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The Oakwood at Ryther was recently a working pig farm, run by several generations of the Dennis family. Fast forward several years and the site is now home to a luxury wedding venue thanks to the excellent work of the family and help from its local MKM Selby branch.

When the Dennis’ embarked on their ambitious project, they had no idea that the majority of the renovation was going to take place in one of the most challenging periods in recent history for the construction industry. A global pandemic, reduced stock availability and a severe shortage of plasterers could have presented some unique challenges for the project… but thanks to Ian’s established connections within the industry and help from the team at MKM Selby, the couple (Ian Dennis and his wife Janine), managed to complete the project and open the full site as initially planned.

“As a plumber for more than 15 years my go to place for supplies was our local MKM Building Supplies branch in Selby, so it seemed like a sensible place to start when undertaking a project of this magnitude,” explains Ian. “Our experience with MKM Selby and branch manager, Simon Claydon, has been fantastic. Simon has become a valued member of the team and has been involved in the vision from the start. He really understood what we wanted to achieve and considered every detail with us.”

Supplying almost £500,000 worth of building materials for the project, from exterior bricks and flagstones to interior stairs, doors, plasterboard and timber, MKM also supplied materials for 16 bespoke bathrooms and a luxury kitchen in the accommodation block.

“The Oakwood has gone through a magnificent transformation and is completely unrecognisable from its former pig farm days,” comments Simon Claydon, MKM Building Supplies. “It was fantastic to be involved in such an amazing and extensive renovation project. I really felt like an integral part of the team throughout both the design and construction phases and it was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the variety of products on offer at MKM that help with all aspects of a job this size.”

Every detail has been carefully considered to make it the perfect backdrop for a couple’s special moments. From the oak arches in the ceremony room to the timber stairs in the dining room, The Oakwood is full of character and style. Inside the venue, the rustic, homely feel is maintained through stunning wooden features, such as the focal staircase in the dining room, the oak doors throughout all the buildings, and the attention to detail in the finishing touches. The Symphony Austin kitchen supplied by MKM includes the biggest Silestone worktop the company has ever been asked to manufacture.

Velux windows used throughout the accommodation building ensure the space remains light, and the paving used both indoors and outdoors in the ceremony room and communal areas gives it a fresh, modern feel while being hard wearing and durable.

The accommodation building has 16 unique bathrooms, each with a different style to suit the theme of the guest rooms and boast luxury features such as Aqualisa towel rails, mirrors from HiB and Rhoper Rhodes furniture.

“We were hugely impressed with the unique bathroom CAD designs Simon and the team created for each of the 16 bespoke bathrooms and his invaluable support for one of the most complex boiler system installations I have ever seen. We really wouldn’t have been able to achieve this project without his help, and we would definitely recommend Simon and the MKM Selby team for large self-build projects. Having been our family home since the 1940s, this project was a real labour of love for us and we are absolutely delighted with the final results.”

The previous farm site, which now boasts a luxury ceremony room, banqueting room, first-class accommodation block and beautifully landscaped grounds, is totally unrecognisable. The accommodation block with 16 luxury bedroom suites providing accommodation for up to 30 people is housed in the converted former wood store, grain store and workshop, whilst new purpose designed buildings house the ceremony and banqueting suites.

Like the pig farm before it, The Oakwood is still very much a family project with Ian, Janine, their two sons and Ian’s father all living on site in the farmhouse and running the venue together as a family business.

“The original site of Oakwood at Ryther has been our home since 1943 with our family having lived here for generations, farming both livestock and cereal crops,” comments Ian. “As farmers we enjoy seeing things grow and flourish, so in a sense we are continuing with that in our new direction, it's just that now we are able to cultivate any ideas couples may have and help those come to fruition in the form of a most memorable celebration of new beginnings.”