Open Air Business August/September 2018

ISSUE 21 | August / September 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

GLAMPING 

FUNCTION VENUES 

> Flooring 

> Getting Personal 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

> Marketing 

> Treehouses 

EVENTS 

> Sponsorship 

> Show Previews 

CASE STUDIES: 

THE COW SHED CRAIL • ATLANTIC SURF PODS • THE CONTEMPORARY CRAFT FAIR

NEW 

IN THE UK 

The Glamping Barrel 

from CampPlus 

Available in 4.3 mtrs and 5.9 mtrs, comfortably sleeping 4 adults 

Sometimes round is better.. 

FUN / COMFORTABLE / NATURAL / QUALITY / SPACIOUS / CHARACTER 

Glamping Barrels at Legoland 

Legoland Denmark has installed 30 Barrels, Legoland Germany 39 so far, and 

counting… With over 600 Barrels installed at over 150 campsites all over Europe, 

they have an excellent track record in quality and return of investment. 

A Barrel of Fun Large double glazed 

bedroom window 

A tilt & turn window lets the air in 

while a flyscreen keeps the critters out. 

Electrical package (option) with RCD, 

LED lighting and sockets 

Infrared heating (option) Thermostat 

controlled for comfort all year round. 

Super King size bed: 200 x 200 cm, 6’7” x 6’7” 

Pull out table with easy to clean, hard wearing 

Formica top 

Lots of storage under the benches left and right and 

under the main bed. 

Comfortable seating The benches left and right 

provide seating for 6 adults. They quickly and easily 

convert into 2 beds of 2.10 x 0.70 mtrs (7’ x 28”) 

Well Connected 

Two Barrels connect to a CampPlus 

Duo shower room, to create the 

ultimate in luxurious glamping. 

The en-suite is both connected to 

and separated from the Barrel. So 

you get the extra comfort, but 

without the smells and damp. 

A single Barrel can be connected to 

a CampPlus Solo En-Suite as well 

of course. 

Distributed in the UK by: 

CampPlus 

www.glampingbarrel.co.uk 

info@campplus.co.uk 

+44 (0)1908 538 055 

Visit the Barrel 

we’re at The Glamping 

Show, Stand 17

ISSUE 21 | August /September 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

Welcome 

YAY! TRADE show time! I am happy to report we will be at all the 

usual suspects – the Glamping Show, Festout, the Showman’s Show 

and Farm Business Innovation Show - so drop by the stand and say 

hello. 

There is so much going on in the industry in the lead up to 

these events that we have had to bump up the issue twice to cram 

everything in people wanted to shout about. There are incredible 

products launching all over the place. 

I trust you all had a good summer? Be it in the form of trouble free and plentiful wedding 

bookings, well behaved glamping guests or hoards of event attendees, I hope it was a busy 

and profitable one. 

After the rush of the main season, autumn seems like a good time to review what worked 

and didn’t work and to plan tweaks, additions and marketing activity. Megan Allen helps 

with PR strategies, Andrew White with personalising your venue’s brand, and Nicola Lloyd 

with securing those all important sponsors for your 2019 events. Although, I’m sorry guys, 

as vital as your advice is, please can I come back to it after I’ve checked out all the cool new 

‘stuff’ at the trade shows! Seriously, have a look and tell me you don’t agree – see Product 

News, Spotlight, the Tree House Case Studies and previews on Festout and the Showman’s 

Show inside. 

Tally Wade 

Editor / Publisher 

NOT A SUBSCRIBER? 

Sign up for FREE at www.openairbusiness.com/subscribe-free 

to make sure you continue to receive the magazine. 

PUBLISHERS 

Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com 

Tally Wade - tally@openairbusiness.com 

EDITOR 

Tally Wade - tally@openairbusiness.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Marney Whyte - 01892 677740 

marney@openairbusiness.com 

DESIGN 

James English - 

www.jamesenglishdesign.co.uk 

PUBLISHED BY 

Coffee Shop Media - 01580 848555 

www.coffeeshopmedia.com 

The House on the Hill, Friezley Lane, 

Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2LL 

t: 01580 848555 

Contents Issue #21 August/September 2018 

UP FRONT 

4 News 

7 Product News 

13 Festout Preview 

17 Showman’s Show Preview 


21 The Cow Shed Crail – weddings in a 

tented steading 

27 All Booked Up – filling your diaries 

for 2019 

31 What’s Your Trademark? – Andrew 

White gets personal 

34 Flooring and Ground Protection – 

real life case studies 

GLAMPSITES 

37 Atlantic Surf Pods – a breath of 

fresh air in Cornwall 

47 Tree Houses – how they are working 

for glampsites 

51 DIY PR – Megan Allen shows us how 

57 Sustainability – products that go 

the extra mile 

EVENTS 

65 Contemporary Craft Fair – an award 

winning craft festival 

70 CSR Strategy – planning your 

approach to social responsibility 

72 Sponsors – how to impress and keep 

them 

77 Ticketing – event case studies 

78 Spotlight 

80 Classifieds 

82 Day in the Life... 

FOLLOW US ON 

TWITTER 

@openairbusiness 

FOLLOW US ON 

FACEBOOK 

www.facebook.com/ 

openairbusiness 

Find more expert advice online: 

www.openairbusiness.com 

SUBSCRIBE 

FREE 

ISSUE 21 | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

GLAMPING 

FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

> Flooring 

> Marketing 

> Sponsorship 

/ / 

> Getting Personal 

> Treehouses 

> Show Previews 

CASE STUDIES: 

THE COW SHED CRAIL • ATLANTIC SURF PODS • THE CONTEMPORARY CRAFT FAIR 

COVER PHOTO 

One of three roundhouses from Rotunda Roundhouses 

at Nether Farm in the Derbyshire Dales National Park. 

Used for glamping, they found favour with planners due 

to their sustainable design and construction (see page 

58). 01612 223350 / www.rotunda.co.uk 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality 

Average Wedding 

Costs Over £30k 

ACCORDING TO the second annual 

industry report from Bridebook. 

co.uk, the average cost of a UK 

wedding is now over £30k, which 

is up 12% year on year. The report, 

published at the beginning of August, 

analyses data from nearly 3,000 

British couples who married in 2017, 

and is the most comprehensive of its 

kind in the UK. 

Interestingly, money spent on 

marquee hire, food and drink, and 

venue dressing has increased the 

most, and London is the costliest 

place to get married, while Northern 

Ireland is the cheapest. A huge 

44% of couples opt for weekday 

weddings, which is probably due to 

price incentives from venues, and the 

three-day wedding is another new 

trend. 

FOR SALE 

GLAMPING SITE and holiday 

home in Battle, East Sussex. Please 

visit www.naulakha.co.uk and 

www.gypsycaravanglamping.co.uk 

for more information, or contact 

info@adhurst.co.uk / 

07789 954476. 

Pav Shergill, director of 

Monsoon Venue Group, 

with Dorothy Ingle, a 

Stoneleigh Abbey Trustee 

Top Choice for Asian weddings 

STONELEIGH ABBEY has 

signed a three-year deal 

with events company 

Monsoon Venue Group 

(MVG) to host Asian 

weddings. The Grade I listed 

building, near Kenilworth 

in Warwickshire, has 

become a popular choice 

for Asian weddings due to 

its stunning landscaped 

gardens, parkland and 

mix of Jacobean and 

Baroque style architecture. 

As Stoneleigh’s exclusive 

South Asian events partner, 

MVG will now manage all 

the related sales, marketing 

and delivery. 

MVG launched five years 

ago to help bridge the 

gap between alternative 

venues and the South 

Asian events market. 

Working with Monsoon 

has enabled Stoneleigh 

Abbey’s potential for 

Asian weddings. It achieved 

success this year, winning 

the Best Alternative 

Wedding Venue in the 

Midland Asian Wedding 

Awards. 

JOSEPH CASEY 

Is ‘Champing’ the 

new Glamping? 

EVER FANCIED sleeping in a historic church? Well, now you 

can, and it’s called ‘champing’. This new concept of camping 

overnight in a place of worship has been created by the Churches 

Conservation Trust (CCT) and it has actually trademarked the 

term champing. 

The national charity, which protects historic churches at risk, 

directs all of the income raised through champing into repairing 

and maintaining churches. Hundreds of happy champers stayed 

overnight in these historic spaces last summer and due to its 

popularity 16 more churches were opened this year, bringing the 

number of venues available to 27. 

The churches are not normally heated so the champing season 

runs from March until September. It costs £49 per adult and that 

includes the use of camp beds, with the option of breakfast for 

an additional £12.50. It’s a great example of utilising unique 

historic spaces while preserving heritage. 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Holiday Park Moves into Glamping 

THE OWNERS of three holiday parks in Pembrokeshire, the 

Pendleton family, have decided to branch out from their 

traditional static caravan accommodation with a new £1 million 

holiday experience, featuring two styles of safari tent (one is 

double storey), hideaway log pods and grand lodges. 

Wales's Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister, Lord Elis-Thomas, 

officially launched the new accommodation at Celtic Holiday 

Parks, as part of a week-long programme championing Wales’s 

tourism industry. 

The safari tents and lodges all have electricity, running water, 

and a private decking area with hot tub. The pods still require the 

usual camping gear – they have just got the luxury of single and 

double beds so guests can leave their tents at home. 

Director, Huw Pendleton, said: “It is a very exciting time for 

us and we have been looking forward to welcoming our first 

guests to the new Hampton lodges. Our safari tents have proved 

extremely popular this year with bookings outperforming our 

forecasts. Our aim with Celtic Escapes is to provide sensational 

holidays in a low-density development with the best views and 

space to relax.’’ 

‘It Could Never Happen to Me’ 

THE NATIONAL Outdoor 

Events Association (NOEA) 

has unveiled further details 

of the speaker line up for its 

annual convention on 21 

November at The Guildhall, 

Bath. Following the theme, ‘It 

Could Never Happen to Me’, the 

event will see Bev Osbourne, 

Training for Resilience, lead a 

live workshop for delegates, 

placing them in the middle 

of a major event crisis in an 

interactive session to see how 

prepared we are as an industry 

for major issues and threats. 

Louise Wilson and Ben- 

Julian Harrington will look 

specifically at the major threats 

facing event organisers in 2019 

as part of the morning session, 

while NOEA Award winner 

Linda Krawecke, Tiger Tea, 

will also share her experiences 

looking after young victims of 

crime at festivals. 

The speakers will follow on 

from the keynote address by 

multiple industry award winner 

Dick Tee, EnteeTainment, who 

will share his own experiences 

of ‘It Could Never Happen to 

Me’ from across his illustrious 

career. The convention will 

also include a number of panel 

discussions as well as personal 

experiences from event 

organisers. 

“We want to create a safe 

space for event professionals 

to share their own experiences 

and most importantly what 

they learned from them,” 

commented Andy Grove, 

president NOEA. “We’ve 

already got some brilliant 

speakers for the convention, 

it’s going to be NOEA at our 

very best, and we’re looking 

forward to meeting members 

and non-members at the 

event.” 

Spotify uses Music Tastes 

to Find Festival Tickets 

IN AN effort to retain 

subscribers as competition 

from Apple Music intensifies, 

Spotify has teamed up with 

Festicket, to find events 

featuring artists users like. 

Dubbed ‘Festival Finder’, once 

a Spotify account is connected 

to Festicket, the platform pulls 

in data on favourite artists and 

will then display 10 matching 

upcoming festivals. 

Festicket lets users 

book tickets, and even 

accommodation and travel. 

It also offers a waiting list 

feature and alerts are sent 

when tickets become available 

for events that are taking 

place up to a year in advance. 

Festicket says that it currently 

offers access to over 1,000 

music festivals. 

If you are an event organiser 

looking to use Spotify to 

promote your music event, 

you should create a playlist by 

sharing some of your artist’s 

music. Spotify can easily 

be integrated on Facebook 

and Twitter pages for social 

sharing of playlists to boost 

ticket sales. 

Spotify Audience Targeting 

allows companies to tap into 

Spotify data to reach the 

right audience using criteria 

like gender, age, language, 

localisation and what they 

are listening to (genre, playlist 

etc.). It is even possible to 

target the time of day they are 

listening to music. To learn 

more about playlist targeting, 

visit 

www.spotifyforbrands.com 

NIGHT-TIME GLAMPING 

POWERED BY THE SUN 

• Transform your glamping 

experience with solar powered 

vintage filament–style illumination 

• Advanced power system using the 

latest high efficiency solar panels 

and lithium battery hub to power 

your lights and devices 

• Easy to install – just plug and play! 

Solar 

TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 

UNIQUE 

WARM 

AMBIANCE 

01684 774000 

www.solartechnology.co.uk 


Design Your Great Escape! 

COMEANDSEEUSAT 

TruDomes.com 

STAND 

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From cosy to colossal together we create beautiful, customisable, 

spaces for a ‘home from home’ your guests will love. 

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Contact us today to design 

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experience. Our home-grown 

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designed, engineered and 

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are ready to help businesses 

like yours create beautiful, 

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W. TruDomes.com 

T. 02476 326585 

E. Hello@TruDomes.com

PRODUCT 

United Nations 

Project Pakistan 

FOLLOWING ON from the announcement 

made in the last issue of OAB, Universal 

Glamping, formally the ‘The Log Pod’, has 

now rolled out 50 pods over five locations in 

Pakistan in a joint venture with the United 

Nations Development Program (UNDP). 

Specifically designed to be flat pack, to 

reach the remotest areas of the country, the 

pods are fitted with insulation to combat 

harsh weather and come with an off-grid 

power supply. The first 10 pods are located 

at 11,500 feet in a stunning mountainous 

region, perfect for adventurous tourists. 

By providing tourist accommodation, 

the UNDP hopes to create micro economies 

in some of the most remote parts of the 

country, helping local communities with 

regular income. The UNDP is hopeful the 

project will encourage both internal and 

external tourism in Pakistan. 

Universal Glamping is a family run 

business and has been manufacturing 

glamping pods for 12 years. It has recently 

undergone a re-brand and will be exhibiting 

new designs at The Glamping Show in 

September at NAEC Stoneleigh, including 

a side entry pod, accessible pod and a 

brand new, two tier canvas structure with IR 

heating. 

www.universalglamping.co.uk 

TimberTipi 

Launch 

LAUNCHING AT this year’s Glamping Show 

is the TimberTipi, brainchild of British 

craftsman and glamping site owner Lee 

Wood. Capturing the romance of American 

Native Indian dwellings without the 

limitations of canvas, TimberTipis are 

constructed from laminated beams and 

can be finished in a variety of FSC timbers. 

Customers can also choose between cedar 

shingle roofing tiles or 100% recycled 

durable plastic slate guaranteed to last 50 

years. 

A unique take on a glamping pod, 

TimberTipis come with a 20 year guarantee 

and are available from 5.2m up to a 10m 

diameter. The larger models offer a fully 

livable space complete with a bathroom, 

kitchen and spiral staircase to a mezzanine 

bedroom. Prices start at £8,999 and a free 

site survey is offered. www.timbertipi.com 

MARK HEMINGWAY PHOTOGRAPHY 

The Future of the Hire Industry 

JOIN THE Event Hire Association (EHA) on Tuesday 2 October at its annual 

conference, which returns to the state-of-the-art facilities offered by Holywell 

Park Conference Centre, at Loughborough University. 

The one day conference is packed with exciting features designed to provoke 

and inform new ideas among hire business leaders. With trade stands and 

networking opportunities, the event will explore the key themes of: Global 

and Iconic Events, Extending the Life of Hire Equipment, The Shape of Rental 

Software, Benchmarking Equipment, Behind the Scenes at Bristol Balloon 

Festival, and the Neuroscience of Decision-making. 

Stand spaces are also now available in either the Babbage Hall (sponsored by 

HITS) or the Turing Hall (sponsored by SafeHire) at a cost of £600 + VAT. 

For further information and to register for FREE visit www.hireconference.org. 

uk or contact the HAE EHA marketing team on 0121 380 4605 / marketing@hae. 

org.uk 


PRODUCT 

Luxury 

Vacuum 

Toilet Pods 

SITE EVENT’S latest addition to its event 

hire fleet is the new Luxury Vacuum 

Toilet Pod. These units were designed 

and built by sister company Site Build 

and comprise single cubicles, which link 

together using a vacuum pump system 

and a fresh water flush. 

Four pods can be delivered on one 

load saving on transportation costs 

and reducing carbon emissions. Using 

a vacuum system means minimal down 

time for servicing, which instead takes 

place 'back of house' without any 

attendees knowing it is happening. 

The luxury units have already been 

a great success at events including 

Bournemouth 7s, Love Supreme, the Pub 

in The Park series, and 100 Years of RAF. 

www.site-equip.co.uk/event 

High Yield Rental Roundhouses 

ROTUNDA IS a small joinery business 

crafting roundhouses by hand in 

the north west of England. For just 

£866 a month on a five year scheme, 

accommodation providers can benefit 

from an exclusive revenue generating 

asset. With the benefit of maintenance 

warranties and LPG gas hot water and 

heating systems, the Rotunda is a 'highyield, 

low volume asset'. 

“Our Roundhouses are affordable to 

run, require little or no maintenance 

and bring a little eclectic appeal to 

your site given that they are relatively 

uncommon,” says designer Gemma 

Roe. “Most of our clients report 

an occupancy rate of 70-80%. A 

conservative estimate shows that 

if booked 219 nights a year (60% 

occupancy) at an average revenue 

of £110 a night, the potential annual 

revenue would be £24,090 per Rotunda. 

With a corresponding rental of £10,400, 

this would give a gross profit of £13,690 

per year. 

“We take pride in each and 

every detail to ensure that they are 

aesthetically perfect, functionally 

exceptional and pack a pretty good 

punch in the 'Wow' factor department. 

If you're looking to provide 5* 

luxury, you can now access these 

Roundhouses immediately on a fixed 

rental scheme rather than settling 

for something lower-spec to get you 

started.” Visit Rotunda at the Glamping 

Show – Stand OSA 70. 

www.rotunda.co.uk 

A Glamping Quality 

Collaboration 

STARTING OR refreshing a glampsite? An exciting new launch 

at this year’s Glamping Show is Morel & Co (Stand 83), a 

collaboration of skilled designers, consultants, and craftsmen 

brought together by one of the UK’s most knowledgeable 

glamping experts, Kate Morel. More than just a consultancy, 

the team includes experts in finance and planning, design 

and build, and operations and marketing. With decades of 

experience between members, and a strong sustainability 

ethos, we look forward to seeing Morel & Co’s first projects. 

The Glamping Show is held at the NAEC, Stoneleigh Park, 

on 20-22 September. Kate’s sell out workshop will also return 

(Friday, 9.30am), and make sure to get a space for her seminar 

(Thursday, 1.30pm) as it is usually standing room only! www. 

morelcompany.co.uk 


CampPlus Merges with Finkota 

CAMPPLUS, 

MANUFACTURER of 

the Duo and Solo ensuite 

pods, has joined 

forces with Finkota, 

a German producer 

of ‘Glamping Barrels’, 

Gypsy wagons and 

Gypsy caravans in 

Germany and other 

European countries. 

The Glamping Barrel 

is fast becoming a very 

popular glamping accommodation in mainland Europe. In the six years since 

its introduction, Finkota has sold over 600 Barrels to more than 150 campsites. 

Legoland Denmark has installed 30 Barrels and Legoland Germany, 39. 

On the merger, Gerhard Forster of Finkota said: “The CampPlus en-suite 

units make our glamping range complete. We have sent out a mailing about 

them and the response has been overwhelming. We believe they could be a key 

product in our range.” 

CampPlus will be marketing the Finkota Glamping Barrels in the UK. Erik 

Verwaaijen of CampPlus said: “There was an immediate click with Gerhard and 

there is already a lot of synergy between our companies. I really look forward to 

introducing the Glamping Barrels to the UK market at the Glamping Show. They 

are fun, spacious, cosy and very comfortable. They are very well built and offer 

a very good return on investment.” View a Glamping Barrel on Stand 17 at the 

Glamping Show. www.glampingbarrel.co.uk 

Glampotel at 

Dundas Castle 

Multi-Location Glamping 

Business for Sale 

GLAMPOTEL, THE leader in providing off-the-grid 

luxury glamping, is offering a unique opportunity 

to own and operate a turnkey, fast growing and 

established glamping business which operates 

multiple glamping locations across the United 

Kingdom through partnerships with land and 

property owners. 

Due to rapid expansion globally, Glampotel is 

seeking entrepreneurial individuals or companies 

to take advantage of its established reputation 

and infrastructure in the UK, who can operate the 

existing business and continue the growth. This 

completely turnkey opportunity includes the use 

of the Glampotel brand and continued support if 

desired. 

For more on Glampotel visit www.yourglampotel. 

com. Interested parties may apply in confidence by 

contacting info@glampotel.com. 

Towergate Insurance Your business needs are at 

the heart of what we do 

Bespoke policies based 

on your holiday park 

requirements including new 

markets such as Glamping. 

Specialist Site Operators 

insurance, for your holiday park 

site, facilities, static caravans, 

leisure homes and lodges. 

As well as insuring against 

damage to the material aspects 

of your business, Towergate can 

also provide Business Interruption 

cover, should your business be 

left unable to resume normal 

operations. 

Call: 0344 892 1721 to arrange a quote 

Towergate Insurance is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England 

with company number 4043759. VAT Registration Number: 447284724. Registered Address: Towergate 

House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Rd, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial 

Conduct Authority.

PRODUCT 

EXPANDED EVENT 

HIRE RANGE 

BRANDON HIRE, a leading name in the tool 

hire industry, has been acquired by Vp plc and 

is expanding its offering, supporting events 

from garden parties and weddings to week 

long festivals and country shows. 

With a history of success in the event hire 

sector, Brandon Event Hire has supplied 

equipment to events including Glastonbury, 

Armed Forces Day and MTV Presents: Ocean 

City Sound. It is now developing its success, 

which to date has largely been based in the 

south, to offer the same package nationwide, 

and will be heading to the Showman’s Show 

in October for the first time to showcase this. 

www.brandontoilethire.co.uk 

JCB Power at 

Jimmy’s Farm 

JCB POWER Products, working in 

partnership with rental customers ABBA 

Plant Hire and Mather+Stuart, delivered 

the power and lighting for this year’s 

Jimmy’s Festival, a two-day music 

and food festival in Ipswich, Suffolk. 

Organised by TV presenter Jimmy 

Doherty, at his Jimmy’s Farm location, the 

annual event is a celebration of music, 

poetry, arts and culinary excellence. 

To ensure that the festival could be 

efficiently set-up and run, JCB Power 

Products provided portable lighting to 

the site, with the help of ABBA Plant, 

and power generation through the 

Mather+Stuart generator rental division 

of A-Plant. In total the company provided 

six generator sets, three of which were 

powered by JCB’s own highly efficient 

diesel engines. 

“When you set up a festival, it’s not just 

about the two days of the event,” said 

Doherty. “It’s about the run-up and the 

set-up, and the behind the scenes team 

is absolutely critical. That means having 

the kit, having the power, the lights and 

having the tech to make it all happen.” 

Mather+Stuart provided the site with 

a G40RS rental specification generator 

set, along with two G60RS units. It also 

delivered one G100RS and two G200RS 

generator sets for use throughout the 

festival. Both models are powered 

by JCB’s Stage IIIA Dieselmax engine, 

delivering low fuel consumption, reduced 

emissions and low noise levels. All of 

the generators are equipped with JCB 

LiveLink for Power, ensuring real-time 

monitoring of performance and fuel 

consumption to prevent any risk of 

downtime during the festival. 

www.jcb.com 

Mobile Shire- 

Themed Pod 

GLAMPING MEETS fantasy fiction with 

these magical pods. Now bringing 

comfort and warmth to outdoor events, 

these cosy cabins have been designed 

to travel, making them the UK’s 

only mobile Shire-themed glamping 

pods, perfect for festivals (as seen at 

Shambala), campsites, weddings and 

more. 

Guests won’t need to go on a quest 

to find added luxuries as they feature 

heating, lockable doors, power sockets, 

lighting and comfortable beds. 

www.theshirehuts.com 

Saniflo Makes Posh Portable 

Bathroom Facilities a Reality 

SANIFLO UK – designer and manufacturer of pumps, 

macerators and shower cubicles – is helping to take the 

concept of portable toilet facilities to a whole new level with 

the supply of the Saniaccess and Sanishower to Hampshirebased 

Site Equip. 

Family-owned and run business Site Equip has been 

supplying temporary WC facilities across the UK since 1988, 

and recently decided to satisfy a demand in the market for 

posh portable bathroom facilities with the launch of two 

upmarket trailer units with integrated bathroom facilities, suitable for disabled customers. 

Made possible thanks to Saniflo, the mobile units feature a shower, basin and flushing 

WC. The Saniaccess macerator removes waste from the WC and the Sanishower removes 

grey water from the shower. Both units are located behind a separate panel at the back 

of the trailer and are connected to the appliances via pipes that run under the floor and 

through the panel. A holding tank outside the trailer connects to the discharge pipes that 

discreetly run out of the trailer floor. 

Site Equip co-founder, Geoff Gilbert, said: “Using the pumps has enabled us to offer a 

high-quality bathroom to disabled customers at events, festivals and parties. We firmly 

believe that the same level of facilities should be on offer to all. So far, the two new units are 

working out very well and we plan to build at least 30 units per year following the positive 

response we’ve had.” www.saniflo.co.uk 


Glampsite Specific 

Booking System 

SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for glampsites, 

GlampManger allows owners to create and manage 

their own bookings, process payments and send out 

email confirmations. Take commission-free bookings 

through your website and automatically remind 

customers when to pay their holiday balances online. 

The software’s Channel Management system also 

helps to increase exposure and bookings by integrating 

with third parties such as Glampsites.com, PitchUp, 

Booking.com and AirBnB, reducing the risk of double 

bookings. There is also a free 30 day trial. 

www.glampmanager.com 

The Global Launch 

of Anthropods 

RIK CURRIE, an industrial designer who 

previously pioneered innovative design 

at Dutch railway company, Nerderlandse 

Spoorwegen, is set to launch Anthropods, 

a new approach in the design and 

construction of glamping and temporary 

accommodation at the Glamping Show at NEAC Stoneleigh in September. 

Featuring an innovative, trade mark registered leg design and fuselage 

shape and construction, Anthropods not only look revolutionary but can 

be sited on uneven ground requiring minimal ground work - just 4 x 600 

mm square pads. The pod comes in either 7.2m or 5.3m lengths and is 2.6m 

wide. 

Available in either on-grid or off-grid versions, pods come fully fitted on a 

flat bed truck and single units do not require planning permission. Once on 

site they can be easily moved to different seasonal locations. 

“We have received very positive interest from both the UK and overseas 

markets, and have already sold a number of Anthropods offplan to 

glamping operators before the first 

prototype has been completed,” said 

Currie. “The market is growing fast both 

here and abroad and we believe the time 

is right to bring futuristic design and 

manufacturing disciplines to this exciting 

sector.” 

www.anthropods.co.uk 

If you have the land, 

we have the brand. 

business plan 

site survey 

marketing 

training 

mentoring 

planning 

application 

support 

Wigwam® Holidays 

is the UK brand leader in the 

provision of glamping holidays in 

our unique range of heated wooden 

Wigwam® Cabins. With over 80 sites 

throughout the UK and a track record in business 

start ups there has never been a better time to invest 

in your Wigwam® Holidays franchise. 


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0007 Evolution Dome OAB Advert.qxp_Layout 1 09/08/2018 21:25 Page 1 

THE LEADING SUPPLIER OF INFLATABLE EVENT STRUCTURES 

Companies we have worked with include: 

www.evolutiondome.com info@evolutiondome.com +44 (0)1487 640 640 @evolutiondome facebook.com/evodome

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Festival & Outdoor 

Events Show 

Following a successful launch in 2017, 

the Festival and Outdoor Events Show 

(Festout) is returning to Sandown Park 

27 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2017, SANDOWN PARK 

AN ESTIMATED 150 exhibitors will be 

showcasing product and service innovations 

from across the events industry at the 

second Festival and Outdoor Events Show, 

Sandown Park, this September. The show 

brings back crowd-pleasing favourites 

from last year, alongside new highlights 

and experiences, creating a hub where 

organisers can learn from industry experts, 

meet new suppliers, and think ahead to their 

future events. 

New for 2018 is the TechFest Zone where 

visitors will discover the latest in event 

technology with an interactive area of 

suppliers, demonstrations and a dedicated 

on-stage programme. 

As ever, the programme of content 

is integral to the show. The Main Stage 

provides top speakers delivering key 

insights. Nick Morgan (We Are The Fair) 

continues his popular themes from 2017, 

OAB’S TOP PICKS 

bringing along experts to discuss the 

industry’s value, unification in licensing 

agreements, and the place of independent 

festivals. 

Access All Areas provides two sessions 

to the show, interviews with Shangri-La’s 

founder, Deborah Armstrong, as well as 

Ground Control’s Jon Drape, who will be 

talking about his new initiative – Festival 

Safe. Additionally, day one of the show 

will close with the awards ceremony for 

the inaugural Access All Areas: The Next 

Generation. These awards celebrate the 

young talent entering the outdoor and live 

events industry. 

The Training Zone brings high-level 

safety training to Festout’s visitors. These 

complimentary sessions, curated by 

S.T.O.R.M.4Events, provide 10 in-depth 

topics covered by specialists including 

emergency planning, counter terrorism, and 

legislation. 

“When talking to the events industry, 

one area that continues to be flagged is 

the lack of accessible training and just how 

important it is,” says Festout’s event director, 

Duncan Siegle, “particularly in an age where 

rules and regulations are growing alongside 

heightened concerns for safety and security. 

“With so many new outdoor events in 

the market each year, it is essential that 

organisers are up to date in these areas and 

a visit to Festout will give them access to 

sessions they can really learn and develop 

from.” 

MORE INFO 

Festout is on 26-27 September at 

Sandown Park, Surrey. Claim your 

complimentary visitor badge at 

www.festivalandoutdoorshow.co.uk 

Evolution Dome - Stand C18 & OS40 

Evolution Dome creates inflatable structures for hire and sale using 

an award-winning sealed Air Beam technology. Structures have 

a 55MPH wind rating, don’t deflate in the event of a power failure 

and offer the most eye-catching of temporary structures. Products 

include small indoor structures, ideal for meetings, seminars and pop 

up events, as well as 780sqm structures, perfect for outdoor events. 

The outdoor range includes domes, cubes and Airoof stage covers. 

All structures can be branded, and an in-house design team is on 

hand to help create bespoke solutions. Evolution Dome has recently 

opened offices in Belgium and Australia. www.evolutiondome.com 

Core Bar & Events - Sponsor 

The MESR-Technic structure from Core Modular takes 

advantage of the extensive benefits of carbon fibre and 

carbon fibre composite materials. Create structures for 

almost any outdoor or even indoor event, with multiple 

levels and numerous shapes and configurations. 

Infinite flexibility means endless possibilities. These 

structures are modular and adaptable, light enough to be 

transported and assembled by a small team, yet strong 

enough to provide a festival stand or community space 

for those events that need it most. With capability to fully 

assemble in hours, MESR-Technic provides quick and safe 

solutions with a zero waste philosophy. 

www.core-barandeventhire.com 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

The Festival & Outdoor Events Show 2018 continued 

Thermobile – Stand PR30 

› 

Thermobile UK provides Indirect fired oil and propane gas heaters plus coolers for 

temporary and fixed marquees. Established in 1993, Thermobile UK is a daughter 

company of Thermobile Industries BV, a major European manufacturer of warm air 

heating products based in the Netherlands, which has been established for nearly 50 

years. 

Thermobile products are extensively tested and a permanent quality control system, 

to ISO 9001:2008, is part of the production process. All heaters comply with the most 

stringent European standards and all models carry the mandatory CE marking and are 

also in accordance with Technical Rules certification. www.thermobile.co.uk 

Vintage Tent – Stand PR60 

The Vintage Tent Company manufactures what is billed as the 

“Rolls Royce of bell tents”. 100% canvas, hand stitched, with 

crafted wooden toggles, these traditional structures have been 

reimagined by founder Steve Crompton for the 21st century, 

with additional features including zippable electric hook up 

holes, and flue holes for safety and practicality when the tents 

are used with a stove. 

Available for sale or hire, The Vintage Tent Company can 

also provide event organisers with glamping areas for up to 

300 guests. The range includes 4m, 5m and 6m bell tents, 

awnings, coir matting, and interior furnishings. 

www.thevintagetentcompany.com 

Silent Disco King – Stand A48 

Bringing the ultimate silent disco experience to festivals and 

events across the UK and Europe, Silent Disco King prides itself 

on helping events get around noise licensing issues by hosting 

a silent disco before, after or during an event to keep the party 

going longer and festival goers happy. 

With 10 years' experience of silent discos, it can offer a 

unique silent disco experience for all, having powered discos 

at festivals including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Isle of 

Wight and Boardmasters, as well as working with large brands 

such as Unilever, the Science Museum (London) and Capital 

FM. www.silentdiscoking.com 

SRD Group – Stand OS62 › 

A highly experienced technical event production company based in Kent. SRD Group has 

been managing the production elements of events for more than 20 years, including some 

of the largest, most technically demanding live events in South East England. It specialises 

in providing integrated event services for all types of events including audio visual, lighting, 

sound, staging and styling, as well as multimedia/digital content. 

In addition to providing equipment for hire and sale, it offers a full installation service with 

project management, ensuring everything is delivered on time and to expectations. Repair, 

maintenance and servicing to existing equipment are also offered. www.srdgroup.co.uk 

LUCAS SINCLAIR / BOOMTOWN FAIR 

G-SMATT Europe – Stand PR72 

G-SMATT’s innovative, modular, media-enabled 

exhibition systems will be on show, including its 

G-Tainer. Launched last year, this steel structure 

features ‘smart glass’ which is also transparent. Perfect 

for event VIP boxes, pop-up cafes and trade show 

booths, the G-Tainer is modular and fully customisable 

for larger hospitality and venue spaces. Featuring at 

Boomtown Fair, 12 units were used to create a huge 

interactive display which played a fundamental part of 

the festival’s theatrical storyline. 

www.g-smatteurope.com 

› 


NEW 

TO THE UK 

Come and meet us 

at the Showmans 

Show Stand no. 170 

Avenue B 

Can be used in marquees, 

Halls, Farm Buildings, in fact 

any indoor space. 

Crew accommodation problems – SOLVED 

Access and Travel problems – SOLVED 

Speed of set up – SOLVED 

Versatility, comfort, humane – SOLVED 

Cost effective alternative – SOLVED 

Environmental impact (NIL) – SOLVED 

COMFORTABLE LODGINGS 

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PORTABLE & 

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FOR FESTIVALS & EVENTS 

Bed-Stay UK 

1 Barlanark Avenue 

Springboig, Glasgow G32 9PA 

0141 774 0830 

07977426295 

joe@bed-stay.com 

www.bed-stay.com 

SIMPLY PUT… 

WE COMPLETE THE PICTURE 

Services we offer include: 

• Event Management and Production 

• Creative Event Solutions 

• Technical and Site design and Procurement 

• Event Safety 

• Event Safety Training 

• Licensing & Stakeholder Liaison 

See us at 

Stand 20 

in the Exhibition 

Hall 

Tel: 01275 406760 

www.jreventservices.co.uk 

Email: info@jreventservices.co.uk 

You can also find us on 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

Showman’s Show 2018 

With sustainability firmly on the agenda, the Showman’s Show 2018 is practising what it 

preaches with some green initiatives of its own 

A FIRM fixture in the outdoor 

and special event calendar 

for more than 30 years, the 

Showman’s Show will return to 

Newbury Showground on 17-18 

October. With an impressive 

array of products and services 

on display, and initiatives that 

encourage and promote best 

practice, the show remains a 

must attend for any serious 

event professional. 

This year’s Showman’s 

Show is shaping up to deliver 

in the region of 350 exhibitors, 

showcasing everything from 

state-of-the-art structures, 

plant and hire equipment, to 

entertainment and finishing 

touches. 

In keeping with the industry’s 

current focus on reducing 

the environmental impact of 

events and festivals, organiser 

Lance Show & Publications is 

taking its own responsibilities 

seriously. It has embarked on 

a series of initiatives to reduce 

the show’s carbon footprint and 

promote sustainability to the 

wider event industry. 

This includes signing up to 

Energy Revolution as a supplier 

member; the company will 

offset the CO2 emissions from 

its travel with direct investment 

in clean renewable energy. 

In addition, the Showman’s 

Show will also be encouraging 

visitors and exhibitors to make 

use of the GoCarShare scheme 

that it introduced back in 

2017. Popular with festival and 

sporting event goers who find 

that the service, where drivers 

link up with passengers, with 

the latter paying a contribution 

to the trip, is a great way to be 

kind to the environment and 

take the hassle out of travelling. 

A Vision:2025 hosted event 

will also make a welcome 

return to the showground 

on Wednesday 17 October. 

The afternoon event will be 

a chance for the Vision:2025 

festival teams to share ideas 

and learn more about the new 

suppliers, organisations and 

communities that are helping 

the industry move towards 

more sustainable practices. 

The event will highlight 

the power of collaboration 

and what can be achieved 

when festivals and suppliers 

work together, with updates 

on industry initiatives, latest 

research, presentations, panels, 

Q&As, roundtable sessions, 

and a chance to continue the 

conversation over an ethicallybrewed 

beer at the networking 

drinks! This year the Vision:2025 

programme will also include 

a live judging panel for the 

Showman’s Show 2018 Green 

Supplier Award. 

Reducing single-use plastic 

is a key consideration for 

event and festival organisers. 

The RAW Foundation has 

published a ‘Guide to Reusable 

Bar Cups at Events’ with the 

core message of the campaign 

‘re-use not single use’. It is 

working across the event 

industry to inspire change 

toward a ‘pointless plastic 

free’ world and will present a 

new conference at the show on 

Thursday 18 October. 

Lance Show & Publications 

is encouraging all contractors, 

exhibitors and visitors to bring 

along their own re-usable water 

bottles and cups and is looking 

to remove one off plastic water 

bottles from its own catering 

outlets wherever possible. 

OAB’S TOP PICKS 

JR Event Services – Stand 20 

JR Event Services was formed in 2009 by John Radford after 

working within the event industry for the previous 15 years. 

The company was founded with an overriding aim of taking 

a client’s vision and turning it into reality, advising, assisting, 

communicating and collaborating to achieve the desired 

outcome. 

Over the last eight years JR Event Services has developed 

a team of permanent and associate staff who can be brought 

together to ensure that the skills presented are those required 

to fulfil the project aims. www.jreventservices.co.uk 

GigLoo – Stand 179 

› 

› 

UK designers and manufacturers, Gigloo’s range of event toilets 

and showers are available for hire or sale. Billed as ‘tough, green 

and easy to clean’, toilets carry a 10 year body warranty and 

feature a one piece copolymer body so the walls and floors will 

never rot. 

Smart and functional, these loos and showers look clean 

and inviting. The range includes units of all sizes perfect for 

everything from weddings and garden parties up to large public 

events and everything inbetween, including the Easy Access 

toilet pod and shower pod, which have been endorsed by leading 

accessibility charity Attitude is Everything. www.getgigloo.co.uk 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

The Showman’s Show 2018 continued 

PapaShop – Stand 271 

PapaShop, sister company to PapaKåta 

(provider of teepees and US Sperry 

Tents in the UK) is launching PapaFlex, 

a range of durable event matting. Ideal 

for outdoor events, as a temporary 

structure floor covering and for use 

on external terraces, it looks like 

traditional sisal but is made from highdensity 

twisted polypropylene strands 

so is lighter in weight and robust. 

In addition to PapaFlex event 

matting, PapaShop also supplies 

furniture, lighting and accessories 

for events. All the products have 

been developed by in-house product 

designers and created for longevity, at 

affordable prices. www.papashop.co.uk 

› 

OPAS – Stand 26 

Do you own, rent or 

manufacture tents or 

marquees? If so, then you 

need these guys in your little 

black book. OPAS has been 

the supplier of choice for 

textile and marine fasteners 

since 1889, with a huge 

range of products and tools 

available from stock. 

The company has been 

appointed as an authorised UK distributor for true 

VELCRO® Brand Hook and Loop products and is a key 

distributor for DOT press studs, turnbuttons, Lift the 

Dot and Veltex fasteners. UK-made Tenax and LOXX 

fasteners, Hipkiss Beaver Brand sail eyelets and rings, 

plus Duraflex plastic buckles, snaps and loops also 

feature in its huge inventory. www.opas.co.uk 

Morris Site Machinery – Stand 198 

Suppliers of robust lighting towers and super silent, fuel 

efficient generators, fifth-generation family business 

group Morris used last year’s show for the first public 

demonstrations of Halo, a powerful anti-glare lamp head. 

Fitting onto the SMC TL90 lighting towers, Halo delivers 

360 degrees 1200W diffused light from four 300W LED 

quadrants for even spread in all conditions. The company 

also showcased the TL60 Trolley Light, which can be 

handled by a single operator for indoor or outdoor use, 

and power generation products from SMC, Inmesol and 

Denyo. www.morrismachinery.co.uk 

› 

Bed-Stay – Stand 170 

Portable hostel style beds for festival and events providing 

comfortable accommodation for attendees or crew. Features include 

black out curtains, lockable storage with internal electrical outlets 

for laptops, and bedside USB ports for charging devices or for use 

with compatible lamps and fans. The Bed-Stay units can be set up in 

almost any tent, hall or building in just 10 minutes per unit. 

The concept of the traditional 'bedstede' or closet bed was 

common in the 19th century in Dutch farmhouses with many 

advantages. This concept has now been completely modernised 

providing an excellent solution for affordable accommodation at 

events. www.bed-stay.com 

› 

CNSE – Stand 148 

CNSE Events has more than 40 years’ experience when it 

comes to providing mobile solutions for construction and 

events in France, now they’re bringing all that expertise to 

the UK market, launching at the Showman’s Show. 

The friendly team, who have made their name in 

the manufacturing of mobile and static toilet and 

accommodation units, has a wealth of event knowledge 

when it comes to events. Based in Lyon, CNSE take care of 

everything in-house, from the design and creation of the 

units, to the manufacturing, transport and logistics. That 

means the only limit when it comes to creating the perfect 

unit is your imagination. www.cnse-partner.co.uk 

› 



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CASE STUDY 

The Cow 

Shed Crail 

Diversifying from farming activity The Cow Shed 

Crail offers a blank canvas for weddings and a 

full event planning service for corporate days 

Located in a picturesque corner of Fife, The Cow Shed Crail puts its dairy farm heritage 

pride of place with a marquee covered steading and plenty of options for ceremonies 

and corporate functions. We talk to Jo Trust about keeping the local community happy 

and how the venue survived the ‘Beast from the East’. 

When did you start your venue 

business and what is its history? 

The Cow Shed has been a part of 

the Logan family for over 70 years. 

Originally used to house the calves 

for a dairy, it was an important 

part of a working dairy farm. The 

dairy closed its doors in the 1980s 

but we have given The Cow Shed 

a new lease of life and we were 

excited to open its doors as a 

venue in January 2016. 

The Cow Shed operates next to 

an arable farm run by the family, 

“FOR 

WEDDINGS WE 

JUST PROVIDE 

THE VENUE 

AS A BLANK 

CANVAS BUT 

WITH A POINT 

OF CONTACT 

ON DUTY 

THROUGH- 

OUT THE 

EVENT” 

which still farms potatoes, broccoli 

and wheat, providing an element 

of diversification. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

The Cow Shed is located on the 

outskirts of Crail in the East Neuk 

of Fife, a beautiful corner of 

Scotland with stunning beaches, 

traditional fishing villages and 

pretty harbours… oh, and not 

forgetting a huge selection of golf 

courses too! 

It is full of original features and 

character, and enjoys sea views 

across the Firth of Forth to the 

Bass Rock and East Lothian - the 

perfect backdrop to our “blank 

canvas” venue. 

What facilities for functions do 

you offer? 

We have three flexible indoor 

spaces: a steading marquee, 

L-shaped indoor workshop and a 

barn, both of which have beautiful 

vaulted ceilings. We also have a 

lovely sheltered courtyard with 

original cow shed arches as a 

feature and an outdoor patio area 

with a large grass lawn. 

The venue also has a large car 

park. We have a sister company 

which rents out self catering 

cottages and can sleep up to 44 

within walking distance of the 

venue. 

What services do you offer? 

For weddings we just provide 

the venue as a blank canvas 

but with a point of contact on 

duty throughout the event. 

Couples are welcome to have 

ceremonies inside or outside, 

depending on the weather. 

We don’t offer catering but are 

happy to advise on some great


caterers that we have on our 

supplier list. These range from 

street food, hog roasts and 

pizza ovens to a formal three 

course dinner. 

We are happy to offer event 

planning at an extra fee. For 

corporate events we have plenty 

of space for outdoor activities, 

highland games etc. and are very 

happy to provide detailed quotes 

with a full event planning service 

included. 

Our online brochures detail 

everything that we offer: www. 

thecowshedcrail.co.uk/brochures. 

Describe how you researched 

and sourced your structures 

We repointed and fixed the roofs 

of the existing steading but for 

the marquee roof we sourced 

the help of Greenfield Marquees. 

They advised on the size of the 

structure we needed for the 

temporary marquee frame, which 

fits inside the steading walls 

(you see the marquee roof and 

exposed walls when inside the 

structure). 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their events 

unique? 

From the onset we chat to our 

couples about what style of 

wedding they want and quickly 

establish how much input they 

want from us. We talk them 

through the suppliers that we 

feel fit the style of wedding they 

want, this ranges from catering, 

any extra lighting, venue styling 

or photographer. 

We pride ourselves on getting 

back to our clients quickly 

and at all times of the day. We 

are always happy to have our 

couples/clients back throughout 

the planning process to help 

them with any questions they 

have or to see other weddings 

set up to give them inspiration.

How do you publicise yourself? 

Through the power of social 

media! We learnt quickly that 

having regular, targeted social 

media was the most powerful 

tool to use. We enlisted the help 

of a social media guru to manage 

this element as it is a full time job 

in itself! We do also feature in a 

couple of the wedding magazines 

as this helps to support the social 

media content. 

How would you describe your 

‘style’ or unique selling point? 

We definitely offer a ‘blank 

canvas’ so couples can create 

very different looks at the venue. 

We also do not insist on using a 

small list of agreed suppliers. We 

offer a recommended supplier list 

to help couples if they want it. I 

know that couples definitely like 

that it is not set in stone. We do 

not accept any commission from 

suppliers so that couples know 

that we are not biased. 

Couples like having a full day 

“WE DO NOT 

ACCEPT ANY 

COMMISSION 

FROM 

SUPPLIERS 

SO THAT 

COUPLES 

KNOW THAT 

WE ARE NOT 

BIASED” 

to set up before the wedding; 

we are not interested in trying to 

have a Friday wedding as well as 

a Saturday wedding, so couples 

have time to enjoy their events. 

What challenges have you faced? 

We are located quite close to 

the village of Crail so we have 

been conscious that we want to 

work with the community. So far 

this has been very positive and 

many residents have benefitted 

from the venue - hotels/B&Bs 

are busy, taxi companies are 

busy, the local fish and chip 

shop often does evening snacks 

for weddings and even the 

chemist has had to stock up on 

nail varnish remover and spare 

tights! 

We have been conscious of 

sound travelling but we sought 

expert advice and bands now 

use our own PA system so we can 

monitor sound and turn it down if 

the wind is blowing in the wrong 

direction. 

Initially we had lots of feedback 

that the website did not do justice 

to the space we had on offer. At 

this point we decided to get a 

drone video of the venue which 

we put on the website and this 

has been really positive. 

Have you worked with any 

industry contacts? 

The biggest help has been talking 

with similar venues and getting 

advice from them/sharing stories 

and learning from each other. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

We would love to make more of 

our sea views and also to increase 

the amount of midweek corporate 

work. 

Describe your average day 

mid-season 

Lots of emails! Emails range from 

enquiries for viewings, some new 

suppliers asking to be added to 

the supplier list, booked couples 



asking questions to help with their 

planning, suppliers asking when 

they can come and deliver items. 

We are always looking for 

content to give to our social media 

guru. Maintenance takes place 

all the time, just making sure the 

grass is cut, that we don’t have any 

weeds in the gravel, ensuring the 

toilets are clean and tidy, the glass 

is clean, the floor is swept etc. etc. 

Every week we complete a detailed 

event sheet of an upcoming 

wedding (we do this two weeks 

before each wedding), and we also 

need to keep on top of invoicing. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

You are dealing with one of the 

most exciting events of peoples’ 

lives so they are generally really 

lovely to work with which makes 

the job great fun. We love seeing 

the venue styled and ready for a 

wedding and seeing how happy 

the bride and groom are. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We are starting to do more 

corporate dinner dances, away 

days (which include Highland 

Games/outdoor team building 

events), and we recently had Mark 

Beaumont come to do an evening 

talk which was a ticketed event for 

the public with proceeds going to 

charity. 

What are you most proud of? 

Pulling off the wedding during 

the ‘Beast from the East’ winter 

snow storm we had this year. We 

were one of the only venues in 

east Scotland to not cancel the 

wedding. It included rescuing the 

bride and groom in a tractor when 

they went to go and pick up a 

cheese cake, lots of snow clearing, 

the heaters working overtime and 

numerous calls with suppliers, but 

it happened and was a big success. 

The courtyard was full of snowmen 

that the ushers had built. Brilliant. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Be prepared for unexpected cost 

and to work all hours. People want 

an answer/response even late at 

night on a Sunday. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

The Cow Shed Crail 

Sypsies Farmhouse 

Crail 

Fife, KY10 3XA 

01333 824121 

www.thecowshedcrail.co.uk 


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We were impressed with the friendly service 

and attention to detail of the Airstream team.” 

Tam & Stewart 

Airstream Facilities are EuropeÕs leading 

Airstream hire company, supplying a mind blowing 

range of boutique accommodation and funky 

production units for Þlm/TV, weddings, festivals, 

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NOV 2018 

NEC 

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BUSINESS INNOVATION 2018 

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All 

Booked 

up 

ipsum 

Kelly Chandler’s five marketing 

strategy tips for building wedding 

venue success this autumn 

GETTY IMAGES 

WITH PEAK wedding season 

soon coming to an end and 

autumn just around the corner, 

it’s a good time to refresh and 

refocus on your marketing. This 

month's feature is dedicated 

to sharing five key strategies 

to invest time and effort into, 

in order to keep attracting 

your ideal clients and securing 

bookings to fill gaps in 2019 and 

book your diaries for 2020. 

1 

Review your 

directory listings 

When did you last look at your 

directory listings on external 

websites? It’s OK, you’d be in 

good company if you haven’t 

looked in a while, but this 

autumn make a conscious effort 

to review where your venue is 

listed and how that directory 

listing looks. 

In particular, prioritise your 

paid-for listings and those that 

deliver the best enquiry and 

booking results, so whether it’s 

Hitched, Guides for Brides, Coco 

Wedding Venues, or Wedding 

Dates, ensure that you are 

putting the very best version of 

your venue out there. 

What does your listing say 

about your venue? Is it presented 

in an eye catching, easy to read 

way? Bullet points work well, 

and remember, couples are 

time short so will want the key 

facts and details of your unique 

features easy to hand. 

Ensure the visuals are the very 

best they can be with your latest 

images that really showcase 

your spaces as they will use 

them – ceremony spaces, dining 

set ups – I’m a particular fan of 

drone photos or bird’s eye views, 

particularly of outside spaces. If 

you’re unsure about your listings, 

ask a friend who doesn’t know 

your venue (and even better, one 

who is planning a wedding) to 

tell you what they think; does 

it tell them what they need to 

know? 

And ensure that the listing 

is working in terms of its 

functionality, especially for those 

listings which aren’t bringing you 

many results at the moment. 

2 

Keep an eye on hashtags 

and trending events 

The use of social media is huge and grows year 

on year in weddings; it’s where your millennial 

couples are researching, sourcing and buying. 

There are a thousand ways you can utilise social 

media (a future feature perhaps dedicated to 

this?) but one strategy that I want to draw your 

attention to is to look closely at the hashtags 

you’re using, what’s trending and what’s going 

on in the wider world. 

In particular there are lots of “National Days” 

which gain a lot of social media coverage, 

examples being National Burger Day, National 

Afternoon Tea Week, National Allotment Week; 

all those events are happening around now. 

If there is a link to your venue with any of the 

above, then consider planning some social 

media on these topics. For example, many of 

you produce your own fruit and vegetables on 

property so National Allotment week is a perfect 

chance to showcase this; tell the story (with 

visuals) of what you do and how you do it – it’s 

all part of storytelling that is so important to 

the modern customer in making a vital wedding 

venue choice. And sustainability is becoming 

much higher on the agenda of younger couples, 

which is wonderful news. 



3 

Refresh your 

visuals 

This autumn, make sure you take 

the opportunity to refresh your 

wedding images in your galleries 

and your key website pages, and 

share those fresh images widely, 

for example if you write a regular 

blog (highly recommended) and in 

your social media. 

My advice is to contact your 

couples and their photographers 

as soon after their wedding as 

possible to ask for permission for 

the use of photos and sharing of 

them – as time moves on it can be 

harder to obtain these as couples 

have moved onto new life projects. 

Many couples will be keen to share 

but you must of course have their 

permission – you may wish to 

show them examples of how you 

intend to use them, for example 

in ‘real weddings’ blog posts 

or dedicated gallery spaces to 

4 

Plan your next wedding 

showcase event 

reassure them. This can be easier 

if the professional photographer is 

one you have a good relationship 

with already as they should 

appreciate the benefits of helping 

you with providing images. Do 

have a conversation with any new 

photographers and look to work 

out a way that you can use images, 

giving them something in exchange 

and certainly properly crediting 

them. 

Do you have a date for your next wedding open day or wedding 

showcase event? While it can be increasingly hard to get numbers 

through the door to these events, the audience that does make the 

effort to attend can often be a very good and serious one, and the 

benefit of being able to show your venue dressed and “in action” is 

very powerful. I could write a whole training module on this (in fact 

I have!) but if you’re looking to showcase your venue ensure you lay 

on something that goes beyond opening your doors; the modern 

customer expects an experience, to be spoiled and treated if they are 

going to make the effort to attend “in real life” as opposed to virtually. 

Demos, talks, tastings and areas that tempt the senses and excite, 

inspire and educate will all be winners – especially if they have a food, 

drink or fashion edge. Get your creative suppliers on board to work 

with you on this and lay on something interesting and eye catching 

that brings your venue to life. Invariably some investment is needed 

from your side but it can reap really good rewards. 

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP 

This is just a starting point of course for plenty of powerful 

marketing activity – if you’d like more regular marketing tips 

and inspiration to help grow your bookings, then join my 

free private Facebook group just for venues called ‘Wedding 

Spaces Going Places’ – it’s a collaborative, friendly space full of 

ideas, advice, training and networking. Search in Facebook for 

‘Wedding Spaces Going Places’. 

5 

Work your 

recommendations 

All the industry surveys out there state how vital 

recommendation both off and online is. Word travels 

fast within the wedding industry and within close 

knit circles of friends marrying in equal measure, 

so make sure that you’re making the most of this 

with happy clients. Ensure that you act in a timely 

manner to capture those thank yous, testimonials and 

recommendations from your summer weddings. Again, 

like the photos, when time passes, couples become 

harder to reach and the sense of urgency disappears. 

Online there are some great tools that are key 

to use. Ask happy clients to write you a Google 

recommendation, a review on your business Facebook 

page, or a Trip-Advisor review. You can repurpose 

that review and feature it on your website, use it by 

turning it into a nicely designed quotation on your own 

social media, or add it to your e-signature. Basically, 

positive recommendations are powerful and really key 

to attracting that new audience and keeping business 

flowing in. 

Don’t be afraid to guide a client towards how to write 

a testimonial too – sometimes people struggle with 

what to say given a blank page so if you’ve helped them 

with a particular challenge, delivered something unique 

or difficult, or organised a last minute wedding for them, 

don’t be afraid to prompt them to write about it. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Kelly Chandler is a long-term preferred service 

provider for exclusive venues such as Syon Park, 

Highclere Castle, Spencer House and Stoke Park 

Club. Kelly’s consulting services to wedding 

venues draw on prior experience in international 

conference and event planning, over 15 years 

of business management, and working directly 

with discerning couples planning their weddings in diverse locations 

and forging successful relationships with all components of the wedding 

industry. A former director of trade body The Alliance of Wedding 

Planners, Kelly is a well-regarded innovator, mentor, trainer and industry 

spokesperson on and in the wedding business. 

www.kellychandlerconsulting.co.uk 

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 

What is your 

Trademark? 

Venues that are succeeding in attracting business bookings "have 

personalities that stand out and draw heavily on creating a distinctive 

experience”. Andrew White tells us how 

THE EVENTS industry is all 

about getting people together to 

interact, whether it’s a seasonal 

celebration, sharing knowledge, 

a farewell to a colleague or a 

personal milestone; the objective 

is to bring people together. And for 

an industry that promotes itself 

for ‘face-to-face interaction’ more 

often than not we shoot ourselves 

in the foot, guiltily hiding behind a 

computer screen. 

Ask a festival, event or 

conference organiser their 

favourite venue and I will pretty 

much guarantee they will mention 

not only the venue but its sales 

and marketing contact at the 

same time. This is because people 

buy from people and the events 

industry, as well as the success 

of the supply chain, is built on 

personal recommendation, 

not mass social media, endless 

e-shots, poorly conceived flyers 

and some rather dubious print 

adverts. 

Jay Danzie, a popular 

personality in the media world, 

once stated: ‘Your smile is 

your logo, your personality is 

your business card, how you 

leave others feeling after an 

experience with you becomes 

your trademark’. This quote has 

gone viral in the business and 

motivational speaker world. It 

packs such a punch, it’s almost a 

literary slap across the face! It’s 

amazing that something so simple 

can be so powerful, despite the 

fact we are brought up to display 

manners, respect our elders, not 

to be shy and to try and offer up 

interesting conversation. The 

workplace is so often clogged 

up with online interactions and 

faceless transactions, and Jay 

is really only re-interpreting the 

values we were brought up on for 

a new generation. 

In the business world - with 

messages being rammed into 

our subconscious 24/7 - having a 

persona is a sure fire way of being 

remembered in the constantly 

updating arena of social and 

online media. And in a sector that 

promotes ‘face-to-face interaction’ 

it’s imperative that whoever is 

driving sales and marketing for 

your organisation has one hell of a 

presence; a trademark. 

CASE STUDY 

HAMPTON COURT PALACE 

Hampton Court Palace, cared for by 

independent charity Historic Royal 

Palaces, recently launched its new events 

space – the Albermarle Suite. Destination 

management companies (DMCs) were 

invited to arrive at the palace before it 

opened to the public where they were 

whisked away on a horse drawn charabanc 

around the stunning formal gardens. 

Breakfast was enjoyed in the Albermarle 

Suite before guests were able to experience 

an exclusive roof top tour of the palace. The 

team went the extra mile to treat guests like 

royalty and showcased why an event held 

at Hampton Court Palace is one that will be 

remembered for years to come. 



Getting to the buyers and 

decision makers in events is 

increasingly hard, therefore 

venues need to look beyond 

online norm. That said, for some 

time familiarisation visits have 

been a key way of connecting with 

existing and potential buyers. 

But with drop out rates as high 

as 50%, these events are on the 

wane along with faceless drinks 

receptions for potential buyers. 

Visiting decision makers is 

increasingly hard too and often 

agencies are asking for a fee, a 

joint marketing fund or to go on a 

waiting list to be able to present to 

the intermediary event bookers. 

For the venue it’s a vicious fullcircle; 

back to mass mailing, 

e-shots and bad advertising. 

The venues and spaces that are 

doing well are the ones that, as 

Jay Danzie encourages, have 

personalities that stand out 

and draw heavily on creating a 

distinctive experience. 

There are some fantastic 

examples of how capitalising on 

your personal brand can drive 

relationships, enquiries and 

business at venues. 

Start with LinkedIn as a vital 

way to engage with existing and 

potential customers. Widen your 

circle to the relevant groups that 

could benefit your business and 

get involved in conversations. But 

be sure to portray a personality, 

as corporate whitewash won’t cut 

it - you need to have a voice to 

stand out, engage and to interact. 

Use the forum not only to widen 

your network by engaging with 

new contacts – get involved in 

conversations, debate and also 

ask questions. Tag in others who 

you think will help amplify your 

post and always be sure to thank 

people for their contribution. 

Remember: bring things back to 

being personal. 

You will also be amazed at 

the power of the handwritten 

word, a thank you or a meeting 

confirmation written in your own 

hand has a huge impact. If you 

are bringing people together, 

think about what would make 

them come and why your event is 

different. Very few people can take 

time out of their day to attend an 

‘open house’ and in the evenings 

they will have family ties or long 

commutes home. Therefore a 

CASE STUDY 

CONQUER THE FOREST 

Center Parcs launched a new teambuilding competition earlier this summer designed 

to showcase its events offer to agents, potential clients and press. The competition 

took place every Monday over three weeks at Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and 

saw teams of four attempt to Conquer the Forest by partaking in two activities – a 

Pedalo Time Trial and Laser Combat Tournament. A dedicated microsite was launched 

featuring a live leader board so teams could track their scores. The campaign was a 

great way for attendees to experience Center Parcs as an events and teambuilding 

destination first hand with their team. 

“YOU WILL ALSO 

BE AMAZED AT THE 

POWER OF THE 

HANDWRITTEN 

WORD, A THANK 

YOU OR A MEETING 

CONFIRMATION 

WRITTEN IN YOUR 

OWN HAND HAS A 

HUGE IMPACT” 

champagne and canapé reception 

just doesn’t cut it any more. 

People like content driven events 

where they can learn something, 

they like events that offer an 

insight and behind the scenes 

glimpses and, most of all, they like 

it at a time that means they can 

either arrive at work justifiably 

late or leave justifiably early. 

Breakfasts work as long as you 

plan to get people back to their 

office for 9.30 or 10.00, and late 

afternoons work too as it gives 

people the chance to get home or 

even on to another event. 

CASE STUDY 

THE GRAND BRIGHTON 

The Grand Brighton sponsored one of the 

recent beach huts at the Luna Cinema that 

was held on Brighton Beach. Event planners 

were invited to enjoy the film and were given 

the kind of hospitality that would be expected 

in the hotel. Situated directly opposite the 

hotel, guests could see the property, get to 

know the events team better and enjoy a 

movie at the same time. An excellent 

use of business with pleasure. 

CONCLUSION 

Whatever event or manner 

you look to engage with 

your buyers, remember 

your trademark. Whether 

it’s a handwritten note or a 

statement - people buy people 

and this business is built on 

personal recommendation. 

If in doubt, remember Jay’s 

knockout words: ‘Your smile is 

your logo, your personality is 

your business card, how you 

leave others feeling after an 

experience with you becomes 

your trademark’. 


Andrew White is 

MD of Triggerfish 

Communications, a 

specialist in helping 

heritage venues and 

leisure attractions 

build awareness and 

market share in the 

business of events. 

www.triggerfish.co.uk 


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HEDGEHOG PHOTOGRAPHIC 

The Barn at Cott 

Farm, Somerset 

Description: Country 

wedding venue in the 

heart of Somerset 

Company: Paull’s Matting 

Telephone: 01935 822204 

Website: 

www.paullsmatting.co.uk 

Products: Coir carpet, half moon mats, 

and entrance matting cut to size 

Details: Rural diversification at its 

absolute best! That is the simplest way 

to describe how Ollie and Becca Seyfried 

have transformed an old chicken shed 

in Somerset into a permanent wedding 

venue with a charming and rustic feel. 

Weddings at Cott Farm offer exclusive 

use of a spacious timber barn and its 

grounds, campsite and luxury bell tent 

hire, all set within the tranquillity of idyllic 

views. Licensed for civil ceremonies, 

couples can make their vows outdoors 

under a picturesque wooden pergola, or 

within the comfort of the barn. The barn 

comes furnished with handmade wooden 

tables to seat 150 guests, wooden beams 

twinkling with fairy lights 

and a built in licensed 

bar. The all-natural luxury 

herringbone coir carpet 

provides a hard-wearing, 

non-slip permanent floor 

throughout that beautifully 

complements the style of the 

venue. 

Coir carpet is a perfect solution 

for any semi-permanent or permanent 

structure with solid or timber floors. 

Carpet from Paull’s Matting is made from 

the finest coir, and power loomed for a 

tighter weave providing a luxury rustic feel. 

The combination of all of these elements 

provides a wonderful place to celebrate 

any marriage and party the night away. 

Feedback: Becca Seyfried, co-owner, 

said: “The coir carpet is perfect for our 

rustic-chic style. It makes the venue feel 

warm and inviting, plus it’s non-slip and 

comfortable so great for dancing on, 

especially for guests with high heels (and, 

often, no shoes!). The bell tent matting 

helps complete the luxurious feel and is 

incredibly hard-wearing. The service from 

Paull’s Matting was superb, from their 

initial consultation through to aftercare.” 

Stradey Castle, 

Llanelli, South Wales 

Description: Privately owned 

historic castle – wedding and 

event venue, filming location 

Company: PERFO Ground 

Reinforcement (S2T Group) 

Telephone: 01992 522797 

Website: www.perfo.co.uk 

Product: PERFO-AK Ground 

Reinforcement Tiles 

Details: To increase the viability 

of the castle as a venue for 

weddings and events, as well as 

its use as an attractive location 

for filming, additional parking 

space was required. However, due 

to the sensitive historic and rural 

setting, a tarmac or concrete car 

park was not desirable. Instead a 

solution was required which was 

permeable, would blend in with 



the surroundings and that met 

with strict requirements of CADW, 

the Welsh government body 

responsible for the protection of 

historic sites. 

The area selected for the car 

park was overgrown, uneven 

and poorly drained, but the best 

location option due to space 

constraints. This area needed to 

be cleared and levelled and a subbase 

prepared. Prior to installation 

of the selected PERFO-AK Anchor 

Tiles, a project meeting took 

place, with S2T Group’s expert 

advising on the most appropriate 

installation method. A 100mm 

bedding layer of 5-10mm crushed 

stone with added seeded soil for 

greening of the parking spaces was 

prepared, into which the PERFO- 

AK Anchor Tiles were embedded 

using appropriate compaction 

equipment. Finally, the surface 

was dressed with additional 

stone to enhance the overall 

appearance. 

Newby Hall House and Gardens, 

North Yorkshire 

Description: One of Britain’s finest Adam 

Houses and a leading venue for outdoor 

weddings and events 

Company: PapaShop 

Telephone: 01491 714002 

Website: www.papashop.co.uk 

Product: PapaFlex event matting 

Details: Working in association with 

sister company PapaKåta, PapaShop 

supplied Newby Hall with PapaFlex event 

matting. Seen here, positioned within 

a PapaKåta Sperry Tent, the PapaFlex 

matting gives a crisp and professional 

finish to a luxurious garden wedding. 

The lightweight flexible properties of 

PapaFlex lend themselves perfectly to 

Newby Hall as an outdoor venue. The 

large expanse of grounds mean that 

suppliers are faced with a substantial 

distance to carry equipment. 

PapaFlex can be used inside and out, 

illustrated here as an outdoor terrace 

against the picturesque backdrop 

of the Newby Hall estate. The 

light natural-coloured weave 

of the matting also perfectly 

complements the crisp canvas 

of a Sperry tent, marquee or 

teepee. 

Feedback: Lucy Wright, 

wedding planner at Newby Hall 

House & Gardens, said: “Working 

with PapaShop by PapaKåta is 

just a dream. They are professional, 

friendly, great fun and innovative. 

I am always excited to hear what new 

products or ideas they are coming up 

with, leading the industry in delivering 

what their clients (and wedding and 

event planners) want and need. 

“I was very impressed with the 

PapaFlex event matting as my clients are 

always worried about high heels getting 

stuck and tripping with coir matting; I 

can 100% safely say to them, they have 

no more worries! Having worn my own 

stilettos on the PapaFlex matting, it’s 

very comfortable to walk on and even 

the thinnest of heels won’t get stuck. 

“The natural colour of the PapaFlex 

makes it sit very well within the Sperry 

Tents and Teepees, enhancing the 

light airy space. Flooring is not always 

something my couples think about, 

but as it covers such a large area and is 

clearly visible, as a wedding planner I 

need to work with something that will 

compliment my couples’ style and colour 

theme - PapaFlex does just the job!” 

ALLISTER FREEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY 

Feedback: The car park has met 

with the customer’s expectations 

in terms of functionality and 

appearance, and blends in well 

with the castle and its beautiful 

surroundings. 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Atlantic 

Surf Pods 

Clean lines and simple interiors 

make this Atlantic Highway 

glampsite a breath of fresh air 

Designed by owner Peter Cobbledick, the 15 pods at Atlantic Farm offer space and light, 

while a treehouse 6m up delivers spectacular Cornish views. We speak to Peter about 

how he created a glampsite that offers an off-grid home by the sea for hundreds of 

guests each year. 

What’s your back story – your 

life before glamping? 

Coastal life is the only life for me. 

Daily surfing from an early age and 

then 35 years roaming the globe 

for ocean arts and crafts and all 

things marine. The last 10 years 

we have settled on a small farm 

close to the coast of my home 

town Bude, and found tourist 

accommodation the only way to 

make the farm viable. 

What made you decide to 

start offering glamping 

accommodation? 

Camping was the first idea, it did 

work well but you are never free of 

the impact of the weather, muddy 

ground, wind damaged tents and 

“WE HAD NO 

WOODLAND 

BUT WE 

WERE A FEW 

MINUTES 

FROM FOUR 

BEACHES AND 

THE FARM WAS 

RELATIVELY 

SHELTERED 

FOR ITS 

POSITION ON 

THE ATLANTIC 

COAST” 

a very short season. Cottages were 

the next option which also worked 

well – they are long seasons but 

the overhead was huge. That 

is when the glamping idea had 

appeal. There were various ideas 

being tried around the county, 

from railway wagons to converted 

pigsties! 

There was a firm doing pods 

that looked like an upturned 

boat, a good idea but it just felt 

claustrophobic. From then on I set 

about designing my alternative. 

How did you research the 

business before entering it? 

At that time yurts were being 

used, and also American tipis. 

There was a very successful tipi 

village nearby, but I felt their 

strength was coming from a 

beautiful oak woodland and a 

quarry lake that was giving the 

appeal and ambiance. The prices 

being charged gave it the appeal 

to us - £800+ a week for a tipi, mat 

and outside fire pit! This showed 

there was mileage in the glamping 

concept. 

I didn’t like the idea of the yurts 

or tipis, it just seemed so alien for 

our site, also there were issues 

with ingress of wildlife into the 

seams, like lizards. At the end of 

the day we are in the country and 

have to put up with various natural 

inhabitants. Spiders and ants 

etc. are unavoidable and need 

to be lived with but other creepy 

crawlies seemed something to be 

avoided where possible. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

Our farm is just by the Atlantic 

Highway with very easy access to 

Bude and journeys to the rest of 

the county. We had no woodland 

but we were a few minutes from 

four beaches and the farm was 

relatively sheltered for its position 

on the Atlantic coast. We set aside 

the most sheltered field next to the 

camping that had been used by 

our poultry business. 


GLAMPSITES 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

Because glamping was a relatively 

new concept at the time it was 

difficult to find anyone who 

was totally conversant with 

the planning issues involved. 

Fortunately there had just been 

a case in the Lake District where 

it was judged that glamping fell 

under the caravan rules, but each 

council seems to have its own 

take on it. What was clear was that 

structures had to be moveable 

and that facilities should not have 

permanent connections to the 

drains and services. 

There are many sites around the 

country which seem to have found 

favour with the local council and 

bent the rules or managed to go 

unnoticed. It is well worth having 

someone professionally qualified 

to tick the boxes. Any mistakes 

that make it a habitable dwelling 

could get it removed or be forced 

to go the full planning route with 

little chance of success in most 

areas. 

How did you finance the project? 

Grants for tourist accommodation 

are difficult. They do happen 

but generally grants favour 

supporting activities. Ours was 

funded from normal finance 

routes before banks lost their 

nerve. Depending on the location 

there is a different level of help 

with funding especially through 

the EU (which was UK money in 

the first place!). 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer? 

We have 15 pods and a treehouse.

GLAMPSITES 

We chose to make our own pods, 

mainly because there were few 

options to buy what we wanted, 

and secondly the cost. We also 

needed something that gave more 

room. Although glamping is a new 

phase in holiday accommodation, 

we felt that like all business 

fads the novelty will get over 

subscribed and there will be 

casualties, but that the better 

quality offerings would survive. 

Each pod is a livable, spacious 

capsule, insulated to the highest 

degree. They feature underfloor 

heating in the off season months 

to take the chill off colder nights, 

meaning they are comfortable all 

year round. The curved shape of 

the pods creates a cosy cave-like 

feel, and the front opens up fully 

to reveal an unobstructed view of 

the sky. 

The pods sit nestled amongst 

“WE ALSO 

HAVE THE 

COASTAL 

VIEW TREE- 

HOUSE, A 

BEAUTIFULLY 

CRAFTED 

BOLT-HOLE 

PERCHED 6M 

UP IN A TREE 

LOOKING 

OUT TO- 

WARDS WIDE- 

MOUTH BAY 

AND OPEN 

COUNTRY” 

the lush and undulating 

landscaped lawns, each with its 

own individual decked area, with 

gas BBQ-oven, outdoor furniture, 

and a private external wet room 

featuring a heated shower, 

flushing toilet and hand basin 

We also have the Coastal View 

Treehouse, a beautifully crafted 

bolt-hole perched 6m up in a tree 

looking out towards Widemouth 

Bay and open country. Easily 

accessed by a stairway, the roof is 

clear on the north side and shaded 

on the south giving a wonderful 

feeling of space, and in the 

evenings the LED lighting gives a 

cosy ambience or a full moon can 

provide the light. 

At ground level are the BBQ, 

bathroom and secret alfresco 

heated shower. First finished 

in April 2014, it is for couples 

only; already we are aware of 

three proposals made there, and 

accepted! 

What else do you offer? 

We have an honesty shop open 

during the summer season from 

10am – 5pm most days. As well as 

our own meat and eggs, the shop 

also stocks basic essentials. 

On-site, there is a BBQ house for 

hire (a £20 cleaning charge) for the 

rare occasions when the Cornish 

weather might not be at its best! 

This is also the ideal spot for 

groups to convene, with a capacity 

of 12-14 adults. 

We also have an on-site shell 

craft studio where children and 

adults alike can decorate various 

items, such as picture frames, 

mirrors, terracotta plant pots etc. 

or create shell ornaments. This 

has proved popular with previous 

guests and also with local schools 

as an alternative to arts and crafts 

lessons. 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

We chose our brand to reflect a 

mix of location and the activities 

of many of the guests we wanted. 

The first year we just used the 

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GLAMPSITES 

internet and it worked very well. 

Fortunately accommodation in 

this area is always in short supply 

in season so guests found us and 

keep finding us. 

Also, because we were new 

and had a different concept, we 

had a lot of editorial in the press 

from Coast magazine, The Times, 

Telegraph, a German glamping 

publication, TV and even Aeroflot’s 

inflight magazine! We did do 

a winter promotion through a 

voucher site the second year with 

amazing success – it had good 

advertising value but a tight profit. 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

Glamping is what it suggests - 

glamorous camping. We have 

stayed minimal, spacious (approx. 

20sqm internal space), with all 

the life giving basics - Kettle, 

toaster and BBQ. We have created 

an environment which is in the 

country but has the order and 

ambience of a country garden. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

We kept the interiors simple, all 

white with the minimum of fittings. 

We didn’t want it to be like a 

caravan. Of course some would like 

this with microwaves etc. but we 

are mainly off-grid so have to be 

economical with the power. This 

is helped with LED lights. Many 

guests understand the benefits of 

getting away from the norms of 

home living. Many ask us not to 

give the kids the Wi-Fi password!! 


The main challenge is running a 

business off-grid, low power, low 

water supply, etc. also getting 

“WE CHOSE 

OUR BRAND 

TO REFLECT 

A MIX OF 

LOCATION 

AND THE 

ACTIVITIES OF 

MANY OF THE 

GUESTS WE 

WANTED” 

across exactly what glamping 

is. Sometimes husbands try and 

surprise their partner who turns 

up with high heels and a bouffant 

hairstyle at which point you know 

it is not going to work. Occasionally 

there is the ‘to the manor born’ 

guest who thinks that it is a hotel. 

You need to get the message 

across. The people you want are 

usually brilliant guests and really 

enjoy the experience. 

Describe your average day midseason 

Glamping at most times of the year 

is short lets until the main season, 

so there are changeovers on most 

days. The site needs continual 

maintenance and any communal 

facilities need constant checking. 

Why do you enjoy the business? 

The business involves meeting 

people from all walks of life - 

people who generally enjoy the 

outdoor life and want a break to 

recharge their batteries. Running a 

new type of business is a challenge 

and creates its own frontier. This is 

a good experience in this age and 

provides plenty of interest. 

What are you most proud of? 

Designing and manufacturing a 

product and making it work as a 

business is something I am proud 

of. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

Our site does suit the wedding 

business and also the corporate 

market but it needs the back up 

of the other facilities like cottages 

and function areas. It is surprising 

how many weddings we have had 

as to date we have not advertised. 

We have a function room which is 

heated and can seat 120 at tables. 



industry? 

It is a good industry based on the 

fact that people want to be in 

the countryside but they are now 

looking at doing it in more comfort. 

Before anyone starts it is a 

matter of looking around with 

open eyes at various styles. What 

someone will be doing may not be 

your flavour but try and see where 

they are in the market place, where 

they are going and where they 

are coming from. Then, like any 

financial institution, it’s all about 

the ‘biz’ plan. Research all finance 

options. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

Atlantic Surf Pods 

Atlantic Farm 

Bude, Cornwall 

EX23 9FG 

01288 355288 

www.atlanticsurfpods.co.uk 



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Visit us at www.leskomodular.co.uk 

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GLAMPSITES 

OUT & ABOUT 

with Kate Morel 

THE SCHOOLS are back and the main glamping 

season is coming to an end. It has been a good one, 

aided and abetted by almost daily blue skies and 

sunshine, and existing sites and booking portals 

experienced a healthy increase in traffic and bookings 

on last year. For projects that are in construction, 

it can go quiet at this time, having missed the boat 

for the summer. A few types of development find 

themselves best shelved until the spring. 

A rustic revolution and why glamping sites 

should be careful how they sell themselves 

GETTY IMAGES 

ABOUT KATE 

A rural, feral upbringing sometimes 

pays off. Growing up on a 

smallholding has its perks, such as 

a mostly unsupervised childhood 

spent building woodland dens, 

treehouses and blanket tents - 

resulting in an eye for a good stick, 

and a creative imagination. Kate 

says she could still rustle up a den, 

but admits, even though it would be 

a low investment project, it wouldn’t 

deliver much of an income. Unlike a 

glamping site. 

These days, Kate’s ‘den building’ 

is a more sophisticated adventure, 

involving a hand-picked team of 

industry specialists, adding to 

her many years of experience, 

knowledge and creativity, all 

applied to every project. Above all, 

Kate takes pride in providing honest, 

impartial business advice that’s in 

her clients' best interest. 

She is also, rather notoriously, 

always happy to talk at length 

about glamping, so if you have any 

questions about starting a glamping 

business, or just want a few pointers, 

her contact details are: info@ 

katemorel.com, 07849 514588, www. 

katemorel.com, Facebook Group: 

Glamping Business Link. 

FROM THE DIARY 

There are of course always exceptions to the rule in glamping, and this 

month I worked with a couple of established glamping sites where figures 

were down on last year, not up. It wasn’t difficult to identify why they 

weren’t performing, and suggestions to get business back on track were made. 

Amidst the hype promoting glamping as an immensely profitable business option (and 

it can be), it’s also important to remember it’s a growing industry that develops year on 

year. I’m not suggesting we do a ‘Madonna’ and reinvent ourselves every six months, but 

we do need to monitor industry trends, the competition, review our offer, and keep our 

marketing up to speed. 

There’s been a distinct theme to recent weeks – woodlands and timber. I’ve been to visit 

several potential glamping developments in woodlands and forests, been asked about 

rustic accommodation structures, treehouses, and talked at length about woodland 

activities as part of business models. 

Even though facility standards are rising, there’s also a developing theme toward a more 

rustic style of glamping. Maybe the ‘rewilding’ leisure movement I blogged about in 2015 is 

properly taking hold in leisure accommodations. There was however, one structure project 

with a notable architectural departure from all this, unfortunately I can’t even hint at any 

details until the launch – ‘stay tuned’ as they say. 

This month has also seen me spending a lot of time on a new venture of my own, one 

which weaves together a creative collaborative of the best industry suppliers and 

consultants. This venture is much more than an extension of my existing consultancy work 

because it pioneers a new design movement in the glamping industry. To say we are all 

excited about it would be an understatement! 


GLAMPSITES 

Movers 

& Shakers 

Or should that be ‘high flyers’ this month? If 

you and I are connected on social media, you 

might remember a post of mine from a couple of 

years ago about David McGowan, who shipped a 

decommissioned Boeing 767 plane to Sligo. The 

plane is destined to be converted into glamping 

accommodation where couples get married in the 

cockpit, and children slide down the safety chutes. 

David’s plans don’t end there. He’s also got his 

sights on others forms of transport for conversion 

into glamping - a tank, double decker bus, a vintage 

train used in Orient Express, a yacht, an armoured 

personnel carrier, and a truck from the movie Black 

Dog. The site also has planning permission for an 

airport terminal where the control tower would 

be a bridal suite (presumably with ‘Radar Love’ or 

maybe the Top Gun soundtrack on loop), a cinema, 

coffee shop and education centre. As you can see, 

it’s quite an ambitious project. 

Two years on however, the development remains 

grounded until additional finance is secured, 

around £4.5 million, by Mr McGowans calculations. 

One can’t but help admire his leading-edge vision 

and we look forward to seeing the completed 

project take-off sometime soon. 

INDUSTRY 

COMMENT 

If there’s one subject that regularly 

pops up, it’s ‘what defines a proper 

glamping experience’. Some 

industry colleagues insist it has to 

be five star or it’s not glamping, 

and others feel that as long as the 

location is good, a simple set-up 

qualifies - but a row of pods 

doesn’t. 

One thing I’m sure we can 

all agree on, however, is 

that regardless of facilities 

or location, they need to be 

commensurate with the rental fees being charged, 

and clearly marketed via photographs and descriptions. Because 

when this doesn’t happen our industry reputation suffers, and 

frankly, some glamping simply isn’t being sold properly. 

In an effort to promote better standards, the Glamping 

Association is working with Quality in Tourism which runs an 

accreditation system and includes glamping. Also, in an effort to 

promote better safety, the Glamping Association has published 

a handbook on regulations, snappily titled ‘The Glamping 

Association's Legislative Essentials for Glamping Accommodation 

Lodgings (LEGAL) Guide’. It’s available as an e-book via Amazon. 

WHISK ME AWAY 

To Tree House Lodge, a small eco-resort on 

the southern coast of Costa Rica, sitting on 

the cusp of the Carribean sea and Gandoca 

Manzanillo wildlife reserve. It's a rustic, 

creative, mini-resort development, typical 

of the South American forest style. 

It's all here - a beautiful location, white 

beaches, wellness facilities, engaging 

activities, and an interesting fusion of 

traditional builds with quirky architecture. 

In particular, take a look at the bathroom 

in the Beach Suite, or the walls in the 

Crystal House (the mini-golf though, hmm), 

and especially the loo in the treehouse! I 

can't help but muse 

over the logistics 

of that, plumbing 

being what it is. 

This development 

is one of my 

favourite kinds of 

glamping, because 

it immerses us in an 

experience, of location 

and heritage. The video 

(take note) genuinely makes you 

want to be there, and the whole place very 

much brings back memories of my work 

on the regeneration project in Ecuador 

- the jungle and bamboo structures, 

and the stunning 

coastline. It also takes 

me back to travelling 

days in Mexico and 

Belize. There is 

something uniquely 

endearing and 

mysterious about this 

region of our planet; once 

visited it is never forgotten. 

Right now, I can visualise 

myself swaying in the hammock on 

the deck of the Beach House, evening 

cocktail in hand, as the breeze billows 

through... pondering the meaning of life, 

and ignoring Tally's deadline. 


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industry 

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GLAMPSITES 

TreeHOUSES 

Real life examples of glamping’s ‘hero structure’ 

Knepp Wildland Safaris and Glamping 

Description: Wildlife safaris and camping in one of the 

largest rewilding projects in lowland Europe 

Structure: Newleaf’s Treehouse 042 

Supplier: New Leaf Tree House Company 

Telephone: 01403 288470 

Website: www.newleafthc.co.uk (new site coming soon) 

Details: The Tawny Owl Tree House provides luxurious 

accommodation as part of Knepp Wildland Safaris’ 

glamping offering. The rewilding project allows guests to 

encounter herds of wild ponies, cattle, deer and pigs as 

they roam 3,500 acres of Sussex. 

Built around a mature oak in a secluded corner of 

ancient woodland, the tree house is a short walk through 

the woods from the main campsite. Made from local, 

sustainably sourced oak, chestnut and Douglas fir, with 

shingle walls of fragrant cedar, it features a platform four 

metres above ground with a tented bedroom from which 

guests can enjoy stunning views of the park’s wildlife. 

Complete with wood-burning stove and a luxurious 

handcrafted double bed, the outside deck has ample space 

for table and chairs. 

You can see New Leaf Tree House Company at the 

Farm Business Innovation Show this November, where 

they will be launching three new tree house designs 

specifically for the glamping and hotel market. 

Feedback: Owner Isabella Tree said: “Since having the 

tree house installed in time for this season it's been 

almost constantly booked out. We love the design and 

the way it works so sensitively with the oak tree it sits 

in. And we've had incredible feedback from guests.” 

Could it be yours? 

Description: Discerning 

glampsites with a 

sustainable ethos, and 

perhaps tricky access? 

Structure: The new Tree 

House Cabin - launching 

at the Glamping Show, 

September 2018 

Supplier: Wild Hart 

(previously Classic Pod 

Company) 

Telephone: 07971 869058 

Website: 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

Details: Wild Hart has a new tree house design that it 

will be showcasing at the Glamping Show in September. 

The new product has been developed using a lightweight 

modular panel system, raised on a timber platform. 

The cabin has eight sides and is equipped with a 

kitchenette, toilet and shower. It is fully insulated and 

constructed from durable, sustainably sourced timbers. 

Underneath is a swing and hammock net - a space 

to sit and relax! The cabin runs off solar panels and a 

collaboration with AstecTherm has provided an infra-red 

heating system to keep the interior cosy and dry without 

expensive electricity bills. 

The raised platform requires minimal foundations and 

enables the cabin to be located 

between trees or even on a slope. 

The whole structure, including 

the cabin, comes flat-packed and 

its simplicity means it could be 

constructed in as little as two 

days on site. The fact that large 

transportation vehicles aren’t 

needed means there is less 

damage to site and the tree house 

can be sited almost anywhere! 

Feedback: Watch this space... 


GLAMPSITES 

Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve 

Description: A safari park/tourist attraction and wedding venue 

in Kent which also offers various types of accommodation 

(including a glamping pod section) for short breaks for visiting 

guests. These include tree houses, lodges and glamping pods as 

well as an on-site hotel 

Structures: Three Boutique glamping tree houses 

Supplier: The Hideout House Company 

Telephone: 01832 275902 

Website: www.superglamp.com 

Details: Each luxurious tree house features a main guest 

bedroom (with a double bed and pull-out sofa bed) complete with 

an en-suite WC, washbasin and shower room, and is furnished 

to the highest standards. For extra comfort, guests can enjoy the 

warmth of a log burning stove for the colder months, smart TV, 

fridge and hot drink making facilities. 

The tree houses are externally clad in a wany-edged Siberian 

larch with distinctive Gothic style arched windows to give them 

that extra natural “look and feel” as they are set among towering 

pine trees near to the park’s Amur tiger habitat. Cedar shingle tiles 

are used on the roof. 

All internal fixtures and fittings were specified by Port Lympne 

and it undertook all of the service connection works with its onsite 

grounds staff. 

Tree houses are consistently the most sought after and popular 

type of accommodation for glamping holidays and short breaks in 

the UK. As a result of this trend, Port Lympne reported extremely 

healthy levels of bookings for the summer and way beyond into 

autumn too. A treehouse stay costs £399 per night during peak 

season. 

Feedback: Bob O’Connor, managing director, said: “This year 

we created a very special type of accommodation here at Port 

Lympne Hotel and Reserve. The Forest Dens supplied by the 

Hideout House Company perfectly match the style we are trying 

to achieve and have been extremely well received by our guests. 

They are a great addition to our estate.” 

Harvest Moon 

Holidays 

Description: A coastal 

glampsite in East Lothian with 

its own beach 

Structures: Seven bespoke 

tree houses and outbuildings 

Supplier: Cheeky Monkey 

Treehouses 

Telephone: 01403 732452 

Website: www. 

cheekymonkeytreehouses. 

com 

Details: Seven bespoke 

tree houses were created to 

the client’s requirements. 

They were based on a large 

octagonal cabin, which acts 

as the main lounge, with a 

kitchen-diner and walkway 

leading to bedrooms and a 

separate WC/shower room. 

The Cheeky Monkey team 

worked with a variety of third 

parties and accommodated 

their needs and timings. The 

build team was hard working 

and flexible, and annual 

maintenance contracts were 

put in place to ensure that 

any snags are rectified. 

Feedback: Alex Mitchell, 

owner of Harvest Moon 

Holidays, said: “Our 

fabulous tree houses have 

been designed exclusively 

to offer our guests the 

highest degree of space 

and comfort. All guests 

have absolutely loved the 

accommodation comprising 

two double bedrooms, one 

with an extra single bunk 

above, and an en-suite WC 

and hot shower room. 

“A covered walkway leads 

to the beautiful octagonal 

living area, which is fully 

kitted out with our trademark 

Belfast sink, Italian logburning 

stove, pretty pine 

dresser and all the pots, pans, 

cutlery, crockery and utensils 

you could possibly need. It 

also has a yacht-style table 

which drops down to form a 

bed for extra guests. 

“The amazing raised 

deck allows guests to take 

advantage of the breathtaking 

views to the sea and 

the famous Bass Rock from 

the front and to the forest 

behind. The deck stands two 

metres off the ground with 

wooden steps to access the 

accommodation. Below deck 

are swings and love seat on 

the soft sandy ground.” 


Creative Partners 

Alternative Builds & 

Glamping Developments 

WHAT 

WE OFFER... 

• Alternative Buildings 

• Glamping 

Accommodations 

• Boutique Developments 

ADVISORY 

• Business Consultancy 

• Planning Consultancy 

• Finance and Funding 

• Digital Marketing 

DESIGN 

AND BUILD 

• Designer-Builders 

• Design Consultants 

• Landscaping 

Morel & Co builds on the foundations of Kate Morel’s consultancy 

experience and contacts, bringing together a team of 

hand-picked professionals. Together we possess a unique 

breadth of industry experience, business acumen and 

creative flair, giving land and business owners access to 

expertise in every stage of the process, through one company. 

SOURCE 

AND SUPPLY 

• Sourcing Products 

• Supplying Accessories 

SOMETHING BESPOKE? ASK US ABOUT... 

Rustic Cabins - Contemporary Cabins - Canvas Creations 

Treehouses - Roundhouses 

info@morelcompany.co.uk 

www.morelcompany.co.uk

Naked Flame Ad 183 x 126mm_Layout 1 27/02/2018 12:44 Page 1 


GLAMPSITES 

GETTY IMAGES 

DIY PR 

How to create your own glamping business PR 

strategy, with Megan Allen 

you can share them too. You might even 

like to create your own hashtag so that 

people who are looking at booking with 

you can see what other visitors have been 

up to during their stay. 

PUBLIC RELATIONS is a very cost-effective 

and simple way of marketing your 

business. All you need to do is think hard 

about your target market and invest a little 

of your time. 

While many people think PR starts and 

ends with media coverage and shy away 

from it, there are several simple things you 

can do to tell your story the way you want 

it to be told, without breaking the bank. 

After all, public relations is about building 

and maintaining a reputation and who is 

in a better position to control it than you? 

EMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY 

One of the things I advise my clients 

to do before they start to put together 

a public relations strategy is to invest 

in some decent photography. Most 

places already have beautiful images of 

their accommodation, the site and the 

surrounding areas but what people really 

want to see is the experience. 

Start by thinking about your target 

market – are they families, millennial 

couples, retirees? Then think about what 

would inspire them to book a holiday 

with you. In other words, tap into their 

emotions. 

To generalise, families will most likely be 

inspired by images of other families having 

a happy holiday because that is what they 

are aspiring to. Couples might like to see a 

bottle of wine with two glasses in front of 

an open fire, and retirees could be looking 

for local dog walks with a decent pub en 

route. 

The key thing is to make them aspire to 

the experience that you are offering them. 

After that you can work those images into 

all forms of marketing, not just your PR. 

If you are on a tight budget, one way 

of getting hold of these images is to ask 

people who stay with you to share their 

experiences on social media and whether 

“IF YOU ARE ON A TIGHT 

BUDGET, ONE WAY OF 

GETTING HOLD OF THESE 

IMAGES IS TO ASK PEOPLE 

WHO STAY WITH YOU TO 

SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES 

ON SOCIAL MEDIA...” 

PUTTING TOGETHER A SOCIAL 

MEDIA STRATEGY 

Love it or loathe it, social media is a 

fantastic way of telling your story to a 

captive audience, and as glamping and 

camping is such a picturesque past time, 

you should never be short of content. 

Before the social revolution most 

businesses hid behind a website or an 

advertisement, but with the introduction of 

social media platforms the people behind 

the brands started emerging and visitors 

now expect to know as much about you as 

they do your site. 

The introduction of Instagram stories 

(which can also be linked to your Facebook 

business page) means that you can keep 

your audience up to date with what is going 

on behind the scenes – the good, the bad 

and the ugly. I have even advised clients 

to show their cleaning routine and the eco 

products they use on their stories, as it’s the 

little things that can make the difference 

between someone choosing to book or not. 

I always encourage my clients to at 

least have Facebook and Instagram feeds 

that they update regularly because they 

have such a visual impact. Pictures tell a 

thousand words and as I discussed above, 

emotive imagery is key to any PR strategy. 

I also encourage them to manage their 

pages in house. As tempting as it is to 

outsource your social media management, 


GLAMPSITES 

more and more people are using 

social media as a customer service 

hotline and they expect responses 

straight away. They used to say that 

every missed phone call is a missed 

opportunity and the same now 

applies to social media. If you are 

able to get back to someone with 

an answer quickly then they will 

likely book with you and not move 

on to a competitor. 

KEEPING AN EYE ON REVIEWS 

One of the downsides of social 

media is that, thanks to sites like 

TripAdvisor, everyone is a critic 

The first thing to keep in mind 

is that everyone’s expectations 

and standards are different. The 

second is that people like to talk. 

Word of mouth marketing is such 

a powerful tool and can make or 

break your reputation. One visitor 

might be perfectly happy with 

their experience and leave a five 

star review, while another who has 

an identical stay might have been 

expecting the toilets to be closer 

and only give you three. 

Again, it comes down to knowing 

your audience, pre-empting their 

expectations, communicating 

properly with them and ensuring 

they know exactly what they are 

going to get when they book. I’ll 

talk a bit more about that later in 

this article. 

My advice when it comes to 

managing your PR is to keep on 

top of reviews on sites such as 

Google, TripAdvisor and Facebook 

and respond as quickly as you can 

– not just to the bad ones, but to 

the good ones as well. Address the 

issue (if there is one) and aim to 

take the conversation offline. Ask 

the customer to email you with any 

further queries and, once the issue 

is resolved, politely ask them if they 

will take their review down. 

If you leave it too long to respond 

then it puts more wind in their 

sails and gives them extra time to 

tell people about their negative 

experiences with you. 

COLLABORATING WITH OTHER 

LOCAL BUSINESSES 

Collaborations are a brilliant way 

of expanding your reach, creating 

a newsworthy story and increasing 

your visitor experience. 

By teaming up with other local 

businesses, you are not only 

tapping into their market and 

helping to promote their services, 

you are supporting the local 

economy and offering something 

that your competitors might not be. 

A great way of collaborating is by 

working with a nearby pub that you 

know does great food. Ask them if 

they will offer a discount to visitors 

staying with you if you promote 

them in your welcome pack. You 

could extend the idea to local 

attractions as well. 

Alternatively, if you put together 

a gift basket for your visitors or 

have a small shop on site, stock 

products from local producers such 

as bottles of ale, meats and cakes, 

and ask the producers if they will 

stock a few of your leaflets in their 

shops. 

Working with the local 

community is something that is 

often overlooked but it is just as 

important that local business 

owners and residents know what 

you do – you never know when 

they might need to recommend a 

place to stay nearby. Collaborating 

with other local businesses and 

supporting each other creates 

a wonderful community spirit - 

something that will come across to 

visitors. 

CREATING A FIRST-CLASS VISITOR 

EXPERIENCE 

I have left visitor experience to last 

as it incorporates all the points 

above. The tourism industry is 

growing at a phenomenal rate and it 

is not always enough to just provide 

a field and some accommodation. 


Megan Allen is the 

founder of Rural 

Roots Media and 

specialises in rural 

tourism PR. She runs 

an online course for 

small business owners 

who would like to 

manage their own PR. 

For more information 

visit www.rural-roots. 

co.uk or find her at 

the Glamping Show – 

stand 107. 

People’s expectations of what 

glamping is has evolved as the 

industry has grown, and with the 

popularity of social media it is 

now the sites with the best visitor 

experiences that are steaming 

ahead. 

As discussed above, PR is 

about building and maintaining 

a reputation and most of that is 

done through word of mouth and 

recommendations from other 

people. People buy from people, 

so by creating a unique experience 

that your visitors will tell their 

friends about, you are onto a 

winner. 

Think back to those emotive 

images. They are all based around 

creating a great experience – 

whether it is a fun environment for 

families, a cosy space for couples 

or simply a brilliant welcome pack 

that has lots of great information 

and offers in it. 

At the end of the day, you want 

your visitors to be sharing photos 

and videos with their friends and 

leaving you excellent reviews 

because they are your biggest PR 

asset and the way to do that is to 

offer everything that they expect 

of you and more. 

Again, you can do this by 

pre-empting their expectations. 

Try recommending the 

accommodation closest to 

the toilets for families with 

small children or people with 

disabilities. As I mentioned above, 

it is the little things that can make 

all the difference. 


nick@wild-hart.co.uk 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

07971869058 

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GLAMPSITES 

GUEST COMMENT 

GETTY IMAGES 

Evening 

Bookings 

The majority of online glamping bookings are 

placed after 8pm reveals Jonathan Knight, 

CEO of coolcamping.com 

WITH THOUSANDS of glampers 

using our online Bedful booking 

system each year, we are in an 

excellent position to spot trends 

in booking behaviours. Our most 

recent analysis of visitors in 2017– 

18 has revealed that over 40% of 

bookings are placed between the 

hours of 7pm–11pm, peaking at 

nine o’clock at night. 

This is no great surprise as night 

time bookings reveal the reality 

of everyday life – that most of us 

are too busy in the day and are 

reluctant to interrupt our office 

working hours. 

The data, taken from our 

website’s booking system, Bedful, 

highlights the growing trend in 

the glamping industry of having a 

complete 24-hour presence online, 

with a website capable of taking 

online bookings during ‘out of 

hours’ periods. 

While our data shows that 


Jonathan Knight is 

CEO of coolcamping. 

com. Over the last 

10 years, the Cool 

Camping guidebooks 

and website have 

been at the forefront 

of British camping and 

glamping, recognising 

small, independent, 

special places to stay 

that go the extra mile. 

The Cool Camping 

website’s booking 

software – known 

independently as 

Bedful – allows 

businesses to process 

bookings on their own 

websites as well as 

through coolcamping. 

com. 

bookings usually peak at around 

nine o’clock, we still have 

customers at one or two in the 

morning every night. Some will 

be night owls who stay up late to 

organise their holidays and others 

will be international customers 

who are travelling to the UK from 

abroad. 

A further 3% of bookings were 

shown to have been processed 

between the late hours of 11pm– 

5am. 

The results come as we also 

see new growth in year-on-year 

bookings, with good weather 

boosting the 2018 season, 

and further growth in online 

bookings across the outdoor 

accommodation industry. 

The expectation of today’s 

consumers is that everything is 

available online. The Cool Camping 

website now has over three million 

visitors each year and in April 

we launched a 

second, luxury 

glamping website 

– glampingly. 

co.uk – to 

further tailor our 

presence online. 

While the new 

data suggests 

online bookings 

remain the growing area for 

modern marketing, there’s still a 

place for phone-in bookings and 

emails however. 

Our systems also offer a 

dashboard and diary function 

where telephone bookings are 

completed but the stats show that 

late evening is very much a peak 

time for booking interest and a 

point when consumers, having 

had discussions with friends and 

family, make their final purchase. 

It’s important to be able to take a 

booking at that time. 

TIPS FOR CAPITALISING 

ON EVENING INTEREST 

› Ensure online booking is 

prominent: Use an online 

booking system and ensure 

your booking button or calendar 

is in a prominent position on 

your website. Add calling hours 

(such as “from 9am–6pm”) next 

to your telephone number if 

applicable and prompt people to 

make bookings on your website 

outside of those hours. 

› Target social media for peak 

hours: Schedule your important 

social media posts and tweets 

outside of daily working hours 

(such as during lunch breaks 

or after 6pm) to maximise their 

exposure and hit customers 

with your message at the most 

relevant time. 

› Integrate your systems to 

avoid double bookings: Use a 

fully integrated booking system, 

like Bedful, to ensure third party 

websites such as AirBnB, Cool 

Camping and Glampingly are all 

connected to safeguard against 

double bookings while you’re 

sleeping. 


Timbertipi a natural choice to 

invest in glamping. 

■ FSC Timbers 

■ Solid wood flooring 

■ Thermafleece insulation 

■ Bronzed double glazing 

■ Log burner 

■ Lambeam construction 

■ Free site survey 

Choose from 5.2 mtr up to 10mtr diameter 

Timbertipi with mezzanine floor from £8999 

Your unique Eco Timbertipi will be hand 

built in the UK to the highest standards 

required to meet all BS standards and 

comes with a 20 year guarantee. The 

structure is built from laminated beams 

and can be finished in a verity of timbers 

to suit. Chose between cedar shingle 

roofing tiles or 100% recycled durable 

plastic slate guaranteed to last 50 years. 

TimberTipi l Unit 1 l Boundary Farm l East Cottingwith l York l YO42 4TA 

Email hello@timbertipi.com l Contact 07918 654609

GLAMPSITES 


Achieving 

Sustainability 

With glamping attracting an ever more 

conscientious crowd, sustainability is an important 

requirement for providers 

Wagtail Farm 

Description: Smallholding supplying 

salad and meat products to local markets 

Product: Seasonal worker 

accommodation 

Company: Wild Hart (formally Classic Pod 

Company) 

Telephone: 07971 869058 

Website: www.wild-hart.co.uk 

Details: Wild Hart created a small, well 

insulated cabin manufactured with 

timber from a local sawmill for the 

owners of Wagtail Farm. It is used as 

accommodation for seasonal workers 

sourced through WWOOF, a worldwide 

movement linking volunteers with 

organic farmers and growers to promote 

cultural and educational experiences 

based on trust and non-monetary 

exchange (www.wwoof.org.uk). This 

allowed the smallholding to accept 

workers, in particular family groups, for 

several months of the year to help with 

farm duties. 

With beautiful features, waney edge 

cedar cladding and a tin roof to echo 

the rain, it has space for a double bed 

and single bunk, a seating area around 

a small stove, and a covered veranda 

with bespoke sink. The timbers used 

are naturally durable and sustainably 

sourced, and don’t 

require any treatment. This 

was important for a smallholding with an 

organic stance. 

The Classic Pod Company has 

rebranded and become Wild Hart. Set up 

in 2016 by designer/maker Nick Sneller, 

the company was originally formed to 

design and manufacture cabins and 

pods but has since incorporated other 

products. Wild Hart Cabins, Playscapes, 

Gardens and Home Furniture. 

“Children thrive in the natural world”, 

we all do; that’s why Wild Hart is all about 

nature, escaping to a country cabin, 

exploring wild places, learning through 

natural play, or having beautiful wooden 

furniture at home. 

Feedback: The clients were able to 

work alongside Wild Hart to design 

and develop the cabin to their vision. 

It was built as a project with WWOOF 

volunteers as a learning opportunity, 

and many tasks were experienced by a 

number of workers staying at the farm 

over three months. Their interaction 

and enthusiasm enabled them to learn 

new skills, each worker also added their 

own creativity to the project by making 

decorative mushrooms from timber 

off-cuts. The clients were hugely satisfied 

and have referred Wild Hart to other 

customers. 

GETTY IMAGES 

Somerset Glampsite 

Description: Luxury off-grid glamping in 

a variety of structures in the south west of 

England 

Product: EasyGrid 3000 

Company: Energy Solutions 

Telephone: 01634 290772 

Website: www.energy-solutions.co.uk 

Details: A strong theme from last year’s 

Glamping Show was the desire of rural 

glamping sites to deliver enhanced amenities 

to their guests, ensuring visitors' stays are 

unique and comfortable. But how to get 

power to those remote facilities? Well, you 

need a power system that delivers on many 

levels including lower carbon emissions, 

quiet running, cost efficiency and durability. A 

glampsite in Somerset ticked all those boxes 

with their purchase of an EasyGrid 3000 at the 

show in 2016. 

The EasyGrid unit connects to solar arrays 

but also has a connection for a generator. It 

utilises energy from the sun to charge a battery 

where energy is stored until needed. The array 

then tops up the battery as the power is used. 

Each accommodation has its own solar 

power source providing plenty of light inside 

as well as a means of charging phones if 

required, although guests are encouraged to 

undergo a digital detox during their stay! 

Feedback: The owner said: "It was clear 

our guests wanted a more rural experience 

and EasyGrid was the 

perfect solution for 

providing power for our 

environmentally friendly 

site in rural Somerset. 

EasyGrid allows us to 

provide accommodation 

deep in the heart of our 

wood where the mains 

can't reach but without the 

downside of solar power 

alone." 


95 Watermill 

Description: 95 Watermill is a luxury, hand built 

shepherd hut providing a magical, romantic hideaway. 

Nestled in its own secluded garden, near some of the 

most breathtaking beaches on the Isles of Scilly, 95 

Watermill offers total luxury with minimal impact on its 

special environment, taking glamping to another level 

Product: A turnkey hut in oak cladding 

Company: Blackdown Shepherd Huts 

Telephone: 01460 929774 

Website: www.blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Details: This shepherd’s hut in a quiet garden adds 

to the sense of total escape, as you cross the stream 

on a ladder bridge to its private space overlooking a 

plantation of Christmas trees. The hut, just like the 

islands themselves, invites you to live outdoors, with a 

hammock and seating round the fire bowl perfect for 

afternoon naps and stargazing after a day of exploring. 

Inside, a double bed, gas hobs and a modern en-suite 

bathroom complete the perfect blend of comfort and 

wilderness. 

The hut is off-grid, using solar panels and LPG 

gas. The tap water is safe to drink and the owners 

encourage guests to ‘Refill Scilly’ to minimise use of 

single use plastics. All food products supplied are 

Fairtrade. The cleaning products are Ecover, the loo 

roll is from Who Gives a Crap, and when available vine 

cuttings are provided for outdoor fires from the local 

vineyard. 

Feedback: “Working with Blackdown has been a 

total delight. It’s their thoughtful attention to detail 

that we love - sheep’s wool insulation, a handmade 

mattress, Belfast sink, wood burner, solid oak furniture, 

the hamper filled with Somerset goodies - it all just 

oozes quality, care and passion. They also rose to the 

challenge of getting the hut to the Isles of Scilly, 28 

miles off the coast of Cornwall! They are a friendly team 

who love what they do - basically they approach their 

business the same way we do - surprise and delight 

your customers with minimal impact on the planet.” 

Nether Farm in the 

Derbyshire Dales 

National Park 

Description: A rural diversification 

project in the form of three 

roundhouses with integral 

bathrooms to provide luxury 

glamping accommodation 

Product: Three en-suite 5.5m 

diameter roundhouses 

Company: Rotunda Roundhouses 

Telephone: 01612 223350 

Website: www.rotunda.co.uk 

Details: Nether Farm is located 

in a National Park and its owners 

were told it was unlikely they 

would receive planning unless they 

met the criteria for sustainable 

development. With structures 

designed in line with the three 

dimensions of sustainability, 

Rotunda Roundhouses were 

selected as the most desirable 

accommodation for the site. 

Rotunda is one of the only firms 

in the UK that sources 100% 

British timber for construction The 

buildings were also locally crafted 

and clad in locally felled Larch. 

In accordance with the Good 

Practice Guide for Tourism, 

consideration was given to the 

three key planning issues for 

tourism developments: Where the 

development was located, how the 

structures were designed, and how 

they fitted into their surroundings. 

Due to their shape, roundhouses 

have less surface area than 

their rectilinear counterparts 

and require approximately 30% 

fewer resources to construct 

(for the same amount of floor 

area). They're also more energy 

efficient than most other glamping 

structures due to the level of 

insulation (built to Building 

Regulations standards as opposed 

to caravan code) and excellent 

thermal dynamics. 

Feedback: Owner, Pam Brown, 

said: “Our three Rotunda 

roundhouses are aesthetically 

very beautiful, environmentally 

sustainable, incredibly spacious, 

and nestle perfectly within our 

rural Derbyshire valley. As each of 

our buildings were constructed, the 

roundhouse designs evolved and 

developed and the Rotunda Team 

ensured the buildings more than 

met our exacting needs.” 


PURPOSE & PERFECTION 

IN GLAMPING 

Anthropods is a new, high quality, futuristic, yet practical 

solution to stylish and fun out-of-door accommodation, 

combining all-year comfort and every amenity required of the 

owner/operator/end user. Anthropods’ unique leg design enables 

positioning on uneven ground with minimal ground work. 

Available in 5.3 metre or 7.2 metre length sizes with configurations 

of 2/4/6 berths either with on or off-grid power options. There’s 

a host of bespoke fit-outs including shower/toilet/basin, wood 

burning stove, cooker with hob and fridge. 

Prices start from £16,500 + vat. 

info@anthropods.co.uk or telephone 07860 420763 

Anthropods & Co Ltd, Jubilee Court, Copgrove, North Yorkshire HG3 3TB 

A FRESH NEW PERSPECTIVE ON GLAMPING AND MICRO-DWELLINGS 

anthropods_uk 

01823 461638 info@ashwoodshepherdhuts.co.uk www.ashwoodshepherdhuts.co.uk 


GLAMPSITES 

The West Field Glamping Site 

Description: A glampsite looking to 

create a sustainable off-grid system for a 

yurt, with the idea to expand the site as 

the business grows 

Product: We helped work out the 

daily energy use of this glampsite and 

provided options for systems that 

would power appliances with solar for 

sustainable recharge 

Company: Portable Power Technology 

Telephone: 01474 761051 

Website: www.portablepowertech.com 

Details: Our customer wanted to run 

a fridge/freezer, lighting and a USB 

charging point via an inverter, battery 

and solar system. 

One of the main issues was that the 

site was north facing and would not 

attract much light during the winter 

months therefore reducing the capability 

of a solar array substantially. We 

spoke at length with the customer and 

discussed the various plans of action to 

keep her glamping site running yearround. 

The options included having a larger 

than necessary battery bank for the 

summer to recharge and store the energy 

to be readily available throughout the 

winter, finding a feasible way to remove 

the batteries off the site once they were 

low and recharging via mains power, or 

having a back up generator on site to 

recharge the batteries as needed. 

We pointed our customer in the 

direction of low wattage appliances and 

lighting solutions in order to get the 

best possible usage out of the provided 

system. Once she had decided on her 

appliances and back up charging options 

we provided a quote for a complete, yearround 

system. 

Our systems are always expandable 

and we are at the end of 

the phone to help you get 

the best out of your offgrid 

application. 

Feedback: “I approached PPT for 

power for my off-grid glamping site. The 

support, options, information and advice 

I received was exceptional. I will use them 

when I expand my site next season and 

recommend them to anyone!” 

Cawkeld Farm 

Description: Family run 

working farm, located near 

Driffield, East Yorkshire. 

Currently looking into 

diversification, with a view 

to adding two glamping 

lodges just off the Minster 

Way footpath route 

Units: Family Wheat Lodge 

and Couples Oat Lodge 

Company: Sam Atkinson 

Telephone: 07872 012 901 

Website: 

www.sacarpentry.co.uk 

Details: We worked with 

the family at Cawkeld 

Farm to create two unique 

straw bale lodges that 

would be energy efficient 

and blend in with their 

environment. The owners 

were really keen to offer 

a bespoke look and a high 

finish throughout, to appeal to 

those holidaymakers who wanted 

luxury accommodation. 

The pods are insulated with straw 

bales, so require very little heating 

ensuring they are usable all year 

round, and are extremely cost 

efficient. Inside, the lodges provide 

spacious accommodation, which 

includes a double bed, table, and 

large kitchen area. The en-suite 

facilities include a shower, toilet and 

basin. 

Feedback: “Sam and his team have 

been really helpful throughout 

the design and planning stages, 

providing everything we needed for 

our new glamping lodges. We will 

get the finished lodges delivered to 

our site, which will give us a faster 

installation time so we can take 

bookings quicker, with minimal 

disruption beforehand. 

“Our lodges are to be sited 

in an area of woodland so we 

wanted something that would fit 

with the surroundings. The lodges 

will be clad in Douglas fir timber 

so will straight away blend into the 

surroundings, making them a natural 

addition to the site. From visiting other 

straw bale buildings Sam has built in the 

area and viewing the high standard of finish 

and attention to detail we had no doubt in 

ordering from him." 


CREATE A UNIQUE 

ATMOSPHERE! 

Find your inspiration 

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Celtic Escapes at Noble Court 

20th – 22nd 

September 2018 

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www.theglampingshow.com

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GLAMPSITES 

SUPPLIER PROFILE 

Plain Huts 

We talk to designer Cath Caesar about her 

contemporary take on the classic shepherd’s hut, 

designing for maximum space and light, and her 

new off-grid offering 

Plain Huts 

www.plainhuts.co.uk 

cathcaesar@talktalk.net 

07903 313922 

WHAT DO YOU DO? 

We design and make contemporary 

shepherd’s huts and shepherd’s hut 

kits. The huts provide the perfect 

accommodation for those looking for 

a vacation with character and modern 

convenience. 

WHY DO YOU DO IT SO WELL? 

Here at Plain Huts we love tradition but 

also love good design. We have kept all 

that is good about the shepherd’s hut, 

investing in casting our own cast iron 

wheels and using the traditional curved 

corrugated iron roof, for example; while 

improving on other areas that really do 

not ‘cut the mustard’ in today’s society, 

such as letting in more light, and creating 

more space. 

PLEASE GIVE US A POTTED COMPANY 

HISTORY 

I founded Plain Huts in 2012 having been 

inspired by the old shepherd’s huts on a 

nearby farmer’s land. I had 

been developing my own property using 

galvanised steel and cedar, and the idea 

of updating an old traditional design 

with these materials was born. Over six 

years the company has grown steadily, 

supplying kits, glamping units and 

bespoke huts. 

DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND PROPOSITION 

We aim to design modern contemporary 

spaces that work well for the customer. In 

the case of our glamping huts we provide 

a space that is comfortable to stay in and 

encourages guests to use the hut as a 

base for their holiday. We pride ourselves 

on considering carefully how the space 

will be used and designing accordingly. 

HERO PRODUCT 

For the glamping market the Romney is 

the most popular size. It is 5m long and 

2.4m wide. This gives enough room for 

an en-suite, kitchen facilities and double 

bed. It can be powered using an electric 

hook up or we can fit solar panels to the 

roof making it an off-grid solution. 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? 

Our new Off-Grid hut. Last winter we 

decided to build an off-grid shepherd’s 

hut. The challenge was to build an off-grid 

hut that incorporated all the signature 

elements of a Plain Hut, the only service 

allowed was a supply of cold running 

water. The finished hut has achieved just 

that and is, in our opinion, the perfect 

balance of traditional and contemporary. 

At the centre of the kitchen is a wood 

burning stove with a large flat top and 

an oven. On either side there are oak 

worktops and storage. Above the sink is 

a classic but practical plate rack and on 

the other side we have incorporated a gas 

hob for those times when you just need a 

quick cuppa. 

We really wanted to install one of our 

signature en-suite wet rooms. To achieve 

this we have developed a compost 

toilet that is able to sit alongside the 

thermostatically controlled shower. 

The water for the shower is heated by 

LPG. The compost toilet is simple and 

convenient to set up and use. At first 

glance you wouldn’t know that this is an 

off-grid wet room. 

On top of this there are the flexible solar 

panels on the roof, the storage area at the 

back, the integral blinds in the doors, and 

the rain chain above the platform. 

WHY SHOULD A CUSTOMER GET IN 

TOUCH? 

We love what we do and are keen to work 

with our customers to make their ideas 

into reality. Since starting our business 

we have built 25 shepherd’s huts for our 

customers. Because we build bespoke 

our knowledge continues to grow and we 

stay energised and enthusiastic. Our huts 

combine craftsmanship and innovation, 

and there is nothing else quite like them 

on the market. 


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BRINGING 

EVENTS TO LIFE 

Vicar's Picnic 2018: 10m x 8m saddle 

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TVTCo Advert_Layout 1 28/08/2018 3:48pm Page 3 

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As one of the world’s fastest growing travel trends, the popularity of 

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EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

The Contemporary 

Craft Festival 

No ordinary craft fair, this on-trend festival event in 

Bovey Tracey, Devon, brings over £1m to the local 

economy and is 250% oversubscribed for stall holders! 

By applying best practice in financing, volunteer management, community engagement 

and festival trends, this west country craft festival is rivalling major London events. We 

talk to founder Sarah James about how she has grown her award winning Contemporary 

Craft Festival to attract over 10,000 people a year. 

Describe your event and how 

many people it attracts 

We organise high-end craft 

events. Our largest event, The 

Contemporary Craft Festival, 

attracts over 10,000 visitors to 

the small town of Bovey Tracey 

in Devon. We also run events in 

Cardiff and Cheltenham. The 

festival represents 200 of the UK’s 

finest contemporary craft makers 

selling directly to the public. We are 

currently Festival of the Year and 

the winner of Winners at South West 

Tourism Awards 2018. We have also 

won Festival of the Year for Visit 

Devon three times. 

Explain a bit about your venue 

and its history 

The Contemporary Craft Festival is 

held in beautiful Mill Marsh Park in 

the centre of Bovey Tracey on the 

edge of Dartmoor in Devon. 

What is the event’s history and 

what made you decide to run it? 

The Contemporary Craft Festival 

came about in 2003 when three 

Bovey Tracey craft businesses 

joined forces and formed a nonprofit 

making company with the 

aim to bring a large craft fair to the 

area. For the first three years, the 

fair was supported by European 

LEADER funding and aimed to 

showcase the very best in British 

craft, create a new, sustainable 

and strong marketplace for 

contemporary craft and bring 

greater prosperity to the town. 

Bovey Tracey has a long history of 

making and at one point up to 15 

commercial potteries were running 

in the area. I was initially appointed 

as the project manager in 2003 

and made a company director in 

2004. I have a degree in ceramics, 

was a former potter and am very 

passionate about contemporary 

craft. I wanted to create an event 

that could combine my intense 

interest in craft and, as a mother of 

two very young children, an event 

that welcomed families too. I was 

told that the combination wouldn’t 

work… 

Since the event was founded, a 

variety of craft based businesses 

have flourished in the town, 

strengthened by the year round 

presence of the Devon Guild of 

Craftsmen, which is also based 

here. The three day event generates 

over £1million for the local 

economy. 


EVENTS 

How does the relationship work 

with the venue you hold the 

event at? 

The venue, Mill Marsh Park, is owned 

by Bovey Tracey Town Council and 

we’ve worked happily together since 

the first event in 2004. The event has 

grown from 2,000 attendees to over 

10,000, and it has been developed 

in partnership with a great variety of 

organisations from local authorities 

including Devon Council and Bovey 

Tracey Town Council, government 

agencies including Craft Council, 

Arts Council of England, Dartmoor 

National Park and the Met Office, 

higher education establishments 

including Plymouth College of 

Art, local museums in Exeter and 

Plymouth and with the Devon Guild 

of Craftsmen. 

We have support from a range 

of companies through sponsorship 

including NatWest, Mercedes 

Benz, Bovey Castle, Potclays, 

madebyhandonline.com, WBW 

Solicitors, Devon Contract Waste, 

Western Event Hire, Plymouth Gin 

and Fever Tree. 

Did you have to make any 

compromises to satisfy the local 

authority? 

We have to apply for permission to 

use the park every year, though the 

relationship is very good and the 

council is happy to have the event 

in the town. Though music is played 

in our Street Food Area, we are 

“THOUGH 

MUSIC IS 

PLAYED IN 

OUR STREET 

FOOD AREA, 

WE ARE NOT 

A MUSIC 

FESTIVAL, 

AND OUR 

LOCAL 

AUTHORITY 

DOES NOT 

STIPULATE 

THAT WE 

NEED AN 

ENTER- 

TAINMENTS 

LICENCE” 

not a music festival, and our local 

authority does not stipulate that we 

need an entertainments licence. 

We have to obtain a Temporary 

Events Notice to serve alcohol 

and submit our plans and risk 

assessments to the Safety Advisory 

Group for assessment at Teignbridge 

District Council. The event is held 

during the daytime hours, closing 

at 5pm, so has minimal noise 

disruption. 

How have you planned the layout 

of the event and what structures 

do you use? 

Mill Marsh Park is incredibly flat 

and has excellent drainage, which 

is very helpful in setting up an 

outside event. We use the software 

provided by our marquee hire 

company, Devon Marquees, to plot 

the event in the park. We hire a 

range of structures to create variety, 

utilising a combination of very strong 

aluminium framed marquees to 

create height, presence and the best 

weather protection. 

We locate all the craft stands in 

the biggest marquees. We also use 

a range of traditional tents to add a 

vintage feel. We add features in yurts, 

teepees and moveable vehicles, like 

our Craft Cinema, which is presented 

in an original 1967 Bedford Bus, to 

add atmosphere and animation. We 

dress the site with props and bunting 

from Prop Factory and a range of site 

specific craftworks that are created 

for the event. 

How did you research and source 

your marquees, flooring, bars etc? 

We’ve been using Devon Marquees 

for a number of years and have 

followed a key member of staff as 

he’s moved from one company to 

the next. Good relationships are 

very important! Devon Marquees 

has a very large stock of aluminium 

framed and traditional tents. 

We prefer to work with companies 

that are as geographically close 

to us as possible and prefer 

recommendations. We work with 

Yurts for Life and World Inspired 

Tents for yurts and teepees. 

We use temporary road and 

pedestrian surfaces from Marwood 

and I research using various means 

including visiting events, of all sizes 

for inspiration. I have also found 

that Twitter and Instagram have 

given me lots of ideas. 

What entertainment do you offer 

and how did you choose and 

source it? 

The Craft Festival features over 

200 makers and an additional 

25 stands of craft suppliers and 

demonstrators. An independent 

panel chooses the 200 makers, who 

have to apply each year with six 

pictures. We are oversubscribed by 

at least 250% every year. 

We focus on craft as a theme 

throughout the event and we have 

a full range of craft workshops for 

adults, a huge children’s craft tent, 

and a teen craft area called The Den.

EVENTS 

Craft demonstrations are scattered 

throughout the event and our Craft 

Cinema shows short films about craft 

throughout the weekend. 

We host live music from a range of 

local performers. They are sourced 

from either personal experience 

or recommendations, usually 

contemporary folk, acoustic duos, 

Latin and jazz. The music is laid back 

and to add atmosphere. Recently we 

also added free, early morning yoga 

in the park for exhibitors and anyone 

who wants to attend. Music events 

pop up in the evenings in various 

locations around Bovey Tracey. 

What provisions do you make for 

power, lights and sound? 

We work closely with all our 

contractors and have worked with 

most of ours since the very beginning. 

Power is provided by generators from 

Aggreko, Lights are provided by START 

Lighting, PA systems by Showbitz and 

radios by PAS Communications. 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

We pride ourselves on making the 

craft festival as friendly as possible. 

We have around 70 volunteers 

“ABOUT 40% 

OF TICKETS 

ARE BOUGHT 

IN ADVANCE 

BUT THE 

MAJORITY 

OF SALES 

ARE MADE 

ON THE 

DAY, SO WE 

HAVE A VERY 

LARGE TEAM 

ON HAND 

TO BRING 

IN PEOPLE 

QUICKLY AND 

SAFELY” 

that help run the event which is 

supplemented by a security team 

from 3D Security that manages 

income protection and patrols the 

event. 

The volunteers work as stewards 

and box office staff. About 40% of 

tickets are bought in advance but 

the majority of sales are made on 

the day, so we have a very large 

team on hand to bring in people 

quickly and safely. We train our 

volunteers, working with David 

Dann, who was part of the team 

that developed the training for 

the Games Makers at the London 

2012 Olympics. We introduced the 

training about four years ago and it’s 

made a fundamental difference to 

volunteer satisfaction and retention. 

We empower the volunteers to be 

‘ambassadors of the craft festival’ 

and help us to fulfil our aim of being 

the friendliest festival ever! 

Only Blue Badges and people 

needing assistance can park on Mill 

Marsh Park. Our main car park is 

within walking distance and both 

areas are marshalled by our traffic 

team, and we provide a free park and 

ride service from our car park to the 

event. 

What ground protection do you 

use for cars and footfall? 

We use Marwood matting for cars 

and pedestrians. 

How do you publicise the event? 

Our marketing campaign covers a 

variety of bases. We send regular 

e-newsletters, we focus on 

Facebook and Instagram, with less 

emphasis on Twitter these days. 

We produce 100,000 flyers and 

1,000 posters and distribute across 

the region and to arts centres 

much further afield throughout 

the South West, Midlands and 

South Wales. We also use AA 

traffic management signage and 

roadside banners. 

I do talks to students at various 

universities and we run marketing 

courses for makers throughout 

the year. We also visit similar 

events in non-competitive areas to 

promote our events and have good 

relationships with key craft events 

in Manchester and London. Cross 

marketing and competitions are 

an important part of our marketing 

strategy. It helps that we live and 

breathe what we do. 


EVENTS 


The weather! The weather is our 

biggest annual challenge. We’ve 

had blistering heat, torrential rain, 

high winds and gloriously dry, not 

too sunny i.e. perfect conditions. 

We’re very lucky that we have a 

very hardy and loyal customer 

base, so the weather doesn’t seem 

to put people off, but dry years are 

considerably easier to manage, 

much safer for everyone involved 

and the damage to the ground is 

minimal. 

We work closely with the town 

council and, in wet years, have the 

park rolled and re-seeded after the 

event. Mill Marsh Park is incredibly 

resilient and drains very well so it 

bounces back quickly. Dry years are 

the best! 

Like with all small towns, 

not everyone appreciates any 

disruption or change to their 

routine. The Craft Festival has 

become sufficiently large that it 

can’t be ignored for a few days a 

year. The vast majority of residents 

appreciate what we are trying to 

do but we can’t please everyone. 

I have the greatest respect for the 

fact that the event does impact 

the town and we respond to all 

feedback. We also give discounts to 

locals through a voucher scheme 

in our local advertiser and give free 

tickets to residents who are directly 

inconvenienced by the event. 

The obvious money worries in the 

early years were very challenging, 

but general guts and determination 

got us through. The company has 

expanded very slowly but we now 

organise four events and employ 

four people. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

wanted to be free of major funding 

as soon as possible. 

It took around seven years to be 

in a stable position where there 

was high demand from visitors and 

exhibitors. Now, we usually make a 

small surplus each year, and as we 

are non-profit, we give a proportion 

of our surplus to local charities and 

anything else goes back into the pot 

to make the event better next year. 

What are your plans for 2019? 

We want to do more in Bovey 

Tracey throughout the year and we 

are developing more experiential 

activities for children and adults to 

enjoy at the festival. While the key 

element of the festival is selling craft 

to an appreciative audience, handson 

experiences are a growth area in 

festivals. We already do a lot, but we 

want to do more. 

What other outdoor events do 

you run? 

Made by Hand Cardiff, Made by Hand 

Cheltenham, and Nourish Festival - a 

food event also in Bovey Tracey. 



industry? 

Working in partnership has been 

an important part of growing our 

business. Building relationships 

is so important, so go to trade 

events and meet as many people as 

possible. 

Be friendly and help people 

along the way. I meet and greet 

every stand holder at my events, 

it may only be a quick handshake 

if they are busy but for some it is a 

daunting experience and a friendly 

hello goes such a long way. Not 

many organisers do this and it takes 

most of the weekend to say hello 

to everyone once! But it’s built an 

incredible amount of loyalty and 

made The Craft Festival one of the 

most-loved and best craft events 

in the UK, with sales that outstrip 

events in London. 

How have you financed the event 

and how profitable is it? 

We are a non-profit making 

company and we raise funds by 

selling stands and tickets to the 

event. 

In the early years we relied on 

funding; for the first three years 

from LEADER Plus which was 

also supplemented by additional 

funding from Arts Council of 

England, Dartmoor National Park, 

Ernest Cook Trust and Devon 

Foundation. In the last eight 

years we have worked more in 

partnership with organisations 

to help run the event and we rely 

on less than 4% of turnover on 

sponsorship and funding. We 

MARQUEES 

Devon Marquees 

www.devonmarquee.co.uk 

YURTS & TIPIS 

Yurts for Life 

www.yurtsforlife.com 

World Inspired Tents 

www.worldinspiredtents.co.uk 

SHELL SCHEME 

Intershell 

www.theintershellgroup.co.uk 

FURNITURE 

Western Event Hire 

www.westerneventhire.co.uk 

DECOR 

The Prop Factory 

www.propfactory.co.uk 

LIGHTING 

Start Lighting 01841 541441 

PA 

Showbitz 

www.showbitz.co.uk 

RADIOS 

PAS Communication 

www.pas-communications.co.uk 

HERAS FENCING 

FS Fencing www.tfsfencing.com 

HEAT & POWER 

Aggreko www.aggreko.com 

MEDICAL SERVICES 

EMS Medical www.devonems.org 

BARS & CATERING 

Lemon Jelli Events 

www.lemonjellievents.co.uk 

FLOORING 

Devon Marquees 

www.devonmarquee.co.uk 

GROUND PROTECTION 

Marwood Group 

www.marwoodgroup.co.uk 

WC FACILITIES 

Event Hire Solutions 

www.eventhiresolutions.co.uk 

TICKETING 

TicketSource 

www.ticketsource.co.uk 

VISITOR MANAGEMENT 

3D Security www.3dsecurity.org.uk 

INSURANCE 

WPS Insurance 

www.wpsinsurance.co.uk 

DETAILS 

The Contemporary Craft Festival 

7-9 June 2019 

Mill Marsh Park 

Bovey Tracey, Devon 

www.craftsatboveytracey.co.uk 


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EVENTS 

CSR 

Strategy 

In the final part of this series on corporate social 

responsibility (CSR) at events, Event Insurance provides 

top tips from its white paper on CSR strategies 

WHILE CORPORATE social responsibility (CSR) is not a 

new concept, many outdoor events struggle to get a CSR 

strategy off the ground. This is sometimes due to a lack 

of direction or information, so here are five top tips for 

implementing CSR within your festival or outdoor event, 

and how you can make it a success. 

1 

ASSIGN A BUDGET 

FOR CSR ACTIVITIES 

You will struggle to have a successful CSR campaign 

without spending any money, so when planning 

your budgets you should always set something 

aside specifically for CSR activities. 

Try to have an idea of what it is you want to 

achieve through your CSR activities and this will 

help you decide how much of a budget you need to 

assign. 

Remember that CSR can be an investment if 

implemented correctly, and while it is not used 

to generate profit, it has many benefits that can 

improve your bottom line. 

ALIGN YOUR CSR 

2 STRATEGY WITH 

YOUR COMPANY 

VALUES 

Most businesses have a clear 

set of values which they live by. 

These values help to define the 

personality of the brand and give 

everyone involved an idea of the 

way the business likes to operate. 

When creating a CSR strategy, it’s 

important to take these values into 

consideration and ensure that your 

approach to CSR aligns well with 

your values. For example, if one of 

your core values is to be respectful, 

your CSR strategy may include a 

clean-up of the local community 

after your event in order to show 

respect to your neighbours. 

CHOOSE A KEY 

3 AREA TO FOCUS 

ON 

Depending on the nature of your 

event, be it a music festival, 

beer festival, food festival or any 

other, there may be a specific 

area of CSR you feel it would be 

most appropriate to concentrate 

on. 

For example, if your music 

festival directly impacts the 

local community through noise 

pollution and traffic congestion, 


EVENTS 

NEXT STEPS 

you may want to consider 

concentrating your CSR efforts on 

improving relationships with the 

local community. 

If you run a beer festival which 

uses a large amount of plastic 

cups, you may want to focus 

on an environmentally friendly 

recycling campaign. Decide what 

is most important to you and your 

audience and concentrate on that 

instead of trying to cover every 

angle. 

GETTY IMAGES 

4 ENCOURAGE 

INVOLVEMENT 

FROM ALL STAFF 

The only way to ensure your CSR 

strategy is a true success is to 

educate all staff members, from 

the top to the bottom, and to 

encourage their involvement. 

Your staff members represent 

your event’s brand and if they 

are not on board with your 

CSR activities, your chances of 

success are much lower. Training 

staff on the reasons why you 

are using CSR and getting them 

to partake in activities will help 

to get them on board and will 

encourage positive growth of 

your strategy. 

PROMOTE YOUR 

5 CSR ACTIVITIES 

Although CSR is not implemented 

purely for public approval, it is 

certainly something to shout about. 

Let your audience and critics know 

what you are doing to improve your 

impact on the planet and use those 

activities to draw attention to your 

event. 

Festival go-ers are traditionally 

eco-friendly and community 

minded, therefore releasing details 

of your CSR activities will ensure 

your brand resonates with the 

audience well. Your event's website 

is the ideal place to promote these, 

as well as on partner sites. 

GETTY GETTY IMAGES 

Taking influence from the most 

successful events will help take 

yours to the next level. 

Appealing to all stakeholders 

and their needs, wants and values 

ensures that their interest in your 

event continues to grow, which 

in turn encourages growth and 

development of the event itself. If 

you aren’t already participating in 

socially responsible behaviour, it 

might be time to start considering 

it. 

A great starting point is to do indepth 

research, particularly when 

it comes to your audience. There 

is no point in blindly attempting 

to take action in order to impress; 

you need to know what matters 

to them and where the most 

negative impacts of your event are 

perceived, and rectify them. 

You also need to know what 

your objectives are. Setting key 

performance indicators (KPIs) 

will keep your strategy on track. 

Perhaps you want to recycle 50% 

of all waste at your festival, or you 

aim to get a local building rebuilt 

or renovated in a certain time 

period. 

These objectives will give your 

strategy direction. Whatever you 

decide, your event does have 

a responsibility to rectify any 

negative impact and maximise 

the positive impacts it has on the 

world. 


Event Insurance Services was established 

in 1996 to provide affordable, reliable 

insurance for all scales of events. 

The team works with companies and 

individuals across the full spectrum of 

events, as well as supporting a broker 

network of over 2,500 brokers and 450 

of the country’s top venues and hotels. 

www.events-insurance.co.uk 


EVENTS 

GETTY IMAGES 

Event 

Sponsorship 

Eventbrite presents advice from Nicola Lloyd, head of event 

marketing for Pearson Frank, on how to attract event sponsors 

IT FEELS like almost stating the obvious, but 

securing sponsorship for your events can be 

the difference between generating income 

and making a loss. It is also fair to say that 

sponsorship can be the difference from your 

event idea sitting on your hard drive and it 

actually going ahead in the first place. 

On the flip side, as a sponsor, it’s a great 

opportunity to get your brand visible in front 

of hundreds or thousands of your target 

audience, which can lead to new leads and a 

sizeable profit for your business. 

With so much on the line, making the right 

impression to potential first time sponsors 

for your event is crucial. So once you’ve got 

a great idea for an event that’s unique and 

interesting, it’s time to try and attract some 

support to bring it to fruition. 

Nicola Lloyd, head of event management 

marketing at Pearson Frank, is here to pass 

over knowledge that she has picked up over 

the years. 

GIVE SPONSORS 

1 THE INFORMATION 

THEY NEED TO MAKE AN 

INFORMED DECISION 

It’s all well and good if you have an idea 

of who your attendees are, but sponsors 

are equally keen to find out that 

information. You need to let prospective 

sponsors know who is likely to attend 

- age-range, gender, occupation, 

interests, etc. This is important for two 

reasons: 

› Firstly, sponsors need to know that 

if they are going to invest money 

into your event, the people that they 

want to attract to their business are 

attending 

› Secondly, sponsors can often use their 

own lead generation tactics to attract 

more attendees to ensure they receive 

a significant return on investment. 

The easiest way to gather this data is 

by collecting it at the point of purchase; if 

guests need to register online to attend then 

you can gather a lot of information that way. 

Once you have all of this information at your 

disposal, you can pull together a customer 

profile to demonstrate to sponsors who 

will be attending and how they can convert 

attendees into customers (obviously watch 

out for GDPR compliance). 

In your initial proposal, you should also 

cover all of the ‘obvious’ information. What 

will be the name of your event? When is 

it? How long will it last? Is it a one-off or 

a repeating event? Where will it be held? 

The location is especially important for 

potential sponsors. If attending, they need 

to know if their staffing capacity allows for 

representatives from the company in that 

area to physically attend without significant 

loss of business. 

USE PREVIOUS EVENT 

2 EXAMPLES AND 

EXPERIENCES WORKING 

WITH SPONSORS 

If you’ve held similar sized events in the 

past you could provide case studies that 

demonstrate to potential sponsors that you 

know what you are doing and can be trusted 

to deliver a high-quality event. 

Try to provide evidence of how sponsoring 

one of your previous events has benefitted 

similar companies in the past, whether 

it be through growth in their customer 

base, increases in social media numbers, 

or positive brand recognition through 

association. If sponsors can see how their 

competitors have benefitted, it’s more likely 

they’ll be interested in investing in your next 

event. 


EVENTS 

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 

3 A STRONG SOCIAL 

PRESENCE 

A quick way that sponsors will gauge the 

potential success of an event held by an 

organisation is by looking at its social 

media accounts. Questions such as: Are 

they connected to their target user base? Do 

their fans and followers engage with their 

content? Does the organisation provide a 

regular stream of content? Can it be trusted 

to get as many people to the event as it says 

it can? Judging companies by their social 

following isn’t by any means fool-proof, but 

it’s a quick and reasonably reliable way to 

make a top line judgement call, so ensure 

your social channels are updated and 

engaging! 

USE VISUAL RESOURCES 

4 TO HELP DRIVE 

NARRATIVE 

They say a picture can speak a thousand 

words, so along with your proposal you 

should try and include some visuals to 

help drive your narrative home and make 

it easier for sponsors to see how they can 

fit into that narrative. Have you got any 

infographics about your attendees? Have 

you got any photos or videos from previous 

events that will help with striking an 

emotive chord with your potential sponsor? 

Another ‘easy win’ is to go to your venue 

and take photos so sponsors can see 

the possible layout and how their brand 

presence might fit in. If you are quite far 

along in your planning, a site plan can 

also be useful for potential sponsors and 

this gives you an opportunity to segment 

different areas of the venue to different 

price points of sponsorship, eg. branding at 

the entrance compared to branding in the 

toilets. 

KNOW WHO TO 

7 CONTACT 

Sending an email to the MD of a company 

might seem like the obvious place to start, 

but in reality, they are hard-pressed with 

their time already and another email to 

them is like a raindrop in the ocean. Try and 

find out who handles the organisation’s 

marketing and communications and send 

them an email. Scour the company website 

or look on LinkedIn for a name to use. It’s 

always best to include a name (even if using 

a generic info@ or hello@ email address) 

as, even if your email doesn’t reach the right 

person at first, it will get forwarded on to the 

right person and has a stronger chance of 

being replied to, positively or negatively. 

Sponsors can be 

your event's angels 

so make sure to 

look after them 

FLEXIBILITY TO CHOOSE A PACKAGE 

5 THAT’S RIGHT FOR THE SPONSOR 

It’s also worth mentioning that the costs of sponsoring events can very quickly add up. 

Alongside the upfront cost, there is also travel and accommodation for staff, employee 

expenses, wages for staff who are attending, printed promotional materials (flyers, business 

cards, pull-up banners, t-shirts, branded merchandise, etc). If you are offering a booth then 

sponsors also need to factor in furniture and decorations to make them stand out. 

Event sponsorship is becoming ever more experiential. Your sponsorship packages 

should reflect that. Try and leave some room in your scheduled events for sponsored 

opportunities such as workshops, product demonstrations or speaking engagements. 

The key is to give your potential sponsors a wide range of opportunities and channels to 

communicate with your attendees through different ways and means. 

WHAT EXTRA INCENTIVES 

6 CAN YOU OFFER YOUR 

SPONSOR? 

As well as outlining your own marketing 

strategy for the event in your initial pitch, 

think about what ‘extras’ you can also offer 

sponsors. You could include partners’ logos 

on your event website, brand mentions 

in all media releases and PR activity, or 

mentions on your social media channels. 

Another thing to mention is if you expect 

press to be in attendance which could lead 

to additional, free exposure for the potential 

sponsor. 

As previously mentioned, the mounting 

costs can be a deterrent to some sponsors. 

Can you help with some of those costs? 

Do you have additional bulk-purchased 

accommodation that the sponsors could 

use? Could you offer discounted printing 

costs? You’re looking to form a partnership 

with your sponsors, something that lasts 

beyond the event, and giving something 

back – no matter how small – will always be 

appreciated. 

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: HELP SPONSORS ESTIMATE 

8 THEIR POTENTIAL LEAD VALUE 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, sponsorship is a numbers game. You can help 

your sponsors along by including the following in your initial proposal: 

› How many people you expect to attend, and how many people have attended in 

previous years (if applicable) 

› How many attendees are specifically relevant to the sponsor – i.e. how many are likely 

to convert into genuine customers 

› The average conversion rate for previous sponsors in the same industry 

› The total cost plus VAT. 

Sponsors might really love the idea of your event but, regardless of its aesthetic appeal, 

the value of the deal needs to stack up in order for them to invest. If they can’t convert 

attendees into customers, the money they commit has no real ROI. If you can’t convince 

sponsors that there is a very real possibility of converting attendees into genuine 

customers then you are going to struggle to attract them. Keep this in mind throughout 

the entire pitching process. › 

GETTY IMAGES 


EVENTS 

Getting 

it Right 

Manage your relationship 

with sponsors with advice 

from Eventbrite 

THE MORE work you put into your 

sponsorship relationships up front, the 

higher the reward for everyone - you, your 

sponsors, and your attendees. 

Without that relationship, you’re left 

scrambling to find new sponsors every time 

you throw a new event. Ready to nurture 

your current festival sponsors and develop 

relationships with new ones? Use these four 

tips to keep them coming back every year. 

1 BE TRANSPARENT FROM 

THE BEGINNING 

When you’re pitching a potential sponsor, 

start with the basics: 

› Are you giving potential sponsors access to 

a local audience? National? Global? 

› How many attendees do you have each 

year? How much money do they spend at 

your event? Remember: brands are buying 

access to your audience, not assets 

› Be clear about your objectives. What 

are you looking for from your sponsors? 

Funding only? Exposure to their 

audiences/stakeholders? A multi-event 

contract? 

› Next, you’ll want to dazzle them with 

details about how you can help them 

achieve their goals. 

2 IMPRESS SPONSORS WITH 

YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION 

Many companies providing sponsorships 

have a limited budget, well defined 

objectives, and a rigid timeline. They’re not 

searching for new sponsorship opportunities 

but they may entertain your proposal if they 

see a fit with their objectives. 

Whether your sponsor would value 

exclusive market research into their target 

customer or an increase in their social media 

reach, you need to make it clear how your 

event can connect sponsors with their target 

audience and help them achieve their goals. 

Before you create your value proposition 

for a sponsor, ask these five questions. Make 

sure the answers are in your pitch, and in 

your follow up emails: 

› What are your sponsor’s key objectives? 

› What do they need to be successful? 

› How will sponsoring your event benefit 

their organisation? 

› How does your event tie to their brand? 

› How does your event tie to their 

marketing objectives? 

3 PROVE YOUR WORTH 

If you can’t deliver on what you promise, 

sponsors will walk out the door. In fact, 

proving your value is the foundation of a 

long-term relationship. Not to mention, 

sponsors talk - so if you damage one 

relationship, you might damage them all. 

After the event, you should compile and 

circulate a report to show sponsors how it 

all went. If you’re not sure where to find the 

right data to populate your report, here are 

three easy ways to get it: 

› Surveys - integrate a few sponsor-related 

questions into your post event survey. For 

example, you might ask people to check 

off which brands they noticed during the 

event. That direct feedback shows how 

sponsors stand out at your event. 

› Social media – this is your ally when it 

comes to proving the ROI of sponsorship. 

You can provide sponsors with 

information on things like how many 

users interacted with sponsor messaging 

on your social feeds, how many new 

followers came directly after mentioning 

a sponsor in a post, and how many times 

you mentioned a sponsor in social posts. 

› Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) 

- if your event is equipped with this 

technology, you can find out things like 

how many people interacted with a 

sponsor’s station. Attendees don’t need 

to manually enter their information on 


Eventbrite is a global ticketing and event technology platform. Event organisers use Eventbrite to boost 

ticket sales, promote and manage events, handle on-site operations, and analyse results across multiple 

sales channels. To learn how you can be your sponsor’s favourite event, get in touch at www.eventbrite. 

co.uk or call 0800 652 4993. 

an iPad, instead sponsors can collect 

that data and more with the swipe of a 

wristband or badge. 

4 CONNECT WITH SPONSORS 

ALL YEAR, NOT JUST AT 

RENEWAL TIME 

Whether your sponsors opted to renew 

early or not, continue nurturing your 

relationships. Regular check-ins will keep 

your event on top of your sponsor’s mind 

during their budgeting process. And it 

doesn’t have to be all about business - send 

a happy birthday message, it may lead to 

more referral opportunities. 

Stay in touch when something isn’t going 

well, not just when things are smoothsailing. 

Sponsorship is a partnership. While it 

may feel counter-intuitive to speak out when 

there’s been a mistake, it’s as important as 

relaying your successes. 

To show you’re committed to a 

partnership with your sponsors, ask for 

feedback. What did they love? Was there 

anything they disliked? What should you do 

more or less of next time? As you discuss, 

use the time to ask more about their goals 

for next year. 

MINI QUIZ: 

Are you a desirable partner? 

If you can answer ‘yes’ to the following 

three questions, congrats - you’re a good 

catch! 

› Authentic: Are you truly invested in your 

relationship with your sponsor? 

› Flexible: Are you ready to pivot your 

strategy to meet your sponsor’s goals? 

› Dedicated: Do you have a contact person 

on your team who sponsors can rely on? 

Finding the right sponsors for your 

event can seem like a fruitless effort - and 

keeping your sponsors year after year 

can feel nearly impossible. However, 

with the right strategy, identifying new 

opportunities and developing those 

relationships become second nature. 


www.core-barandeventhire.com 

 

 

 

 

Event insurance cover, 

come rain or shine 

If you have an important event coming up, we have a policy to keep you, or 

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If you need cancellation cover in excess of £100,000 or if your event is non-UK 

based please contact our Key Account Manager Tracey Ackerman directly. 

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Sandown Park 

26 – 27 September 2018 

Surrey 

GET INSPIRED BY OUTDOOR INNOVATIONS 

TURN UP, JOIN IN AND FESTOUT! 

REGISTER NOW 

festivalandoutdoorshow.co.uk 

@festoutshow

EVENTS 


Visitor Management 

& Ticketing 

The Tullamore Show 

Description: One of Ireland's largest agricultural 

shows, attracting an attendance of over 60,000 

annually 

Product: Online and off-line ticketing software 

Supplier: Future Ticketing 

Telephone: 0579 300590 

Website: www.futureticketing.ie 

London Film Festival 

Description: An annual film festival 

running in the second half of 

October with cooperation from the 

British Film Institute 

Product: Mobile ticket office 

Supplier: Showmobile Services 

Telephone: 0208 441 0813 

Website: www.showmobiles.co.uk 

Details: Showmobiles has 

been delighted to work with 

the organisers of the London 

Film Festival over many years. 

Showmobiles were chosen to 

provide a mobile ticket office which 

was deployed on the pedestrian 

precinct at Leicester Square – right 

at the heart of London’s theatre 

land. 

The units are able to provide 

self-contained outlets for ticketing 

and information services for the 

LFF’s events with a huge branding 

presence while at the centre of an 

extremely well attended tourist 

area. 

The supplied trailers were 

modified to provide both steps 

and easy access ramps up to a 

low-floored ticket office. Further 

optional facilities have included 

on-board power, heating and airconditioning, 

and a selection of 

other creature comforts including 

AV, furniture, galley facilities and a 

range of electrical services. 

A different version was also 

provided at The British Museum 

as a ticket collection point for an 

outdoor cinema event. 

Showmobiles can supply from a 

selection of unit sizes, which range 

from small commentary boxes and 

registration points for smaller local 

events, up to larger expanding HGV 

vehicles which have been used as 

registration centres for travelling 

national events such as the Tour of 

Britain. 

Feedback: Showmobile Services 

supports many varying events with 

a friendly and experienced transport 

team. Whatever your management 

requirements, the team at 

Showmobiles is happy to help. 

Details: In considering a new ticketing solution, 

the Tullamore Show's event committee had a 

range of concerns it wished to address, including 

the hosting of large volumes of cash on-site, long 

queues of customers waiting to purchase tickets 

and gain access, and how best to insulate the 

show from the economic impact of bad weather. 

The biggest challenge was to scan tickets in 

real time across nine entrances on a remote 250 

acre site without internet infrastructure. Future 

Ticketing plugged into the existing show website 

and provided an easy to use pre-show ticketing 

experience in four simple steps. On the day of the 

event, attendees gained access with a printed 

eTicket or via a digital ticket on their smart 

phones. Tickets were scanned live via a mobile 

app and laser scanners, which can also be run 

off 3G mobile phone networks in areas of poor 

internet access. 

Following the introduction of Future Ticketing, 

pre-event sales grew exponentially while the 

amount of cash held on-site on show days 

declined correspondingly. 

Feedback: Freda Kinnarney, secretary of the 

Tullamore Show, said: “We are thrilled with the 

benefits that Future Ticketing has brought to the 

show's ticketing and administration capabilities. 

Pre-sale online purchases grew exponentially 

with very successful early bird promotions, 

producing guaranteed revenues prior to the 

event. We intend to work more closely with 

Future Ticketing for our future shows.” 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

OFF GRID GLAMPING 

Plain Huts 

07903 313922 

www.plainhuts.co.uk 

Customers love to stay in remote 

scenic spots with stunning 

views. Unfortunately these don’t 

often come with an electric hook 

up and mains sewerage! This hut 

from Plain Huts can be placed 

anywhere there is running 

water. It uses solar power for 

the lighting and sockets, gas for 

the thermostatically controlled 

shower and single hob, and 

incorporates one of Plain 

Huts’ own, in-house designed 

compost toilets. 

With the wood burning 

stove, memory foam bed, and 

your stunning location, your 

customers will be coming back 

for more. 

NEW TREE HOUSE DESIGNS 

AT FBI 

New Leaf Tree House Co. 

01403 288470 

www.newleafthc.co.uk (new site 

coming soon) 

New Leaf designs and builds 

beautiful, practical tree houses 

for glamping sites across the 

UK. We are launching two new 

designs at the Farm Business 

Innovation Show this November 

(Stand 3226) – come and have 

a chat and see how we can help 

your business. 

Our lovely tree house 042, which 

sleeps two, has proved very 

popular with its many guests. 

Made from sustainably sourced 

oak, chestnut and Douglas fir, 

with shingle walls of fragrant 

cedar, it features a 3m high 

platform with tented bedroom, 

complete with wood-burning 

stove. Our new website is 

coming soon, but do follow us on 

Instagram for the latest. 

HOT TUBS, SAUNAS AND 

OUTDOOR STRUCTURES 

Naked Flame Eco-Tubs 

01484 766233 

www.nakedtubs.com 

Naked Flame Eco-Tubs returns 

to The Glamping Show 2018 

with fantastic new products 

as well as their much loved 

wood-fired hot tubs and 

saunas. Outdoor structures 

to complement the tubs 

as well as a chill out area, 

outdoor cooking area and even 

accommodation can now be 

supplied in sizes to suit. Owner 

Gareth Edwards says: “We 

have been working on these 

fantastic designs with Garden 

Room Masters (GRM) and we’re 

hugely proud to be able to offer 

them to our customers. GRM 

specialises in a totally bespoke 

CAD design service and the 

no nails, eco package fits in 

perfectly with our existing 

products”. 

DESIGN YOUR OWN CUSTOM DOME 

F.Domes 

+44 20 3695 4246 

www.fdomes.com 

A leading global manufacturer and 

supplier of DIY geodesic dome kits, 

F.Domes offers deluxe outdoor 

lodging at an upscale and ritzy 

standard. Portable, en-suite and 

attractively priced, they are a 

phenomenal choice for landowners, 

estate managers, and holiday 

park, resort, campsite and hotel 

owners to diversify and boost their 

business. 

Design your own custom domes 

using pioneering 3D software to free 

your creativity and choose from 

dozens of colour combinations for 

the membrane, insulation, curtains 

and bathroom module coverings. 

All-year, all-climate and all-weather, 

F.Domes’ glamping structures are 

remarkably stable and exceptionally 

durable; they can be safely used in 

harsh weather conditions, even in 

heavy snowfall and high wind areas. 


GLAMPING BARRELS HIT THE UK 

CampPlus 

01908 538055 

www.glampingbarrel.co.uk 

The Glamping Barrel is 

launching at the Glamping 

Show (Stand 17) courtesy 

of CampPlus. The company 

that manufactures en-suite 

camping and glamping shower 

rooms is now an exclusive 

distributor of the Finkota 

structures, which come in 4.3m 

and 5.9m lengths. Comfortably 

sleeping four, the Barrels have 

wide appeal in Europe, with 

over 600 installed at 150 sites, 

30 at Legoland Denmark and 39 

at Legoland Germany. 

Features include a super king 

bed, pull out table, storage, 

USB sockets, and 12V LED 

lighting for easy use off-grid. 

Optional electrical packages 

and infrared heating are 

available, as are connections to 

CampPlus en-suite pods. 

BOUTIQUE 

ACCOMMODATION 

Airstream Facilities 

01885 400223 

www.airstreamfacilities.com 

If it’s a five star glamping 

experience you’re looking to 

offer then treat yourself to one 

of our luxury Airstreams. We 

provide everything your guests' 

need for a relaxing time - comfy 

beds, private bathrooms, fully 

equipped kitchens, heating 

and air-con, entertainment 

systems and a fridge to keep 

drinks nice and cold! 

Take your pick from our large 

fleet of stylish Airstreams. 

Modern or retro, sleeping 2-5 

per unit, suitable for couples, 

families or friends. We can 

deliver anywhere in the UK, for 

private hire, venues, sporting 

or music events, weddings or 

private parties. 

A TRUSTED MANUFACTURER OF 

BESPOKE HUTS 

Ashwood Shepherd Huts 

01823 461638 

www.ashwoodshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Ashwood Shepherd Huts is an 

established family run business 

whose fundamental goal is to 

build each and every customer a 

bespoke and unique hut tailored 

to their individual requirements. 

Over the years Ashwood has 

organically evolved along with 

the ever-growing glamping 

market to produce shepherd 

huts which encompass the 

romance of the traditional 

structure, but with the added 

luxuries we’ve all come to 

expect with modern living. 

In acknowledgement of our 

innovation and as a trusted 

manufacturer, in the last 

few years we have also been 

commissioned by some of our 

customers to build new and 

exciting structures. 

AWARD WINNING HOT TUBS FROM 

£2,495 

Urban Cedar 

01934 832801 

www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk 

Combing the beauty of a solid 

wood hot tub with the comfort, 

low running costs and ultra low 

maintenance of a modern hot 

tub, our best selling Sport Deep 

hot tub is designed to hold 4-6 

adults and is available with a 

solid cedar or grey permawood 

cabinet. Engineered to last, 

the tub has been designed 

specifically for the holiday 

home market. Featuring a nonslip 

interior, raised seat to make 

entering easier, tamperproof 

jets and a dual control system 

so guests can only operate the 

jets and lights. Installing a hot 

tub will increase occupancy and 

rental income throughout the 

year. 


Classified Directory 

BARKER Marquees 

Fabric Engineering at its Best 

Traditional and 

Modern Marquees, 

Linings and Accessories 

Hand crafted in the UK for over 100 years 

01883 337099 • sales@barkersmarquees.co.uk 

www.barkersmarquees.co.uk 

LEADING LIGHT 

AND POWER 

FOR THE EVENTS 

INDUSTRY 

0345 409 0280 

Avoid a messy 

situation with 

0800 66 88 00 

metrorod.co.uk 

Keeping Things 

Together 

Probably the largest selection of textile fasteners in the UK 

www.opas.co.uk 

Exhibition Trailers • Sale or Hire 

020 8441 0813 • info@showmobiles.co.uk 

www.showmobiles.co.uk 

www.twilight-trees.com 

Luxury Toilet Trailers, Event Loos, 

Themed Toilets, Shower Units & 

Accommodation Hire 

01256 384 134 

www.site-equip.co.uk 

event@site-equip.co.uk 


CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY 

Sewage Treatment Systems 

Electric Free Biomatic Systems 

For all residential, commercial 

and industrial applications 

01295 236101 • info@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 

NIGHT-TIME GLAMPING 

POWERED BY THE SUN 

• Solar powered vintage 

filament–style illumination 

• High efficiency solar panels 

and lithium battery hub 

• Easy to install – 

just plug and play! 

Solar 

TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 

01684 774000 

www.solartechnology.co.uk 

Contemporary cedar 

wood hot tubs from 

£2,495 + VAT 

01934 832 801 

www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk 

® 

Introducing 

the Garden Snug... 

The ideal way to enjoy the outdoors 

come rain or shine 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

t: 01297 639312 m: 07811264240 

e: sales@WoodScott.co.uk 

www.WoodScott.co.uk 

Marquees & Glamping Tents 

Bespoke Design Service 

Designed & Made in the UK 

01453 767171 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 


DAY IN THE LIFE 

24 Hours with… 

Leo McDowall at 

Boomtown Fair 

We track Leo McDowall through a day at Boomtown Fair 2018 as he oversees the G-Smatt 

installation that creates the festival’s fictional Bang Hai Industries' HQ 

Leo (right) and friends 

PROFILES 

LEO MCDOWALL 

Leo is sales director at 

G-Smatt. The company 

provides ‘media enabled’ 

glass products including 

the G-Tainer, a combination 

of smart glass and a steel 

modular system. G-Smatt 

supplied and installed 12 

of these units at this year’s 

Boomtown Fair. www.gsmatteurope.com 

BOOMTOWN FAIR 

One of the UK’s most inspiring 

independent festivals, 

Boomtown is a vast open 

air theatrical production on 

a scale unrivalled globally. 

The four-day event is held 

in August at the Matterley 

Estate in Hampshire. Each 

year the festival is referred to 

as a "Chapter", reflecting a 

continuation of an immersive 

storyline from the previous 

year (the series began in 2009). 

The site is split into several 

“districts” and the storyline 

narrative is reflected in 

the design of the districts, 

streets and venues, which 

are populated by hundreds 

of actors playing the roles of 

'inhabitants'. The 2018 festival 

was entitled "Chapter 10: The 

Machine Cannot Be Stopped". 

www.boomtownfair.co.uk 

IT IS a very civilised start to day two at Boomtown 

Festival as I emerge from our rainbow coloured bell 

tent and head over to the lovely clean and warm 

shower block (I would definitely recommend the 

Boomtown Springs upgrade just for this small luxury 

at a festival). It’s then time for the first coffee of the 

day and to get ready for more running around one of 

the largest festival sites on the circuit. 

I'd thankfully been able to sleep well, safe in the 

knowledge that our amazing six man crew had 

coped with the challenges of an 80 tonne install 

onto uneven (but thankfully dry) ground to deliver 

a sophisticated engineering solution to the highest 

of safety standards. Now we are live at the festival 

and we get to show everybody the colossal creative 

effort from Boomtown’s production team, which has 

transformed our already impressive structures into 

something else entirely. It’s very exciting to witness. 

Even when you are out in the field, the emails 

don't stop so the first thing to do is to head to the 

charging area in reception, find a couple of empty 

sockets, a comfy space on the floor and get some 

work done. By midday, its time to put away the 

technology and make my way through the everincreasing 

crowds to the ticketing kiosk to 'round up 

our guests'. 

The quickest route to our encampment was via 

the artists' camping area. I'm sure I must have 

rubbed shoulders with more than one artist whose 

performance we enjoyed later on but have to admit I 

didn’t recognise anybody! Definitely the best spot to 

grab a late breakfast though. Once the introductions 

are over and our guests are settled into their tents 

then it’s time for refreshment and a tour of the full 

site. 

With a site capable of hosting up to 60,000 festival 

goers this is definitely not a 'walk in the park', but 

we quickly devised a route that made the best use 

of the site and eliminated too many climbs. Heading 

to the highest point at Whistlers Green provides a 

really good vantage point from which our guests 

could then decide where they might want to spend 

a little more time. 

On my way through the sprawling Downtown 

area, I visit our installation and have a quick chat 

to some people in the two hour long queue to 

experience the tour of our structures. These have 

been dressed up to become ‘Bang Hai Industries' 

HQ’, home of the fictional, evil corporation whose 

takeover of Boomtown forms the narrative for this 

year's event. 

Located within the G-Tainers are a series of 

immersive theatre scenarios manned by actors 

leading the audience through the narrative. It is a 

real buzz to see how Boomtown's production team 

have utilised the unique spaces within the G-Tainers. 

It is also a chance to check in with the two members 

of our technical team who are based on site 

throughout the event to provide support, should it 

be required. 

I've been on my feet now most of the day so 

it’s time to head back to G-Smatt's base camp, 

refuel and prepare for round two in the evening. 

Now to prime our guests, a mixture of press, event 

professionals and festival organisers from both UK 

and further afield. 

From inside the installation we watch the crowd 

as it responds and interacts with the media being 

shown; every 20 seconds somebody stops to 

photograph or video it. Venturing back outside, 

the real impact of this futuristic technology in the 

context of the festival's narrative becomes apparent, 

with each and every one of our guests blown away 

by the level of production detail, the scale of the 

performance and the creative muscle of the entire 

event. 

As the music and lights fade, along with 

our energy levels, it’s back to the tent 

for another night under canvas. My 

dreams are of dystopian futures, light 

and energy, and I for one certainly 

hope I'll be back at Boomtown for 

“Chapter 11” next year. 


Create your luxury retreat 

See us at the Glamping Show, 20-22 September 2018

Open Air Business August/September 2018

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