your soil. Eventually you establish a self sustaining culture. Once you establish that, (and it takes years), it outlives and overcomes staff changes. With continual investment, that culture sustains the whole business, year after year.

“I could not have achieved this without the amazing team I now have around me. ”

Clifford’s next project?
He says: “Given the right buyer, and with the culture firmly rooted, I might now consider selling. I have a dream to replicate the success of the restaurant by helping to pioneer a more sustainable and regional dining culture across the UK, more connected to regions and producers. I hope to showcase this on my home farm near Gloucester across a few dates next year, and see where that goes.”

ENDS

About St Mary’s Hall Hotel:
● 27 rooms
● 20 full time staff in season
● Features ‘The Hall’ restaurant
● Website

Other related achievements
● This year the restaurant has averaged over 90% cover capacity seven days a week
● The Hotel has hosted an increasing number of returning celebrities (Clifford will not share names)
● Currently the number one ranked hotel across the Isles of Scilly
● Opened up a seasonal beach dining experience to positive reviews, including Giles Cohen

The Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare that inspired Clifford’s hotel philosophy are:

● Freedom from hunger and thirst [choice, flexibility, service]

● Freedom from discomfort [best bedding, seating, lighting]

● Freedom to express normal behaviour [laid back family house vibe with few house rules]

● Freedom from fear and distress [naturally warm, welcoming, interested staff]

● Freedom from pain, injury, or disease [highest standard of cleanliness – Clifford cites as one fault of many hotels he has stayed at where the house keeping is visibly poor]

Download release as pdf

Contact

Telephone Petra at St Mary’s Hall Hotel on 01720 422316 or email using the link below.

Email

Images to download