Our Team

Here at Norfolk Country Cottages our staff are our most valuable asset - they are real people, not just telephone operators in a faceless call centre. They all work incredibly hard to find the right cottage to suit your needs. As every cottage has been personally inspected by our staff, when you call us you will be able to talk to someone who has seen the property and can (hopefully!) answer all your questions. It is important to us to provide a quality service and we are always happy to hear from our visitors with ideas or ways to improve our service. Here are all the lovely people who work at Norfolk Country Cottages. Click on people’s names and find out why they love living in Norfolk so much.

Management Team

Richard Ellis - Managing Director Richard Ellis started Norfolk Country Cottages in January 1992 with his wife, Lesley Ellis in a room at their cottage in Reepham. Having trained as an accountant and worked in large companies, Richard wanted to develop his own business based on a strong set of personal values about quality of service, attention to detail, valuing and respecting people as well as playing an active and responsible role in the community and environment in which we are based. Richard and his team between them are very active in local community affairs with the belief that "you can't have a business without a community and you can't have a community without business". Richard himself is involved as a trustee or board member of the Norwich Theatre Royal, The Forum Trust, The Prince's Trust in the East of England, as well as being the Chair of Governors of the Earlham Early Years Centre and a member of Norwich Cathedral's "Inspiration for the Future" Campaign Executive. Richard has been involved in many other local organisations such as Business in the Community and their Market Town Regeneration initiatives as well as chairing the Broadland Business Forum and the East of England Sustainable Development Round Table and Arts & Business East. In December 2003 he was appointed Chairman of the East of England Development Agency.

Lesley Ellis - Director Lesley, with husband Richard, was involved in the early days when Norfolk Country Cottages was created in the family home at Reepham. She, at that time, was also working as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS and caring for a small child! When Hannah was born and the office moved to Carlton House in Reepham she decided to step back and be a full time mother. More recently, with the decision to open an office in Holt, she has overseen the renovation of The Old Crab Shop and has taken on the role of managing the new office and the creation of a base for the development of the Guardian Angel property management service.

Irene Alexander - Operations Director Since moving to Norfolk 20-odd years ago, and despite the initial culture shock, I have really grown to love the area. Although all the tourist brochures from all over the UK say the same, this county really does have something for everyone. There are many pretty villages, bustling market towns and of course the historic city of Norwich which is in the top five shopping destinations in the U.K. (you must visit!!). The landscape in Norfolk, contrary to Noel Coward and popular opinion is not flat, but the skies are certainly big, the sunsets spectacular and the sense of light amazing. A friend of mine, who visits, always says it is like turning the lights on when she comes to Norfolk. Importantly for holidays, it is also one of the driest and sunniest regions in the country. When asked to write about my favourite place, I really was hard pushed to pick just one. However, eventually I decided to go for that area of Northwest Norfolk, near to the coast and where Lord Nelson was born. Originally, there were 7 villages with Burnham in their names. Burnham Thorpe, Burnham Overy Staithe, Burnham Deepdale, Burnham Norton and the largest of them, Burnham Market which now includes Burnham Westgate and Burnham Sutton. But Burnham Market, for me, has it all. Sometimes (unfairly) called Chelsea-by-the-Sea, it has a pretty village green overlooked by the church and surrounded by super little local shops - a proper butchers, bakers and fishmongers; there are good restaurants, a delicatessen (and yes, it probably does sell 20 different kinds of olives!) tearooms and busy, popular and stylish pubs selling food. Other types of shopping are well catered for as well. I love browsing in the chic boutiques where you can buy (or just look at!) gorgeous shoes, the largest selection of hats in the region, designer clothes as well as a great range of country clothing too. There are also a couple of impressive shops selling accessories for houses and unusual gifts. Enough to keep you and your wallet busy for a while......... But enough for now of shallow pursuits - how about natural attractions? The coast is only a couple of miles away at Holkam, with its historic Hall and one of the most truly gorgeous beaches in England. It is a huge open space and you can walk for a mile or so to the sea when the tide is out. Even at the height of summer, it is never crowded. The winter is the most attractive and atmospheric time for me though - deserted, wild and beautiful. You won't be sorry you visited this area of Norfolk.

James Ellis - Marketing and IT Director James joined the company in December 2002 as the company's Marketing and IT Manager and was made a Director in January 2005. He joined NCC having previously worked in the field of IT & Computing and later moving into Sales & Marketing roles. As well as overseeing the Marketing and Advertising within the business, James also looks after the IT systems development. In his time here, James has designed & developed a new booking and administration system for NCC to help the company maximise the use of IT and websites and to maintain the excellent level of service that both our customers and homeowners have come to expect. James is active in various local business organisations and sits on the Norwich Chamber of Commerce Council, as well as being an active member of the Marketing Committee for VisitNorwich.

David Court - Liaison Board Member David Court joined the company in February 1996. Formerly Managing Director of Blakes Holidays and Chairman of the East Anglia Tourist Board from 1990 - 1996, David brings a wealth of experience within the holiday industry to NCC.