It’s a glorious life if you’re living on a grouse estate

PEOPLE who live on grouse estates have a higher level of wellbeing than those who do not, according to a new study.

The research, which comes on the eve of tomorrow’s ‘Glorious Twelfth’, found they also do more exercise and have lower levels of loneliness.

The University of Northampton found that moorland management by grouse estates resulted in ‘a complex web of economic, social and intangible benefits that can have direct and indirect financial benefits’. These included a sense of ‘belonging, strong social networks, lower levels of loneliness, greater sense of job security, and a strong sense of identity based on a shared heritage and culture’.

Grouse shooting will have a slow start this year as overseas visitors struggle to attend with virus restrictions in place.

But Tracey Latham-Green, co-author of the study, said they found ‘strong and vibrant communities’ despite the challenges. Researchers collected data from 644 people across the country.

Office of National Statistics research shows that 62 per cent of people feel they belong to their neighbourhood, but the study found that this rose to 87.1 per cent of those living in moorland communities.

Of these individuals, 69 per cent completed the NHS-recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week compared with a national average of 66 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women.

Participants in grouse shooting also showed a higher average score on the Warwick-Edinburgh well-being scale.

The University of Northampton team found direct and indirect financial benefits to grouse shooting, including work for rural communities and tourism.

They said that the ‘long-term financial impact is massive’ and the ‘economic model works and should be facilitated rather than hindered’.