Open Air Business January 2017

ISSUE 6 | January 2017 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Fireworks 

› Winter Functions 

ACCOMMODATION 

› Security 

› Safari Tents 

EVENTS 

› Food Events 

› Small Event Appeal 

SUCCESSION 

PLANNING 

GETTING IT RIGHT FOR THE FAMILY 

PRODUCT FOCUS 

LIGHTING, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, MARQUEES

UK customer service 

& support 

New tent 

ranges for 

2017 

Bedouin 

Safari Tent 

6 

SUITABLE FOR 

P E R S O N S 

With the development of our own 

Bedouin tent, Clear Sky has gone back 

to the origin of the safari tent by 

producing a tent that would have been 

familiar to the ancient desert Nomads. 

Using the original North African tent 

as inspiration and combining this 

with the modern luxury and comfort 

expected today, we have successfully 

brought the atmosphere of the East to 

the West. 

Clear Sky 

Bell Tents 

4 

SUITABLE FOR 

P E R S O N S 

What sets our Bell Tents apart from 

the rest is that they are all made from 

heavy duty canvas, in fact the same 

canvas that we use to make our Safari 

Tents. That means they are completely 

waterproof and built to last for 5-10 

years. 

Our Bell Tents now come with an 

optional PVC Fly Sheet, giving extra 

protection & life to the canvas. 

Available in two sizes: 4m & 5m 

0845 299 6484 www.safaritents.net 

6 Alexander Road, Tonbridge, TN9 2AA UK

ISSUE 6 | January 2017 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

Welcome 

I HOPE EVERYONE had a great Christmas and New Year 

celebration. I am very much looking forward to 2017. 

We have a new team member arriving shortly (not that 

she will be much use for a few years!) with the birth 

of my daughter imminent, and I can’t help but draw 

some comparisons with last year’s ‘birth’ of Open Air 

Business. 

From the seed of an idea to the sixth issue in 12 

months, I am delighted with the outdoor hospitality 

industry’s reception of the magazine. It has also been 

such a pleasure to meet so many readers at the three 

trade shows we attended in 2016. This year we are 

excited about launching some new online features and creating more useful and 

hopefully inspiring content to help you start or grow your businesses. Remember, 

all our editorial is archived online so do dive in if you think you may have missed an 

issue. 

The early months of the year are critical for planning the season ahead. Many 

businesses will be looking to make investments in items that will grow their 

enterprises, and financing becomes an important consideration. Take a look 

at the feature on asset finance by Richard Frazer (pages 46-47); it could be the 

perfect method to help you get hold of that marquee, hot tub, en-suite facility or 

accommodation unit you’ve had your eye on! Talking of accommodation, if you are 

making choices in the glamping sector, we have a comprehensive article on safari 

tents, with advice from a range of suppliers on these versatile structures. 

Given the time of year (muddy and fraught with weather hazards), I thought it 

would be fun to ask a range of suppliers to the outdoor events industry for their top 

tips for winter functions (pages 22-24). It would seem that planning for the worst is 

essential, as is choosing suppliers with back up provision and support. 

In the public events sector, we ask marquee trade association MUTA what an event 

organiser should look for in a marquee company and how to sniff out a problem 

supplier before it’s too late. We also take a look at the work involved in running 

a street food event or food market, and get an insight into why small events are 

increasing in popularity. 

With planning very much the topic of this issue, our Industry Talk feature looks at 

the sensitive issue of succession planning; how to hand over a land or business legacy 

to the next generation without destroying the family unit. It’s something that can’t 

be put off and that benefits from open communication and a good lead time. Turn to 

pages 9-11 for expert guidance from Michael Mack of Savills. 

PUBLISHERS 

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MAKE SURE YOU’RE ON THE LIST! 

One thing I must highlight in this issue is the need to ensure you have officially subscribed 

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› Fireworks 

› Winter Functions 

ACCOMMODATION 

› Security 

› Safari Tents 

EVENTS 

NOW 

LIVE 

› Food Events 

› Small Event Appeal 

ISSUE 6 | JANUARY 2017 | www.openairbusiness.com 

SUCCESSION 

PLANNING 

GETTING IT RIGHT FOR THE FAMILY 

PRODUCT FOCUS 

LIGHTING, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, MARQUEES 

Tally Wade 

Editor / Publisher 

COVER PHOTO 

Picture courtesy of Whitelightning Pyrotechnics. 

Turn to pages 18-20 for advice and guidance on 

creating spectacular displays 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

INSIDE 

Contents ISSUE 

#6 | January 2017 

UP FRONT 

6 News 

9 Industry Talk – Succession 

planning and how to get it right 

12 Show Review – Farm Business 

Innovation Show 


14 Bawdon Lodge Farm – an 

award winning wedding venue 

18 Light up the Sky – expert 

advice on fireworks 

22 Winter Functions – hints and 

tips from suppliers 

26 Lighting – creating mood and 

magic with Isabel Smith 

ACCOMMODATION 

32 Camp Katur – a broad range 

of accommodation nestled in 

woodlands 

36 Site Security – finding 

the right balance for your 

glampsite 

40 On Safari – a comprehensive 

look at safari tents 

46 Asset Financing – alternative 

financing for items to grow 

your business 

EVENTS 

50 Food Events – how to get them 

right with lessons from NCASS 

54 Small Events – their appeal 

and how they can get support 

56 Marquee Hire – choosing a 

reputable marquee supplier 

60 Marquees – a selection to hire 

or buy 

44 Industry Legend – Charles 

Gulland of WigWam Holidays 

62 Spotlight 

64 Classifieds 

66 Periwinkle 

✁ 

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Your details 

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1) What best describes your business? 

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Outdoor Accommodation, Outdoor Events, Outdoor Functions, 

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Sewage Treatment Systems 

For all residential, commercial 

and industrial applications 

Supply and full installation 

service now available 

T: 08450 945 603 E: info@theseptictankstore.co.uk www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 


The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality 

Revolutionary Artificial Candle 

DEVON-BASED COMPANY 

Candled has launched 

a patented LED flame 

technology that gives 

the feel and quality of a 

real flame without any 

of the health and safety 

issues. The artificial flame 

mimics the spectral quality 

of a traditional candle, 

replicating the flickering of 

a real flame. Made from real 

wax, the candle itself is hard 

to distinguish from the real 

thing. 

The LED candle has no naked flame nor does it generate any heat 

so is safe to use in all environments, including inside marquees, tents, 

under duvets for night time reading and even outside in wind and rain. 

It has an expected life of 50,000 hours (equivalent to burning about 

7,000 traditional candles), has four levels of brightness and can be 

operated by remote control. 

Director Justin Carey and his team spent two years studying flame 

dynamics to perfect the technology, which evens ‘dies’ like a real flame 

when turned off. Co-director Dr Robin Cotton says: “We are excited 

to bring this product to market after such extensive research and 

development. I am confident that this is the best artificial candle on the 

market and is perfect for the glamping and marquee function venue 

market as it gives the reality of a candle without any health and safety 

headaches. We have been working closely with the National Trust too 

as the Candled product offers the perfect solution for lighting historic 

houses authentically.” www.candled.co.uk 

IMPORTANT 

Readers – to continue receiving Open Air Business 

OPEN AIR BUSINESS magazine is cleansing its database so that the 

7,000 copies we send out go to the right people. This means that 

if you haven’t already done so, you need to sign up for free, either 

online (www.openairbusiness.com/subscribe-free) or by using the 

form on page 4. You will then be added to the subscriber’s list and 

will continue to receive your free copies. 

24 Wigwams for 

Glenlivet Forest Park 

WIGWAM HOLIDAYS 

WILL construct 24 luxury 

glamping cabins at Glenlivet 

Forest Park, Tomintoul, in 

the heart of Cairngorms 

National Park. Thanks to a 

successful partnership with 

the Glenlivet Estate and 

a successful funding bid, 

Wigwam Holidays’ latest 

venture will help expand the 

tourism accommodation 

portfolio in the area, 

introducing affordable 

glamping to one of the 

most beautiful areas in the 

country. 

Charles Gulland, director 

of Wigwam Holidays, says, 

“We’re delighted with the 

news, which is expected to 

bring a significant benefit 

to the local economy in the 

form of jobs, increasing 

visitor footfall and boosting 

direct spend into the area.” 

Wigwam Holidays is 

working in partnership with 

The Crown Estate, whose 

regional portfolio includes 

the Glenlivet Estate, near 

Tomintoul. Work started 

in October 2016 with 

phase one featuring the 

construction of the first 12 

Wigwams, which are due 

for completion by March 

2017. Phase two starts in 

November 2017 and is due 

for completion in March 

2018 when 24 Wigwams will 

be in place. 

As Wigwams are specially 

designed for year-round 

occupancy, additional 

revenues will be brought to 

local businesses including 

BikeGlenlivet, the walking 

and trekking centre, and 

the Lecht Ski School and 

Centre. 

“We are very much 

looking forward to the 

mutually beneficial 

partnership that is being 

forged with the Crown 

and Glenlivet Estates,” 

says Gulland. www. 

wigwamholidays.co.uk 

We can help you maximise your potential 

• Look and Feel • Logos • Websites • 

• Photography • Styling • Promo items • 

Give us a call for a free no obligation chat about your venture 

helen@maro sholmes. co.uk 

www.marosholmes.co.uk 

Phone: 01905 828377 

6 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Freeing up Rangers’ Time with 

Inn Style Booking System 

HIGHER TOWN FARM is a National 

Trust campsite located in Lansallos, 

Cornwall. With no formal pitches, 

rangers look after the site, and 

any online tools that help them 

to automate the booking process 

for the campsite are a huge help. 

Adopting Inn Style for online 

bookings has enabled completely 

automated, 24 hour a day bookings 

and secure payments, freeing up the 

rangers’ time so they can concentrate 

on looking after the important 

natural qualities of the area. 

Lucy Honeychurch, one of the 

team at Higher Town Farm, explains: 

“It was important for us to be 

able to add online booking to our 

website. We do get some ‘walk-in’ 

customers but the vast majority 

of campers want to book online. 

The main benefit is out of hours 

bookings. It doesn’t matter if our 

office is manned or not, bookings 

can still be made. Payments too. All 

the transactions happen securely 

online. We don’t have to worry about 

handling money and payments. 

It’s all done securely, online and 

is managed by our finance team 

service centre.” 

Higher Town Farm is, like many 

campsites in the UK, a seasonal site. 

“We operate from Easter through 

to the half term holiday in October. 

You’d have to be very hardy indeed 

to camp in January in Cornwall!” 

jokes Honeychurch. “The rangers 

are still here though, carrying out 

essential work to look after the 

landscape for everyone. 

“We always get lots of bookings 

in January. As soon as the New 

Year starts, people start thinking 

about their holidays and booking 

their camping pitches. Campsites 

are always busy in July and August 

during the school holidays. We’ve 

noticed an added benefit, since 

we introduced online booking. 

We’re finding that we are getting 

more advanced bookings in the 

shoulder months – May to June and 

September.” www.innstyle.co.uk 

30th AFO Conference 

is a Sold Out Success 

‘FESTIVALS AND EVENTS have come a very long way,’ 

said the introduction to this year’s sell-out Association 

of Festival Organisers (AFO) Conference at Ettington 

Chase near Stratford upon Avon. Taking place from 

11-13 November, the 30th annual gathering attracted 

over 200 delegates with 21 trade stands, including five 

artists’ agents. 

Delegates were treated to 23 panels and 

presentations including one to ones, round table 

discussions and main stage presentations. Rob 

Kirkham, head of business development at PRS for 

Music, gave delegates an update on the latest LP 

tariff negotiations, and Mo Jones of TheTicketSellers, 

working with Jon Walsh of Shambala Festival, engaged 

a crowded room with news of the Eventree festival 

management system. The highlight of the weekend was 

a risk assessment and health and safety presentation 

from Mike Richmond of the Events Safety Shop, 

bringing delegates up to date with the latest on health 

and safety and CDM. 

Women in Events featured in a double header with 

The Network of Women in Events (NOWIE) discussing 

women in prominent roles in festival and event 

management, and The White Ribbon Campaign 

focusing on women’s safety at festivals. 

Balancing the programme, guidance came 

from David Agnew of The Met, Eddie Barcan from 

Glastonbury Festival and Chris Wade from Strada Music, 

while Paul Hawkins from Attitude is Everything gave 

an excellent presentation on accessibility for disabled 

people. 

There were sessions on: ‘happy children equal happy 

adults’, revenue from trading, artists’ fees, ticket sales 

conversion rates, and open discussions on Arts Council 

funding, artists’ riders, and the use of photographs 

taken at events. Steve Heap, general secretary of AFO, 

presented his beginner’s guide to festival management. 

In showcases across Friday and Saturday, 12 new acts 

were presented to a packed house and went away with 

several festival bookings. www.festivalorganisers.org 

Tel: 01945 463857 Mob: 07775 921182 

info@fireworksdisplayteam.co.uk 

www.fireworksdisplayteam.co.uk 


Keeping ahead of the field...x 

Ashwood Shepherd Huts 

Manor Farm, Hele, Taunton 

Somerset TA4 1AH 

Telephone 01823 461 638 

info @ ashwoodshepherdhuts.co.uk 

www.ashwoodshepherdhuts.co.uk

INDUSTRY TALK 

Succession 

Planning 

The sensitive process of handing the reins of a family business 

over to the next generation, with advice from Michael Mack 

WHY DO WE do what we do? This 

is one of those big philosophical 

questions that we all ask ourselves 

from time to time. But when it’s 

time to consider passing a family 

business to the next generation 

then it’s critical to answer it. 

Many farming and outdoorbased 

businesses have 

taken generations to create, 

yielding business and personal 

opportunities for families. These 

businesses also result in the 

creation of people. For many, 

their land-based enterprise will 

have shaped their lives; providing 

structure for education, work 

opportunities and friendships. So 

the idea of leaving the business is 

scary. 

“WOODS ARE 

DESCRIBED AS 

HAVING A HIGH 

‘CARRYING 

CAPACITY’; 

THAT IS, THEY 

HAVE AN 

ABILITY TO 

ABSORB 

LOTS OF 

PEOPLE AND 

ACTIVITIES” 

For the younger generation to 

step up to the table and lead a 

business onto greater things is 

also a daunting prospect. Can I live 

up to my parents’ expectations? 

These two views make it easier 

to ignore succession planning, 

leaving it to chance or in many 

cases until parents sadly pass 

away. Is it so bad to leave the 

process? Having spent time with 

farming and rural businesses 

before, after and during succession 

planning, I have reached the 

conclusion that poor or no 

succession planning is not an 

option, that is to the business or 

family’s benefit. 

Every business goes through 

a standard business cycle; an 

early period of growth, learning 

and growth, plateauing and then, 

as the leaders’ attitude to risk 

changes and as the sector moves 

on, a period of decline. It is the 

need for the business vigour 

generated by fresh ideas that 

drives businesses of every size to 

look at the succession planning 

of the management team. If a 

family fail to address succession 

planning, the business can 

undergo a significant reduction in 

economic growth, a problem when 

new generations are looking to 

derive an income from its assets. 

It is the family viewpoint that 

is the most important reason for 

positively dealing with succession. 

We have all heard of farming 

families that have been pulled 

apart as a result of poor succession 

planning. Siblings not talking, 

destruction of family assets, and 

in some cases legal action, which 

destroys all strands of what makes 

a family. You only have to Google 

‘Cowshed Cinderella’ for a good 

example of poor planning. 

Coming back to my opening 

question, why do we do what 

we do? If we as a family fail to 

understand why we manage a 

GETTY IMAGES 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 9 9

INDUSTRY TALK 

GETTY IMAGES 

set of assets in the way that we 

do (to meet an objective that all 

understand) then we can be sure 

that the business will not achieve 

what we need to thrive as a family; 

this is especially accurate through 

the period of generational change. 

To keep the process as simple 

as possible you will need to 

work as a family to set out an 

objective for the business. This 

means considering the estate, 

the business, a retirement plan 

and the transfer of management 

responsibilities between the 

generations. So, how do you 

identify the direction in which 

you and your family wish to take 

the business? There are a few 

simple rules to follow to make this 

happen. 

RULE 1: UNDERSTAND YOUR 

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY 

Each member of the family and 

business has a responsibility for 

the process; from the principle 

partner making sure that the 

process is started and that the 

momentum is maintained, to the 

successor making sure they show 

the skills and focus to make the 

process take place and respect 

others in the process. 

It’s not uncommon to hear the 

incoming generation say that the 

money and assets belong to the 

parents and it’s up to them to 

do what they want. Succession 

planning is a lot more than 

asset transfer; it’s the transfer of 

management control between 

generations. If a family takes this 

approach then the children must 

completely respect their parents’ 

decision and understand that 

other family members may engage 

with the process. 

RULE 2: HAVE A FAMILY MEETING 

The first family meeting is a scary 

prospect for many. For some, it is 

a sign that the process has started, 

while for others it is the beginning 

of unavoidable conflict. However, 

without sitting down as a family it 

will never be possible to identify 

what the family objective is and 

how everyone views the future. 

To help make this meeting 

a success, you may find the 

following tips helpful: 

› Never meet around the family 

dining table. When a family 

meets around the dining table, 

members are likely to revert to 

family traditions; with dad at 

the head, children all in their 

historic seats and mother at 

the end. Find a meeting space 

away from the business. If we 

get a request for one of these 

meetings to take place in the 

office we always welcome them 

with open arms and never 

charge. 

› Make sure there is an agenda. 

The aim of the meeting is to 

bring people together not 

surprise them. Make sure that 

not only is there an agenda but 

that everyone has plenty of time 

to read it before the meeting. 

› Agree on some rules as a family. 

This sounds simple but many 

families need to establish some 

simple rules to help ensure that 

everyone has a voice. During 


INDUSTRY TALK 

the early stages it is important 

that the principle partner is 

responsible for the decisions 

being made. It is also important 

that the whole family has the 

ability to contribute to the 

process. 

› Don’t be afraid to bring in 

external support. Many families 

need an outside facilitator to 

join family meetings. Their role 

is to help the family explore 

issues in a way that prevents 

conflict. Having sat in many of 

these meetings as the facilitator 

I have been able to help the 

family both cover the agenda 

and do so without some of the 

expected conflict. 

RULE 3: MAKE A START 

It is easier for a family to ignore 

succession planning; this results in 

the process starting later and later, 

if at all. The right time to start the 

process of succession planning is 

different for everyone. With a large 

proportion of farmers aged in their 

60s and believing it’s still too early 

for them to identify a successor, 

we are sure that most families 

start the process too late. 

A fundamental reason why 

the process is put off is that the 

older generation has a view 

that by starting the process of 

generational change it means 

that they have to leave the farm. 

The most successful succession 

ABOUT THE 

AUTHOR 

Michael Mack is a 

business consultant 

for Savills. He has 

worked with family 

farming businesses 

for over 15 years 

and has developed 

a keen interest in 

succession planning 

for farmers. His 

work in this area 

has included 

undertaking a 

Nuffileld Farming 

Scholarship, 

providing key note 

speeches, running 

farmer workshops 

and providing oneto-one 

consultancy 

for families in the 

area of succession. 

01603 229 212 / 

www.savills.co.uk 

plans take up to 15 years to 

implement. Starting the process 

does not mean immediate change. 

It may be too early to formally 

start the procedure when the 

children are still at school, but it 

can be a valuable step to make 

sure they understand the business 

and why certain decisions are 

made. As the children grow and 

make life decisions about things 

such as education, jobs, partners 

and where to live, it is important 

that everyone understands the 

expectations that are placed on 

them. 

However it is also important 

to remember that the process of 

succession change will have an 

impact on everyone involved. 

During the period of change there 

will be conflict between family 

members, family dynamics will 

change and not everyone will be 

happy with the decisions that are 

reached. 

RULE 4: STEP AWAY. 

The final and most important step 

when planning any generational 

change is for the older generation 

to step away from the business 

leaving their child to take over 

the reins. It is all too easy to start 

the process and lead the younger 

generation into the business, then 

find the personal challenge of 

leaving too difficult to deal with. 

GETTY IMAGES 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

Farm Business 

Innovation Show 

➊ 

Continuing from strength to strength, the Farm Business Innovation Show is a unique mix 

of seminars and suppliers for all manner of diversification options. Tally Wade reports 

IT ISN’T DIFFICULT to see why the Farm 

Business Innovation Show (held on 9-10 

November at the NEC, Birmingham) won 

the 2016 Best Trade Show at the Exhibition 

News Awards. It has grown phenomenally 

since its launch in 2013 and now occupies 

two halls at the NEC, alongside sister 

shows Holiday Park and Resort and 

Country House Business Innovation. 

Proud to be media partners, the Open 

Air Business team was in attendance and 

recruited a huge number of new readers 

from its stand; it really was the perfect 

demographic for us – landowners and 

entrepreneurs investigating the best paths 

forward for their businesses. Of course, 

our niche is outdoor hospitality and the 

show is much broader than that, but with 

a reported 8,000 attendees and 400 trade 

stands, there was plenty for us. I was 

there for the full two days and could have 

definitely done with more time to see and 

hear everything! 

The seminar series was as impressive 

as ever, with over 200 sessions spread 

across 13 theatres, two debate areas, 

and a demo arena. Topics were just as 

diverse and delivered by experts in their 

fields. The schedule covered so much 

but of particular interest to me were: ‘Is 

a festival a good idea on your farm?’ with 

Ben Leek of Capability Events; ‘Insider info 

on getting into glamping’ with Mark Scott 

of Clear Sky Safari Tents; ‘So you want 

to run an event?’ with Linda Krawecke 

of Tiger Tea Services; ‘Making money 

from weddings’ with Isabel Smith; and 

‘Sustainable diversification for woodlands’ 

with Jason Thawley of Tree Tents 

International. 

➋ 

Below are just a handful of the 

exhibitors I spoke to and represent my 

highlight products and services at the 

event. 

Green Eco Living 

➊ This UK manufacturer/supplier of 

energy efficient glamping pods is based 

in Lancashire. The team has developed 

highly thermally efficient structures with 

an ingenious wall construction. Among 

the range is the Chalet pod; fully insulated, 

double glazed and with a full en-suite 

bathroom (not a wet room), it is available 

with an optional kitchenette and wardrobe 

space. Green Eco Living has teamed up 

with a professional town planner to help 

customers with any planning issues, and 

can manage the process on their behalf. 

www.greenecoliving.co.uk 

➌ 

➍ 


➋ Tentipi 

Providing the venue for Theatre 3 at 

the show, there is no better way to show off 

these magnificent giant event tipis than in 

the flesh, and it was a great opportunity to 

get inside Tentipi’s offering. Considered the 

founder of the Nordic Tipi event industry, 

the company offers six different tipi types, 

accessories, training, safety documentation 

and support. Creating amazing spaces for 

weddings, parties and corporate functions, 

tipis in this range work together to provide 

a modular solution for any size of event or 

configuration of space. www.tentipi.com 

Naked Flame 

➌ Totally off-grid, Scandinavian 

wood-fired hot tubs in various sizes and 

shapes. Particularly popular was the 

LuvTub – perfect for two at a romantic 

retreat or in smaller spaces, it has low 

water consumption and heats up in an 

hour. New for 2017 will be the Naked Flame 

wood-fired sauna, a great compliment to 

glampsites that want to offer something 

extra. People seemed to be making the 

most of the show discounts as the stand 

was very busy! www.nakedtubs.com 

Tree Tent International 

➍ The team at Tree Tent design, build 

and install sustainable outdoor structures, 

engineered to meet the ever changing 

environmental conditions of the world’s 

wild and natural places. The suspended 

Tree Tent on display was a beautiful 

spherical structure made from green ash 

hardwood integrated into a structural 

aluminium airframe. It has a fabric outer 

and insulated lining, and can house a 

micro wood stove, dimmable LED lighting, 

skylight, desks and good sized folding beds. 

Tree Tent International took the show’s 

first ever Innovation Award, created to 

celebrate an idea that has truly pushed the 

boundaries of design and service. www. 

luminair.co.uk/ttshop 

Jofli Bear 

➎ Created by Suzi O'Neill, Jofli Bear was 

originally created to encourage families 

to record their adventures together but is 

equally fun for youngsters to document 

their time on holiday. With a range of 

branding options available, Jofli is an 

excellent add on for glampsites, either as 

a freebie or a paid extra, allowing children 

to record their adventures and memories. 

Jofli packages include a toy bear with 

a backpack and journal. Customised 

postcards and journals can promote 

glampsite activities and generate sales 

while providing a treasured keepsake of 

customers’ stay. www.jofli.com 

The Septic Tank Store 

➏ A friendly, family team were 

welcoming all manner of enquiries 

for sewer systems. With a wealth of 

experience in planning, supplying and 

installing sewage systems, The Septic 

Tank Store uses up to date, eco friendly 

products to take foul effluent and process 

it naturally to leave water with reduced 

pollutant levels for discharge to the 

appropriate point. Services include site 

visits, sizing of plants and servicing. www. 

theseptictankstore.co.uk 

➐ PERFO 

The PERFO system of interlocking 

ground reinforcement tiles can be directly 

installed onto grass without excavation. 

Grass will grow back through the holes 

in the product and natural drainage is 

maintained; they can also be removed at 

a later date if required. These tiles have 

many uses, including vehicle parking, 

access tracks, airfields, helipads, equine 

and livestock, showgrounds, driveways 

and more. Talking to the husband and wife 

team, it seems that planning permission 

is not required in most instances. www. 

perfo-uk.com 

The Firepod 

➑ I just love the look of this product, 

and the spirit of the designer. A stylish, 

portable oven that heats up quickly and 

not only cooks authentic pizzas and 

flatbreads but also doubles up as a BBQ 

with a reversible griddle – ridged one 

side and flat on the top. A bonus is the 

specially deigned ‘hot rock’ that can be 

lifted out of the oven for fun table top 

cooking. The Firepod reportedly heats up 

ready for pizzas in 10 minutes and reaches 

temperatures of over 600°F. 

www.thefirepod.com 

➎ 

➏ 

➐ 

➑ 



CASE STUDY 

HOLLY CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY 

Bawdon 

Lodge Farm 

Winners of the coveted Wedding Industry Awards' 

East Midlands Wedding Event Team of the Year 

explain what makes their venue such a success 

Bawdon Lodge Farm is a National Forest site nestled in the heart of 

the Charnwood Forest, an area of outstanding beauty in Leicestershire. Its 30 acres 

coupled with its dedicated events team provide a blank canvas for award-winning tipi and 

marquee weddings and events. We spoke to owners Richard and Lynn Bailey about why 

their venue is not just a field on a farm! 

When did you start your function 

venue business? 

The Bailey family has been farming 

in Nanpantan, Loughborough, 

since 1924, first as diary farmers 

before moving into arable. Richard 

represents the third generation 

of the Bailey family to farm in 

Nanpantan. In 1994, Richard and his 

mother, Pat, moved up to Bawdon 

Lodge Farm and in 2012 we took 

over the business with our daughter 

Annabelle. 

I have a background in the 

events industry, having worked in 

hospitality for 27 years and Richard 

has experience in farming and 

management, with an ability to 

'make things work'. Living on this 

beautiful farm and organising our 

own wedding in 2007 we found that 

“AFTER OUR 

MARRIAGE, 

WE REALISED 

THAT THERE 

MAY BE OTHER 

LIKE-MINDED 

PEOPLE 

WHO WERE 

INTERESTED 

IN A SIMILAR 

OUTDOOR 

STYLE 

WEDDING” 

we not only enjoyed sharing the 

organisation but also faced some 

challenges, which others may do 

too. 

After our marriage, we realised 

that there may be other like-minded 

people who were interested in a 

similar outdoor style wedding. After 

much research, liaison with local 

wedding planners and recognising 

our own skills, Bawdon Lodge 

Events Ltd opened for business. 

What facilities for outdoor 

functions do you offer? 

We host tipi, yurt and marquee 

weddings and events, offering 

planning and co-ordination to 

ensure that the special occasion 

runs smoothly. We don't offer 

structures or packages as such. We 

get to know our guests and help 

them to design a unique day. 

Hire of the structures is 

done separately, but we have 

partnerships with local tipi and 

marquee suppliers that we respect, 

wholeheartedly recommend and 

love working with. 

We offer exclusive use of Bawdon 

Lodge Farm, which includes mown 

and tendered fields with our 

fabulous oak tree, deluxe toilets 

(with our essentials toiletries 

package), car parking with lighting, 

guest and car park assistants, 

access to electricity and water, and 

our own rustic and palette bars, 

which offer a range of beverages 

including locally brewed beers, 

exclusive wines, spirits and soft 

drinks. Burleigh’s Gin is distilled on 

the farm and we use this in a variety 

of our Kilner cocktails. 

Over the years we have 

developed both the farm and 

the team to offer more for our 

clients; from luxury loos, bespoke 

decorative pieces and up-cycled 

farming furniture through to the 

handmade oak bar with drinks 

packages, including unique 

cocktails. We continually grow with 

our clients’ needs. 

What services do you offer? 

It was amazing that our wealth of 

outdoor event planning and team 

were recognised at The Wedding 

Industry Awards 2017. Hosted 

by founders Damian and Anna 


CHRISTOPHER TERRY PHOTOGRAPHY 

Bailey (no relation), we enjoyed an 

evening of celebrations with our 

industry friends in November 2016. 

You can hire a field on a farm and 

often that is all you get. Bawdon 

Lodge Farm aims to offer so much 

more. Any of our unique weddings 

enjoy exclusive use of Bawdon 

Lodge Farm for four days, on-site 

co-ordination by the events team, 

three meetings prior to the event, 

and supplier liaison and support via 

email and telephone. We are also 

fully licensed for late entertainment 

and bar facilities. 

We like to understand our clients’ 

needs and signpost them to ideas 

that may be of interest as well as 

advising on industry trends. We 

encourage our clients to pass on 

their supplier’s details to us so that 

we can establish the operational 

side of the planning, such as 

electricity requirements, arrival 

times and requests, and so we 

can explain the set up of the farm, 

access requirements and so on. 

This helps us to build a confident 

relationship with the suppliers and 

they know that when they come to 

Bawdon Lodge Farm they will be 

looked after. The kettle is always on! 

At this point we start to collate 

and produce a schedule of the day, 

which details all activity including 

the timings of the event. From the 

arrival of suppliers and guests to 

the best man’s contact number, we 

have it covered. The day before, 

after we have helped with the setup 

and styling, we hold a handover 

with the clients finalise any details. 

A typical wedding will be 

organised over four days with 

copious quantities of Lynn’s famous 

brownies to keep everyone going. 

Day one is structure build, day 

two is styling, catering and bar 

set up, day three is the wedding 

celebrations, and day four is take 

down. 

How do you research and source 

your tipis and marquees? 

We simply work with the best. We 

have the outdoor event planning 

expertise and a beautiful location. 

We then work with award-winning 

event industry friends who we know 

will deliver an exceptional hire 

service to our clients. 

It was a learning curve at first. 

Not all wedding suppliers are the 

same or provide the level of care 

and support that we want our 

clients to enjoy! We now have an 

enviable friendship with key local 

suppliers, giving us the chance to 

concentrate on making sure the 

event runs without a hitch and 

still provide the very best in tipi or 

marquee hire. 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

We give our clients time; time with 

us, time with our suppliers and 

space to explore all their ideas. 

We have at least three meetings 

prior to the big day and we are in 

constant contact to help 


KEOWN PHOTO DANI&JORDAN 

“...OUR 

RELATIONSHIP 

WITH 

SUPPLIERS 

HELPS US 

CREATE A 

UNIQUE 

EXPERIENCE 

AT EVERY 

EVENT” 

them create a day that is as unique 

as they are. 

Again, our relationship with 

suppliers helps us create a unique 

experience at every event. From 

award-winning catering that 

reflects each client’s wishes through 

to stunning flowers, décor and 

amazing entertainment, each day is 

personal and unique. Our motto is 

‘Your wedding, your way.’ 

Instead of a pre-decorated 

hotel room, an outdoor event 

provides a blank canvas. We work 

hard to ensure each celebration is 

personalised to reflect our clients’ 

style and wishes. 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We have a strong website and 

online presence that helps 

prospective clients to find us. 

Through regular updates on social 

media and emails we stay on top 

HOLLY CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY


CHRISTOPHER TERRY PHOTOGRAPHY 

DAN HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY 

KEOWN PHOTO 


of all enquiries and spread our 

‘wedding news’ far and wide. We 

are often featured on wedding 

industry blogs and attend industry 

networking events and meet ups. 

Entering and winning nationally 

recognised awards has elevated 

our position and generated media 

support and followers. 

Twice a year we hold spectacular 

showcase events where a full 

wedding tipi is packed with the 

best suppliers working together 

to demonstrate new wedding 

trends. We create the full magical 

atmosphere of an outdoor 

celebration, which helps our clients 

to visualise how their day could 

take place at the venue. 

Referrals from happy clients 

recommending us to their engaged 

friends also bring in lots of 

enquiries. 

How would you describe your 

‘style’ or unique selling point? 

Attention to detail and friendly, 

supportive help at every step of the 

planning stages means our clients 

enjoy a stress-free, perfect day. 

Always open to a challenge, we 

don’t say no without good reason! 

No client or wedding is the same so 

there really is complete flexibility to 

personalise the celebrations, with 

the events team following closely 

behind with a toolbox and cuppa in 

hand. 

What challenges have you faced? 

Our biggest challenge is time. 

We started the event side of the 

business with a couple of bookings. 

We’ve quadrupled in size in a couple 

of years and have had to build the 

admin support and systems quickly 

to handle the demand. 

We have also obtained planning 

permission for our grain barn on the 

farm to be converted into a coffee 

shop and small function room, 

with a view to gaining a license 

for wedding ceremonies. Juggling 

planners and bureaucracy can be 

challenging and always takes way 

longer than you hope. 

The British weather is always a 

challenge; we cannot do anything 

about what happens in the sky but 

we can manage what happens on 

the ground. With tipi and marquee 

weddings our team is on hand 

with umbrellas, coats and vehicles 

to aid guests on-site, blankets for 

keeping warm and sun tan lotion for 

protection. 

We work with the structure 

companies to prepare the ground 

as much as possible to avoid rain 

gathering by spiking the ground. 

The team is constantly positive and 

optimistic to keep guests happy – 

come rain, hail, snow or sunshine (all 

of which happened on the same day 

at one wedding!). 

Our team is kitted out with all 

weather gear, from t-shirts and 

lotion to waterproof coats, hats, high 

viz tops and walkie talkies, and we 

constantly have the urn on so they 

can always get themselves a hot 

drink. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

Next season we are fully booked for 

weddings and 2018 isn’t far behind. 

Our longer term goal is to get the 

coffee shop up and running with the 

option of an indoor function room. 



We have held some very 

successful corporate events, from 

networking sessions and shopping 

events through to product launches 

and photo shoots. We are looking at 

growing this side of the business and 

the converted barn will help with 

this. Bawdon Lodge Farm is very a 

flexible, blank canvas and attracts a 

wide market from birthday picnics to 

200 plus guest weddings. Ideas such 

as an outdoor cinema, live music, 

corporate and community events 

are also in the pipeline! 

Describe your average day midseason 

Each day is different and always very 

busy. We still run a working farm 

and that keeps us on our toes! We 

take great pride in the main event 

fields and oak tree, and tend to them 

regularly. 

The day of an actual wedding 

starts at about 6.30am and ends 

at about 2am the following 

morning. We always find time to 

have breakfast, which is a great 

opportunity to catch up with the 

team. One of our guests described 

herself as a swan floating across the 

lake, oblivious to the mad kicking of 

legs that we provide underneath to 

keep the event gliding smoothly on. 

Each day is varied from road 

closures and water being switched 

off to bands breaking down and 

cakes wilting in the heat. No two 

weddings are the same and it is our 

job to make sure everyone has an 

amazing time and gets safely home 

in waiting carriages. 

Do you enjoy the business and 

why? 

We love our business. We love 

working with all our clients, all 

our suppliers, our brilliant and 

supportive team, and with each 

other. The sense of achievement 

and sheer pleasure of overseeing a 

successful event is what we get up 

for. We also have a better work-life 

balance. 

There are tough days of course. 

No business is plain sailing and 

jumping through red tape hoops 

is sometimes tough. But when the 

letters of thanks come in, filled with 

great memories and happy photos, 

it makes it all so worthwhile. The 

Wedding Industry Award is the 

cherry on the cake. 

We operate on a quality over 

quantity basis and work very hard 

to offer a limited number of very 

special wedding days, delivered with 

extra care and thought. 


“WE ALSO 

OFFER OUR 

AWARD- 

WINNING 

EVENTS TEAM 

AND BAR 

SERVICE AT 

EXTERNAL 

EVENTS 

ALONG WITH 

LUXURY 

TOILET HIRE” 

ADBY CREATIVE 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

Sami Tipi - 01332 806040 

www.samitipi.co.uk 

Peak Tipis - 0344 411 3460 

www.peaktipis.co.uk 

Every Occasion Marquees 

01636 706420 

www.every-occasion.com 

Bond Marquees - 01332 864128 

www.bondmarquees.co.uk 

What other outdoor sectors do 

you operate in? 

In late 2012, Bawdon Lodge Farm 

became a Certified Location with 

The Caravan Club and we regularly 

welcome caravans and motor 

homes to our beautiful site. We also 

offer our award-winning events 

team and bar service at external 

events along with luxury toilet hire. 

In addition, we offer consultations 

so if clients are considering an event 

at their home or in a village hall or 

similar, we will offer a site visit and 

consultation to provide specialist 

outdoor event advice and guidance. 

We can also run the event for them. 

What advice would you give 

someone coming into the 

industry? 

Be prepared to sacrifice prime 

summer weekends, although if 

you are farming too this won’t be 

anything new! The level of support 

required by clients varies greatly 

so you need to be confident and 

LIGHTING 

Inside: supplied by structure 

companies 

Oak tree lighting: Premier 

Events - 0116 202 9953 

www.premier-event-services. 

com 

HEAT 

Supplied by structure 

companies 

approachable to enable you to 

deal with their requests. They will 

inevitably be worrying about the 

most important day of their lives so 

peace of mind for them is key. 

Meet with a variety of suppliers 

and work with those who have the 

same ethos as you. Forming strong 

collaborations has been a source 

of great friendship and inspiration 

for us. Make sure your suppliers 

will deliver the level of service you 

expect, as they obviously reflect on 

you and your business reputation. 

We recommend suppliers who our 

clients have had a great experience 

with. 

Stand by your prices. You know 

how much time and effort goes 

into each event. You are worth your 

price. When you first start out it’s 

easy to say ‘any customer is a good 

customer’. You will soon learn that 

is not the case. 

Never give up. The hard work is 

worth it. We are very proud of our 

farm venue, team and the events 

we organise and host. 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual 

0808 274 9600 

www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Nanpantan, 

Loughborough, 

LE12 9YE 

01509 268080 

www.bawdonlodgefarm.co.uk 



Light up 

the Sky 

With demand growing for fireworks and other special effects at 

weddings, corporate events and private parties, Open Air Business 

discovers how to ensure your occasion has the wow factor 

PICTURES COURTESY PHOTOS OF BY WHITELIGHTNING PYROTECHNICS 

FIREWORK DISPLAYS AND laser shows 

should be enjoyable, spectacular and of 

course safe, and demand is growing for 

the sensational special effects that can be 

achieved. 

Display pyrotechnics - also known as 

commercial or professional fireworks - 

are pyrotechnic devices intended for use 

outdoors, where the audience can be further 

away, and smoke and fallout is less of a 

concern. 

According to Wikipedia, pyrotechnics is 

“the science of using materials capable of 

undergoing self-contained and self-sustained 

exothermic chemical reactions for the 

production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or 

sound.” 

In relation to the entertainment industry, 

explosions, flashes, smoke, flames, fireworks 

or other pyrotechnic driven effects are 

referred to as theatrical special effects, special 

effects or proximate pyrotechnics. Proximate 

refers to the location of the pyrotechnic 

device in relation to an audience. In most 

instances, special training and licensing must 

be obtained from local authorities to legally 

prepare and use proximate pyrotechnics. 

Of course, if you get a request for any sort of 

display at your venue, the first thing you must 

do is decide if you are happy to allow it. Most 

venues do but may enforce some restrictions. 

The most common of these are: the client 

must use a company from your preferred 

supplier list; you might want to charge a 

facilitation fee (up to 10 per cent of the value 

of the show); you might request that the show 

finishes by a certain time; and you might 

only want to allow ‘quiet’ displays. Very few 

venues will allow customers to fire their own 

fireworks because of the insurance liability. 

CONSIDER YOUR NEIGHBOURS 

Considering the local community in which 

the event is taking place is also of particular 

importance. There could be farm animals in 

nearby fields or barns or a nature reserve, 

and at certain times of the year it may be of 

extra importance not to cause distress to the 

animals; for example, if they are lambing or 

calving. 

Whitelightning Pyrotechnics is a family 

run business that has been operating for 15 

years. As owner Vanessa White explains: “It 

is courteous to let local people know about 

the time of any fireworks; especially think of 

nearby care homes for the elderly and people 

who may have pets so they can take care of 

them.” 

If appropriate, low noise displays may 

solve the problem. These cause less 

disturbance to people and animals alike and 

include fountains, strobes, glittering comet 

tails, falling leaves/waterfall effects and 

crossette bursts. 

Venues can specify whether or not 

fireworks are allowed on site and whether 

to allow only low noise displays. However, 

most venues and sites have no restrictions. 

In terms of other permissions, this depends 

on what else might be in close proximity to 

your venue. 

“The firework company will do a full on 

site survey to determine whether extra 

permission is needed from the Civil Aviation 

Authority (if the display is within five nautical 

miles of an airport/RAF base), the coast 

guard or harbour master (if it is close to 

a port, harbour or the sea), the Highways 

Agency (if it is near to major roads) and the 

rail network (if it is close a railway line),” 

White explains. 

“In most cases the display company 

will get the clearances needed, although 

for some public events it will be up to the 

organisers to get permission from local 

authorities if on council/public land, and if 

any road closures are needed.” 



CALL IN THE EXPERTS 

According to the Health & Safety Executive, 

if you are organising a major public 

event, you will need a robust and detailed 

approach to planning as well as professional 

involvement. 

HSE provides some useful tips and 

guidance on its website. However, whether 

your event is large or small, the experts 

can ensure that your guests are treated to 

something spectacular, while maintaining 

strict safety measures. 

Health and safety is of course of the 

utmost importance and should be taken 

very seriously. Keeping up to date with 

new advances, changes in legislation and 

training is vital, as is having the appropriate 

insurance should an accident occur. 

“We have £10 million public liability 

insurance to cover our displays,” says 

White. “Our dynamic risk assessments are 

live documents and constantly reviewed 

throughout the day. In the majority of 

cases nothing will need changing, but any 

concerns will be discussed with the event 

co-ordinator and agreed.” 

According to White, it is vital to ensure 

you use a reputable company with the 

proven relevant experience, qualifications 

and insurance. “They will then make sure in 

depth risk assessments are completed and 

the correct procedures followed for setting 

up and firing the display safely. You could 

also look for one affiliated with a trusted 

body such as the British Pyrotechnists 

Association (BPA), which can recommend 

City & Guilds trained firers and senior firers.” 

Simon Page, director, Titanium Fireworks, 

also has some words of advice to help 

anyone choosing from the hundred or so 

companies that are operating in the sector 

in the UK, emphasising the fact that you 

should make sure you know who you are 

dealing with and research them properly. 

"In choosing a company, make sure you 

have a name and they are responsive to 

your communications,” he says. “A lot of 

companies are run by ‘hobbyists’. Don’t be 

afraid to ask to speak to someone who they 

have worked for recently and be very wary 

of ‘packages’. Every venue is different and 

every event is different so we would not 

dream of rolling out a standard pack for 

someone’s event. It is a lot of money to go 

up in smoke, noise and light, and you don’t 

get a rehearsal!” 

WHAT TO EXPECT 

Organised displays are put together using 

category 4 (professional only) fireworks 

rather than fireworks you can buy over the 

counter, which are designed for public use. 

Choreographing a display is a complex 

skill. “Design is my passion,” says White. “It’s 

like doing a performance without being on 

centre stage, painting a picture in the sky, 

mixing a pallet of colours, shapes and effects 

to create flow and moving patterns building 

and building to a crescendo of colour and 

sound in the finale.” 

A vast array of effects can be achieved, 

from single shots to chasing sequences and 

patterns, large Roman candles producing 

huge tails rising into the sky and multi-shot 

cakes or barrages, which come in thousands 

of configurations including straight, zig 

zag, crossover and fan firing in various 

combinations. They range from 10 to 500 

shots and fire in three to 120 seconds. 

“We try to stay up to date with the 

current technology, although it can move at 

some speed,” says White. “Displays can be 

designed on the computer using specialist 

software and then a visual result played 

back to check on the design, timings or 

shown to a client if needed,” she continues. 

“Some displays will be manually fired 

using an electrical firing system, while 

others are programmed into the system. 

This can be done using cables or wirelessly 

to several different firing positions across a 

site,” she adds. 

Other effects that can be achieved include 

mines that fire a column of stars upwards 

from the ground, again in a variety of effects 

and colours. These are sometimes used in 

cakes to create a layered effect from the 

ground to high in the sky. 

THE PRACTICALITIES 

The time required to set up a display will 

vary greatly depending on the size and 

complexity and how many positions there 

are. “Usually it requires a lot more time than 

people might think and we tend to be on site 

all day from early morning to late into the 

evening/early hours of the next morning to 

set up a large display,” says White. 

Page believes that fireworks are unusual 

in that, unlike most things in the event 

industry, the thing you are paying for cannot 

be re-used. “Like food, wines and flowers, 

our product is used up during your event. If 

you think about the costs of a professional 

company designing, preparing and 

delivering fireworks you wouldn’t imagine 

that they could do this for some of the prices 

you see advertised on the internet. 

“The normal corner to cut is the most 

expensive item after labour, which is of 

course the fireworks themselves. If it looks 

too good to be true then it almost certainly 

is,” he adds. “It is possible to fire a really 

great display for between £1,250 and £3,500 

depending on duration and whether music 

is involved.” 

“Our displays start from £600 for a small 

private party or local wedding,” says White, 

“£1,000 or £5,000 can be fired in 10 minutes 

or one intense minute. For this reason we 

don’t have any set packages as each display 

is uniquely designed to suit the budget, time 

and to enhance the venue,” she adds. 

Displays are often set to music, but


COMMON FIREWORK EFFECTS 

PHOTOS BY WHITELIGHTNING PYROTECHNICS 

contrary to what you might be told, this 

can often be more expensive for two 

reasons. Firstly, the fireworks need to 

follow the undulations of the music, 

which generally requires more fireworks 

than just firing them in an order. 

“We actually design all our displays 

with a special software to ensure there 

are no non-deliberate pauses so setting 

to music does not add to our work,” 

says Page. “The far bigger challenge for 

us is simple physics. Light and sound 

travel at greatly different speeds. Think 

about lightning and the thunder that 

comes afterwards - even if the storm is 

overhead,” he adds. 

The company recommends a linear 

PA system right in front of your guests 

(costs from about £500) in order that 

you can see the fireworks are actually 

synchronized to the music. “If you 

rely on a DJ using speakers through a 

window or back in a marquee you have 

fireworks drowning out some music in 

the background,” he warns. 

THE FINAL WORD 

While it is not unreasonable to pay a 

deposit, Page’s advice is not to part with 

more than 25% of an agreed amount 

until you have seen the end result. “I 

would also check the cancellation terms 

as sometimes the wind does blow in the 

‘wrong direction’ at such a speed that 

it simply isn’t safe to fire a display,” he 

says. 

“That said, a proper firework company 

should be able to design a display for 

most locations that has a better than 

90% chance of firing,” he continues. “We 

don’t actually charge any deposit but ask 

for payment after the event when you 

have confirmed you are entirely happy 

that what we have provided is what you 

were expecting.” 

As any reputable company will tell 

you, a consultation and site visit are vital 

to ensure everyone has the opportunity 

to express their needs and discuss ideas. 

Planning a display can be overwhelming, 

so to summarise, here are the key 

areas you should consider: the event; 

the neighbours; the time and date; the 

budget; and the number of firers. 

Of course, the one thing you can’t 

plan for is the weather. However, you 

don’t need to worry about that, as a 

professional display can still take place 

in all weather apart from the most 

extreme wind. The only thing the rain 

might dampen is the audience’s resolve. 

USEFUL LINKS 

Titanium Fireworks - 020 7183 9665 

www.titaniumfireworks.com 

Whitelightning Pyrotechnics - 

01945 463857 


› Bees - represents a cluster or swarm of light points, 

which move through the air under their own power before 

disappearing 

› Blinker (aka strobe) - a cluster of stars that move out 

in a strobing or blinking effect; they hang in the air longer 

than most other fireworks 

› Blossom - reminiscent of a flower, this colourful effect 

sparks and expands outwards, much like a blooming flower 

› Bombette - fired by a lifting charge, this effect is 

produced from within a candle or cake 

› Brocade - looks like an expanding sphere of stars, similar 

to a Peony but more persistent 

› Butterfly - created with two cones of effects that are 

fired in opposite directions in a symmetrical pattern 

› Comet - leaves a persistent, glittering trail, often in the 

form of a star 

› Crackle - an audio effect featuring little snaps and bangs 

› Crackling comet - a tail of crackling effects, as opposed 

to a silent glittery one 

› Crossette - an effect that spawns several other effects, 

e.g. an exploding coloured star that releases several other 

coloured stars 

› Double break - this could be a rocket that bursts twice 

with two separate effects or a shell/firework that releases 

two effects 

› Dragon’s egg - a gold/silver burst that concludes in 

strobes or crackles 

› Falling leaves - gives the impression of falling leaves, 

drifting downwards 

› Fish – with a swimming, wriggling appearance, the fish is 

often coloured and is easy on the ears 

› Heart - bursts into a heart shape 

› Hummer - makes a humming sound, generated by 

the way it burns and its housing structure. Low pitched 

hummers sound like bees, while high pitched ones create a 

screeching sound 

› Kamuro - this hanging effect looks quite like a willow, 

usually with a twinkling or strobing effect 

› Maroon - extremely loud bang created by a maroon 

shell/rocket 

› Palm tree effect - cascading effect reminiscent of a palm 

tree, usually gold and silver 

› Parachute - a tricky effect created by professionals, 

aimed at staying in the air for longer – often for flare/ 

hanging lantern effects 

› Peony - an expanding sphere of stars. 

› Pistil - an effect containing a peony as a key component 

› Rainbow - displaying various colours or changing colour 

› Report - what the professionals call a ‘bang’ 

› Ring effect - expanding 2D ring/circle generated using 

numerous stars 

› Salute - a loud bang similar to a maroon 

› Spinner - a rapidly spinning aerial effect, usually silver. 

May emit noise and release stars 

› Spiral - a spiral shaped effect 

› Star - star or flaming ball. Can be any colour. Low noise 

› Tail - the fading stream of light behind the firework 

› Titanium salute - huge bang accompanied by a bright flash 

› Turbillion - usually a star with an erratic flight path and a 

spiralling, glitter effect 

› Whistle - a whistling sound in a firework, made by the 

material being burned rather than the effect of flight 

› Willow effect - similar to a palm tree effect, but more like 

a willow tree’s weeping branches 


Boutique & Bedouin Tents 

Linings, Drapes & Lights 

Furniture & Finishing Touches 

before 

after 

T: 01608 651100 

W: www.oasisevents.co.uk 

Turning ordinary places into extraordinary spaces. 

Inside. Outside. All year round. 

Small BuSineSS of the Year 

ITA ROBUST Models 

• 45 Kw and 75 Kw outputs 

• Fuel tank for 16 hours burning duration 

• Large ball bearing wheels 

• Fork lift slots 

• Fuel Gauge 

• Optional lifting hook 

IMA Series 

• High efficiency heat exchangers 

• Radial fans for powerful heat distribution 

• Protection bars all around 

• Lifting hooks & fork truck slots 

• Tigerloop standard 

• Burner with rain cover and lower tray for oil 

containment during servicing 

• Available with 1 and 3 phase radial fans 

• Outputs of 65kw, 110kw, 150kw & 200kw 

IMAC Series 

• High efficiency heat exchangers 

• Stainless steel frame on box girders with 

fork truck slots & lifting hooks 

• Lockable door panels for control box and 

burner area with feed through glands for 

cable and fuel hoses 

• Return air flanges are optional 

• 120kw, 145kw, 200kw & 220kw models 

with options of 2 stage burner and 2 

speed fan on the 200Kw & 220 Kw 

models 

• IMAC 4000E model has a 2 stage burner 

& 2 speed fan wth heat outputs of 261kw 

or 383kw and heated air outputs up to 

24,000 cubic metres per hour 

11 & 12 Buckingham Close, Bermuda Industrial Estate, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7JT 

Andy Wallis 07850 988382 • Steve Jones 07810 805935 • John Hall 07775 635527 

Tel: 02476 357960 Email: sales@thermobile.co.uk www.thermobile.co.uk 



Winter 

Function 

Advice 

Words of wisdom from suppliers 

for those running winter 

marquee events 

Graham Jordan, Managing Director 

From: Cooling and Heating Solutions 

Contact: 01590 681434 

www.coolingandheatingsolutions.com 

What is your best advice for organisers of winter functions? 

Book your heating equipment early. If there is a sudden cold snap, 

available equipment becomes very scarce very quickly. Also, the 

amount of heating capacity needed is largely determined by the 

external air temperature; so, if the temperature is zero, for example, 

you need twice as much heating capacity as you do at say, 10 o C. It is 

very easy to try to keep costs down by ‘hoping’ for warmer weather, 

but very easy to get caught out. 

Tell us about when things go wrong 

In temporary structures, internal linings are often used and installed 

days before the event. They can be saturated by condensation if heat 

is not applied at the same time. You need to ensure that electricity 

supplies are on site early enough. Also, red diesel is often the main 

source of fuel on site. It is very easy to run out of diesel mid event 

and, in the countryside, the local farmer’s bulk tank is used to refill. 

That tank usually has years and years of sludge in it and that results 

in the heater filters quickly becoming blocked. 

The industry standard for marquee heating has traditionally been 

torpedo style diesel fired blower heaters. They are the only option for 

the lowest budgets but when budgeting allow for the cost of diesel 

consumption. Unlike most suppliers, we provide diesel on sale or 

return, so there is no deterrent to having more than enough clean 

diesel on site. 

For those with a slightly larger budget, we always recommend 

having two smaller heaters rather than one large one. This provides 

better warm air distribution for greater comfort and should there be 

a malfunction, only a proportion of the total heating is lost. For the 

largest budgets, we use hot water systems, which are almost silent 

in operation. They also use much less diesel. Additionally, quartz 

radiant heaters are available for small peripheral areas such as 

smoking booths, toilets etc. 

We also supply attendant heating engineers for the actual event 

and they are responsible for thermostat adjustments, changing from 

cooling to heating at appropriate times and dealing with technical 

issues. 

How can your product or service help? 

We have stringent routines for the service and maintenance of our 

equipment to provide maximum reliability. We will often put spare 

stand-by units on site just in case of a problem. Our free, pre-event 

service provides organisers with a series of prompts to remind them 

of everything that needs to be taken into account. 

What options are there for organisers with small, medium and 

large budgets? 



Ronnie Brown, Managing Director 

From: Blachere Illumination UK 

Contact: 01337 832910 / www. 

blachere-illumination.co.uk 

What is your best advice for organisers of 

winter functions? 

Planning, preparation and sound electrical 

and mechanical infrastructure; give 

yourself as much time as you can. When 

you rush things they can go wrong. Get it 

right first time. There is never enough time 

to do it right. But there is always time to do 

it over. 


An unlit venue can look pretty drab, even 

during the summer. However, in the 

winter the drabness becomes a whole new 

problem. Not only are you containing the 

event in a marquee, there are also safety 

issues to think about. Most marquees 

have internal lighting, and that’s okay, but 

if you want to make it special for guests 

then external lighting is a must. A simple 

string of bulbs or fairy lights will help, or if 

there are trees nearby you can light them. 

External lighting will make your venue 

bigger. Don’t restrict your event to the 

marquee; let’s take the party outside! 


Festoon and bulbs is a great way to light 

your venue. Cost-effective too. But you 

can also use curtains of light. You can find 

these on our website, just download the 

catalogue. We also offer a consultancy 

service and can create a ‘Blachere virtual 

makeover’ from a photograph of your 

venue. We turn it into a night scene and 

superimpose lighting solutions to illustrate 

a breathtaking visual of what can be 

achieved. 

What options are there for organisers 

with small, medium and large budgets? 

All three have the option to rent or to 

purchase ex rental products; this makes 

their budget go further. Get products that 

can be used in different ways so it looks 

like you have spent more money when you 

have just been creative with what you have. 

You can focus on the focal point and not try 

to spread the budget too thin. 

Louis Cherrill, Business Manager 

From: Anchorbloc 

Contact: 0800 122 3304 / 

www.anchor-block.com 

What is your best advice for organisers of 

winter functions? 

When organising for a winter function, my 

best advice would be to ensure you have 

made the necessary arrangements when 

it comes to securing temporary structures. 

With colder days and nights it can be 

considerably harder to use the traditional 

method of pegging, increasing the risk 

of error and failure if the weather was to 

turn bad. The same goes for the use of 

intermediate bulk containers (IBC) - such 

as large containers filled with water - which 

may freeze, crack, then empty themselves 

when thawing, leaving a structure 

unsecured and open to the elements. 


We have all heard stories of disastrous 

events when marquees and other 

temporary structures fail or are ripped away 

from their pegs due to sudden changes in 

weather. Year on year the UK is experiencing 

more extreme weather so it's always a 

good idea to be prepared. Always ensure 

you are following the structure’s design 

requirements, whether stipulated in the 

manufacturer's specification or better still 

a full set of temporary works designs and 

calculations so that you can be safe in the 

knowledge you are doing everything to 

ensure the safety of your site and the public. 

Concrete ballast such as Anchor Blocs are 

100% reliable and cannot be damaged 

by the elements. You know exactly what 

weight they are and how many you need; no 

more guessing or assuming that enough has 

been done. 


Our products are fully tested to meet 

British Standard BS 5761, a regulation 

stipulated within Construction, Design and 

Management Regulations 2015. We offer 

a full service to our clients, which includes 

managing transport, loading/offloading and 

even placement. We can also assist with 

temporary works designs and on-site health 

and safety management. 

What options are there for organisers 

with small, medium and large budgets? 

We can supply Anchor Blocs in a selection 

of difference sizes including 250kg, 330kg, 

500kg and 1,000kg. We also offer multiple 

methods of transport in order to provide the 

most cost-effective option for any event, be 

it large or small. 



Graham Crisp, Director 

From: GT Trax 

Contact: 01487 823344 / www.gttrax.co.uk 

What is your best advice for organisers of winter functions? 

As suppliers of temporary flooring for craft shows, Christmas markets 

and indoor marquees, we always advise clients to “never trust the 

weather” and this is definitely more pertinent during the winter 

months. Deploying suitable and adequate temporary flooring will not 

only ensure that visitors’ feet do not the damage the ground, but also 

directs people to where the organiser wants them to go. This helps 

with security, safety and ensures a proper ‘flow’ of people is created. 

We always advise organisers to take a few extra temporary flooring 

panels, so if the weather takes a turn for the worse they will always 

have the ability to react quickly and keep the ground protected. 

Susie Cursons, Sales Manager 

From: Attwoolls Marquees 

Contact: 01452 742 222 

www.attwoollsmarquees.co.uk 

What is your best advice for organisers of winter 

functions? 

First off, it is important to provide adequate heating. 

If budget allows, opting for a marquee structure with 

glazed / solid sides rather than PVC is always preferable 

as the insulation properties will be far superior. Also, 

water will drain underneath a suspended floor. If 

marquees are linked together, guttering must be secured 

in place to avoid rainwater cascading through. Another 

consideration is using trackway to access the site as 

wet weather conditions result in the ground being 

inaccessible without it. 


On occasions there have been issues when a client has 

sourced equipment independently from a low cost, low 

quality supplier with the aim of reducing their costs. 

This is not only potentially dangerous, but can also lead 

to an event being ruined; for example, using heating 

equipment that has malfunctioned or is inadequate, 

leaving the client with a freezing cold marquee and no 

professional contact to call upon. 


After reading the weather report, the organiser of a large winter 

outdoor market took the decision to scale back on temporary flooring 

around some of the trade stands. There was a massive downpour 

in the middle of the event and the ground quickly churned up into 

mud. The market stalls that were stationed next to temporary 

flooring panels didn’t experience a significant drop in footfall past 

their displays, whereas the areas that had no ground protection were 

sensibly avoided by visitors, resulting in some very disgruntled stall 

holders. 


We supply a wide range of temporary flooring. The two most popular 

flooring products for marquee events are LuxTrax modular flooring 

and Walkover temporary pathways. Both products are made from 

recycled (and recyclable) material, which helps an organiser to 

complete their environmental audit. We will visit the site prior to the 

event to ascertain which particular product is most suitable for the 

event. We supply large and small quantities and each event gets the 

same careful attention. 

What options are there for organisers with small, medium and 

large budgets? 

We install and remove or supply only, and have a range of prices to 

suit most budgets. After listening to a client’s needs or visiting the site 

we will advise on the product to suit the footfall or types of vehicles. 


Attwoolls provides a service that offers advice before 

any event and communicates with the client regarding 

any concerns we have about the feasibility of a project. 

We also offer a 24/7 call out service for emergencies. Our 

large stock of equipment, which includes heating, also 

ensures that if we need to replace anything it is available. 

What options are there for organisers with small, 

medium and large budgets? 

We can accommodate all budgets and offer basic 

marquees through to bespoke double or triple deck 

structures. For small garden functions with a minimum 

budget we offer to hire out small marquees and 

equipment on a collect and return basis, which removes 

labour and transport costs for the client. 


the Ultimate solution for 

restraining temporary structures 

0800 122 3304 www.anchorbloc.co.uk 

✓ ü Hire or buy your Anchor Blocs outright 

✓ ü Take advantage of our ‘Anchor 'Anchor Management’ 

Managment' 

programme -- great if if you have multiple events at at 

different locations. 

✓ ü Full logistics and storage facilities are available 

✓ ü Payment by credit card for convenience 

✓ ü Emergency telephone service for 24/7 support 

✓ ü 1000kg, 500kg, 330kg 330kg and and 250kg 250kg options options 

✓ ü Perfect for for securing marquees, inflatables and and any any 

other fabric temporary temporaty structures. 

✓ ü CDM CDM 2015 2015 compliant Lloyd British Testing Certified Certifed 

in in accordance with with BS5975:2008. 

✓ ü Custom options available avalible. 

✓ ü Huge Huge range Range of of accessories, accesories, from From branded covers to to 

specially adapted all all terrain teraine pallet pallet trucks trucks.


BOGGIO STUDIOS 

Giving the issue of lighting some thought could 

make both your and your clients’ lives a little easier, 

and a little brighter, says Isabel Smith 

IN FAIRNESS, LIGHTING isn’t 

necessarily the most exciting topic 

for a business person trying to 

build their new wedding/event 

space brand. It isn’t all that exciting 

a topic to me and I have 10 years 

experience of getting event lighting 

right. 

However, as well as ensuring your 

pricing is appropriate, profiling 

your ideal target market, writing the 

perfect marketing strategy and, of 

course, ensuring your facilities and 

services are in line with your client’s 

needs, lighting is one of those 

things that really deserves some 

careful thought. 

After all, what is the point in 

having the most gorgeous grounds 

or views if, when it comes to 

nightfall, no one can enjoy them? 

And the perfect, level field for guest 

parking is all well and good, but 

who is liable should guests trip over 

while searching for their cars? Allow 

me to ‘enlighten’ you (see what I did 

there!). 

GARDENS AND GROUNDS 

Picture the scene. You have a 

stunning farm or field with a view, 

or are using your stately home 

as the backdrop for incredible 

marquee weddings overlooking the 

carefully manicured gardens. Your 

client books your venue and loves 

every inch of it (having only visited 

in daylight of course). 

KATA TIPIS 



The event takes place, it is 

perfect and then… darkness falls. 

Suddenly, that stunning exterior 

or view that you so capitalised on 

falls into shadow, looking not just 

‘nothing’ but positively creepy 

in the darkness. Is that really 

the feeling you want all 100 or 

so guests to leave your property 

with? No? Then why on earth not 

invest in some outdoor lighting? It 

doesn’t take a lot to install some 

uplighters to your most mature 

and prized trees, or elegant 

floodlighting to the vista. Water 

features like lakes or fountains 

also tend to get overlooked, 

which can actually cause a safety 

issue should intrepid guests go a 

wandering. 

ENSURING YOUR PROPERTY 

SHINES 

Likewise, if your setting includes 

a building of some sort (be that 

a stately manor or a refurbished 

barn) think about how you can 

both enhance the guest experience 

and ensure everyone remembers 

the venue at its best by installing 

some sort of lighting appropriate 

to your brand and offering. If 

you’re offering a more rustic barn, 

then outdoor fairy lights wrapped 

around the external beams might 

be just the ticket. A grander 

property might require more 

powerful uplighting, which should 

ideally change colour in response 

to your client’s theme. 

If nothing else, there are going 

JOE SHORT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY 

“IF YOU’RE 

OFFERING 

A MORE 

RUSTIC 

BARN, THEN 

OUTDOOR 

FAIRY LIGHTS 

WRAPPED 

AROUND 

THE 

EXTERNAL 

BEAMS 

MIGHT BE 

JUST THE 

TICKET” 

to be one or two smokers heading 

outside throughout the evening. 

Surely they deserve to be able 

to see where they are going, and 

indeed where the ashtrays are that 

you have so carefully provided 

to prevent them dropping stubs 

where they stand; after all, it is 

likely to be you who has to pick the 

damn things up! In fact, combining 

lighting and heating in this 

scenario will serve you well (she 

says, sitting in the cool Autumn 

weather in Rome next to a rather 

sophisticated and elegant outdoor 

heating solution). 

INTERIOR EVENT LIGHTING 

This is where things have the 

potential to be complicated. If 

you’re offering a blank field for 

marquee events and using a hire 

company, then hurrah! Interior 

lighting can absolutely be left 

to the client and the marquee/ 

lighting supplier. If you’re offering 

more than that then ‘eek’ – this 

really needs some thought. 

Standard strip lighting in the 

rafters of your barn is not going to 

cut it. It is harsh, unflattering and 

unromantic. Really, you need to 

liaise with an expert on lighting 

systems. As mentioned previously, 

an integrated, dynamic system 

that allows for colour changes and 

response to music is going to go a 

long way to impressing potential 

LILLIBROOKE MANOR/CHRIS GILES PHOTOGRAPHY


KATA TIPIS 

“ON ANY OCCASION WHERE YOU ANTICIPATE 

GUESTS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC 

MAKING THEIR WAY FROM YOUR PERFECTLY 

LIT BUILDING OR MARQUEE TO THEIR 

VEHICLES, YOU NEED TO THINK CAREFULLY 

ABOUT THE ROUTE THEY WILL TAKE” 

CANDLED 

clients (and saving them money 

on production, meaning they are 

much more likely to book with 

you). 

Interior lighting can be on 

dimmers and arranged by zone 

so that you can assist your client 

in creating different moods in 

different areas. 

If you can’t offer a permanently 

installed solution, make sure 

you have a good, reliable and 

broadly priced lighting company 

on your preferred supplier list who 

can offer anything from simple 

uplighters dotted around to more 

interesting lighting solutions. 

You can’t imagine how much 

effect coloured lighting can have 

on mood. I once attended an 

event that aimed to recreate the 

12 hours from dusk until dawn 

through lighting alone, and let 

me tell you, after three hours I 

was absolutely convinced it was 

morning! 

AND WHAT ABOUT CANDLES? 

Candles offer the most stunning 

soft light. Venues that don’t 

allow candles drive me mad as 

a planner, but I do understand 

that for some properties there is a 

legitimate safety risk. If you can’t 

allow your clients to provide their 

own candlelight, why not invest in 

the most realistic and authentic 

battery operated candles that 

money can buy. You could always 

charge a small hire fee to recoup 

your costs, and this would turn a 

profit over time. 

PRACTICAL ESSENTIALS 

On any occasion where you 

anticipate guests or members 

of the public making their way 

from your perfectly lit building 

or marquee to their vehicles, you 

need to think carefully about the 

route they will take. The chances 

are it will be well into the night at 

this point, and some guests will 

be a little worse for wear and/or 

in heels! 

Even the smoothest pathway 

can develop potholes, and for 

most outdoor venues we are 

talking grass, mud or gravel paths. 

At the very least you can line 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Isabel Smith has 10 

years in the wedding 

industry behind her 

as one of the UK’s top 

wedding planners and 

business consultant 

to venues and other 

suppliers. Isabel’s 

expertise spans 

marketing, sales and 

operations as she 

helps new vendors 

launch as well as 

assisting established 

businesses should 

they find their 

sales falling. www. 

isabelsmithconsulting. 

co.uk / www. 

isabelsmithweddings. 

co.uk 

the way with the solar charged 

‘stick in the ground’ lights you 

can buy from any garden centre 

to prevent accident or injury. 

However, when the business is 

strong enough and can support 

the investment, permanent, 

wired ‘lampposts’ for night time 

pathways and more powerful 

downlighting for the car park area 

are a must. After all, you really 

don’t want to be held to account 

for a drunken fall or vehicle 

damage. Remember, etiquette is 

defined as the art of putting others 

at ease, and whether your efforts 

will be recognised by clients or 

not, you will be the master of 

good etiquette by ensuring a safe 

guest experience from arrival to 

departure. 

All in all, the right lighting might 

not absolutely make or break the 

success of your event space, but 

you can see how giving the topic 

some thought could make both 

your and your clients’ lives a little 

easier, and a little brighter! 


creating atmosphere 

> lighting 

> branding 

> signage 

> decorating 

© Vincent Tim 

5 min 

set up 

time 

crystal WR halogen 

3 day rental 

+ stand 

+ branding 

from £300* 

*Offer available up to the 2017/12/31, 

in the United Kingdom, subject to product availability 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 29 

Airstar European Network – London office | +44 2033 016 339 – london@airstar-light.com | airstar-light.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE | PRODUCT FOCUS 

Lighting Function Venues 

Four beautiful lighting options to add mood and magic 

WORLD’S BEST 

ARTIFICIAL CANDLE? 

Candled 

01822 870420 

www.candled.co.uk 

Devon-based company Candled 

has launched a patented LED 

flame technology that recreates 

the qualities of a real flame 

without any health and safety 

issues. The artificial flame 

mimics the spectral quality and 

flickering of a traditional candle. 

Made of real wax, the candle 

itself is hard to distinguish 

from the real thing. It doesn’t 

generate any heat so can be 

used in all environments, 

including inside marquees, 

tents, under duvets and outside 

in wind and rain. It has an 

expected life of 50,000 hours, 

four levels of brightness and can 

be activated by remote control. 

ADD ‘WOW’ WITH 

LIGHTING BALLOONS 

Airstar 

02033 016 339 

www.airstar-light.com 

Airstar, the inventor of and a 

world leader in lighting balloons, 

wanted to innovate a balloon 

that is ideal for any live event, 

including broadcasted events such 

as fashion shows, sport events, 

festivals and television shows. It 

launched the new Crystal Dynamic 

White 300W LED, the first balloon 

of its kind that is completely flicker 

free, dimmable, DMX controllable 

and allows you to control the 

colour temperature (3,000-6,500° 

Kelvin) of the light diffused. Perfect 

for decorating event spaces inside 

and out, it adds to the versatility 

of Airstar balloons, giving you 

enhanced control of your lighting. 

You can also customise the 

balloon by branding it with vinyls. 

LIGHT UP THE PARTY 

Blachere Illumination 

01337 832 910 

www.blachere-illumination.co.uk 

Blachere Illumination has 

developed an international 

reputation as a leader in festive 

and decorative illuminations. 

So why not allow our 

experienced team to inspire 

your imagination? All we need is 

a photograph of your intended 

location; we then perform a 

‘Blachere virtual makeover,’ 

transforming the image to a 

night scene and superimposing 

lighting solutions to illustrate a 

breathtaking visual of what can 

be achieved. If you are looking 

for the wow factor or just for 

something new, give us a call. 

From a single string of lights 

or a speciality piece to a fully 

themed display, we are here to 

help. 

ALTERNATIVE LIGHTING 

SPECIALISTS 

Bob Cool Industries 

01279 293264 

www.bobcool.co.uk 

Add some light to your event 

from retro style lit letters to 

modern LED lit light boxes 

and lights. Specialists in 

letter lights in any size, which 

are very popular with the 

outdoor wedding market. A 

UK-based alternative light 

manufacturer, at Bob Cool we 

are a skilled team of seven 

and build every order by 

hand. This means that you 

can customise your product 

to exactly how you want it. 

We design and manufacture 

under one roof in Norfolk. 

Check out the website to see 

what Bob Cool can do, and 

the list of big clients we have 

worked for. 


C R E A T I N G 

SPACES OF WONDER 

UK MANUFACTURER OF GIANT EVENT TIPIS 

0800 1930052 

tellmemore@katatipis.co.uk 

www.katatipis.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION 

CASE STUDY 

Camp Katur 

Camp Katur is nestled among woodland and meadows 

within the 250 acre Camphill Estate in North Yorkshire 

Open Air Business talks to Kerry Roy who welcomed her first guests to Camp Katur 

in April 2013. The site offers an eclectic mix of accommodation, including a tipi, bell 

tents, pods, geodomes, unidomes and safari tents as well as the latest addition, a 

yellow 1970s caravan named Betty. 

What made you decide to 

start offering glamping 

accommodation? 

For many years I’d wanted to run 

my own business doing something 

I enjoy and feel passionate about. 

Setting up a site offering unique 

accommodation was my dream. 

Following a restructure within the 

organisation I worked for, I was 

offered voluntary redundancy. 

Taking it enabled me to pursue 

my dream and I haven’t looked 

back. We began planning, 

developing and marketing in 

October 2012 and welcomed our 

first guests in April 2013. 

How did you research the 

business before starting it? 

In my previous job I was able to 

stay regularly in quirky and unique 

places, which included glampsites. 

I visited and researched many sites 

online and spent time sourcing 

and comparing various types 

of accommodation and holiday 

trends. I have a degree in business 

and marketing, which gave me 

some knowledge of starting up and 

I enjoy delving into changing trends. 

As an avid traveller, hospitality 

is something that I’m naturally 

“MY PARTNER 

DAVE AND 

I TRAVEL 

WIDELY AND 

LOVE TO STAY 

IN PLACES 

THAT ARE 

OUTSIDE THE 

NORM” 

interested in and passionate about. 

My partner Dave and I travel widely 

and love to stay in places that are 

outside the norm. I’ve had great 

help and support from Dave as well 

as from family and friends. Dave 

also owns an IT company so his 

technology/website expertise has 

been very useful too. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

We are very lucky to be located in 

a part of North Yorkshire that is 

also known as the ‘Gateway to the 

Dales’. There are an endless list of 

places to visit, attractions, culture, 

events, outdoor activities, history 

and natural beauty. 

Our ‘glamping village’ is nestled 

among woodland and meadowland 

within the 250 acre Camphill Estate. 

With various adventure activities 

available on site, including an 

aerial extreme high ropes course, 

a 200 metre zip wire, quad and 

segway treks, football, golf and 

various team building activities, 

guests can choose to fill their 

days with adventure, relaxation 

or by exploring the beauty of the 

surrounding area. 

The on-site cafe, activities and 

equestrian centre are all separate 

businesses so we have little control 

over menu changes, timings, 

offerings and so on, which can 

prove problematic as, once guests 

drive on to the estate, many assume 

we are all part of one large business. 

However, overall it’s a huge 

advantage having so much going on 

in the grounds. We are also the only 

estate in the UK to have a bobsleigh 

run used by Olympic champions 

and a clear 360° panoramic dome in 

the woodland, where you can sleep 

under the stars. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

Planning was a fairly simple 

process. Initially we got planning 

for six units and then increased it 

during year two and applied for 

permission for a further 19 units. We 

currently have 15 units. We chose 

to operate from the beginning of 

March until the end of October, 

which is what our planning and 

campsite licence also stipulates. We 

may increase this to all year round 

in future, but in the meantime it’s 

all about a happy work-life balance, 

and winter is a time for us to travel 

and explore. 


ACCOMMODATION 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

We offer varied alternative 

accommodation. I prefer the 

term ‘alternative’ because too 

many people nowadays perceive 

glamping as a luxury canvas hotel 

and not all glamping structures/ 

interiors offer five star luxury. 

Glamping covers a wide range of 

abodes from budget to luxury, 

and for our business we felt 

offering a broad range was key to 

attracting a wider audience and 

to suit more pockets. It also looks 

more interesting as a site, keeps 

things fresh by enabling us to add 

something different each time, 

and gains a good customer return 

rate as guests want to experience 

staying in different types of 

accommodation. 

Describe how you researched and 

sourced your glamping units 

We researched and sourced mainly 

online within Europe and further 

afield as it was vital to get good 

quality at a good price. Glamping 

trade shows didn’t exist when we 

started, but now there are two 

main shows that I always try to visit 

to see what’s new: The Glamping 

Show and the Farm Business 

Innovation Show. 

We have used various UK 

suppliers for bell tents, who mainly 

manufacture abroad, and have 

found some perform better than 

others. The only units we renew 

each year are the bell tents because 

they are cheap to purchase and by 

the end of the season are starting to 

look shabby, especially those with 

log burners inside. 

How do you publicise your 

business? 

We’ve had some fantastic national 

and international press coverage 

as well as a few TV appearances. 

We have been listed more than 

once as one of the top 10 glamping 

sites in the UK and won a ‘highly 

commended’ award as part of the 

local tourist board Welcome to 

Yorkshire’s White Rose Awards. 

Pictures speak a thousand words 

and social media is a great way 

of sharing our unique offering. It 

is important to update channels 

regularly rather than bombard 

followers with too much nonsense, 

invest a little in paid targeting, 

and keep up to date with fast 

changing social media trends as 

this is key to marketing a business 

and more cost-effective when done 

correctly. 

How would you describe your 

‘style’ or unique selling point? 

Our style is alternative 

accommodation in a tranquil 

setting where guests can choose 

adventure, relaxation or both. 

The word ‘katur’ means happy

ACCOMMODATION 

in Icelandic, and with so many 

adventure activities available on 

the estate, our motto is, ‘Come and 

discover your outdoor happiness.’ 

We are unique because of the 

broad range of accommodation we 

offer and we keep people guessing 

about what might be coming 

next. Our camp is four star rated 

and provides a clean and friendly 

service in a great location. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

Each abode needs its own style to 

complement its origin. We have 

accommodation that reflects 

different countries and styles. 

For example, the tipi is furnished 

with items I bought while in India, 

the bell tents have a more British 

interior feel and the pods have 

gingham curtains, heart shaped 

trinkets and fur throws to reflect 

a more Scandinavian style. The 

geodomes and unidomes are more 

modern/contemporary, and the 

safari tents vary with solid luxury 

furnishings that reflect a more 

home from home feel. Betty, our 

new yellow 1970s caravan, will have 

a vintage retro look. 

What challenges have you faced? 

The British weather can sometimes 

be challenging. I have had many 

sleepless nights when storms 

have blown in or heavy rain has 

continued for days on end! All our 

accommodation is solid and has 

withstood some harsh weather 

conditions, and although it can put 

a dampener on guests’ moods and 

experience, most embrace it. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

Since opening four years ago, we 

have invested in additional units 

every year. We also continually 

maintain and develop other 

facilities such as the barbecue 

facilities, communal seating areas, 

children’s play area, solar systems 

“WE HAVE 

ACCOMMODA- 

TION THAT 

REFLECTS 

DIFFERENT 

COUNTRIES 

AND STYLES” 

ADDRESS BOOK 

ACCOMMODATION UNITS 

Boutique Camping 

0203 394 2986 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

Domeguys International - 

+001 (541) 482 2961 

www.domeguys.com 

and so on. We do have some big 

plans, but for now they are for us 

to know. 

Describe your average day midseason 

Much of my time is spent on 

new developments, as well 

as overseeing and managing 

the general running of my 

team, marketing, finance, 

events, keeping a close eye 

on competitors, pricing and 

analysis of our target audience. 

My favourite time of day is early 

evening, seeing and listening 

to our guests happily chatting, 

laughing and drinking around 

their campfires while inhaling the 

aromas of all the barbecues. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business? 

It certainly has its challenges, but 

I didn’t come into it thinking it 

wouldn’t. At the end of the day 

every business has challenges and 

that’s part of the fun, providing 

drive and ambition to succeed. I’ve 

always been ambitious, so having 

the freedom to turn my dreams 

and visions into reality and express 

creativeness is rewarding and 

enjoyable. I’m not one to sit back 

and get too content. For me a lot of 

the passion is in starting a business 

and getting my teeth into new 

developments. It’s a huge learning 

process and I don’t always get 

everything right, but I thoroughly 

enjoy the work, new found 

work-life balance, freedom and 

continuous learning that it brings. I 

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INSURANCE 

Insurance Experts - 

also have a fantastic little team who 

love their jobs. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in and 

how do they integrate with your 

glamping operation? 

Outdoor weddings are popular for 

us. We have various venue options 

including a stunning woodland 

ceremony area, a large rustic barn 

and an orangery room, plus acres 

of meadowland and woodland. We 

have few limitations and encourage 

quirky, wacky, personal touches; 

after all, a wedding should reflect 

the personalities and lifestyles of 

those tying the knot. 

The estate also plays host to 

some great events and festivals 

throughout the year, which are 

increasing in number. Our biggest 

annual event is the Dubs Int Dales 

Festival, which takes place over the 

last weekend in September and 

is now into its fourth year (www. 

dubsintdales.com). 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Personally, I find starting a business 

easy. Making it a continuing success 

in all areas is the hard part; the 

bigger a business becomes and 

the bigger your team becomes and 

your role can start to change. If you 

think it’s going to be easy, you’re 

mistaken! It’s a 24/7 business during 

opening season and there’s a heck 

of a lot more that needs doing than 

cleaning a few rooms, checking in 

guests and taking bookings! 

01245 500433 

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North Yorkshire, DL8 2LS 

0843 886 0607 

www.campkatur.com 


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ACCOMMODATION 

Site Security 

Kate Morel offers her advice on glampsite security and how to get the balance right 

GETTY IMAGES 

GROWING UP ON a Shropshire 

smallholding I clearly remember 

my parents’ rather blasé approach 

to security – they left keys in cars 

at night, tools and equipment 

in unlocked barns, and rarely 

bothered to lock the house. We 

lived on a quiet lane with little 

passing traffic and always knew 

the passers-by anyway. The 

only on-site security was the 

chicken wire buried three feet 

below ground to keep Mr Fox 

from digging his way to a chicken 

supper. 

That was a long time ago, 

but even now in some parts of 

rural UK, communities don’t 

feel that they have to worry too 

much about unwanted visitors 

stealing their possessions away. 

I for one adopted my parents’ 

attitude toward security when 

many years later I bought my own 

smallholding in Powys. Maybe 

I should mention it was a low 

crime area and the nature of the 

location made it unappealing to 

would-be thieves. This easy going 

rural approach, in my experience 

at least, also applies to some 

glamping business owners. When 

I ask how accommodation is 

secured during site appraisals for 

agency Quality Unearthed, very 

often the answer is that it isn’t. 

Sadly it’s increasingly important 

to be more cautious and for those 

who like statistics, especially if 

you’re just at the buying stage, it’s 

easy enough to find online crime 

records for any postcode. 

We might well ask if we 

genuinely need to concern 

ourselves with security on a 

glampsite, especially if it’s remote 

and the only access is right 

past our front door. Depending 

on the area, site layout and 

access, the answer could still 

possibly be ‘yes’, and perhaps 

increasingly so. Glamping sites 

and accommodations are as 

vulnerable to theft as any other 

holiday let. 

REASONS TO FOCUS 

If we are not doing so already, 

there are a few reasons why we 

might want to focus on security. 

Glamping worldwide, let alone in 

the UK, is just gaining momentum. 

There are years of development 

ahead, which I believe will 

see more glamping sites at all 

levels come onto the market. 

It’s not unreasonable to assume 

that customer demands and 

expectations will also continue to 

increase, and in fact it’s already 

happening, resulting in more highend 

glamping or at least better 

facilities and expensive add-ons. 

Also, let’s not forget that there 

is a lot of information provided 

online these days. Detailed ‘how to 

find us’ directions, satellite maps, 

descriptions and photographs 

on websites are all part of our 

marketing. I do wonder if we 

sometimes provide more ‘in 

advance’ information than we 

need to. Most of this is essential for 

would-be guests. However, it also 

exposes our accommodation to 

less welcome ‘visitors’ who might 

want to relieve us of a few choice 

items one night. 

Admittedly a lot of glamping 

sites are well off the beaten track 

and don’t have easy vehicular 

access, but they might not be 

completely safe. I’ve visited 

many glamping sites with public 

footpaths nearby, making it 

easy for people to stroll in when 

nobody is about. You might think 

this rather unlikely, but during a 

site visit earlier this year I actually 

saw it happen. The person in 

question didn’t take anything but 

certainly had a good look inside 

the glamping accommodation 

before returning to the public 

footpath behind and disappearing

ACCOMMODATION 

up the lane. To be fair he was 

no doubt just curious and who 

wouldn’t be, but the potential 

for items to be removed, and 

quickly, was certainly there. The 

owner was aware of the issue and 

planned to fence off the path and 

add security cameras, but I can’t 

help feeling that guests might be 

uncomfortable about the close 

proximity of a public footpath - not 

to mention guests’ and walkers’ 

issues around cameras. 

Even if we believe that our 

glamping site is safe and totally 

inaccessible to theft, we still need 

to consider security for guests’ 

peace of mind. The reason security 

and lockable structures are on 

my list of appraisal questions is 

because more guests are asking 

about it - they are concerned 

about their safety, and that of 

their families and possessions. As 

glamping becomes more popular, 

“EVEN IF 

WE BELIEVE 

THAT OUR 

GLAMPING 

SITE IS SAFE 

AND TOTALLY 

INACCESSIBLE 

TO THEFT, WE 

STILL NEED 

TO CONSIDER 

SECURITY FOR 

GUESTS’ PEACE 

OF MIND” 

attracting people who aren’t used 

to remote rural locations and 

dark nights bereft of street lights, 

I can only see it becoming a more 

important part of some guests’ 

booking criteria. 

A CAUTIONARY TALE 

I recently spoke to glampsite 

owners who’d experienced the 

unthinkable, just four weeks after 

opening. They woke up to find 

that during the night a van had 

been driven right past their house 

to their yurts and thousands of 

pounds worth of equipment, 

furniture and accessories had 

been stolen as they slept. Those 

responsible even had a nose 

through the guest comments 

book! 

The owner had taken out 

insurance, but it transpired 

that the policy required the 

accommodation itself to be locked 

and secured. While the yurt doors 

did have locks on them and were 

used by guests, when unoccupied 

they were left unlocked. This was 

in the hope that in the event of a 

burglary an unlocked door would 

avoid a forced entry, resulting 

in no structural damage and a 

less expensive, quicker return to 

‘business as usual’. 

Naturally the insurance 

company initially refused to pay 

the claim, stating that the policy 

requirements had not been 

met. So, if you’re leaving your 

glamping structures unlocked 

when unoccupied, it might be 

wise to check the small print in 

your insurance policy. The ‘locked 

doors’ caveat wasn’t made clear 

at the time this owner took out the 

policy so eventually the insurance 

company paid the claim, but it 

took a long time. Fortunately 

for the owners they were able to 

replace the stolen items from their 

own back-up store, funds and 

home, in time to be ready for the 

next customers. 

SECURITY OPTIONS 

There are many ways we can 

safeguard our glamping sites, 

provide deterrents and reassure 

our guests. The level of security 

needed and desired at each 

site is going to vary. It could be 

something as simple as locked

ACCOMMODATION 

gates right up to sophisticated 

entry and camera systems - and 

everything in between. Controlling 

vehicular access is an effective way 

to secure a site, and this means 

gate security of some sort, which 

can be quite sophisticated. Number 

plate recognition cameras and 

automated gates only allow cars 

to access if they are registered to 

enter on that date at that time. 

They will even send a message to 

let you know that a particular guest 

is approaching your reception, 

depending on the style of gate, 

and could also add an element of 

exclusivity. 

If that seems a bit OTT for your 

glamping site, there are of course 

security cameras and motion 

detector systems - not taking in the 

badger run, obviously! Depending 

on the level of security you want, 

some of these systems will send 

messages to your chosen number 

if anything suspicious is noticed, 

giving you the chance to check 

things out. 

Security was one of the main 

issues we had to consider during 

my work in Ecuador earlier this 

year. However, the solutions were 

less technical, including attractive 

but effective fencing and 24 hour 

guards. At the other end of the 

scale, if your site offers a farm 

experience, there is always the 

‘retro’ option – geese. I hear that 

llamas are pretty good too! 

It’s important to get the right 

balance. Obviously the chosen 

security system needs to provide 

the necessary safety and deterrent, 

but it also needs to be discreet and 

not make guests feel overlooked. 

We’re selling back-to-nature 

holidays and blatant high security 

features are detrimental to that. In 

a lot of ways, glamping and security 

aren’t happy bedfellows! However, 

there are many companies offering 

varying levels of security products, 

and every site is different so it’s 

difficult for me to suggest specifics 

here. A chat with a local, well 

established, reputable company 

would be my first port of call. 

INSURANCE 

In most businesses, theft can 

impact on trade far beyond the 

GETTY IMAGES 


Kate Morel represents 

Quality Unearthed, 

one of the few 

dedicated glamping 

holiday agencies in 

the UK. Known as 

the ‘Glamping Guru’ 

she has spent years 

working closely 

with landowner and 

tourism organisations, 

visiting locations and 

providing consultancy 

advice and support. 

This, along with her 

previous experience 

in sales and 

marketing, property 

restoration, design 

and hospitality, gives 

her a unique set of 

skills and perspective 

on setting up a 

glamping business. 

01348 830922 / www. 

qualityunearthed. 

co.uk 

value of the stolen goods, and 

in holiday lets, usually while an 

insurance claim is being assessed, 

we have to take care of imminent 

guests. Cancelling holidays upsets 

guests and damages reputations, in 

addition to the loss of income. Even 

if you’ve insured against ‘business 

interruption’ this situation can 

create a bad relationship with 

customers and cause cash flow 

problems, especially if you have to 

reimburse guests before your claim 

is paid – assuming it is paid. 

Having spoken to a lot of 

people and been asked about 

insurance many times, it seems 

the common understanding is that 

glamping represents something 

of a ‘grey area’ in the holiday 

accommodation sector. I can 

understand why. Even though some 

structures are temporary and made 

of canvas they do not add up to a 

campsite, and although some are 

furnished as well as (if not better) 

than some holiday cottages, they’re 

not a ‘property’. Every glamping 

site I’ve visited is unique; it’s what 

makes glamping so exciting and 

fun, but I can see how this might 

create problems for insurance 

companies that don’t know the 

‘product’ or industry. 

This ‘grey area’ assumption 

doesn’t have to be the case if 

you find a reputable insurance 

company that knows the industry 

and takes an interest in your 

business. There are insurance 

companies that understand 

glamping and want to make 

sure each site gets the right and 

appropriate level of cover. One 

company I know of offers basic 

cover with add-ons depending on 

your site requirements. This seems 

a logical approach to glamping 

site insurance. So if your insurance 

company isn’t asking you the right 

questions and working with you 

to give you the best cover for your 

particular set up, shop around. 

Finally, while being sensible 

about security, let’s keep it in 

perspective, remain optimistic 

and hope that most of us only 

encounter one ‘theft’, like the 

Portuguese glampsite owner 

who noticed one day that a tree 

rope swing had disappeared. It 

turned out it hadn’t completely 

vanished into the ether, but had 

been reincarnated as a tether for a 

neighbour’s goat! 


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ACCOMMODATION 

If you are hoping to achieve that Out of Africa feel for your guests, 

safari tents can provide the perfect choice of glamping accommodation. 

Open Air Business investigates some of the options 

Safari tents can offer a relatively 

inexpensive option and a good 

return on investment for glamping 

businesses in terms of the potential 

income they can generate and 

the number of people they can 

comfortably accommodate. They 

can also provide a healthy longevity 

if you choose the right supplier and 

the materials used to construct 

them are of good quality. 

Once used to provide a 

comfortable, movable place to 

stay for those on safari, these tents 

were traditionally suited to hot 

and humid conditions, with liftable 

sides allowing for cooling and 

shade. However, the safari tents 

that you now find on glamping sites 

throughout the UK and beyond 

have been designed to remain in 

one location and to withstand a full 

range of weather conditions, with 

the option to add a heat source 

making them an all year round 

accommodation option. 

As Anna Raetsen, co-owner of 

luxury tent supplier Mocadazu, 

explains: “Nowadays most safari 

tents don’t move from one place 

“WE USE 

BAMBOO 

FOR THE 

FRAME, 

WHICH GIVES 

OUR TENTS 

AN EXOTIC 

LOOK AND 

INSTANTLY 

CREATES A 

VACATION 

MOOD FOR 

GUESTS” 

MOCADAZU 

MOCADAZU 

to another, but will remain in one 

location for years. The idea of a 

safari tent is that it is a tent - so that 

guests feel that they are connected 

to the surrounding nature - but 

with all the comfort and luxury of a 

proper hotel room.” 

Raetsen and business partner 

Bouwe Besseling set up Mocadazu 

three years ago. The company 

supplies tents that are eco-friendly, 

have a long lifespan and can remain 

up all year round. “We use bamboo 

for the frame, which gives our 

tents an exotic look and instantly 

creates a vacation mood for guests. 

The design is very different from 

most other safari tents and we 

have created large windows and 

openings to ensure guests can 

experience the surroundings at 

their best,” says Raetsen. 

Of course, being suitable for a 

wide range of weather conditions 

makes this possible, and as safari 

tents are generally now a lot larger 

than the original tents were, often 

incorporating several rooms, they 

can even include internal or ensuite 

bathroom facilities. 

Boldscan - under the Albion 

Canvas brand name - has been 

designing and manufacturing safaristyle 

tents in the UK since 2008. 

“Safari-style tents have become 

hugely popular with all sorts of 

people, but particularly with 

families,” says managing director 

Steve Hansford. “Having individual 

bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen 

and dining facilities, living areas 

and sheltered outside space makes 

for a superb space to spend time, 

whatever the weather.” 

A new six metre wide range of 

tents introduced by Albion Canvas 

has also opened up the market 

to those with additional mobility 

needs and according to the 

company has already proved hugely 

popular. 

Mark Scott, owner of Clear Sky 

Safari Tents, describes how the 

glamping market opened up as 

holiday parks saw a downturn in 

caravan sales in the crash of 2008- 

2009, which led to a drive to attract 

people who wouldn’t normally 

go to holiday parks and who had 

higher disposable incomes. 

“The glamping revolution was 

starting, but yurts didn’t fulfil the 

family criteria,” he says. “The need 

was for a unit that fitted on an 

existing pitch and had bedrooms 

to allow for kids to go to bed while 

mum and dad could enjoy a glass of 

wine on the veranda while watching 

the sun go down.” 

Robin van Kooten, owner of 

Outstanding - a company that has 

been developing and producing 

safari tents in the Netherlands since 

2009 - describes those who typically 

choose safari tents as families with 

children of any age. He says: “Safari 

tents are an adventurous way of 

camping that combine the best of 

both worlds; the charm of camping 

with the comforts of home.” 

GETTING STARTED 

Once you have decided that safari 

tents are the ideal choice for your 

site, what else do you need to 

know? First of all, you will need to 

acquire planning permission. 

“All structures need planning, 

whether they are safari lodges, 

yurts, shepherds huts or geodesic 

domes,” says Hansford. “If you are 

leaving a structure in place for more 

than 28 days, you need temporary 

structure planning,” he adds. 

In order to apply for planning, 

you must have a relatively fixed 


ACCOMMODATION 

BOLDSCAN (ALBION CANVAS) 

plan in terms of the pitch location, 

type of tent and whether tents will 

be erected permanently or just 

for the summer season. However, 

before you worry about planning 

it’s also worth looking at the 

potential investment and return, 

which may dictate the number and 

type of pitches. 

“If you are a farmer, then you 

will need change of use on the land 

from agricultural,” says Scott. “The 

specifics will vary according to 

where you are in the country, but 

on the whole planning officers are 

sympathetic to the installation of 

glamping sites due to the increase 

in local area spend and the low 

impact of the glamping operation 

on the local land,” he adds. 

Once planning has been granted, 

the decision has to be made on 

where to site the structures. Scott 

suggests that they should not face 

directly into the prevailing wind, so 

that clients don’t get a face full of 

wind when they open the door in 

the morning. “They should also be 

kept away from hedges to allow for 

services to be maintained from the 

back,” he advises. 

Generally in planning terms a 

small scale proposal will stand 

more chance of success than a 

larger site as the impact of the new 

use is less. Likewise structures that 

come down in the autumn and 

are put back up in the spring will 

be more acceptable in planning 

terms. A well planned project that is 

CLEAR SKY SAFARI TENTS 

thought through at all levels should 

have a good chance of success. 

When it comes to grounding the 

structures, as Raetsen explains, 

the tents also need to be placed on 

some kind of platform, so that the 

frame can be fixed to the ground. “If 

people choose to have electricity, a 

bathroom and/or a kitchen, all the 

connections need to be prepared 

too,” she says. “The client decides 

on the location, but we need to 

make sure that the floor is levelled 

to ensure it is properly fixed to the 

ground.” 

The range of tents supplied 

by Albion Canvas also need to 

be attached to a wooden deck, 

apart from the Kora. “We offer full 

plans for the decks, but usually 

the customer will arrange for the 

construction as this is the most costeffective 

option,” says Hansford. 

If uneven ground is a potential 

issue on your site, Outstanding tents 

can be erected almost anywhere, 

even on a slope, as the pine wood 

flooring systems are levelled with 

hardwood posts. “Height differences 

of up to two metres can be covered 

with longer hardwood posts,” says 

van Kooten. 

The company has also developed 

a manual to help landowners 

build their own tents. “Most of 

the wooden parts are delivered in 

the right size so it’s just a case of 

following the manual and building 

it,” he adds. 

SEASONALITY AND PERFORMANCE 

As mentioned previously, many 

safari tents are now designed to 

remain up all year round. The 

best season to stay in them would 

be the summer when guests can 

open the tents and experience 

the surroundings at their best, 

according to Raetsen. However, the 

option is there for sites to extend 

the season or even to stay open 

throughout the year. 

“At Outstanding, we offer a 

full service concept that includes 

shipping and erecting tents all over 

the world,” says van Kooten. “All the 

tent frames we sell are tested under 

wind and snow pressure. Last year 

we improved our frame posts from 

8cm to 10cm to increase strength,” 

he adds. 

The tents supplied by Albion 

Canvas are also designed to 

stay up all year round and 

are manufactured to 

be robust in winter 

storms. “With 

OUTSTANDING

ACCOMMODATION 

BOLDSCAN (ALBION CANVAS) 

CLEAR SKY SAFARI TENTS 

over 25 years’ experience designing and 

manufacturing temporary structures, we 

have learnt a thing or two,” says Hansford. 

“All our marquee grade timber poles are 

secured with steel base plates to the timber 

deck before anchoring to the ground with 

1.4 metre steel anchors and five tonne 

guys. We can also supply effective wind 

protection to add to structures if they are 

particularly exposed. 

“Additional insulation can be added to 

the tents, but most sites find it’s not cost 

effective to stay open through the winter 

season. Owners are also fairly keen to take 

their holiday after a busy season,” he adds. 

For the winter months, the installing 

of some form of heating, usually a gas or 

electric heater or a log burner, is essential. 

“We have a customer in the UK who made 

concrete bases for his tents with under floor 

heating,” says van Kooten. “However, most 

of our customers in Europe rent their tents 

out for between 15 and 25 weeks a year.” 

EXTRA SERVICES 

For those who might need advice on how 

to get started, Clear Sky Consultancy can 

offer guidance. “With over 20 years working 

in the holiday parks industry and four 

years running our own glamping site, we 

are perfectly positioned to bring real life 

experience to our professional consultancy 

business,” says Scott. “If you are a farmer 

who wants to diversify, a landowner who 

wants to make use of that patch in the 

corner of a field or an already established 

holiday park that wants more bookings, we 

are able to bring our years of experience to 

bear.” 

Maintenance and therefore ongoing 

cost is an important issue to consider 

when choosing accommodation for your 

site. Good quality tents should be made 

from fabrics treated to be mould resistant, 

waterproof, UV-resistant and fire retardant. 

“Our tents are very easy to clean with 

some water and a soft brush,” says Raetsen 

of the Mocadazu range. “As our tents can 

remain up all year round, no storage or 

re-erection is needed, and minor repairs 

can be carried out on site. However, the 

bamboo, like wood, needs to be varnished 

once every couple of years, depending on 

the weather conditions.” 

The life span of a tent from Outstanding 

is eight to 10 years; after this the inner tent 

can easily be changed to make the entire 

tent look fresh and new again. “To refurbish 

a five by seven metre inner tent costs about 

£2,250 euro and extends the lifespan by at 

least another five years,” says van Kooten. 

“Our tents are also maintenance free and 

only require the usual cleaning after guests 

have left.” 

Tents from Albion Canvas come with 

a comprehensive maintenance and care 

guide to help site owners get the maximum 

life from the purchase. “Every tent is 

designed to be repairable and to have easily 

replaceable sections in case of damage,” 

says Hansford. “Spares are usually available 

on a 24–48 hour turn around. In an 

emergency, our crews can be on-site within 

24 hours (often less) to make safe and 

repair,” he adds. 

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS 

A range of additional internal fittings 

including stoves, linings, kitchen units 

and bathrooms are also available to kit 

out your safari tents, some of which are 

multifunctional to save space. For example, 

the Loven 8 cooking range from Albion 

OUTSTANDING 

Canvas can not only be used for cooking, 

but has also been designed to include a 

large fire box, which acts as a great heat 

source for cooler evenings. 

“All the tents are manufactured to 

comply with health and safety regulations 

for temporary structures,” says Hansford. 

“Safety instructions are provided for the 

operation of wood burning stoves, fire exits 

and use of carbon monoxide and smoke 

detectors.” 

Companies including Albion Canvas can 

also help with interior design. “Our in-house 

design team are always on hand to discuss 

bespoke layouts and to co-ordinate with 

our print department on the production of 

linings, curtains and flags and banners if 

required,” Hansford explains. “Furnishings 

depend on individual customers taste, 

thus avoiding the mass produced look and 

ensuring the tents retain the ‘glamping’ feel 

of quirky comfort.” 

Outstanding is even working on a 

selection of bamboo furniture that can be 

included with its tents. “We also help with 

stylish interior design and offer advice on 

creative storage solutions,” says van Kooten, 

“but the final choice of furniture is always 

up to the client.” 

While rural Britain may not evoke the 

romance of the Serengeti, your guests 

can still feel like Meryl Streep and Robert 

Redford when they choose the comparative 

luxury of safari tent glamping it seems. 

USEFUL LINKS 

Boldscan (Albion Canvas) 01823 665849 

www.albioncanvas.co.uk 

Clear Sky Safari Tents - 0845 299 6484 

www.safaritents.net 

Mocadazu - +31 (0)633 837448 

www.mocadazu.com/en 

Outstanding - +31 (0)318 575056 

www.safaritents.co.uk 


SAFARI TENTS DIRECT 

UK 

Installation 

Team 

Rustic 

Furniture 

Packs 

Innovative 

Layout 

Designs 

01792 343305 

safaritentsdirect.co.uk 

sales@safaritentsdirect.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION 

CHARLES GULLAND 

A Q&A with the man who developed the first ‘pod’ 15 years before the term ‘glamping’ 

was coined, and now runs the UK’s leading glamping business franchise 

Industry Legends 

PROFILE 

Name: Charles Gulland 

Role: Director 

Company: Wigwam Holidays 

Contact: 0131 450 7126/www.wigwamholidays.com 

Favourite tipple: As a Scotsman, it really does have to 

be whisky, of course! You will see me nursing a chilled 

glass of Heineken from time to time, but whisky is 

what I enjoy the most. Of the many Scottish whisky 

labels Glenlivet is not only a great whisky, it is also 

the name of the location of our newest site, which is 

opening in March 2017! 

Last holiday destination: My last holiday was 

actually a ‘staycation’ and spent in a Wigwam at 

Strathfillan, a fabulous site in the Trossachs National 

Park. Before that I spent a week in Italy around Lake 

Como, one of the most stunning locations in Europe. 

Cats or dogs? Definitely dogs! There’s never been a 

better phrase: ‘dogs are man’s best friend’. Fantastic 

company, the perfect guest to sneak off to the pub 

with and, best of all, great company on an early 

morning run! 

Current TV must watch: I watch anything that 

involves building and design, so ‘Grand Designs’ 

features very highly on my TV list. ‘Countryfile’ 

is a firm favourite as the preservation of our 

rural landscape, along with access for all to the 

countryside, are very much part of the core values of 

Wigwam Holidays. 

Something people may not know about me: My 

childhood was spent on the fabulously beautiful 

Fair Isle and also in Caithness. When I was 

14 years old I inherited £200 from my 

grandmother and used it to buy 

two beehives. Not only was it an 

incredibly relaxing hobby, it was 

also very lucrative for me at 

that time, netting about £200 

worth of honey every year. 

That was perhaps when 

the entrepreneurial spirit 

in me started. 

How did you get started in the 

design and build of ‘pods’? 

After escaping a career in 

accountancy, I trained as a 

designer at Hooke Park College, 

Dorset, which was established in 

1989 to research the profitable use 

of home grown timber in design 

and construction. The sustainable 

use of timber is a principle that 

has subsequently become central 

to the ethos of our business. At 

Hooke, I designed a wooden 

camping cabin made entirely from 

forest thinnings. I made prototype 

models of my design and took 

these to the Royal Highland Show, 

after which I was offered the 

position of designer in residence 

to the Countryside Commission for 

Scotland. 

I was tasked with designing low 

cost accommodation for walkers 

on Scotland’s long distance 

footpaths. At this time the 

option for walkers was limited to 

camping, bunkhouses or hostels. 

We built our first camping 

cabin in 1994 and piloted the first 

network on the West Highland Way 

the following year; the wooden 

‘Wigwams’, as they were baptised, 

were an immediate hit with 

walkers and Scotland’s outdoor 

community. It soon became 

apparent that the demand and the 

market was actually far greater 

than anyone had realised. 

What did you see in the ‘pod’ 

concept? 

The design was in response 

to providing a low cost but 

comfortable accommodation 

option for walkers. They were 

made entirely from forest 

thinnings in a workshop near 

Perth. I set up the company, 

which was originally called All 

Round Buildings, and trialled the 

design with three cabins, slowly 

introducing them to a few sites 

across Scotland. 

What inspired you to start 

Wigwam Holidays in 2000? 

I very quickly realised that 

the market for this type 

of accommodation was 

far greater than I had 

originally anticipated, 

and not just across 

Scotland. The initial 

Wigwams were trialled 

across a few sites in 

Scotland, with the 

first at Strathfillan. In 

2000, I held my first 

conference to which 

I invited the owners 


of the Wigwams, suggesting that 

they each put forward £100 per 

Wigwam to enable me to produce 

a leaflet and build a website. As a 

result Wigwam Holidays was born. 

We are now the largest glamping 

holiday provider in the UK, with 

80 sites and over 500 Wigwams in 

commercial use. 

How does the Wigwam Holidays 

business model work? 

Wigwam Holidays operates under 

a franchise business model. We 

ask for a minimum purchase of six 

Wigwams, a one off franchise fee 

and a percentage commission on 

holiday bookings made. In return, 

franchisees benefit from our 

already successful and established 

brand, glamping expertise, 

assistance with planning and 

funding, induction training and 

first class marketing support. In 

addition, we design and launch 

their website with an integrated 

online booking system to ensure 

each business is fully equipped 

with the tools and knowledge to 

help make it a success. 

Furthermore, franchisees are 

buying the right to develop their 

business in a defined geographical 

area, with a guarantee from us 

that there will not be another 

Wigwam Holidays site within a 

defined geographical radius. 

What do Wigwam Holidays look 

for in a franchisee? 

We look for a number of factors 

in a potential franchisee. First 

and foremost, they should be 

somebody that embodies our 

core values. We are looking for 

those that are committed to our 

brand purpose of providing ‘Great 

holidays in the great outdoors’. 

Location is also very important as 

we intend to cover all areas of the 

UK to ensure that everyone has 

cost-effective and easy access to 

the countryside. 

What is the appeal of becoming a 

Wigwam Holidays franchisee? 

Launching the franchise business 

model was intended to create 

profitable, sustainable business 

partnerships promoting a fast 

track to lead the glamping 

phenomenon. Through a 

comprehensive franchise support 

package, the model represents a 

win-win relationship. Franchisees 

benefit from having the backing of 

the market leader in the glamping 

industry and support from an 

energetic, dedicated and talented 

team in business planning and 

marketing to ensure their business 

is a success. 

What is the appeal of a Wigwam 

Holiday for an end user? 

Quite simply, they get access to the 

countryside; the back to nature, 

great outdoors experience that 

“QUITE SIMPLY, 

THEY GET 

ACCESS TO THE 

COUNTRYSIDE; 

THE BACK TO 

NATURE, GREAT 

OUTDOORS 

EXPERIENCE 

THAT IS OFTEN 

HARD TO FIND 

THESE DAYS” 

is often hard to find these days. 

We do not rely on commercial 

outlets, swimming pools and 

noisy activity but instead feature 

true back to nature experiences; 

campfires under the stars, toasting 

marshmallows and quality time 

with family and friends. 

What has your impact been on 

the pod and glamping market? 

We are the original innovator of 

the camping pod concept. The 

first Wigwam was developed in 

1994, some 15 years before The 

Guardian newspaper coined the 

phrase ‘glamping’! The Wigwam 

was the first pod to the market by 

a decade, which has also given us 

time to consider what customers 

desire and what really works. 

What are your plans for the 

future? 

To take our concept to all areas of 

the UK and to fulfil our purpose; 

to provide ‘Great holidays in 

the great outdoors.’ Following a 

recent successful LEADER funding 

award, we are launching a new 

site in Glenlivet in the Cairngorms 

National Park, the first to be 

owned and managed by Wigwam 

Holidays. We are also looking 

to explore the European market 

and the possibility of taking 

the Wigwam concept into the 

international glamping arena. 


ACCOMMODATION 

Asset 

Financing 

All you need to know about funding luxury leisure assets, 

such as accommodation units and hot tubs, using asset finance 

What is asset financing? 

Asset financing refers to the use of a 

company’s balance sheet assets, including 

short term investments, inventory and 

accounts receivable, to borrow money or 

get a loan. The company borrowing 

the funds must provide the lender 

with security interest in the 

assets. 

ONE OF THE MOST interesting and rewarding 

ways of adding value to land is through the leisure 

industry, and glamping has become a very fast 

growing and aspirational sector. 

Glamping directly and very effectively competes 

with more traditional UK holiday choices such 

as camping and caravanning. It is an alluring 

alternative, but there is a larger initial setup 

cost. A serious initial investment is likely to be 

necessary as there has to be a focus on the quality 

of accommodation units and facilities in order to 

pull off the glamping ‘experience’ guests are after. 

Maintenance costs will also be higher. 

Glamping covers a range of assets that may be 

needed such as pods, cabins, bell tents, tipis, yurts 

and hot tubs, each of which comes at a cost. When 

the site is up and running there may also be a cash 

flow issue with much of the revenue derived in the 

peak season, which doesn’t help with investment 

income. This is where asset finance (and invoice 

finance) can help. 

GETTY IMAGES 


ACCOMMODATION 

FINANCE AND SME MARKETS 

Most small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) do not have the benefit of a 

diversified range of sources of finance, or at least they are not aware of their 

options. 

Conventional lending and overdrafts from banks dominate financing for SMEs, 

accounting for roughly 80% of total financing. However, banks are generally 

reluctant to fund assets in new technology and leisure as their understanding 

of the assets is limited and they are considered high risk with possible high 

depreciation. 

BMG’s research for BIS (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Journey 

Towards Raising External Finance) states that: over half of SMEs that sought 

finance in the past three years went directly to their main bank; those seeking 

finance for working capital were likely to use bank overdraft and credit card 

finance; and those looking to buy assets most commonly seek a bank loan. 

However, bank lending has fallen dramatically (again) since the financial crisis, 

with most commercial banking sectors in main banks being reduced to one or 

two commercial bank managers for whole regions of the country. Their ability to 

visit asset opportunities and to explore the risks has been vastly reduced and new 

ventures are suffering with any investments going to ‘safer’ enterprises. 

This is where the market has seen the growth in asset financing, with the larger 

brokers having relationships with multiple funders. The advantage a large broker 

offers to a new venture enterprise is that they will take the time to understand 

the asset, the opportunity, the product manufacturer, the customer and the 

forecasts of the asset use and how this relates to the success of the business. This 

information is captured in a portfolio, which is presented to a broker’s multiple 

funders in the field. 

It is also very likely that the payments generated are more cost effective. The 

reason for this is that the broker allows funders to better understand the risks to 

a level they often lack time to explore. Also, with the broker having a competitive 

tender process, funders recognise that to win the business they need to be well 

priced so the new venture often receives better rates. 

FUNDING LUXURY 

LEISURE ASSETS 

There are many reasons to fund 

assets, but the main one is the 

benefit of the capital remaining 

within a profitable business 

so it can be reinvested, rather 

than being front loaded into the 

ownership of a depreciating asset. 

For example, a glamping asset 

worth £10,000 on purchase is 

likely to depreciate by about 

£3,000 to £7,000 over three years. 

However, on a theoretical regular 

payment of £400 a month over 

the three years to own means the 

vast share of the capital remains 

in the business and increases 

by 15% for every pound. So 

the £10,000 could in theory of 

increased to about £15,000 of 

NET value, or depreciated to 

£7,000 and no additional business 

growth found. 

Glamping is a very interesting 

and dynamic new sector of the 

leisure industry, and the sky is 

the limit. Asset finance is a real 

option and can be achieved on 

any of the items you own. If you 

are a manufacturer, a broker 

can even help you fund your 

customer projects, making you 

an appointed representative. We 

would love to help you. 


Richard Frazer is the brand manager for Charterhouse Asset Finance and has over 15 years’ experience in the automotive and asset 

finance industry. He has previously worked with companies including Hitachi Capital, HSBC, Masterlease and Interleasing (GM 

Brand). 0121 454 5645 / www.charterhouseassetfinance.co.uk 



Professional Services 

Call in the professionals and maximise your business 

SLICK, MOBILE FRIENDLY AND 

GREAT FOR BUSINESS 

Inn Style 

0800 033 7425 

www.innstyle.co.uk 

Inn Style is all a glampsite 

owner needs to make the guest 

booking experience slick and 

easy. Owners can take online 

bookings, manage their diary, 

distribute their availability 

and process secure payments. 

It’s an easy way of getting a 

camping business online. If 

you need one, Inn Style even 

offers a beautiful, mobilefriendly 

website, free of charge, 

with every subscription. As 

consumers move increasingly 

to mobile phones and 

tablets to make online 

accommodation bookings, 

Inn Style will help you keep 

pace with their expectations. 

Find out more about plans 

and pricing using the contact 

details above. 

CALLING LUXURY 

GLAMPSITES AND START 

UPS 

Quality Unearthed 

01348 830922 

www.qualityunearthed.co.uk 

Whether you already run a 

glampsite or are looking to 

diversify or earn extra income 

from spare land, we may have 

the perfect solution for you. 

Promoting luxury glamping 

abodes, we are always 

interested in representing 

additional quality, unique 

holiday properties and offer 

advice to those thinking of 

setting up a glamping site 

or other unusual type of 

holiday accommodation. 

We can make it as simple as 

possible for you through our 

facilities, being there at every 

step to ensure your success. 

Services include marketing, 

photography, booking and set 

up advice. 

GETTY IMAGES 

FINANCE FOR GLAMPING 

BUSINESSES 

Charterhouse Asset Finance 

0121 452 1977 

www.charterhouseassetfinance.co.uk 

Charterhouse Asset Finance 

can help your company find 

the funding solutions for the 

equipment that keeps your 

business moving forward. 

We help you purchase the 

equipment you need. After 

business loans and overdrafts, 

asset finance is the most 

popular way for a company 

to help finance the future 

and can be used to buy, for 

example, hot tubs, glamping 

accommodation units, ground 

maintenance equipment and 

much more. We can also offer 

finance lease, hire purchase 

and sale and leaseback. We 

are a broker not a lender, 

which allows us to negotiate 

competitive rates, finding the 

right finance for your needs. 

JOIN THE GROWING 

WIGWAM BRAND 

WigWam Holidays 

0131 450 7126 

www.wigwamholidays.com 

Starting a Wigwam Holidays 

site is an ideal way to diversify 

farm businesses or attract new 

customers to existing campsites. 

With glamping more popular 

than ever, our state of the art 

timber cabins are a smart, 

sustainable and rewarding 

way to take advantage of this 

growing market. Join a trusted 

brand with a large, enthusiastic 

customer base and get set 

up quickly, with ready made 

Wigwams delivered straight to 

you. We offer ongoing marketing 

support via a website, social 

media and print materials. 

Typical annual income per unit 

is £7-17k, depending on the type 

of Wigwam, and total revenue 

across the network is around £5 

million. 


Everything you need to run your 

Glamping business online 

— from just £10 a month. 

Take bookings online, collect payments, run your website and 

communicate with guests; all quickly and easily. 

BETHAN AT CWTCHCAMPING.CO.UK 

Your 14-day free trial is waiting for you at 

www.innstyle.co.uk/glamping or call us on 0800 133 7500 


EVENTS 

GETTY IMAGES 

How to Run a 

Food Event 

How to run a successful street food event, with advice from 

The Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS) and the lessons 

learned from it’s own Digbeth Dining Club 

IN 2013, NCASS was tasked by the 

EU with creating a training course 

to help entrepreneurs get started in 

street food. It recognised that there 

was a knowledge gap for start-ups 

and that as the trade association 

for food traders we were not a bad 

place to start. 

Back in the early days of the 

street food trend (from 2009) 

very few market managers, local 

authorities or landlords knew what 

street food was. Who were these 

bohemians in rickety old vans 

claiming to produce restaurant 

quality food, who wanted places 

on markets and roving street 

food pitches? Councils didn’t 

understand it and didn’t want it. 

From their perspective, it was more 

work for no reward. In fairness, we 

didn’t know how to communicate 

effectively with them. A lot has 

changed since then, but it has been 

a learning process. Hopefully this 

guide will help event organisers 

avoid some of those issues. 

The problem of places to 

trade persists; every new and 

successful event has bred more 

budding traders and more street 

food fanatics, with their bellies 

and smartphones at the ready. 

Street food events have been 

proven to work in urban centres 

as well as towns and even villages 

in countryside locations such 

as Frome, Codsall and Tiverton. 

The industry has the potential to 

continue to grow, but it needs more 

events and more markets. 

SETTING UP AN EVENT 

Street food events tend to be set up either 

by promoters or by traders themselves, and a 

background in putting on and selling events can 

certainly be an advantage. However, with the right 

attitude, some nous and hard work you too could 

become a street food promoter. 

It’s a job, and if you get it right you can earn a 

living from it, but it should also be a passion, 

because things won’t always go right and 

it may take some time to build into 

something that people want to 

attend and traders want to 

work at. 

FINDING A VENUE 

Location can be key for a 

successful event but finding 

the right one can be tricky. 

Your options are either to 

work with your local council 

or a private landlord. Often, 

private landlords are more 

commercially focused and 

the decision making process 

involves less stakeholders, 

making private land a 

preferable option for many 

events and markets. However, 

there are issues that you will 

need to bear in mind when 

looking to work on private land. 

Is the property licensed? 

Some properties are licensed 

for certain activities such as 

providing food, playing music 

and selling alcohol. If you want 

to offer any of these services 

at your event, working on 

a licensed premises can be 

helpful. 

Speaking to property 

managers and commercial 

estate agents may prove 

valuable too. Your council may 

let you use their land under a 

special markets licence. Street 

food is far more established 

these days so less explaining 

what the event is all about will 

be required; it will be more 

about demonstrating what you 

can do with the space and why 

you’re the right person for the 

job. 


EVENTS 

LICENCES AND MARKETS 

If your location/venue is not licensed for the activities you 

want to put on, you will need to discuss the event with your 

local council to ensure you have the necessary paperwork in 

place. For events with up to 500 attendees at any one time 

(including staff), you can request a Temporary Events Notice 

(TEN) from your local council. The number of TENs you can 

apply for per year and per premises are limited, as is the length 

of time the event can go on for (length of your TEN). If a TEN 

is not appropriate, your local council is likely to have different 

types of licence for a specific event. Each council determines its 

own street trading, events licensing and market strategy, so it’s 

worth talking to all of these different departments about what 

you want to do. 

Bigger events may require a Safety Advisory Group 

(SAG) where you present your event to numerous council 

departments and they advise you on whether your plans are 

safe. Going through a SAG unprepared could severely damage 

your chances and your reputation so make sure you have 

everything thought out and written down in an event manual. 

The purple guide will be your closest companion here (www. 

thepurpleguide.co.uk). 

If you can find a venue licensed for events, food, alcohol 

and music, then you’re off to a good start. Remember, you’re 

asking council staff (who are likely to be overworked and under 

paid) to increase their workload without obvious reward, so be 

friendly, professional and prepared for their questions. Their 

concerns are likely to be different to your initial priorities. Will 

restaurants or bars be affected? Will the event generate waste 

that litters the area? Will it be safe and will it cause the council 

problems? You need to consider the council’s concerns and do 

what you can to accommodate. Private landowners will also 

have these concerns but at least they will make a profit if it 

goes well. 

Many market towns and cities in the UK have a Royal Market 

Charter in place. These charters were given as a form of 

patronage by kings to feudal lords hundreds of years ago. The 

world famous bullring market in the Midlands is one such site, 

where the monarch of the day gave land and the right to hold 

markets to a Baron ‘De Birmingham’ which is where the name 

of the city came from. 

Market charters were essentially monopolies given to 

individuals and they are still in place, although they are usually 

now owned by the local authority. This means that you cannot 

put on a market within a certain radius of the chartered market 

without the permission of the charter owner. If your event or 

market competes with the offering of the chartered market 

your application may be rejected. 

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE 

The purple guide is the health and safety bible for outdoor events and as such should be one of your first purchases. It’s an 

e-book that gets updated regularly and is produced by the Events Industry Forum. NCASS produces the food section and 

this should be your starting point. To keep your customers, staff and traders safe you’ll need to assess health and safety 

risks, fire risks and escapes, and much more. 

The two biggest risks with street food are fire safety (especially from unsuitable equipment and gas appliances) and food 

poisoning. There have been a couple of fires and explosions in the past few years, mostly due to traders not being aware of 

the risks, especially around marquees and gazebos. Make sure all traders have gas rigs. Gas Safe, the industry body, is due 

to adopt our proposals for gas rigs and safety in time for spring 2017 (COP24 of GSIUR), which should put an end to unsafe 

practices, but there are too many traders using unsuitable or unsafe set ups. Insist on a gas rig and commercial grade 

equipment; if you see camping gear and rubber hosing, then you’re taking unnecessary risks. 

Cross contamination is one of the biggest food safety risks, and if traders can’t wash their hands effectively they could 

poison your customers. Do not let anyone trade at your event without suitable hand washing facilities. It’s the law. A 

Thermos flask and a bucket is not sufficient. Never forget, your customers can see the food being prepared, so they can 

see if the chef doesn’t or can’t wash their hands. Bad press spreads like wildfire, and killing customers is bad for business. 

Don’t take the risk. 


EVENTS 

FINDING AND MANAGING 

CATERERS 

The easiest way to find caterers 

is to send out a job request 

for local traders via the NCASS 

Connect system; it’s free to 

use and the traders all have 

assured paperwork (you’ll need 

to request, assess and hold on 

to paperwork for all traders). 

We have 4,000 members 

nationwide who’ll be happy to 

help you out. 

Never duplicate food 

offerings as you’ll upset both 

traders and halve their takings, 

and always aim for all traders 

to sell around 100 covers 

minimum. New traders may 

struggle to sell more than that 

anyway as they’re still learning 

their trade and streamlining 

processes. Experienced traders 

can deliver more than 300 

portions. Anything less than 

80 covers and they’re probably 

losing money. 

For these reasons, many 

start up events charge a small 

deposit and a percentage 

(usually 15% of takings). This 

means the risk is shared and 

keeps the traders on side. If 

they’re not making money, 

then neither are you, but that 

should motivate both parties to 

promote the event. Remember, 

you’re building an event 

together. The better you get on 

and the clearer the goal, the 

more likely you are to succeed. 


Mark Laurie is the 

director at the 

Nationwide Caterers 

Association (NCASS), 

the only trade 

association and 

primary authority for 

mobile caterers and 

street food sellers in 

the UK. The NCASS 

mission is to provide 

traders with all the 

information, systems 

and support they need 

for a profitable, safe 

and legal business. 

From start-ups to 

fully-fledged mobile 

ventures, NCASS offers 

support and materials 

to help caterers at 

any stage of business. 

Currently looking after 

3,500 UK catering 

businesses, NCASS 

continues to grow year 

on year as a result of its 

care for and support to 

the catering and events 

industry. 

LESSONS LEARNED 

DIGBETH DINING CLUB 

In the summer of 2012, NCASS got the opportunity to found a 

street food event in a car park behind a bar in one of the less 

salubrious areas of Birmingham’s inner city. This event, Digbeth 

Dining Club, run by a local promoter and supported by NCASS, 

operates under a special markets licence with pitch fees paid 

to the council each month. It went on to win best event in the 

country twice at the British Street Food Awards and now operates 

across four venues with more than 50 traders on its books. By 

the time it was winning awards we’d stepped back to allow the 

promoters to grow the business themselves. 

However, apart from the opening weekend, which was a sellout, 

Digbeth Dining Club struggled for the first six months. We 

even considered closing it. We started at the end of the summer 

and then worked straight into the coldest winter experienced 

for years. We had no heating, limited lighting and limited cover 

competing with the behemoth that was the Birmingham German 

Market. At one point we were down to two traders per week and 

they were still losing money. 

We thought the scene would grow organically, people would find 

out about it and want to come. We were wrong on both counts. 

When the snow melted and the sun returned in the spring we 

re-opened and sold out, and that began a period of three years 

of steady growth. But the relaunch had been preceded by three 

months of frantic marketing and promotion. Advertising on social 

media, flyering at the university, posters in shops and activating 

networks of friends. By the skin of our teeth we made it. 

In summary 

› Overnight success is unlikely 

› Winter is hard 

› Promotion is essential 

› Belief is necessary 

› Traders can’t afford to lose money regularly 

STREET FOOD ALLIANCES 

In 2015 we began our second EU supported project, this time 

to help bridge the gap between traders, organisers, councils 

and business. Street Food for Regions will deliver a free toolkit 

to help you set up your own events, whether you’re a private 

promoter, landowner or local council. It will be published for 

free online along with other resources and case studies. 

We’re developing a regional alliance in Birmingham to bring 

together council staff, organisers, traders and stakeholders 

to work together, expand the industry, create more markets 

and events, and help successful businesses make the leap to 

restaurants. Details of this project along with parallel projects 

in four other EU countries will be held on the Street Food For 

Regions website. 

If you’d like to form a street food alliance or join one, give us 

a call and we can help you to get started. 0121 603 2524 / www. 

ncass.org.uk 


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www.noba.co.uk | t: 020 3440 4610 | e: info@noba.co.uk 


EVENTS 

Small Events 

GETTY IMAGES 

Andy Grove, interim president of the National Outdoor Events 

Association (NOEA), considers the public appeal of small and 

medium sized events 

ONE OF THE GREATEST things 

about events is their diversity. One 

dictionary definition of an event 

is ‘a thing that happens’, which 

covers almost every eventuality. 

For our industry, the definition, 

‘a planned public or social 

occasion’ is probably more apt. 

There is still no reference to size, 

but realistically there can’t be as 

events come in all shapes and 

sizes and can be based around 

music, theatre, dance, sport, 

commerce, religion, heritage 

(and anything else), and may 

range from massive to tiny, and 

be ticketed or free. There really is 

something for everyone if you take 

the time to look. 

So, what is the public appeal of 

small to medium sized events, and 

“SMALLER 

EVENTS 

ARE MORE 

RELAXED 

WITH A 

FEELING OF 

WARMTH 

AND 

INTIMACY” 

why are there so many of them? 

Perhaps some events are just too 

big to be appealing to everyone; 

the sheer volume of people and 

the inevitable inconvenience 

that comes with being part of a 

massive crowd. Getting in and 

out of a venue as well as moving 

around it, getting food and drink 

and ensuring you can see what 

you went there to see, can all be 

a bit of a hassle and can be a bit 

impersonal, leaving people feeling 

isolated. 

Of course, it doesn’t have to 

be like that and smaller events 

can still have their problems 

with crowds and queuing if not 

planned properly. However, in 

general, smaller events are more 

relaxed with a feeling of warmth 

and intimacy. The smaller the 

GETTY IMAGES 

event, the more likely this is as 

it becomes easier to focus on 

the specific needs of your target 

audience; the fewer people there 

are the less diverse they are likely 

to be and the easier they might 

be to please. Also, there is likely 

to be a lower ticket price, which 

makes attending the event more 

affordable. 

Continuing to generalise, larger 

festivals tend to be run by big 

corporates that have the staff, 

experience and budgets to cope. 

Many lower attendance events 

are run by smaller companies, 


EVENTS 

GETTY IMAGES 

individuals or voluntary groups 

that can find it harder to make 

ends meet and for whom 

delivering events can be more 

challenging, especially when 

dealing with the authorities. 

All organisers (big and small) 

need guidance and support, 

which often comes from trade 

associations that meet the 

specific needs of their members. 

The industry associations in 

the UK have worked together 

under the banner of the Events 

Industry Forum to produce the 

Purple Guide (www.purpleguide. 

co.uk), and work is underway to 

specifically target smaller events 

organisers with a simplified 

guide that is easier to use and 

potentially less daunting. 

The National Outdoor Events 

Association (NOEA) is very much 

a part of this process and really 

understands the difficulties its 

members can face, working hard 

to support them. Members can 

ask any questions they like about 

organising events and NOEA will 

endeavour to get them answered. 

Frequently the support required 

is in relation to dealing with the 

authorities and NOEA has a strong 

track record in providing training, 

guidance and advice on areas 

such as licensing, safety advisory 

groups, police charging, legal 

matters and much more. 

NOEA is there to provide 

members with whatever level of 

support and guidance they need 

and is keen to hear more from 

them in order to deliver exactly 

want they need. 

NOEA 

An introduction to the National 

Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) 

NOEA, ESTABLISHED IN 1979, is the only trade 

association specialising in the outdoor events 

industry. It has over 500 members, which 

include festival and event organisers, venues, 

equipment suppliers and local authorities. 

Its policy is to educate, advise on and 

enhance professionalism and business 

opportunities within the industry and it does 

so with regional workshops, conferences, 

news bulletins and online resources. It also 

holds an annual convention, which offers 

opportunities to find out about topical issues 

and legislation within the industry such as 

policing, Construction Design and Management 

Regulations, licensing, accessibility, 

commerciality and event management. 

NOEA is also involved with the Business Visits 

and Events Partnership, the Genesis Initiative, 

the Events Industry Forum and the Joint 

Advisory Committee for Entertainment. The 

purpose is to debate issues, share information, 

network, meet new business contacts, renew 

old friendships and have some fun! 

NOEA has been working with various 

organisations to produce templates for 

agreements and for consistency across the UK 

in charging for a police presence at events. It 

also called for a ban on sky lanterns because of 

the danger to life, livestock and land. 

“We do help make a difference when it 

comes to fighting the outdoor events industry’s 

corner with campaigns like tackling police 

costs and calling for the ban on Chinese 

lanterns,” says Richard Limb, retired president 

of the association. “We regularly meet with 

government officials and official bodies to 

make sure the voice of the events industry is 

heard. 

“Over the last 35 years we have had more 

and more household names such as the 

Jockey Club and Losberger UK joining us, 

which adds gravitas to our arguments. We 

will continue to grow and represent the views 

of our members with the government. NOEA 

is here to support all its members; several 

are one man bands and from time to time 

need support and like-minded people to turn 

to, which is one of the benefits of being a 

member. 

NOEA has also set up a student council to 

encourage young people to get involved and 

learn from the experienced members. “It goes 

without saying that current members are 

experienced,” says Limb. “We want to get the 

balance right and encourage students to get 

involved and learn from our members as we 

look to the future of the industry.” 

NOEA’S SERVICES 

› Regular email news digests and newsletters 

› Articles in Access All Areas magazine and 

Event Industry News 

› Publication of the Members’ Yearbook, and 

the outdoor events industry reference guide 

(complimentary copy upon application) 

› Participation in major industry trade shows 

with complimentary admission tickets 

› Legal advice and debt recovery 

› Croner’s Business Helpline telephone 

service 

› NOEA Insurance Panel 

DETAILS 

www.noea.org.uk / 01749 674531 


EVENTS 

Marquee 

Hire 

Selecting a reputable marquee hire company with 

advice from MUTA, the UK’s only trade association 

dedicated to marquees, tents and structures 

THE BEST CONTRACTOR/hirer of marquees, tents or other temporary structures 

(known collectively as temporary demountable structures or TDS) will keep your stress 

levels low and be a delight to work with, whether you are organising a private or a 

public event. The worst ones will make the whole process a nightmare. 

So how can you safeguard against choosing the wrong supplier? We have put 

together some pointers in our Guide to Choosing a Hirer, which is available to 

download at the MUTA website. We will go through some of the key considerations 

here to help you find a company that will give your event the best chance of success. 

PRIVATE EVENTS 

What is not always obvious to a private 

customer is the nature of the marquee and 

tent hire industry. While there are many 

excellent companies, there are also some 

very poor ones. There are a lot of hirers that 

come and go; companies that start up, ‘have 

a go’ and then disappear. It’s not easy to be a 

high quality hirer, and not something you can 

learn overnight. Think about the following 

points when making your selection. 

Experience and track record 

Look at how long the hirer has been trading. 

Most of the unprofessional companies 

won’t survive more than a few years. MUTA 

members have to be trading for two years 

before being admitted and have to pass 

a credit check, so asking to see the hirer’s 

current MUTA membership certificate is a 

good start. 

Does the hirer have a good track record? Is 

there evidence of recent customer thank you 

letters, testimonials or references? Will they 

let you talk to a previous customer? Have 

they won any awards? 

Range of services 

Apart from erecting the marquee or tent, 

there’s a lot to do to make an event happen, 

from flooring and staging to lighting and 

heating, the list goes on. Good hirers will be 

able to take on as much or as little of the 

supply of these items as you wish, acting as a 

one-stop shop if that is what you require. 

On-site support 

If something goes wrong while the event 

is happening, what arrangements are in 

place? Will you have staff from the hirer 

on-site during the event? If not, is there an 

emergency contact number, and how fast 

can you expect a response? Good hirers will 

be able to offer both options. 

Coping with problems 

Problems happen in hire businesses all the 

time; staff go off sick, vehicles break down 

and equipment gets damaged. Good hire 

businesses solve these problems without 

their customers ever being aware. They 

have additional staff they can call on, 

arrangements in place to cope with broken 

down vehicles and spare equipment to hand. 

Ask your hirer about the 

contingency arrangements 

they have in place to cope when things go 

wrong. 

Price 

Compare prices, of course, but understand 

that good hirers with contingency tents, 

contingency staff and contingency vehicles 

have additional costs compared with the 

companies that have ‘just enough’. You can 

expect to pay a bit more to know that there 

are measures in place to ensure your event 

is not left high and dry. So the message is to 

look for good overall value and not simply 

the lowest price. 

The contract 

Good hirers will insist on signing a contract 

with you and won’t take cash payments to 

avoid VAT (that’s illegal). The contract gives 

you and the hirer confidence because you 

both know exactly what you have agreed. 

The contract doesn’t need to be long or 

difficult, it is often just a booking form with a 

set of terms and conditions of hire. 

Payment terms 

It’s worth being suspicious of companies 

offering big discounts in return for large 

deposits paid a long way before the event. 

It could be a sign that they are struggling to 

survive, raising the possibility that they 

won’t be around by the time your 

event arrives. 

GETTY IMAGES

EVENTS 

› Method statements 

› Training records 

› Proof of public liability insurance 

› Structural calculations 

› Fire certificates 

› A current MUTA membership certificate 

› Itemised quotations with contract terms. 

Range and type of equipment 

Most public events require a wide range of 

equipment from very small to very large 

structures. Does the contractor have the 

appropriate range of equipment and is it fit 

for purpose? Do they have the appropriate 

fire and structural documentation? 

Staff training 

Organisers of public events have a duty 

of care to ensure that all the contractors 

involved have adequate and appropriately 

trained staff. Examples of appropriate 

qualifications include MUTA’s Structure 

Safe course or a Foreman’s NVQ 

qualification. Is the contractor able to 

supply evidence of the training that its 

staff have received? 

On-site support 

What arrangements are in place for 

standby staff should a structure need 

attention during the event? 

PUBLIC EVENTS 

With organisers of public events having a 

duty of care to both the people involved 

in erecting structures for the event, and 

members of the public who attend, it’s 

crucial to choose a competent contractor. 

Asking your contractor the questions below 

should help you to understand if they are 

really up to the job. 

Size of company 

Is the contractor easily able to cope with 

the needs of your event, in addition to other 

events they will be handling at the same 

time? How much ‘tentage’ do they have 

available? How many staff do they have? 

Financial standing 

How long has the contractor been trading, 

and do they have the financial standing 

to cope with your event? Is their financial 

history stable? 

Experience 

How many similar size events has the 

contractor handled, and over how many 

years? Can you speak to previous customers 

to obtain references? 

Backroom support 

Is the contractor able to supply health 

and safety advice? Do they have account 

managers, logistics managers, the capability 

to prepare drawings and the like? 

Documentation 

Prior to the event, is the contractor able to 

readily provide: 

› A health and safety policy 

› A construction phase plan if required 

under Construction (Design and 

Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) 

› Risk assessments 

MUTA 

Resources available 

Does the contractor have additional 

equipment, staff and transport available for 

last minute additions or amendments or 

emergency situations? 

Latest health and safety 

Does the contractor have knowledge and 

understanding of the latest health and safety 

requirements and guidance? MUTA’s Best 

Practice Guide encompasses the very latest 

health and safety legislation. 

Competency 

Organisers of public events have a 

responsibility and duty of care to ensure that 

all of their contractors are competent. How 

will your contractor demonstrate that they 

are competent? This could be evidenced 

by membership of a nationally recognised 

trade body such as MUTA. 

ERECTION, USE AND 

DISMANTLING 

The failure of any marquee, tent or 

structure, no matter how small, could 

have a devastating effect at an event. 

The safe erection, use and dismantling 

of a TDS are important parts of event 

planning. 

Erection and dismantling 

The Enforcing Authority Regulations 

1998 determine whether it is the Health 

and Safety Executive (HSE) or the local 

authority that is responsible for enforcing 

the erection and dismantling of TDS. In 

most cases, local authorities will enforce 

on all matters to do with the use of 

completed TDS, unless it is in use at a 

local authority event, in which case HSE 

will be the enforcing authority. 

Please note, even though there is a 

division of enforcement responsibility, 

expect all health and safety inspectors to 

challenge unsafe work activity, regardless 

of when it is happening. The requirements 

of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 

Emergencies 

Is there an emergency out of hours contact 

number and agreed response time? Does 

the contractor have the wherewithal to 

monitor and respond quickly to extreme or 

changing weather conditions? 

Sustainability 

Organisers of public events are paying 

increasing attention to sustainability 

in relation to the organisation and the 

running of their shows and events. 

Sustainability is the balance between the 

environment, the social (employees) and 

the economic considerations that drive 

business and their connected events. 

Internationally recognised accreditations 

such as ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 are the 

highest level of competency, but selfevidence 

schemes are also acceptable. 

(HSWA) and the Management of Health 

and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 

apply to the erection, use and dismantling 

of a TDS, as do the requirements of the 

Construction (Design and Management) 

Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). 

Depending on the type of structure, its 

use and the erecting process employed, 

the requirements of the following sets of 

regulations may apply: 

› Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) 

Regulations 1992 

› Manual Handling Operations 


› Provision and Use of Work Equipment 


› Lifting Operations and Lifting 

Equipment Regulations 1998 

› Work at Height Regulations 2005 

› Personal Protective Equipment at Work 


› Control of Substances Hazardous to 

Health Regulations 2002. 

As an organiser, it is important that a 

prospective contractor can: 


EVENTS 

› demonstrate knowledge and 

understanding of the work and the 

health and safety hazards involved 

› provide evidence of the competence 

of key staff for the project and trained 

workforce. Crew undertaking specialist 

roles, such as rigging, should be able to 

prove that they have the appropriate 

competencies 

› confirm they have sufficient resources to 

undertake the work 

› provide evidence of previous successful 

work, which shows they can adopt and 

develop safe systems of working 

› demonstrate an appropriate level of 

technical ability, in the absence of 

experience of previous work. 

Ensure that whoever erects the structure 

(in most cases the TDS contractor) 

undertakes an assessment of the likely 

hazards and risks for erecting and 

dismantling. This may require the TDS 

contractor to obtain specialist assistance. 

Key erecting and dismantling hazards may 

include: 

› working at height 

› transport 

› manual handling 

› slips and trips 

› electricity and fire 

› loading and unloading operations 

› lifting operations 

› use of machinery and tools 

› local activities. 

The findings of this risk assessment should 

serve as guidance on how to safely erect 

and dismantle the structure on-site. The 

risk assessment could be in the form of 

suitably clear plans and drawings and/or 

photos that identify the sequence of safe 

erecting (and plan for the safe dismantling 

of the structure). 

Before work starts, contractors should 

inform the event organiser of any 

significant health and safety issues or 

requirements that may occur during the 

erecting, use of and dismantling of the 

structure. An example of this would be 

the use of cranes or forklift trucks. In this 

way, the event organiser can plan and 

work with the TDS contractors to develop 

safe systems of working and ensure all 

significant risks on the site are properly 

controlled. 

Work to create good co-operation and 

co-ordination among those involved in 

erecting and dismantling a structure. 

This requires effective communication 

at all levels. Plan to minimise confusion 

and conflict, particularly between those 

contractors carrying out concurrent 

or consecutive activities on the same 

structure or in the locality. 

Use 

Once the TDS is erected, operational risks 

must be managed to ensure safety at all 

times, for example any risks associated with 

overcrowding. Consider any operational 

limits on the structure in the event 

management safety plan. 

In any organiser/TDS contractor 

relationship, both parties will have duties 

under health and safety law. However, a 

key factor to consider will be the extent of 

control that each party has over the work 

activity and workplace during each phase 

of the erect, use and dismantling cycle of a 

structure. Organisers and TDS contractors 

should agree on the extent of their control 

at the planning stage, so that responsibility 

for structural safety is understood and 

maintained throughout the event. 

Almost all TDS used outdoors are 

susceptible to the effects of constantly 

changing climatic conditions and so 

appropriate management systems should 

be in place to: 

› monitor and measure local weather 

conditions 

› define and deliver a plan to deal with 

variable loading conditions that can affect 

the structure and exceed the safe working 

parameters of the structure, for example 

changing ground conditions due to 

prolonged rain can significantly affect the 

resistance offered by ground anchorages 

(the ground conditions and anchorages 

may need reassessment by specialists) 

› take action if required. 

One of the greatest hazards to marquees 

and tents is the wind. Most of these 

structures are designed to be safe for use 

in wind up to a certain speed. The event 

organiser and contractor should be clear on 

the value of this wind speed and the wind 

management plan required, ensuring the 

stability of the TDS at all times. 

Agree on a suitable system of 

maintenance and inspection with the TDS 

contractor. Depending on the type of event 

and the time of year, the contractor may 

provide a standby service for structural 

matters on-site or just an emergency 

call out service. If a contractor provides 

an organiser with a checklist to follow, it 

must be comprehensive. For example, it is 

unsatisfactory for a contractor to simply say 

“check the cable tension” without stating 

exactly what to look for and what to do 

about it if it is incorrect. 

Safeguard yourself with a MUTA member 

Actually it is better to look at this question 

from the other direction. If a hirer or 

contractor you are intending to use is not a 

MUTA member, then why not? MUTA is only 

interested in having the best companies as 

members. Members sign a Code of Practice 

requiring them to be legal, decent, honest 

and truthful. They are obliged to provide a 

professional standard of workmanship, to 

check all their own work, and to maintain 

public liability insurance of at least £1m. 

They must follow MUTA’s industry 

leading Best Practice Guide and submit 

themselves to independent inspection to 

ensure that they do. Members who fail their 

inspection are required to make immediate 

improvements; failure to do so results in 

expulsion. 

If something goes wrong, MUTA members 

must promptly, efficiently and courteously 

investigate any complaint. If that process 

fails, customers can complain directly to 

MUTA. If MUTA upholds the complaint, 

members must take the required action or 

be expelled. So, don’t take the risk, use a 

MUTA member and give your event the best 

chance of success. 

DETAILS 

www.muta.org.uk / 01379 788673 

MUTA 



Marquees 

Structures and suppliers for your next outdoor event 

TENSIONED POLE TENTS 

Airstream Facilities 

07775 802 611 

www.airstreamfacilities.com 

Airstream Facilities supplies 

state of the art, textile cut, 

high tensioned Poleadion 

pole tents. Popular at 

festivals, corporate events 

and weddings, these 

structures, with their modern 

design, offer substantial 

internal space (with optional 

walls and windows); the 

clever arrangement of the 

poles and the high tension 

cover create an extremely 

elegant style. If you’re looking 

for a smaller, more flexible 

and portable structure, the 

Matrix marquee is another 

favourite. This striking, clear 

span canopy is manufactured 

to a high standard with an 

aluminium alloy frame and 

distinctive sprung cable 

design. 

FRAME, POLE & 

PINNACLE TENTS 

Celina Tent 

01157 940041 

www.gettent.co.uk 

Celina Tent is one of the 

largest tent manufacturers 

for events in North America 

and is expanding its 

manufacturing services to 

the UK. In early 2017 Celina 

Tent will be opening its UK 

distribution centre to ensure 

easy purchase and delivery 

of its high quality event 

products. Celina Tent Europe 

will offer its established frame 

and pole tents, including its 

most popular Pinnacle tents. 

What makes Celina Tent 

Europe different from other 

tent manufacturers? Any of 

Celina’s tent products can 

be custom printed, with only 

two days of shipping from the 

in-house print shop located in 

the US. 

FRIENDLY, FULL 

SERVICE MARQUEE 

HIRE 

Brighton Marquees 

07900 212655 

www.brightonmarquees.co.uk 

Whether you are planning a 

wedding, party celebration or 

corporate event, our friendly 

team will draw on their 

experience to provide you with 

the perfect solution. We have 

a wide range of structures 

suitable for use all year round, 

and our attention to client 

detail is certain to make your 

event a success. We have a 

strong business network in the 

Sussex area and are a MUTA 

registered marquee company. 

Contact us to arrange a 

complimentary consultation 

to discuss your entire event 

needs, from the size and type 

of structure to flooring, linings, 

lighting, furnishings, floral 

decoration and more! 

ADAPTABLE CLEARSPAN 

MARQUEES 

Carron Marquees 

01252 795252 

www.carronmarquees.co.uk 

Carron Marquees supplies a 

range of bespoke marquees 

including a stylish selection 

of Clearspan marquees, with 

a practical design allowing 

for maximum space and light 

throughout the day. Clearspan 

marquees are designed without 

the need for central poles 

so can adapt to incorporate 

garden features such as flower 

beds and even ponds! The 

side windows are designed to 

allow light to flood the interior, 

providing a perfect natural 

feel during the day for your 

event. Our team at Carron 

Marquees can assist you in 

organising every detail, from 

indoor and outdoor lighting 

options, heating, toilet facilities, 

generators and bar hire. 


Coopers Marquees 

Event Structures Nationwide 

LARGE, 

WEATHERPROOF TIPIS 

The Tipi Company 

01204 860738 

www.thetipicompany.com 

The Tipi Company 

manufacturers large Britishmade 

event tipis for use at 

outdoor events and as glamping 

accommodation and outdoor 

classrooms. Using groundbreaking 

fabric sourced from 

the industry’s market leader, 

the material is highly water and 

weather resistant, breathable 

and flame retardant. In addition 

to top quality tipi design, the 

company also manufactures 

a range of accessories to 

complement, including weather 

proofing options to ensure you 

can enjoy our tipis regardless 

of the weather outside. Having 

been developed in Britain to 

embrace the unpredictable 

weather, our tipis featured at the 

very wet but fantastic Queen’s 

90th Birthday celebrations at 

Windsor Castle in 2016. 

Proud members of MUTA 

working to the highest standards 

Tel: 01759 380190 

@CoopersMarquees 

www.coopersmarquees.co.uk 

Marquees & 

Glamping Structures 

All of our structures are made at our Gloucestershire 

factory using the highest quality fire retardant 

performance materials. 

We have over 28yrs experience in the design and 

manufacture of clear span, tubular, traditional and 

bespoke marquees including a range of steel-framed 

Safari glamping structures. 

Visit our website, read our testimonials and call us. 

0 1 4 5 3 7 6 7 1 7 1 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 


ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

WI-FI ANYWHERE! 

noba Event Intelligence 

020 3440 4610 

www.noba.co.uk 

noba is one of the longest running 

event specific IT companies in the 

industry. Specialising in event Wi- 

Fi and internet anywhere, noba is 

the go-to connectivity company 

for brands, festivals, production 

companies and agencies. 

Working in the UK and globally, 

we have delivered internet and 

Wi-Fi services to virtually every 

conceivable location; from boats, 

trains, abandoned warehouses, 

fields, cathedrals, palaces and 

more conventional venues - 

we’ve yet to be defeated by a 

technology challenge! We can 

deliver services at very short 

notice, sometimes less than 24 

hours! From one to over 1,000 

users, get in touch today to 

discuss your requirements. 

POP-UP GLAMPING & EVENTS IN 

VINTAGE TRAILERS 

Horsebox Hideaways 

01670 458118 / 07876 344509 

www.horseboxhideaways.com 

Horsebox Hideaways are 

vintage horse trailers, lovingly 

converted into beautiful 

glamping pods. Our Hideaways 

are the perfect solution for 

campsites with planning 

restrictions as they are fully 

mobile. They can even be hired 

out off-site to maximise income. 

In addition to the Glamping 

Hideaway, we also provide 

mobile bars and catering trailers 

so that you can create your 

own truly pop-up experiences; 

in fact we can adapt them 

to any need. We have an 

experienced consultancy team 

who are available to work with 

landowners and farmers to 

maximise their income potential 

with pop up glamping and 

events. 

MODULAR DESIGN FOR BESPOKE 

SPACES 

Classic Pod Company 

07971 869058 


Hand crafted and fitted out with 

bespoke furniture, these pods 

can provide luxury without 

detracting from a connection 

to nature. The use of natural 

round pole beams exemplifies 

this natural aesthetic - a 

natural form that adds amazing 

character to the room. Hex- 

Pods offer an eco friendly, 

well insulated, bespoke space 

tailored to meet your needs. 

Their modular design creates 

an adaptable unit or the 

possibility of multiple units that 

fit together, providing flexibility 

of construction like no other. 

The multitude of possibilities 

is unrivalled in creating the 

right space for you. Future 

extensions to the Hex-Pod are 

also possible. 

PORTABLE SOLAR CHARGING 

STATION 

Solar Charging Can 

01935 825914 

www.solarchargingcan.com 

The Solar Charging Can is a 

portable, off-grid, solar power 

generator for 5-12v charging, 

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PERIWINKLE 

ALL THAT VAJAZZLE 

As Chuffer considers the ‘relentless negativity’ of his site inspection report, 

Tubby suggests that it might be time to consider other options, such as 

turning Woodstock Plus into a jazz festival 

THE POSTMAN STUFFED Chuffer’s site 

inspection report through his letterbox this 

morning. Chuffer read it to Tubby and me 

solemnly over lunch at the Glamper’s Retreat, 

struggling to make himself heard over my 

hoots of delight at its relentless negativity. I 

apologised immediately, unreservedly: “Sorry, 

Chuffer, my schadenfreude was a bit off.” 

The following extract gives a flavour of the 

document. 

INSPECTION REPORT #4, NOV 2016 

Summary of Infringements, page 1 of 20 

Applicant: ‘Chuffer’ Donaldson 

Author: Cuthbert Clark (Chief Inspector) 

The following issues arose: 

Article #86 ‘Boiler maintenance’ 

On closer inspection, what had at first looked 

like a replica of the Lusitania’s main boiler 

turned out to be the real McCoy - the Lusitania’s 

main boiler, whose last known safety certificate 

was issued in 1914. 

Article #133 ‘Keep vegetation cut back’ 

Leakage of surplus heat from the woefully 

under-insulated site laundry has given rise to 

a Sumatran style micro-ecosystem. During our 

inspection we discovered six rare orchids, a 

Venus Flytrap larger than Audrey Two in Little 

Shop of Horrors, and vines from which we 

expected to find Tarzan of the Apes swinging. 

In addition there was an as yet unconfirmed 

treetop sighting of Sir David Attenborough. 

Article #88 ‘Laundry room maintenance’ 

Attracted by the unnatural heat, a colony of 

Malaysian fruit bats has invaded the main site’s 

tumble drier and refuses to budge despite 

having been served an eviction notice. Neither 

the bats nor Mr Donaldson may be legally 

removed from the site save under conditions 

set down in the Endangered Species Act; the 

bats because they are protected by law, and Mr 

Donaldson, since he is considered in the upper 

echelons of the glamping community, to be a 

living fossil of the Glamping Management Old 

School. 

Article #52(b) ‘Conflicting site usage’ 

Badly conceived footpaths haphazardly 

criss-cross the site, vaguely connecting an 

area housing faux Neolithic megastructures, 

with a hot tub complex and a tabernacle of 

biblical dimension. These render the site as 

‘functionally balanced as a two legged milking 

stool’. 

A conclusion on page 96 stated: ‘In our 

opinion, we would not leave Mr Donaldson 

in charge of a composting bin. However, our 

report must go before the full Accreditation 

Committee next month. You will receive our 

final judgement then. 

While Chuffer sulked, Tubby suggested 

I consider turning Woodstock Plus into a 

jazz festival. You could tap into the beatnik 

scene, he told me. Was there a beatnik scene I 

wondered? I called Ms Flowers on my mobile 

to check. She sarcastically asserted that, in her 

opinion, the last beatnik died in captivity at 

Whipsnade Zoo in 1958 and that I should, “Get 

over it and move on!”. 

I coached Chuffer out of his funk to get his 

opinion. He wasn’t a beatnik - never had been 

to my knowledge - but he did have a black polo 

neck and sometimes sported a goatee beard, 

and as such was more qualified than anyone I 

knew to pontificate on jazz matters. 

Chuffer said that the raison d’être of all 

jazz concert attendees was to run from the 

auditorium as fast as their legs would carry 

them, and as far away as was necessary to be 

out of earshot when the drummer launched 

into the emotional black hole of his obligatory 

20-minute solo. To be spared the sound 

and fury of a jazz drummer self-indulgently 

thrashing his arms about at random like a 

drowning man in a whirlpool was, according to 

Chuffer anyway, one of life’s greatest pleasures. 

The phone rang again. It was Ms Flowers. 

She apologised for her previous sarcasm and 

offered an olive branch; her endorsement 

of a jazz quintet called Bivouac Bill and the 

Backpackers whom she assured me were ‘the 

dog’s’. 

I Googled them; Bivouac Bill and the 

Backpackers that is, not the dog’s! Hmm… 

Mixed reviews. One critic said that the title 

of their only album - ‘Nowheresville Daddio’ 

- was less of a title per se than a description 

of their current standing in the jazz world. Yet 

another review simply gushed - Bivouac Bill 

and the Backpackers Dazzle In Dunstable; this 

one appeared in the The Tent Peg Whacker’s 

Quarterly, August 2013, penned by Demi ‘Semi- 

Quaver’ Duggan, best-selling author of The 

Syncopated Yurt: 

“The moment I heard that Bivouac Bill and 

the Backpackers were back on the road, a 

vibe in this old jazz critic’s bones told me that 

something crazy was about to go down in 

Dunstable. Was I right Daddio, or was I right? 

“Stanley’s fusion of Scottish dance band 

music and 60s jazz really razzed my berries, 

producing a two-part set as finely delineated 

as Lord Snooty’s centre parting. Were mistakes 

made? For sure; 12 bars into Green Ham 

Blues and well into his eighth reefer of the 

gig, Stanley realised that the double bass he 

thought he had been playing for over two 

hours, was still in the van. 

“A mistake, yes, but what a recovery! Despite 

being in a fug of profound stupefaction brought 

on by power smoking skunkweed, Stanley 

improvised the syncopated 13-minute double 

bass solo of the piece on a backing singer’s 

suspender belt. I raise a glass to you Stan. 

Come back to Dunstable soon.” 

Wow. Great review. Ms Meadows confirmed 

the booking; as luck would have it, they had 

nothing in their events diary for the next five 

years. 

Well, that’s almost it for now, although 

I’ve kept more good news until last. Tubby 

bid successfully for a mystery lot at a charity 

auction in Cambridge and for his trouble 

bagged an aeroplane that had last taken to the 

skies during the Spanish Civil War, a 1952 Bunty 

Annual and a 5kg jar of ‘Vajazzling’ glitter. He 

plans to hang the aeroplane from a crane and 

rent it out as accommodation, presumably 

while he works out what to do with the sparkly 

stuff. 


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Open Air Business January 2017

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