Connectivity Transforms Life and Business at Augill Castle
Nestled just outside Kirkby Stephen, Augill Castle has been a family-run business for nearly three decades. When Wendy Bennett and her family moved to Cumbria 28 years ago, the castle became not just their home but the heart of a unique hospitality enterprise, one that now hosts weddings, business retreats, celebrations, and guests from all over the world.
Running a modern hospitality venue in a Victorian castle comes with quirks, but none were more challenging than the internet.
The castle’s thick stone walls made it almost impossible to get Wi-Fi from one room to another. Running a business that relied on online bookings, digital payments, and guest expectations for seamless connectivity wasbecoming increasingly difficult.
“It was challenging,” Wendy recalls. “The building just wasn’t built for modern technology and our old broadband certainly wasn’t up for the challenge.”
Even simple tasks like processing payments or uploading marketing images took too long. Guests, especially wedding parties wanting to post in real time, were frustrated. Everything changed when B4RN, a Community Benefit Society gigabit broadband provider, arrived.
The project required permissions across surrounding land which Wendy described as a complex process which actually turned out to be surprisingly smooth.
“It was amazing,” says Wendy. “The team were brilliant. The follow-up, the communication, everything. For us it just worked and once live, the transformation was immediate”.
To get the gigabit service throughout the building, ZoneWiFi stepped in, to engineer a solution that worked with the castle’s architecture.
“They somehow managed to take Wi-Fi through the thick castle walls, it was the first time we’d had proper, reliable coverage everywhere”.
The results were fast, stable Wi-Fi in every corner of the castle, from guest rooms to event spaces.
Wendy went on “most bookings come through the website or our third-party booking system. With this we feel so much more in control, and it enables our business to run much more efficiently.”
“On-site payments can be processed immediately, and we have a seamless use of apps for business operations”.
“Our service enables us to have strong social media engagement through Facebook and Instagram which I think are essential to the success of businesses like ours. All in all, the improved connectivity takes so much stress out of what we do”. Wendy adds. “Everything is just… smoother.”
The castle isn’t just a venue, it is also a working farm and home to the Bennett family. Wendy’s son Oliver runs a sheep enterprise from the estate and in their home the family now benefit from online entertainments, education, shopping and communication.
“It gets people involved,” Wendy explains. “Having decent broadband means we can share what we do, reach further, and bring guests into the story of the place.”
“Today, fast broadband is not just convenient, it is essential. People want to upload photos instantly, especially at weddings, and for business meetings, they expect flawless connectivity. Now we can offer that with confidence with free Wi-Fi throughout the castle”.
Even with gigabit speeds, the castle remains deeply rooted in rural community life. Wendy said “It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run—good connectivity lets you expand your reach. It benefits everyone.”
Find out more about Augill Castle via their website.
With over 96% of premises across the county now able to access superfast broadband, 85% gigabit-capable speeds, and more than 94% of the Cumbria landmass covered by outdoor 4G from at least one provider and 77% from all, there has never been a better time to review your connectivity options. Find out more at http://www.connectingcumbria.org.uk