Tourism, Industry & Employment
Despite its proximity to Bideford, agriculture remains important to Abbotsham with five working farms within its boundaries. Other farms have concentrated on providing facilities for tourists by converting barns and outbuildings into holiday cottages.
Tourists are attracted to the area by the beautiful scenery and coastal walks and are able to stay in self- catering accommodation, bed and breakfast establishments or the rural campsites in the parish.
The BIG Sheep tourist attraction provides a family friendly activity park open all the year round. A more recent tourist development has been the Ultimate Adventure Centre providing a wide range of adventure activities.
There is no large-scale industry in Abbotsham but enterprises such as a wedding business, a mother-to-be scanning service, a micro brewery, two residential homes and a heavy plant company provide other sources of employment. A number of self-employed residents offer skills as diverse as book sales, furniture design and educational consultancy together with trades such as building, decorating, plumbing and gas fitting.
For residents who travel out of the area to work in nearby Bideford or Barnstaple, the public sector provides substantial levels of employment in areas such as health, teaching, the police and local government.
Tourists are attracted to the area by the beautiful scenery and coastal walks and are able to stay in self- catering accommodation, bed and breakfast establishments or the rural campsites in the parish.
The BIG Sheep tourist attraction provides a family friendly activity park open all the year round. A more recent tourist development has been the Ultimate Adventure Centre providing a wide range of adventure activities.
There is no large-scale industry in Abbotsham but enterprises such as a wedding business, a mother-to-be scanning service, a micro brewery, two residential homes and a heavy plant company provide other sources of employment. A number of self-employed residents offer skills as diverse as book sales, furniture design and educational consultancy together with trades such as building, decorating, plumbing and gas fitting.
For residents who travel out of the area to work in nearby Bideford or Barnstaple, the public sector provides substantial levels of employment in areas such as health, teaching, the police and local government.