Penny Streeter OBE: Profile

Penny Streeter OBE is the founder and owner of A24 Group medical staffing and the Leonardslee wine and hospitality group; this includes vineyards, holiday villas, hotels and restaurant properties at the 750-acre Leonardslee Estate in West Sussex and Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate at Hermanus, near Cape Town in South Africa, an award-winning wine producer and eco-tourism destination.

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens near Horsham features Grade I Listed woodland gardens, a vineyard, and luxury accommodation. Established by the great Victorian plant collector Sir Edmund Loder, the estate has seven interlaced lakes and rare flora and wildlife.

Visitors can explore the Pulham rock garden, enjoy family-friendly attractions, and attend a year-round programme of events. The estate also features Restaurant Interlude, a Michelin-starred dining experience, now with a Green Star, and ten individually designed en-suite bedrooms in the Grade II Listed Leonardslee House.

The Vineyard Estate has a 38-acre vineyard producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier sparkling wines, released in 2024, together with a vineyard hotel, restaurant and tasting room, for guests to enjoy an immersive wine experience, and both 18 and 9-hole golf courses.

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate is situated on the Hermanus Wine Route in South Africa's Walker Bay region, a stunning wine tourism destination created by the Streeter family. The oceanside estate boasts luxury villa accommodation, the Moody Lagoon Restaurant, wine tastings, and a lagoon eco-cruise. Benguela produces exceptional cool climate wines, using only estate-grown grapes, and is in the World's Top 100 vineyards. 

Career Highlights

At one time living in a homeless refuge with young children, Penny has become one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in South Africa and the UK. Born in Zimbabwe, Penny's family was forced to leave the country in 1979 due to political unrest and moved to the UK with her mother at the age of 12.

Penny's early career began in the recruitment sector. Her natural tenacity and passion for helping others quickly led her to start her first recruitment company at the age of 22 in 1989. However, when the business collapsed and her marriage ended, Penny found herself living in a homeless refuge for two years, pregnant with her third child.

Undeterred by these challenges, Penny founded her second company in 1995, financing the venture by moonlighting as a children's entertainer. Recognising the potential for a 24-7 service to meet the urgent demand for temporary medical personnel, she established Ambition 24hours, the A24 Group in 1996.

The company experienced rapid growth under Penny's unique management and service delivery model, leading it to win the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 'Fastest Growing UK Companies' award in 2002. By 2004, the A24 Group had revenues exceeding £50 million and employed over 200 staff.

As the A24 Group continued to thrive, Penny diversified into the wine, hospitality, and leisure industries.

In 2013, she acquired the Benguela Cove vineyard in South Africa's Walker Bay wine region. She then created the UK's first 'golf and wine estate' at Mannings Heath Golf Club in the UK in 2016. The following year, Penny expanded her portfolio with the acquisition of Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, a 240-acre Grade I Listed property in the UK, which she has transformed into a major holiday and entertainment destination.

Enterprise and Sustainability

Penny's impressive achievements have earned her numerous accolades, including an OBE for her 'Services to Enterprise' in 2006 and recognition as the CBI Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003. She has also been a champion for women entrepreneurs, sharing her story and experiences to inspire others.

Sustainability and environmental conservation are at the forefront of Penny's wine and hospitality businesses. Restaurant Interlude at Leonardslee won its first Michelin Green Star in 2024.

Benguela Cove has been recognised by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) for its exceptional contribution to conserving threatened habitats in South Africa. Both the Hermanus estate and Leonardslee Family Vineyards in the UK employ environmentally responsible farming practices to minimise the use of chemicals and maximise the well-being of indigenous flora and fauna.

Drawing from her own experience of homelessness, Penny became the Patron of the Hermanus Night Shelter Association (HNSA) in South Africa in 2018. She actively supports the charity by hosting fundraising events, demonstrating her commitment to giving back to the community.

Penny Streeter's career serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide. Her resilience, innovation, and dedication have allowed her to overcome adversity and build a thriving business empire that spans continents and industries. As she continues to lead the Leonardslee group, Penny remains committed to making a positive impact on both the business world and the communities she serves.

Recognition and Awards

• OBE (Order of the British Empire) 2006 New Years Honours for ‘services to enterprise’ 
• CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Entrepreneur of the Year, 2003 
• 'Management Today' magazine, Top 100 Entrepreneurs: Top woman, and No. 13 overall for two years, 2003, 2004 
• Sunday Times Fast Track 100 ‘Fastest Growing UK Companies’ 2004, 2003, 2002 - No.1 in 2002 

Ends

Editors notes

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is a family-owned vineyard estate, near Horsham in West Sussex, which features ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’, Grade I Listed, as well as a Michelin Star restaurant and luxury vineyard accommodation.

The 240-acre estate was established by Sir Edmund Loder, the great Victorian plant collector, and now includes a Sussex Wine vineyard, with the first release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sparkling wine in 2024.

The estate features outstanding displays all year round. In the spring this includes rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells. The collection is exceptional in its diversity and maturity, with several rare ‘champion’ trees, threatened in their natural habitat.

The gardens offer a protected ecosystem for rare wildlife such as Emperor Dragonflies and Damselflies, White Admiral and Purple Hairstreak butterflies and migratory and native birds - Kites, Great Tits, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Nightingales.

The estate reopened in April 2019, following acquisition and two years’ intensive work by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE to restore the woodland gardens after eight years of closure and neglect under previous ownership. It was the largest garden restoration project in the United Kingdom since Heligan 30 years before.

Since further restoration work in 2021, visitors can also stay in the luxury vineyard hotel after dining at Restaurant Interlude in Leonardslee House, the Grade II Listed Italianate mansion house, to experience the Michelin Star multi-course tasting menu created by chef Jean Delport.

The estate offers a great family day out and is one of the top places to visit in West Sussex. Visitors can view a magical world in miniature at the Beyond the Doll's House exhibition, which depicts the Edwardian estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale. There is also an exciting new 2,500 sq m play park designed to mix recreational play with the natural attractions of the Grade I Listed woodland gardens, and a spectacular winter festival annually when the gardens are illuminated, attracting many thousands of visitors.

For great days out, there is an extensive programme of entertainment that includes winter garden illuminations and light trails, wine and beer festivals, photo and art exhibitions, live music events, cooking and gardening demonstrations, arts and crafts fairs, modelling and toy shows, and children’s events and adventure trails.

Leonardslee Family Vineyards in numbers

· Acquired 2017 · Total Estate 750 acres · 38 Acres of vineyard, 73,000 vines

· 2017 First vines planted · 170 Tonnes of grapes, 2023 harvest · 100,000 bottles annually produced · Sparkling wine cultivars 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier · 2024 First release of wine