About Hub Rural Agri-food Consultancy

Hugh qualified as a surveyor (MRICS) in 1996. Shortly after qualification, he moved to South Lincolnshire to work with Brown & Co and rose to Associate level. In 2004, a change of sector saw Hugh take a six year stint in the fresh produce sector with a grower/packer/producer business. At this time, the beginnings of the current Hub Rural client base was established, with a range of relationships that characterise the current spread of the Hub Rural’s activities. Since 2010, Hugh has devoted 100% of his time to Hub Rural, and the business has grown significantly during this period. Alongside day to day professional activity, he also holds several non-exec chair & director roles, plus a number Trustee positions, within client agri-business and Estate entities.

Mike graduated from Harper Adams University in 2008 with a degree in Rural Estate Management. Having spent his year in industry at Boughton Estate in Northamptonshire, Mike continued to develop his interest in estate management at Grays Chartered Surveyors in Richmond, North Yorkshire. In addition to general practice work and the sale of redundant churches for several Diocese in the north of England, Mike specialised in the management of traditional estates and sporting assets throughout Yorkshire and County Durham.

In 2012 Mike moved to the Rural Property Management department of Fisher German, in the East Midlands, rising to Associate Director in 2015. Mike was responsible for a wide range of estates, managing his client’s assets in an efficient and innovative way, so as to maximise income and opportunities. Mike has experience acting for traditional, commercial, and Charity clients. In 2018 Mike was invited to attend the Challange of Rural Leadership course, run by the the Worshipful Company of Farmers,in collaboration with the Duchy Collage. Mike joined Hub Rural in April 2022.

Nick graduated from Newcastle University in 2004 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Farm Business Management. After a sound practical grounding Nick started his consulting career with Andersons East, then Bidwells Agribusiness where he rose to Associate level. In 2011 Nick joined KinnAgri Limited, an international management and consultancy business working in Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe as well as the UK. During 2015 Nick took on the role as Key Account Manager for Openfield Agriculture and within his role, became Managing Director of Lingrain Storage Limited.  Autumn 2019 saw a change of direction, with Nick leaving Openfield, being employed direct by Lingrain as MD and setting up his own practice working with a range of farms and agribusinesses. In April 2021 Nick became a Director of Hub Rural Ltd.

Claire has been involved with Hub Rural since inception in 2007.  With the growth of the business Claire has committed more time to managing its day-to-day activities and should be your first contact for accounts, office admin and all non-professional work.

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University with first class honours in Business Law in 2023. Sam derives from a farming background as his family have farmed in the local area for three generations now, focusing mainly on the growing of arable crops, but also with a beef cattle herd ranging in size dependent on the time of year.

Sam was keen to put his legal studies and agricultural knowledge to use, and therefore gained a training contract at a national law firm working primarily in agricultural property and landed estates. Sam had the opportunity of assisting with a variety of niche agricultural matters ranging from farm sales and purchases, share farming agreements, FBT’s acting for both landlord and tenant, and also first registrations of land at HMLR.

Sam is also a keen sportsman having played both squash and rugby at county and regional level. More recently Sam has taken a keen interest in the beef industry and attending cattle markets up and down the region. Sam joined Hub Rural in August 2024.

Lucy qualified as a surveyor in 2008 and started her land agency career in Harrogate, North Yorkshire focusing on estate management work.  She moved to South Lincolnshire with her husband who is the farms director of a local farming company and started at Hub Rural in May 2023 where she has been assisting the team in a rural administrative role.