Clyne Farm Centre - What Juicy Tidbits Do They Have On The Authorities In Wales?

I’m writing here to highlight the differences in promotional opportunities that are offered to businesses in Wales by those with the power to promote tourism in Wales, the local authorities and the Welsh Government.

I am using Clyne Farm Centre as my example as for a short period I used to deliver adventure activities from the site. I was contracted to independently deliver a range of on-site and off-site adventure activities for Clyne Farm Centre and so I set up staff training for those staff working at the farm who then became my staff, I overhauled the climbing wall and some aspects of the assault course and introduced UK legislation compliant protocols. I also brought my Adventure Activity License to the farm, ensuring that the delivery of adventure activities was legally compliant.

The Climbing Wall was in a dreadful state and I renewed all hardware. I found this krab at the top of one climb. The others were in a similar condition. I brought this to the attention of the owner, Geoff Hayden, who commented that ‘that just shows how strong these things are’… At the time Clyne Farm Centre was inspected by both BAHA, the British Activity Holiday Association and Swansea Council who failed to note any of the health and Safety issues apparent to any casual observer.

After perhaps six months of working at the farm the final straw was the Clyne Farm owner, whilst I was not present, forcing a new member of staff to deliver an activity that she had not been signed off to deliver, putting the client and the young apprentice at risk. There was a showdown and Geoff and I parted ways. Geoff refused to pay my final invoice and so it was to court and this was heard by a Swansea magistrate. The case was found in my favour and Geoff finally settled.

I sent my report of the conditions at Clyne Farm Centre to Swansea Council, to BAHA, the HSE and AALA. My criticisms of these organisation’s ambivalence towards Clyne Farm Centre are epic. BAHA had signed off Clyne Farm Centre for ten years without any meaningful inspections, without the centre having any staff training and assessment protocols and with relation to ‘The Mudiest Assault Course In The World’, with eyes blind to the obvious dangers the activity posed to clients. Swansea Council I tasked with looking at the farm’s refusal to comply with UK law and submitting HSE reporting forms such as the RIDDOR form for serious incidents and accidents as well as general safety of buildings, electrical supply and importantly animal welfare. AALA and HSE looked the other way.

The response from both BAHA and Swansea Council were of the circle the wagons type, nothing to see here, we’ve lost your complaint… And so I warned them that serious accidents and incidents would continue at Clyne Farm Centre, but they would never know about these, as the farm kept the accident and incident draw firmly locked and hidden. And then a broken back at the farm…

8 years ago Clyne Farm Centre released a video which clearly shows climbers on the centre’s climbing wall with all of the anchors set up by someone who has no understanding of how to safely manage indoor climbing…

This is frustrating given the amount of effort I put into the wall and the complaints I had made to the authorities regarding Clyne Farms safety over the years.

This was all some time ago, and I blogged about this then. Many others recorded their dismay at the conditions on the farm and although it looks as though Clyne Farm Centre have done a grand job cleaning up their feedback record the Tripadvisor star ratings still persist with some damning reviews through to the outbreak of the pandemic. Because of my blog posts, which can be found when Googling Clyne Farm, I occasionally get emails from disgruntled former employees of Clyne Farm Centre, whistle blowing regarding the poor state of animal welfare or maintenance of the site. Here is one such email received in 2022:

‘I have just read your blog on line and it has raised a number of questions.

I worked at Clyne Farm last year, I left because of the unsafe and unprofessional and frankly illegal practices that were used routinely at Clyne Farm.

My job was a maintenance operative although I am qualified in construction and so, therefore, have a good knowledge of health and safety practices within the construction industry and on site.

When I left I reported a number of illegal practices to the council. They were electrical circuits, that were un-inspected and unsafe - it was plain to see! When I reported it to the council and to the HSE I was told that everything at the farm was fine, I was also told by the council that the health and safety record at Clyne Farm, and their compliance, allowed for no further inquiry and it was deemed perfectly safe.

I was baffled by this but I did not pursue it even though I knew that there were serious health and safety matters being ignored

It was obvious to me that the character in charge of this organisation was a rogue but I didn’t know to what extent, I wondered why the council and Swansea City health and safety executive were so quick to dismiss my concerns.

Geoff is using the land to dump builders waste also. I’m certain he has influence with certain councillors or people within the council. What I can’t work out is what is it about Geoff Hayden that gives him influence - why is Clyne Farm promoted above all else because it’s not a particularly impressive or special place? Actually, it’s a bit shit if we’re being honest.

Please feel free to contact me so we can discuss this further

Kind regards’

The final question echoes my thoughts exactly.

Towards the end of the lockdowns, Visit Wales highlighted Clyne Farm Centre in an editorial, despite Clyne Farm Centre not complying with Visit Wales’ own protocols for listing adventure activities. This remains the case today with Clyne Farm Centre offering a range of off-site adventure activities that they have no accreditation for but still managing to be listed on the Visit Wales platform.

My outrage at Visit Wales is therefore contained within my assertion that there is no level playing field, that there has never been a level playing field and that Visit Wales has no intention of working toward a level playing field for all tourism providers. Hence my claim of malfeasance within the Welsh Government, be it gross incompetence or nepotism. And so to the question…

Why is Wales Outdoors ‘banned’ from most authority tourism portals, by the Welsh Government, when we only lead guided walks with qualified mountain leaders on public footpaths, but businesses such as Clyne Farm Centre manage to flout legislation and retain taxpayer-funded promotion?

To be fair to Clyne Farm Centre, there appears to be a sea change, as the feedback over the past couple of years has been very good. I assume Geoff Hayden has taken a back seat and his daughter has taken the reigns and is improving the centre by investing in the buildings. However, I believe it remains to be seen whether a leopard can change its spots and it is rather telling that Clyne Farm Centre continues to hide its delivery of adventure activities from Visit Wales in order to maintain its listing on that Welsh Government tourism portal by hoodwinking the not too eager to ensure compliance staff that work for Visit Wales, at least with regard to Clyne Farm.

I have sent this to Visit Wales and await their response:

‘I've been writing up a piece on Clyne Farm Centre and I've come across their website, which given they call themselves a centre, I thought you would have checked. But of course thinking that you might do that and you actually doing that are two very different things... 

Please remove the listing on Visit Wales until Clyne Farm Centre makes the appropriate changes to their website, being the removal of all activities for which they require an inspection. 

Please note it is my opinion that they have deliberately made no note of offsite activities on their VW listing, which is rather strange, don't you think?’ 

You can book our walks through the Wales Outdoors Website or, if you are a group, you can book us for a bespoke adventure, you choose the date and time, using the ‘Book Your Guide’ option.

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