Tulleys Farm
Tulleys Farm is a fourth-generation family farm, located in West Sussex. Originating in 1937, the farming business at Tulleys was founded by Bernard Beare, and continues to be run by the Beare family to this day. Tulleys is best known for its seasonal attractions, most notably the annual Halloween festival held each October, entitled Shocktober Fest which has become the largest scream park in Europe.
History
Originally from Devon, Bernard Beare began farming in 1911 and gradually moved East over the subsequent 25 years. In 1937 he settled at Worth Hall Farm, working with his young family to turn an ordinary dairy farm into a successful farming enterprise. In addition to the original dairy herd, Bernard was able to produce salad crops for the London markets, vegetables for pickling firms such as Epicure and herbs like mint and parsley for contract.In the early 1970s, Bernard's son Denis saw the potential for pick-your-own and, with his wife Marion, pursued turning Tulleys Farm into one of the largest pick-your-own farms in the area, growing over 40 different crops on 120 acres.
Following Stuart Beare, the son of Denis and Marion, joining the farming business in 1991, the farm shop and tearoom were opened in 1992 and 1996 respectively, the farm shop closed in 2014. The farm shop re-opened in March 2020 but this time in the form of a drive thru.
Diversification
In the early 2000s, Tulleys Farm began expanding into immersive seasonal attractions. Its best-known event, Shocktober Fest, launched in 1997, has evolved into Europe’s largest scream park, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. The event includes a variety of haunted attractions, street theatre, circus shows, and thrill rides. Other seasonal offerings followed, including Tulleys Christmas, featuring Santa’s Grotto and festive markets. In 2017, Tulleys opened Tulleys Escape Rooms, which has since become one of the UK’s top-rated escape room venues. Most recently, in 2024, the farm launched the Tulleys Christmas Light Festival, a large-scale evening light trail experience, and the Tulleys Tulip Festival, showcasing over one million tulips across the site.Awards and recognition
In 2004, Tulleys Farm was awarded Farm Retailer of the Year by the National Farmers Union, recognising its innovation, diversification, and excellence in farm retailing.In December 2024, Tulleys Farm won two major honours at the Sussex Business Awards held at The Grand Brighton. The farm was named Company of the Year and also received the Business Growth Award.
In 2021, the farm became one of the first UK attractions to accept cryptocurrency as payment across the site, including for tickets and food.
In 2022, Tulleys Escape Rooms received numerous awards, and three of the Escape Rooms, Dodge City, Nethercott Manor and Spellcraft were awarded as some of the Best Escape Rooms in the UK for 2022.
Events
Tulleys Farm currently hosts multiple seasonal events across spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It also operates Tulleys Escape Rooms and a tearoom, both of which are open year-round. In recent years, the farm has introduced new events including a tulip festival and a winter light trail.Pumpkin Festival & Pumpkin Nights (Autumn)
This event spans around 100 acres and features over one million pumpkins and gourds. Visitors can explore the Pumpkin Village, which includes street food stalls, hot doughnuts, pumpkin-spice lattes, roaming characters, and a boutique gift shop. A 33-metre observation wheel provides panoramic views of the fields. By night, the farm transforms into Pumpkin Nights, featuring moonlit pumpkin picking, live music, drinks, food, and entertainment.Tulleys Escape Rooms & Games
Tulleys Escape Rooms are immersive challenge rooms where participants have 60 minutes to solve puzzles and escape. Players receive hints from hosts via in-room speakers. There are currently four main rooms, with two additional smaller game rooms located in a nearby trailer.Shocktober Fest
First launched in 1997 with The Creepy Cottage, Shocktober Fest has evolved into Europe’s largest scream park, attracting over 100,000 guests each year.The event features 11 haunted attractions, including Wastelands Penitentiary, Electrick Circus, The Chop Shop, and The Haunted Hayride. It also offers live music, street theatre, themed food and drink, and circus shows.
The festival originally began in 1995 as a Pumpkin Festival with carving contests and added more Halloween attractions by 2003.
Tulleys Tulip Festival
In spring 2024, Tulleys Farm launched the Tulleys Tulip Festival at its West Sussex site. During the bloom, the festival showcased between 500,000 and 1.5 million tulips spanning approximately 100 different varieties.Tulleys Tulip Fields in St Albans, Hertfordshire, launched as a sister site for the 2025 spring season.
Tulleys Tulip Garden near Hatton, Warwickshire, opened in early 2025, displaying similar scale and experience—approximately half a million tulips across photogenic trails and event zones.