Open Air Business October/November 2018

ISSUE 22 | October/November 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

Reviews 

FUNCTION VENUES 

> Small is Beautiful 

> Professional Services 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

> Interiors 

> Bad Reviews 

EVENTS 

> Scheduling 

> Heat & Power 

CASE STUDIES: 

AMBER LAKES • LONG VALLEY YURTS • THE VICAR’S PICNIC

Glamping Treehouses 

At New Leaf Treehouse Company we design and build 

beautiful treehouses. 

From bespoke commissions to off the shelf solutions for 

glamping sites and lucky homes across Europe. 

Our Treehouses are engineered for safety, imagined and 

designed for memorable experiences, and to be a profitable 

addition to your business. 

Visit our website and get in touch to discuss your plans. 

Say hello at the Farm 

Business Innovation 

Show, Stand 3226 

See our latest models, have a chat 

through your plans, arrange a free 

site visit and enter our competition 

to win 2 nights in a New Leaf 

treehouse at the beautiful Knepp 

Castle glamping site. 

Installed from 

£15,000+VAT, subject to 

survey and our standard 

terms of business 

www.newleafthc.co.uk 

01403 288470 | info@newleafthc.co.uk

ISSUE 22 | October/November 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

Welcome 

FRESH OFF the back of three outings, to the Glamping Show, Festival and 

Outdoor Events Show (Festout) and the Showman’s Show, my mind is 

buzzing with something that can only be summed up as ‘opportunity’. Our 

stand has been alive with excited readers and advertisers alike buoyed with 

enthusiasm at the rapid development of the outdoor hospitality industry. Of 

course there are unknowns ahead with Brexit looming, but the creativity and 

spirit in this market will be hard to overcome. 

Innovation is abundant in all sectors. At the Glamping Show we saw some incredible structures, 

the scale of which couldn’t fail to impress, and how fantastic to be able to see so many in one 

place; well done the Glamping Show team for providing this opportunity. In the events sector we 

saw everything from the high tech (solar powered Wi-Fi) to the ultra low tech (cardboard festival 

bins), with loads in the middle (more to come on the recycled plastic festival pods from C6(N) 

Technology) – all just as innovative and influential in delivering great customer experience. 

It’s great when the brave get rewarded. In this issue’s glamping case study, the founders of Long 

Valley Yurts were certainly courageous when they started out in the days before planners had 

even heard of a yurt. Now they are realising a very tidy profit and have plans for expansion into 

weddings and even more sites. 

Keep your fingers crossed for our events case study in November’s NOEA Awards ceremony. The 

Vicar’s Picnic is up for Event of the Year – quite a nomination for a festival set up by friends after 

failing to get Glastonbury tickets! 

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UP FRONT 

4 News 

8 Product News 

13 Farm Business 

Innovation Show 

Preview 

17 Glamping Show 

Review 

21 Festival and Outdoor 

Events Show Review 


25 Amber Lakes – a 

stunning lakeside 

venue for corporate 

business events 

31 Small is Beautiful 

– small venues can 

be big players in the 

wedding market 

34 Scare Attractions – 

making money from 

your land during 

Halloween and 

beyond 

39 Events are Rubbish – 

Andrew White tackles 

waste at corporate 

events 

42 Professional Services 

– real life case studies 

GLAMPSITES 

45 Long Valley Yurts – a 

pioneering multi-site 

glamping business 

51 Industry Insights – 

Kate Morel’s update 

on the industry 

54 Bad Reviews – Sarah 

Orchard on how to 

deal with them 

57 Design Trends – ontrend 

interiors advice 

from Nikkita Palmer 

58 OAB Loves… Interiors 

– beauty on the inside 

Tally Wade 

Editor / Publisher 

Contents ISSUE #22 October/November 2018 

EVENTS 

63 The Vicar’s Picnic – 

Kent’s biggest little 

festival 

69 It’s a Team Thing 

- John Radford on 

teamwork in event 

production 

72 Cue the Music – the 

balancing act of 

festival programming 

76 It Couldn’t Happen to 

Me! – NOEA members 

warn otherwise 

78 Heat, Lighting and 

Power – a product 

round-up 

82 Spotlight 

84 Classifieds 

86 Day in the Life... 

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 

FOLLOW US ON 

TWITTER 

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FOLLOW US ON 

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Find more expert advice online: 

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ISSUE 22 | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com 

FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

> Small is Beautiful 

> Interiors 

> Scheduling 

/ / 

> Professional Services > Bad Reviews 

> Heat & Power 

CASE STUDIES: 

AMBER LAKES • LONG VALLEY YURTS • THE VICAR’S PICNIC 

Reviews 

COVER PHOTO 

Airstream Facilities is Europe’s leading supplier 

of Airstreams for festivals, glamping and 

private events. Check out the fleet at 

www.airstreamfacilities.com / 07775 802611. 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality 

Game Houses 

for Glamping 

GLAMPING COULD soon come 

to Burton-on-Trent, all thanks to 

Michelle Benford who recently 

purchased two former game houses 

situated within the delightful 

grounds of historic Rangemore Hall 

Mews. Formerly used for hanging 

game after shoots, Michelle hopes to 

transform one of the most unusual 

lots to be offered at SDL Auctions 

Graham Penny in Derby into 

glamping accommodation, subject 

to planning permission. 

The Grade II listed octagonal 

buildings measure 14ft across and 

both sold for £50,000. Benford told 

the Derby Telegraph that her main 

reason for buying the game houses 

was the location, as the site has 

fantastic views over the Rangemore 

Estate, with easy access to St 

George's Park, Barton Marina and 

Lichfield. 

“The intention is for the two 

structures to sleep a total of eight 

people keeping the outside the 

same but modernising the interiors," 

she said. “And if planners share 

my vision, I am hoping to develop 

a barbecue hut, hot tub area and 

annexe with bathroom facilities.” 

Hotel Closes to Become 

Wedding and Events Venue 

DEER PARK Country House 

in Honiton has taken the 

decision to cease operation 

as a hotel, focussing instead 

on its wedding and events 

business. Formally an AA 

four star hotel with 33 

bedrooms and an AA two 

Rosette restaurant, the 

owners of the property 

made the decision due to an 

increase in demand. 

Mark Godfrey, MD, said: 

“We were very successful 

as a hotel, restaurant and 

venue for weddings and 

corporate events, and felt 

that the markets don’t go 

together very well. There 

are many challenges that 

come with running all three 

businesses. 

“We were also turning 

guests away due to demand 

for events, so it was just a 

natural, logical progression, 

and something that we’re 

obviously good at. We 

host 120 weddings a year, 

but we’ve also seen a big 

increase in corporate events. 

I believe that with Brexit 

coming companies are 

investing in their employees 

more, holding training 

days, workshops, team 

building events and so on. 

At the moment we host 80 

corporate events each year, 

and that’s because we have 

some very unique spaces 

inside and out, including our 

state of the art motor house 

situated directly above a 

fleet of rare and classic cars. 

“Since we took over six 

years ago we have invested 

£3.3 million in the property. 

The previous owners had a 

marquee with no permission 

so we took that down and 

built a beautiful orangery 

that can seat 200. We also 

have three outdoor kitchens 

and have planted 1,500 

apple trees, securing rural 

funding from the EU to 

create our own sparkling 

apple wine, which we can 

offer at our weddings and 

corporate events – guests 

can choose to have their 

own label and we also offer 

half and quarter bottles for 

takeaways. 

Deer Park will still be 

hosting charity events and 

summer and winter balls so 

that it doesn’t lose touch 

with its most popular guests 

and local customers.” 

Wild Glamping for Cyclists and Ramblers 

GEZ WILLARD of WW Planning has 

entered an application to construct six 

bases for shepherd huts just outside the 

village of Hollington, near Uttoxeter. If 

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 

accepts the proposal, to be decided 

later this year, the site will also include 

capacity for up to 24 tents, associated 

engineering works, access, parking and a 

bike store. 

The vision is to create a high quality 

but wild camping experience for cyclists 

and ramblers, with a new woodland to 

provide additional privacy to the site and 

a wildflower meadow to add bio-diversity. 

The overall development will be 

delivered in two phases, with future 

work to include toilets, showers, laundry 

facilities, a workshop and a bike-cleaning 

area. 

With open countryside and wonderful 

woodland walks, this site has been 

identified by Willard as the perfect base 

for walkers and cyclists. 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Just So Festival wins Sustainable Tourism Award 

CHESHIRE’S JUST So Festival has been 

awarded the Sustainable Tourism Award at the 

annual Marketing Cheshire Tourism Awards. It’s 

not the first time Just So has been recognised 

for its green credentials, pioneering approach 

to accessibility and sustainable practices. At the 

2016 event the family arts festival received a 

Tourism Experience of the Year Award, and the 

following year it took the Best Practice Award 

at the National Outdoor Events Association 

(NOEA) Awards. Organiser, Wild Rumpus, was 

also crowned ‘Small Business of the Year’ by 

judges of the Northern Soul Awards. 

The festival aims to reduce the use of fossil 

fuels by at least 50 per cent before 2025 and is 

working with Energy Revolution to offset the 

carbon from attendees’ travel. In addition, the 

team works from a horsebox and treehouse 

in woodland and uses compost toilets lit by 

energy efficient LED lighting, while all on site 

vendors during the festival use reusable cups. 

Wild Rumpus is part of the line-up at the 

Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) 

Conference in Stratford Upon Avon, 9-11 

November. 

TENEIGHT

The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality 

Glampsites may be Missing out on Early Bookings 

SOME GLAMPING and camping sites are 

missing out on vital revenue, bookings 

website www.coolcamping.com has 

warned. 

"Early demand for advanced bookings 

has risen this year following a hot summer 

and positive customer sentiment," it 

reports. "But many businesses are not yet 

processing bookings for 2019." 

The warning comes following a swift 

rise in early booking enquiries received by 

Cool Camping and its new partner website 

www.glampingly.co.uk 

“Customers have been emailing us 

from as early as August to try and place 

bookings for the following year,” said 

marketing manager James Warner Smith. 

“And, now we’re into autumn, demand 

has really risen, especially for glamping 

sites, which consumers fear will book out 

early.” 

The site explains that for more 

established glamping sites, creating online 

availability and setting prices for the new 

year has always been an essential piece 

of summer admin. Many have regularly 

returning customers who like to pre-book 

holidays in advance but, it warns, there 

are worries that not all newer business 

owners are quick to recognise this trend. 

“Many business owners take a well 

earned break after the busy summer 

season and don’t start the heavy lifting 

THE ASSOCIATION of Festival Organisers 

(AFO) has announced further details of the 

agenda for this year’s conference on 9-11 

November at Stratford Manor Hotel near 

Stratford upon Avon. 

Sessions are scheduled for topics ranging 

from ticketing (where to find the best deals), 

who should shoulder the responsibility 

of marketing events, the latest rules and 

regulations around security, and details 

of the new PRS tariff - where the money 

actually goes. 

The AFO Conference has always prided 

itself on being welcoming to those new to 

the festival and events industry. This year’s 

‘Beginners Guide – an A-Z’ will offer top tips 

to those starting their journey. And there will 

be ample opportunity to pick up much more 

information from experienced organisers 

with talks and case studies about how to 

plan festival sites from green fields to town 

centres. 

On hand too will be experts in many fields 

to answer specific questions on insurance, 

COOL CAMPING 

again until winter,” says Warner Smith. 

“While that’s fine for many aspects of the 

business, deciding on pricing and making 

dates available to book are vital tasks to 

get done early, to avoid needlessly missing 

out on revenue.” 

Cool Camping’s founder, Jonathan 

Knight, also emphasised that potential 

customers could be lost. 

“At this time of year potential customers 

often phone our London office asking 

legal issues and accounting, dealing with 

contracts and artists, licensing and security. 

The AFO continues to play a pivotal role 

in raising awareness of the socio-economic 

impact of the festival and events industry. 

This year will focus on the plastic crisis and 

suggest ways in which the industry can play 

its part in reducing and recycling waste. 

about booking a specific glamping site 

over the telephone because they are 

unable to do it online and just don’t 

realise that the site hasn’t yet made 

its 2019 dates available,” said Knight. 

“Not all customers will make that 

effort, however. Some may simply book 

elsewhere, preferring to secure high-end 

accommodation they can book there and 

then, rather than getting on the phone or 

waiting and potentially missing out.” 

Involved in a Festival? Don’t miss the AFO Conference 

GETTY IMAGES 

Speakers from a number of environmental 

organisations will discuss solutions on how 

we can help conserve the world’s natural 

resources and adopt renewable energy 

resources into our events. 

Friday and Saturday evenings both offer 

showcase concerts which will give delegates 

the chance to find new artists for their 

festivals. 

“The conference is a mix of news, ideas 

and the best networking opportunity of the 

year,” said Steve Heap, general secretary. 

“For newcomers, our aim is to put them on 

the right road to thinking about every aspect 

of what is involved in organising an event. 

“It is never too late to become part of 

our community. So often new members 

tell us they wished they had known about 

the conference when they first started their 

festival as we try to help people avoid the 

pitfalls.” 

For more information about the 

conference, visit www.festivalorganisers.org/ 

afo+conference 


GETTY IMAGES 

Great news for Rural 

Venues in Hitched Survey 

ACCORDING TO the 21st 

Century Bride survey carried out 

by Hitched (in collaboration with 

You & Your Wedding magazine), 

when it comes to popular wedding 

venues it’s all about finding 

something that is romantic and 

pastoral, with 28 per cent of the 

3,300 couples asked choosing 

a barn or farm for their reception. 

For the first time since the 

survey began, barn and farm 

venues have overtaken hotel 

venues for the top spot, although 

hotels and country houses were 

very close behind. And with 

couples in Britain now spending 

an average £32,000 on their big 

day – up from £27,161 last year 

– they are not afraid to splash 

out either. That’s great news for 

venues, which sees the biggest 

chunk of a couple’s budget at 

£5,221. 

The royal wedding is one 

explanation for the rising cost of 

weddings, but the survey noted 

that people are tying the knot 

later in life, with the average 

age of a bride now 35 while the 

average groom is 37, both four 

years older than the previous year. 

NOEA Announces Awards Shortlist 

THE SHORTLIST for the 

National Outdoor Events 

Association (NOEA) Awards 

2018 has been announced. 

Susan Tanner, NOEA’s chief 

executive, said: “This year 

saw an increase in detailed 

entries, many deserving to 

be a finalist. Consequently, 

our judges had a hard job 

to decide on the three or 

four shortlisted in each 

category.” 

Peter Jack, NOEA Awards MC, 

opens up the 2017 event 

Alistair Turner, head judge and managing director of EIGHT PR 

& Marketing, said: “The quality of entry once again took a step 

forward and the introduction of Best New Event produced some 

amazing applications. The strength of entries was excellent 

and seeing some events come back shows commitment to the 

awards.” 

Joining Turner on the judging panel are Andy McNicholl (city 

events manager for Liverpool Council), Rachel Baker (head of 

marketing at GL events UK), and Sally Piggott (head of festivals 

UK for Eventbrite). 

In the running for Event of the Year are The Vicar's Picnic 

(see pages 63-66), The Leeds Castle 49th Anniversary Classical 

Concert, Party at The Palace and Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park. 

The 15th annual NOEA Convention and Awards Dinner will 

be held in the Roman Baths and Pump Room, Bath, on 21 

November. Visit www.noea.org.uk for more information. 

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 

A Sustainability Story – From 

Company to Product 

THE NEW mobile eco-friendly restroom from 

CNSE is testament to the company’s own 

sustainability credentials. The 100 per cent solar 

powered unit uses low voltage mechanisms to 

operate and incorporates water saving features. 

It is a totally self contained unit but boasts a 

fresh water flush utilising integral fresh and 

wastewater tanks. Other features include a 

waterless urinal, LED lighting with a motion 

sensor and a ‘landscape friendly’ exterior 

design. 

Tailormade for the UK events market, the Eco 

Fleurie is the result of growing trends for ecominded 

facilities and is in line with CNSE’s own 

sustainability ethos. 

CNSE as a company organises and recycles 

as much waste as possible, follows a policy 

of finding local suppliers and sub-contractors 

to reduce the footprint of its activity, sources 

office equipment made from recycled materials, 

switches exterior lighting off automatically after 

9pm and has installed electric vehicle charging 

points in its car park. It also employs local talent 

of all ages and supports associations such as 

the LAPP, which offers disabled children and 

teenagers an opportunity to take to the sky in 

their first ever flight. www.cnse-france.com 

Site Equip Celebrates 30 Years 

THIS OCTOBER Site 

Equip celebrated 

30 years hiring 

portable toilets, site 

accommodation, 

mobile showers, 

fencing and trackway 

to the event and 

construction 

industries. 

Set up by husband 

and wife Sonia and 

Geoff Gilbert, Site 

Equip was the first 

company to bring 

portable toilets to 

the UK from the 

USA. From working 

The second generation at the helm, Amy and 

Adam Gilbert 

weekends and evenings, with Geoff’s father delivering and servicing the 

toilets, the business is looking very different today with two depots, 60 

full time members of staff and a fleet of over 3,000 toilets plus showers, 

accommodation, fencing and trackway. It has also been pioneering in 

its development of luxury themed toilet trailers including the Gypsy 

Caravan, Potting Shed, Beach Hut and the Shabby Chic. The team most 

recently developed a urinal system for larger events, and this year 

launched a new luxury vacuum range. 

Now run by the next generation, Amy and Adam Gilbert are at the helm 

winning new business from events including Carfest, Pub in the Park, and 

Standon Calling. With 

its 30th year being Site 

Equip’s biggest so far 

(with over 2,500 loos 

on hire at its peak), 

the team is looking 

forward to the next 30 

years. 

www.site-equip.co.uk 

Putting the ‘Glam’ in Festival Glamping 

AIRSTREAM FACILITIES has partnered up with 

Shindig Weekender, a family festival based in the 

heart of Somerset. Now in its fifth year, it is one of 

the UK’s truly ‘boutique’ festivals held over four 

days in May. With no main stages, just a beautiful 

arrangement of stretch marquees, each area has 

been carefully curated to pique its audience’s 

interest. 

Airstream Facilities will be filling the glamping 

field with its luxury Airstream trailers along with a 

VIP Airstream lounge bar. Its fleet of 40 Airstreams 

sleep a maximum of a 160 people and include 

retro classics and luxury ‘penthouse style’ trailers, 

production units and bars, perfect for creating a 

sense of glam. www.airstreamfacilities.com 


Plastic Solutions Creates New 

Sanitation Division for Glampsites 

FOLLOWING A successful 

launch into glamping, 

caravanning and outdoor 

leisure at last year’s Farm 

Business Innovation 

Show, sanitation 

company Plastic 

Solutions has developed 

a brand new specialised 

division in GLAMPSAN. 

With new branding, 

0800 phone lines and 

a separate, customerfocussed 

website, 

GLAMPSAN will supply 

a comprehensive range 

of specialised products 

based on feedback and 

research following last 

year’s launch into the 

market. 

“Plastic waste and 

water tanks for above 

and below ground 

applications are just 

the start,” says Jon 

Trelfa, general manager. 

“Whatever storage and 

pumping solution you 

require, whether it’s 

water or waste related, 

we aim to advise and 

help. In fact, while the 

website will of course 

showcase the full range 

of products, the help 

side is one thing which 

we feel is missing from 

the market. We’re 

spending a lot of time 

developing a special 

customer-oriented 

‘Knowledgebase’ section 

where you’ll be able to 

get answers to lots of 

those niggly questions 

no one’s quite sure of.” 

www.glampsan.com 

New Hut Kits for Glamping 

CABINVILLE HAS launched four new shepherd 

hut kits for 2019, specifically designed for 

the glamping market. Designed in Norfolk, 

the huts are all built on a special wheelbase 

for a lower total height (now under 3m) and 

greater stability. The new designs are all easier 

to build, are to an industry leading material 

specification and feature double glazed 

outward opening windows. 

Kits meet all the latest standards and are 

currently in stock for a quick delivery. Mention 

‘Marney’ when ordering for a 10% discount 

(valid until 14 November 2018 for delivery 

before February 2019). 

www.cabinvilleshepherdhuts.co.uk / 

01379 687467. 


PRODUCT 

Wood Fired Ovens for 

the Glamping Market 

WITH 20 years’ experience cooking with wood, 

Blistering Ovens has turned its attention to the 

glamping market. Designed for their ease of use, its 

wood fired ovens are endorsed by the likes of the Hairy 

Bikers and are about to be featured on ITV show ‘Love 

Your Garden’ with Alan Titchmarsh. 

New to the line up is the Wizard range from Portugal. 

Perfect for the glamping market, these ovens come 

in two massive sizes, require no assembly and have 

wheels for manoeuvrability. 

“We are confident that our ovens will give glampsite 

guests the ultimate alfresco cooking experience every 

time and add value to glamping offerings,” says cofounder 

Tim Reeves. “From pizzas to roasts to morning 

fry ups, anything you can cook in your kitchen you can 

cook in a Blistering wood fired oven.” 

Blistering Ovens are designed to withstand the Great 

British outdoors and come in a variety of colours. All 

ovens are supplied ready to use with a full selection of 

accessories, easy set up instructions and recipes. 

www.blistering.co.uk 

Glamping Barrel Accommodation 

for the Homeless 

THE FARM Business Innovation 

Show sees the launch of the Give 

Them A Break project which has 

been set up by Kevin and Laura 

Baker. 

After a dark period of 

homelessness, Kevin Baker got 

back on his feet when he started 

the “Nice Baps” roadside café near 

Wadebridge with his wife Laura. The 

café has become a huge success 

and has recently been voted the 

most popular eatery in Cornwall. 

Kevin’s project is social 

entrepreneurship at it’s very best. 

He is setting up a small glamping 

site near his café which will be used 

for two months in high season at 

commercial rates, fours months a 

year at a subsidised rate for carers 

and others that deserve a break 

(but couldn’t usually afford one), 

and for the remaining six months 

a year it will be offered free to 

homeless families and individuals. 

Kevin and Laura hope that others 

will follow in their footsteps and 

that Give Them A Break sites will 

pop-up all over the country. 

Glamping structure and en-suite 

pod provider CampPlus is providing 

Kevin with two fully fitted Glamping 

Barrels and a Duo en-suite unit at 

a very low cost to get his site going. 

These are on display at the Farm 

Business Innovation Show and will 

be shipped to Cornwall right after 

the show. 

"I am so happy 

to be supporting this pioneering 

project, one that will really make a 

difference to so many people that 

need either an affordable holiday or 

simply a roof over their heads," says 

Erik Verwaaijen, MD, CampPlus. 

“When Kevin approached us 

he was looking for a glamping 

structure that was usable all year 

round. Fully insulated, and with 

options for IR heating and electrics, 

the Glamping Barrels will provide 

comfort for homeless families and 

individuals throughout the offseason. 

I really hope other sites will 

follow in Kevin's footsteps and join 

the Give Them A Break project. If so, 

I'd be happy to talk to them about 

special rates." 

Visit stand 2282 at the show to 

meet Kevin and learn more. 

www.campplus.co.uk 

Plain Huts goes International 

A ROMNEY Hut from Wiltshire based Plain Huts has been delivered to 

Switzerland. New owner Rudi’s bespoke contemporary shepherds hut 

features cedar cladding, an en-suite wet room and a large round window 

to take in the mountainous views of its new home on the lake at Interlaken, 

where it will be rented out through Airbnb. 

This hut is number 23 designed by Plain Huts’ founder Cath Caesar and 

was transported by Russell Transport. The team from Plain Huts flew out to 

oversee the installation. 

“It’s all very exciting and a little surreal,” said Caesar. “About six months 

ago we received an email from Switzerland asking if we could send huts 

overseas. With the help of Google Translate we completed the hut and flew 

out especially to make sure everything went smoothly with its delivery. 

“We are delighted with our first international order – it’s just a shame a 

cloud came over just as we finished the installation, denying us a photo 

opportunity of hut #23 in its fabulous new location.” www.plainhuts.co.uk 


Straw Insulated 

Pods & Lodges! 

Sam Atkinson LLP is now offering bespoke 

straw bale pods and lodges, which are 

individually crafted and designed 

specifically for your site. 

Truly unique, these pods are insulated by 

straw bales to give a 0.13 u-value, 

meaning incredibly low heating 

costs. Comfortably usable all year 

round with a practically sized 

kitchen area, dedicated sleeping 

area and en-suite. 

For more info contact Sam 07872 012901 

www.sacarpentry.co.uk 

Brand New Shepherd's 

Hut for Sale 

Innovation from 

Universal Glamping 

• Internal size: 5m long 

x 2.1m wide, 2.3m eaves 

• Metal chassis, Douglas fir 

cladding, fully insulated 

• Fold down bed and table 

• Full fitted kitchen, oven, 

hob, fridge 

• Wood burning stove 

• En-suite shower and WC 

• Never used, no planning permission 

forces sale 

• More pictures and video on request 

• Located in Norfolk 

• 24” cast wheels 

• Double glazed windows 

• Built to a high standard 

GlampRAD 

• IRC Radiant Heating Systems 

for glamping structures. 

• Efficient, cost-effective and extra safe 

• Doesn’t require an electrician to install 

• Produced in canvas or stainless steel 

panels 

www.glamprad.com 

GlampLoft 

• Two-tier modular 

canvas structure. 

• Durable and quick 

to assemble 

• Insulated for year 

round use 

• 20.4sqm over two 

floors 

Offers in excess of £20,000 

Contact Rob Morton rob@mortonevents.co.uk 

07789 722654 

01269 853957 

www.universalglamping.com 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

Farm Business 

Innovation Show 

Laura McDonald introduces this year’s show, a must 

attend for any landowner looking at diversification 

THE FARM Business Innovation Show 

is Britain’s biggest event dedicated to 

providing farmers, landowners, estate 

owners and rural entrepreneurs with 

the inspiration, advice and resources 

they need to grow, diversify or evolve 

their rural business. 

With the end of the Common 

Agricultural Policy looming and major 

uncertainty around its replacement, 

it’s never been so crucial for the rural 

sector to look towards alternative 

sources of income for their land. 

The venture into rural diversification 

requires so much more than a good 

idea, and to thrive you need to have 

clear plans, goals and confidence in 

your decisions. 

Now in its sixth year, the event will 

see 500 exhibitors fill the hall, 200 

seminars covering a multitude of 

topics, and expert-led panel debates 

combining to create an unmissable 

event, with hundreds of ideas for 

landowners to introduce new income 

streams through their land and rural 

business. 

This year’s speaker line-up features 

the likes of TESCO, DEFRA, Barclays, 

The CLA, Buckingham Palace and 

the NFU, as well as a variety of 

experienced farmers who have 

taken the leap into diversification 

themselves. 

Seminar topics range from 

developing a glamping brand 

to adding income from hosting 

weddings, to the local lending 

movement. The two day event will 

feature a host of live panel discussions 

by industry experts on topics such as 

Brexit and diversification, planning 

permission, renewables and energy 

storage. 

Running on the 7-8 November at the 

NEC Birmingham, tickets to attend the 

show are free, just register at 

www.farmbusinessshow.co.uk 

OAB’S TOP PICKS 

Horne Engineering – Stand 1816 

Horne has been designing and manufacturing 

specialist thermostatic valves and showers 

since 1909. A selection of shower panels 

will be on display from its extensive range 

including DDA/Equality Act compliant and 

timed-flow-control (TFC) showers such as 

the Duso shower column. Neat, colourful, 

robust and easy to maintain, the Duso’s timed 

control and integral flow regulator ensure 

that wastage of preheated water is kept to a 

minimum. www.horne.co.uk 

New Leaf Treehouse Co. - 

Stand 3226 › 

The clever design from New Leaf 

incorporates timber and canvas 

elements and a low impact attachment 

system that ‘hugs’ the tree without 

damaging it. Bespoke projects are no 

problem but do check out the New Leaf 

042, it can be up in your tree from as 

little as £15,000 subject to site survey 

etc. Make sure to enter the competition 

to win a night’s stay in a New Leaf 

treehouse at Knepp Castle. 

www.newleafthc.co.uk 

› 

Glampsites – Stand 3601 

Glampsites.com is a specialist website 

created for glampers to search and book 

their stay. It offers two joining options for 

sites – free listings that visitors can browse, 

and bookable listings through which guests 

can book their stays. With bookable listings, 

glampsites pay 10 per cent commission 

on bookings received. Marketing manager 

Leona Mills will also be speaking at the 

show, giving tips on how to generate more 

bookings. www.glampsites.com/signup 

› 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

Farm Business Innovation Show 2018 continued 

› 

Aquaforno – Stand 2470 

Give your guests the best alfresco 

dining experience with the award 

winning Aquaforno II, one of the 

most versatile outdoor cooking 

stoves around. It’s portable, 

collapsible, multi-fuel (wood/ 

charcoal/gas) and operates as a 

BBQ grill, pizza oven, rotisserie 

and smoker. An internal water 

boiler gives hot drinks on tap and 

it can also double up as a patio 

heater or clothes dryer! 

www.aquaforno.com 

› 

The Septic Tank Store – 

Stand 2424 

With an extensive range of septic tanks and treatment 

plants, the family run Septic Tank Store will help keep your 

land ‘poofect’, allowing you and your guests to experience 

the rural landscape in comfort. The friendly team offers 

bespoke systems for everything from a single glamping 

unit all the way up to a one thousand population treatment 

plant. www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 

Mudcontrol – Stand 2853 

For protection against mud in parking areas, pathways, 

tracks, or anywhere that gets muddy, these 100 per cent 

recycled plastic interlinking slabs form a solid sub-base 

through which grass can grow and can be easily relocated. 

Designed not to sink or flex, they have been tested to over 60 

tonnes for vehicles (including HGVs) and are also perfect for 

human and animal traffic. From £22 / sq m, Mudcontrol offers 

a 20 year guarantee as standard. www.mudcontrol.co.uk 

› 

Logspan – Stand 3092 

The Finman range of BBQ huts and glamping cabins is 

available through family owned business Logspan and 

offers fantastic ROIs. It includes the Bunkhouse, Loft (with a 

mezzanine), Retreat and Sleeper cabins – a 17 sq m Finman 

Sleeper Cabin is expected to return a profit within the first 

year based on 25% occupancy at £75 rental per night. Recently 

introduced, the Burrow range of cabins has been designed to 

nestle within a landscape, whereas the Clansman Modern Pod 

is for those after a contemporary look. www.logspan.com 

› 


Meet the team on Stand 3522 

Delivering Bespoke Glamping projects 

for Discerning Landowners 

In collaboration with treehouse builder Leigh Smallwood 

STRUCTURE OF THE MONTH: TREEHOUSES 

Planning Applications - Finance - Structure Design & Installation 

info@morelcompany.co.uk 

www.morelcompany.co.uk 

If you have the land, 

we have the brand. 

business plan 

site survey 

marketing 

training 

mentoring 

planning 

application 

support 

finance 

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. 



INDUSTRY NEWS 

➌ 

➊ 

The Glamping Show 

Alice Moore reports on the Glamping Show, where the 

weather put structures to the test 

THE EXHIBITORS at the three day Glamping 

Show in September welcomed the 

inclement weather with gusto as it meant 

they could really showcase how well their 

structures stood up to Britain’s variable 

climate. 

“The weather we have had these last 

few days has suited us enormously,” said 

Universal Glamping’s Rex Dovey. “The high 

winds and rain, especially on the first day, 

showed just how strong our structures are 

and we were also able to showcase our new 

innovative heating system, which warmed 

up many visitors.” 

Much like the sector it represents, the 

show is evolving and welcomed thousands 

of visitors from all corners of the UK and 

overseas over three days. Attendees had the 

opportunity to experience a wide variety 

of glamping structures and investigate 

accessories and services to the industry 

including planning, financing and insurance. 

The show stepped up on delivering 

knowledge with the introduction of a 

number of short intensive courses educating 

visitors on specific areas of running 

glamping sites. This was in addition to the 

popular seminar programme and one to one 

‘Meet the Experts’ opportunities. 

Chris Pike of social media management 

company HeyBurt was one of the specialists 

that took part in these sessions. “We were 

busy from the moment the doors opened on 

both Thursday and Friday. I talked to a huge 

range of people, from those who have barely 

even thought about their potential glamping 

site to those who are well established 

business owners. It was great to see such 

a diverse group of visitors attending the 

show.” 

Jess Holliday, of Yurts For Life, has seen 

a huge shift in the last three years in how 

knowledgeable visitors have become. “What 

we have noticed is there has been a massive 

evolution in the glamping market in recent 

years,” she said. “In the three years we have 

been exhibiting we have seen visitors, who 

were just at the planning stages of their 

business in year one, returning to the show 

knowing exactly what they want and with so 

much more knowledge about the industry.” 

After four successful years of the Glamping 

Show, organisers Swan Events wanted to 

give something back. Teaming up with Kerry 

Roy of off-grid glampsite Camp Kátur, they 

have launched GlampAid, a new industry 

charity that will help those made homeless 

by conflict and disaster by fundraising and 

donating surplus stock from glamping 

suppliers. Long-time supporter of the 

Glamping Show, TV presenter, author and 

upcycler, Max McMurdo, has been welcomed 

as its ambassador. 

SAVE THE DATE: Next year’s Glamping Show 

will be on 19-21 September at the NAEC, 

Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. 

OAB’S TOP PICKS 

➊ Saniflo 

The Saniflo roadshow van was present for 

the second successive year, showcasing the 

range of pumps and macerators designed 

to help site owners install extra facilities 

even if mains drainage isn’t an option. 

The team also presented the Kinedo self 

contained cubicle range, renowned for its 

➋ 

quick and easy installation – as used by 

pod manufacturers Universal Glamping and 

Modular Leisure Buildings in their glamping 

structures. www.saniflo.co.uk / www.kinedo. 

co.uk 

➋ Portable Power Technology 

As fans of the Portable Power Technology 

powerpacks for powering/charging all 

manner of things, we were keen to check out 

the larger ‘whole glampsite’ off-grid power 

solutions on offer. A one-stop-shop for 

these systems, these guys know their maths 

when it comes to solar panels, batteries and 

inverters. Just tell them what you need to 

power and they’ll put everything together. 

Ask about the SIES fully integrated 

system too. It makes creating off-grid or 

solar hybrid systems easy and allows for 

monitoring via a tablet or PC; you can 

check the power collected/used, voltages of 

batteries and troubleshoot problems. www. 

portablepowertech.com 

➌ Bond Fabrications 

Bond showcased a fully equipped safari 

tent as a fitting tribute to 30 years of 

designing and manufacturing marquees and 

glamping structures in its Gloucestershire 

factory. Its safari tents are unique in the UK, 

constructed around a hidden box section 

steel frame for extra rigidity that has recently 

passed wind loading tests by structural 

engineers. It also offers a fully bespoke 

service for anything unique. Happy Birthday 

Bond! www.bondfabrications.co.uk 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

➎ 

The Glamping Show 2018 continued 

➍ 

➍ CampPlus 

You couldn’t miss the new Glamping Barrel 

from CampPlus – one of the few structures 

inside the main hall. Hooked up to one of 

the company's en-suite units, demonstrating 

their adaptability, the round profile gives a 

generosity of space, with a raised super king 

bed and plenty of storage (or a child’s den 

area) below, lots of seating and a large table. 

We are delighted to hear that a deal has 

been done to supply two barrels to a site in 

Cornwall providing accommodation for the 

homeless in the off season. Read more on 

page 10. www.campplus.co.uk 

➎ Anthropods 

We love contemporary design, and the 

new pod from Anthropods certainly ticks 

that box. The brainchild of Rik Currie, a 

Chartered Industrial Designer specialising in 

transport, these carriage shaped structures 

are available in 7.2m or 5.3m lengths and 

feature adjustable legs that can be altered 

to accommodate uneven ground. The pods 

can be relocated easily using integral lifting 

rings and a fork/tractor combination, and 

only need four 600mm concrete pads to sit 

on. Look out for a treehouse version coming 

soon. www.anthropods.co.uk 

sales in 2015 opening The 

Bell Tent Shop – check 

out the ranges. www. 

thetipihirecompany.co.uk / 

www.thebelltentshop.co.uk 

➐ Riviera Hot Tubs 

Known for its beautiful 

wooden hot tubs, BISHTA ➏ 

member Riviera designs 

and installs a range of tubs with operating 

systems to support both domestic and 

commercial use. Available as standard in five 

to seven foot diameters (to seat up to eight), 

bespoke designs include larger and oval 

tubs. Riviera also offers advice on siting and 

is able to provide plans for recessed tubs. 

2018 saw the company introduce the Riviera 

Holiday acrylic range. Finished in Western 

red cedar, these tubs have been designed to 

be ultra economical and perfect for the rental 

market. 

www.riviera-hottubs.co.uk 

➐ 

➑ 

➑ Morel & Co 

Catering to the demand for a service 

delivering glamping sites of outstanding 

quality, Morel & Co champions bespoke 

builds and a thorough approach to site 

design. A collaboration of craftsmen and 

consultants curated by industry stalwart Kate 

Morel, services include the bespoke design 

and build of a variety of structures, planning 

advice, financing, marketing and more. If you 

are a discerning landowner looking to build 

success as a glampsite, give the team a call. 

www.morelcompany.co.uk 

➏ The Tipi & Bell Tent Hire Company / The 

Bell Tent Shop 

If you need bell tents (of all shapes and sizes) 

or tipis, these guys do it all. From single 

units for hire or sale up to event glamping 

for 2,000 – as seen at Kendal Calling, Global 

Gathering and Countryfile Live. Customers 

include wedding and corporate event 

venues, festival organisers and, yes, the Royal 

Family. Set up 10 years ago in Warwickshire, 

the company has a stock of 500 tents for 

hire and a team of seven creating pop-up 

glampsites nationwide. It expanded into 


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INDUSTRY NEWS 

Festival and 

Outdoor Event Show 

A specialist trade show for alfresco events, Festout returned to 

Sandown Park Racecourse for its second year writes Tally Wade 

LAUNCHED LAST year by the team behind the inimitable Event 

Production Show and events magazine Access All Areas, the Festival 

and Outdoor Event Show (Festout) brings together the best part of 

the events industry (in our opinion), events that happen in the open 

air. 

Of course, delivering creative, safe, profitable and comfortable 

shows outside poses some unique challenges, and this is what event 

director Duncan Siegle has drawn upon in building the Festout 

programme of seminars and bringing together exhibitors. 

"The content programme was a real highlight this year and the 

show looked amazing, with fantastic exhibits from some major 

industry players and a good cross section of buyers across the two 

days," said Siegle. "We continue to develop the event and are drawing 

up plans to increase footfall as, while quality was high, we'd like to 

see more people come and support the show." 

Safety being the foremost priority for all event teams, Festout took 

the lead providing content by qualified expert trainers curated by 

Storm 4 Events. Delivered across the two days in a dedicated area, 

the concurrent ‘SaFest’ featured eight sessions focussing on event 

safety and security in association with the United Kingdom Crowd 

Management Association (UKCMA). 

“We continued themes from last year about the size of the industry 

and licencing issues that hold us back and delivered strong content 

on various aspects of safety, both on the Main Stage with Jon Drape 

and via our new conference on event safety and security – SaFest,” 

said Siegle. “This practical learning programme was very well 

received and we are rolling it out across future events.” 

The focus on safety tied in well with wider industry themes, with 

the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) speaking on risk 

management and scenario planning, its theme for the year. Its annual 

convention in November has been titled ‘It Couldn’t Happen to me!” 

Exhibitions at the show ranged from flamboyant entertainment to 

professional services to infrastructure suppliers. There was boundless 

creativity on show as well as sustainability and great design. 

Encompassing all of these agendas was the MESR-TECHNIC structure 

from sponsor Core Modular. A modular multi-storey event structure, 

it is made from a lightweight composite material comprising a 

recycled plastic core. In conversations with the team behind it, we 

learned of a fantastic initiative that will provide festival organisers 

and big brands with a unique and high value use for their waste 

plastic – more on this in the next issue! 

Great conversations was the take home message from Festout 

2018. On the Open Air Business stand we had many exciting 

exchanges with readers and advertisers alike with great introductions 

made, partnerships secured and event ideas tossed about. In doing 

the rounds, exhibitors were reporting the same. It may not be a 

big show (yet) but in just two years it has established itself as an 

important place for the outdoor event industry to do business. 

➊ 

TOP PICKS 

➊ Event in a Tent 

As stunning as the giant tipi the team brought to the show was, 

what caught our eye was the imagery of the timber geodome. 

Designed and manufactured in the UK, these domes are 

available in both 12m and 15m diameters and can be linked 

together. Made exclusively for Event in a Tent, they are the only 

domes of their kind that can also be configured as a stage, as 

demonstrated at Countryfile Live, Big Festival, and at a Proms 

in the Park event for a 74 piece orchestra. www.event-in-a-tent. 

co.uk 

➋ Bar-Go 

Meets Stubbs McGee! The American Saloon bar ready to pop-up 

at your next event. Constructed from shipping containers, the 

double decker structure is available for dry or ‘wet’ hire and 

has masses of flexibility for brand collaborations and bespoke 

theming. The upper storey comprises a deck for alfresco drinks 

with a view, and a separate indoor area perfect for the VIP 

treatment. www.bar-go.co.uk 

➋

INDUSTRY NEWS 

➌ 

➌ Instant Marquees 

Entirely manufactured and printed 

in Cornwall, Instant Marquees has a 

rental stock of over 300 structures 

available with temporary branding. 

Products include domes, crossover 

domes, pop-up marquees, market 

stalls and bar tents with counters, as 

well as flags and banners. Popular 

with organisers to brighten up events, 

and with sponsors for increased 

value, they work well at sport and 

food events as well as festivals. The 

team can erect nationwide. www. 

instantmarquees.co.uk 

➍ Green Goblet 

These guys are the UK leaders in 

branded reusable cups for events. 

A British company, Green Goblet 

provides a range of non-breakable 

vessels and can advise on how best 

to promote the ‘refill not landfill’ 

message using either a returnable 

or non-returnable deposit system. 

Organisers can reduce waste, 

increase revenue and promote 

sponsors, or use the branding 

opportunity for advertising. Green 

Goblet offers a full in house and 

mobile wash/dry service, artwork 

design and storage. www.greengoblet.com 

DropBucket 

The idea is simplicity itself - a folded 

corrugated cardboard bin that 

is quick and easy to deploy. The 

brainchild of two design graduates, 

it won the heralded Red Dot: Best of 

the Best design award in 2015. Made 

from recycled material, and entirely 

recyclable, stickers can be provided 

➍ 

to help sort 

rubbish (plastics, 

food waste, paper 

etc.) and help 

keep event sites clean. Over 5,000 

were used at the Roskilde Festival in 

Denmark, and organisers report the 

site has never been clearer. www. 

dropbucket.com 

➎ Get Me Connected 

Wi-Fi connectivity for events of all 

sizes and in the most challenging 

locations! Get Me Connected uses 

carbon-neutral self-powered systems 

to bring internet services to events 

even when there is no existing 

connection or power supply. The 

team brought the fun to the fair with 

a superb replica of a festival set up 

(made by the man behind models 

used in early James Bond films), and 

a truly addictive VR game showcasing 

connectivity applications. www.getme-connected.com 

➏ entertee hire 

Established in 2004, entertee hire 

provides temporary barriers, trakway, 

towerlights and picket fence to 

events of all sizes from the likes of 

Elderflower Fields to Boomtown Fair. 

Founder Gill Tee is a stalwart of the 

industry and the organisational force 

behind London’s Party in the Park, 

and the Hop Farm and Black Deer 

festivals in Kent. We loved Smart 

Hoard, an attractive temporary 

fencing solution for exclusive areas. 

With an oak finish and no gaps 

between panels, it is perfect for VIP 

and hospitality areas. 

www.entertee.com 

➎ 

➏ 


LIFE IS A DREAM IN AN AIRSTREAM 

“Our Airstreams were fantastic, and were a 

huge factor in making Womad such an 

enjoyable experience. Superbly cool in the 

heat and really snug during the thunderstorm. 

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, 

corporate events, product launches, pop-up shops 

and sporting events. 

Every unit has been restored to the highest 

standard retaining the retro styling and tastefully 

upgraded with modern high tech speciÞcation 

features including: workstations, air 

conditioning/heating, wide-screen TV/Hi-FI 

systems and fridge/freezers. 

AIRSTREAM 

FACILITIES 

Get in touch to Þnd out how our cool and stylish range of trailers can make your event shine 

e: info@airstreamfacilities.com 

airstreamfacilities.com 

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA @airstreamUK

BARKER Marquees 

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Designer and Manufacturer of Traditional and 

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OPAS QUALITY 

Since 1889 we’ve been 

keeping things looped, clipped, 

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A comprehensive range of top value quality 

textile and marine fasteners, marquee and 

exhibition stand materials are backed with old 

fashioned service and free technical support. 

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Tel. 01992 522797 

www.perfo.co.uk 



CASE STUDY 

Amber Lakes 

A lakeside venue with a versatile luxury lodge 

and space for a multitude of outdoor structures 

and activities 

Targeting the corporate business event market, the team at 

Amber Lakes has created a breathtakingly beautiful ‘outdoors in’ 

conference and events space while encouraging guests to make 

the most of the estate’s natural assets, including 120 acres of 

fishing lakes. We talk to venue manager Helen Giles. 

When did you start your venue 

business and what is its history? 

Amber Lakes sits on the same 

site as one of the UK’s premier 

fishing destinations, Wraysbury 1. 

Its beauty has been known to the 

fishing world for some time but 

it is only since Summer 2017 that 

we started hosting corporate and 

private events. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

Amber Lakes truly is a unique 

setting. Once a quarry in the 1920s 

that was filled with underwater 

natural springs, the area remained 

untouched for decades. It is now 

a site of special scientific interest 

(SSSI) with many unique species of 

plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles 

“AMBER 

LAKES TRULY 

IS A UNIQUE 

SETTING. 

ONCE A 

QUARRY IN 

THE 1920S 

THAT WAS 

FILLED WITH 

UNDERWA- 

TER NATURAL 

SPRINGS, 

THE AREA 

REMAINED 

UNTOUCHED 

FOR 

DECADES” 

and birds making their home here. 

Just a 15 minute drive from 

Windsor and Slough, 30 minutes 

from Reading and 45 minutes from 

the centre of London, the venue is 

in an enviable position. Heathrow 

is only a 10 minute drive away 

yet we are set within 450 acres of 

stunning grounds and 120 acres 

of lakes, which make up fishing 

destination Wraysbury 1. 

The lakes used to hold the 

British carp record – a fish 

weighing a whopping 60Ibs – and 

other points of interest include 

Dredger Bay, where a 100 year old 

piece of quarry equipment still 

remains after the deliberate filling 

of the site in 1900. 

The lakes even appeared in 

James Bond classic, A View to a 

Kill. Look out for the scene where 

Roger Moore’s Rolls Royce Silver 

Cloud is pushed into the lake to 

catch our big moment on the silver 

screen. 

What facilities do you offer? 

At the heart of Amber Lakes 

is a luxurious cedar, oak and 

glass lodge designed with a 

Scandinavian feel. Breathtaking 

views are framed by expansive 

windows, creating an unbeatable 

setting for conferences, away days, 

corporate dinners and more. This 

unique venue boasts complete 

exclusivity and privacy for high 

end luxury events, ideal for both 

the corporate and private market. 

The lodge features a doubleheight 

ceiling, oak flooring and a


marble-topped bar, and the views 

of nature, trees and gardens that 

spread as far as the eye can see 

give it a sense of retreat and calm. 

The expansive open plan space 

is perfectly suited to hosting 

senior management events, as 

well as dinners and parties. The 

lodge can accommodate up to 250 

guests. 

Outside, the venue’s 450 acre 

grounds make it hard to beat 

when searching for a country 

venue within easy reach of 

Slough, Reading and London. 

The venue’s extensive terraces, 

lawns and gardens are particularly 

impressive during the summer 

months. All events come with our 

very own Amber Lakes boat (Red 

October) and captain, allowing 

guests to explore the venue on 

water or even fish. 

The vast site can be used 

to host activities, games and 

outdoor receptions in the 

summer months. The grounds 

can hold marquees and other 

temporary structures, with 

the potential to increase the 

venue’s overall capacity to 500 if 

required. 

The Amber Jetty and Pier 

is a sprawling slate terrace 

surrounding the lodge, and 

the perfect vantage point from 

which to soak up the site’s 

atmosphere. 

For conferences we can set 

the lodge to accommodate a 

range of options with or without 

screens and staging, up to 140 

seated theatre style and 80 

cabaret style. We are popular 

for product launches and also 

have parking for 100 cars, air 

conditioning and on site AV.

What services do you offer? 

Amber Lakes is offered on a 

dry hire basis with a preferred 

list of caterers, AV companies, 

marquee suppliers etc. It’s 

the job of our events team to 

know the businesses we work 

with inside out, enabling us to 

make recommendations and 

introductions to suppliers matching 

a client’s style and budget. 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their events 

unique? 

It is true that every event we have 

hosted at Amber Lakes since 

launching last year has been 

completely unique. The preferred 

suppliers list allows clients to pick 

and choose businesses that truly 

match their vision, and our team is 

here to make sure this is achieved 

as seamlessly as possible. 

“AMBER 

LAKES IS A 

LUXURIOUS 

VENUE 

FINISHED 

TO THE 

HIGHEST OF 

STANDARDS 

OVERLOOKING 

BEAUTIFUL 

LAKES AND 

GREENERY.” 

How do you publicise yourself? 

Most of the events so far have 

been through word of mouth. That 

being said we have exhibited at a 

number of event expos, and taken 

out advertising in magazines such 

as PA Life. We also ran a festivalstyle 

showcase in March with many 

of our preferred suppliers helping 

us produce the show to which we 

invited event planners. 

How would you describe your 

‘style’ or unique selling point? 

Amber Lakes is a luxurious venue 

finished to the highest of standards 

overlooking beautiful lakes and 

greenery. Yet it is a space that also 

achieves a sense of retreat and calm. 

Have you worked with any 

consultants, and how have they 

helped you? 

At the very beginning we worked 

with a consultant who was 

invaluable in putting together a 

business model to get us started. 

From there we used the 15+ years 

of experience in our events team 

to help us steer the business in the 

right direction. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

2019 is promising to be very busy, 

with lots of events for corporate 

fishing days, summer parties etc. 

coming in. For us, as a venue so 

focussed on the outdoors, we 

really rely on a successful May– 

October. The fantastic weather 

we all enjoyed this summer will 

certainly help! 

Describe your average day 

mid-season 

On an event day it really is all hands 

on deck to make sure the client is 

happy and everything runs to plan. 

It’s also important to us that our 



suppliers are comfortable and get 

everything they need. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

Members of the team at Amber 

Lakes feel very lucky to be able to 

come to work here every day. Seeing 

a client’s or guest’s face when they 

first see the space is a reminder of 

quite how lucky we are to work in 

such beauty. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

At the moment we offer the venue 

primarily for exclusive use, and with 

a link to the recreational side of 

fishing or sailing. We include within 

the venue hire use of a small fishing 

boat and captain so guests can take 

to the water in style and try their 

hand at catching one of the lake’s 

hidden treasures! 

What are you most proud of? 

For us it’s all about the client’s 

feedback after the event. Coming 

together to make someone’s 

wedding day for example is a true 

privilege to be involved in. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Get as much experience as you 

can. Plenty of businesses now offer 

fantastic internship programmes 

which will give you hands on 

experience on what being in 

events is all about. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

Four Seasons - 

www.fourseasonsmarquees. 

co.uk 

Papakata - 

www.papakata.co.uk 

Raj Tent Club - 

www.rajtentclub.com 

Stunning Tents - 

www.stunningtents.co.uk 

FURNITURE 

Folly Hire – www.follyhire.com 

PRODUCTION 

Bespoke Events - 

www.bespoke-london.co.uk 

Beyond Certainty - 

www.beyondcertainty.com 

LUX Technical - 

www.luxtechnical.co.uk 

NKN - www.nknproductions.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Amber Lakes 

Welley Road 

Wraysbury 

Berkshire 

TW19 5EP 

0207 534 0545 

www.amberlakes.co.uk 


Marquees & Glamping Tents 

Bespoke Design Service 

Designed & Made in the UK 

01453 767171 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 



INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: WEDDINGS 

Small is Beautiful 

Kelly Chandler runs us through wedding trends that favour the smaller venue 

GETTY IMAGES 

DON’T THINK you have the space to 

host weddings? Think again… The 

wedding market has changed, boy, 

how it has changed. The industry of 

my 2003 start up wedding planning 

business bears no resemblance 

to its 2018 sister and I couldn’t be 

happier about that. 

The wedding rule book has 

most definitely been booted out 

and has heralded such an exciting 

array of options and experiences 

for today’s millennial couples who 

are knocking down doors (and 

tents and outdoor spaces!) to get 

at them. 

So this month’s feature focuses in 

on a few of the big and little things 

about weddings you may not know, 

or may have skipped over, that 

could bring more revenue into your 

places and spaces. 

SMALL AND BEAUTIFUL 

While you’ll read a lot about 

weddings having become large, 

complex and detail-oriented you 

may not know that there is in fact a 

second trend for small and beautiful 

celebrations. 

A lot of couples are looking at 

doing things differently and what 

feels right for them. For many this 

is a smaller and more intimate 

wedding ceremony and celebration. 

20 guests is not unusual, 40-50 

guests very customary and there 

is very much a small but growing 

market for the cheeky elopement, 

usually somewhere gorgeous 

and luxurious or quirky and 

adventurous where a couple can 

just be themselves and celebrate 

their union a deux. 

I’m hearing from more 

independent wedding planner 

colleagues, who used to report 

guest lists of 100+ as the norm, 

that they are being asked to 

plan weddings with 50-70 guests 

much more often. It is of course 

sometimes a question of budget 

restrictions but not always – it’s not 

a new trend that couples decide to 

invite fewer guests to a destination 

wedding, spending the same 

amount but over multiple days or in 

funding and hosting different things 

than perhaps a traditional wedding 

day. 

I’ve written before about the 

trend for multi-day and weekend 

weddings, and the trend for small 

and beautiful goes hand in hand 

with this. A growing number of 

millennial couples are seeking 

more quality time with their special 

guests over a longer time period 

and cutting down their guest list to 

accommodate this. 

So if you have spaces that don’t 

tick the 80+ guest list, this doesn’t 

mean you can’t host weddings. 

You can play to your strengths and 

market options for those smaller 

celebrations - it’s most definitely 

not just the second timer, older or 



budget conscious couple thinking 

this way now. Be careful as you 

pitch and don't make assumptions 

about who your 'smaller' wedding 

customer will be - create options 

that your 20 somethings can enjoy 

and aspire to as well. 

WINTER WEDDINGS 

Weddings are absolutely year 

round and have been for a long 

time now. While our good old 

British weather does provide 

some challenges for truly outdoor 

ventures, a lot of venues have 

taken major measures to heat, 

weatherproof and otherwise make 

their spaces usable year round, 

and with great success. December 

is one of the most popular months 

and, while cost adjustments are 

usually needed for the likes of 

November and January to March, 

weddings do happen and should be 

considered. 

You do however need to work 

harder at attracting winter 

business, so if you want to develop 

things think seriously about the 

following: 

› Ensure you produce winter 

related images. You may need 

to stage a winter photo shoot if 

winter weddings are new to you 

– summer images don’t cut it 

› Talk about winter specifically and 

reassure clearly and proactively 

in all of the text about the sorts 

of things people will worry about 

like heat, light, weather and what 

you have in place to overcome 

these things 

› Inspire couples with the benefits 

of a winter wedding – delightful 

food and drink, gorgeous warm 

lighting, and how they don’t 

need to rely on the weather to 

create their dream day. 

You need to work harder at selling 

this but it’s well worth doing, 

particularly if you need to balance 

out your bookings, your cash flow 

and make your space work harder 

across the year. 

Other Trends 

Here’s a list and some quick 

explanations on other wedding 

events that you may well be perfect 

for and can add on to your existing 

offers or create new ones for new 

spaces: 

PRE AND POST WEDDING DAYS 

We’re talking rehearsal dinners 

GETTY IMAGES 

(the night before the wedding), 

and post-wedding day brunches. 

Weddings today can be multi-day 

and multi-venue so be sure to look 

out for opportunities to host these 

activities and proactively promote 

them. You might for example be 

able to partner with a local venue 

that hosts larger numbers to be 

the ideal location for their couples' 

pre-wedding rehearsal dinners 

(perhaps 20-30 guests) or relaxed 

outdoor festival brunch 

MINI MOONS 

Very much in favour by the couple 

of today. They will put the big 

honeymoon on hold to allow 

themselves more time to recover 

from the spending on the wedding 

day and instead of heading straight 

off on honeymoon will plan a minimoon. 

This might be a two night 

UK stay somewhere lovely and cosy 

where they can have a get-away 

and time together. It doesn't always 

have to be super-luxe – gone are 

the days of the bride dressing 

in her “going away” outfit and 

associated wedding formality. The 

2019 couple is more likely to fancy a 

two night stay in a cosy shepherd’s 

hut where they can be at one with 

nature, relax, not worry about 

appearance and can reminisce over 

their brilliant wedding day. Can you 

create a specific mini-moon package 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Kelly Chandler is a longterm 

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.kellychandler 

consulting.co.uk 

with some extra treats and spoils at 

your location? 

PROPOSAL PLANNING 

Yes, this is very much a thing. 

Weddings are all about the personal 

and all about the detail, and this 

starts earlier than you might think. 

More effort than ever is put into 

getting the proposal just right to 

elicit that all important ‘yes’. 

With our lives increasingly 

covered on social media it’s hardly a 

surprise that there is more pressure 

for that setting, backdrop and 

moment to be perfectly planned 

and considered (I certainly can’t say 

my own marriage proposal 20 years 

ago fitted this description). 

There is even a growing trend 

for hiring in professional proposal 

planners (the likes of The Proposers 

- www.theproposers.co.uk) to 

execute a truly “one in a million” 

experience. Whether it’s a money 

can’t buy backdrop, jaw-dropping 

décor, or a proposal that requires 

a thousand helpers to execute, this 

could well be a market to explore for 

your venue. 

If you have special places and 

unique spaces, then you could 

consider opening up your doors 

and marketing for unique wedding 

proposals – often these are very 

short and rewarding events in every 

sense. 


ASSET 

FINANCE 

AND 

LOANS 

From marquees to event structures, mobile catering to 

staging equipment, we have a range of outdoor and event 

financing solutions to help you invest in the equipment you 

need and protect your working capital. 

01420 481 500 bluestarleasing.com/events-finance 

Bluestar Leasing is a trading name of Blue Star Business Solutions Limited which is Authorised 

and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 



Scare 

One of the UK’s leading scare attraction experts 

Michael Bolton illustrates why our appetite 

for fear offers landowners a very profitable 

opportunity not only in October but potentially 

all year round 

Attractions 

YOU’VE HAD a good summer season and 

you are looking forward to a few quiet 

winter months before the Christmas 

festivities. Do you sit back and chill, or do 

you join the growing band of attraction 

and as land owners who celebrate the 

UK’s fastest growing holiday tradition? Yes, 

Halloween is so big now that some of the 

bigger attractions, like Tulleys Shocktober 

Fest, pull in over 80,000 visitors on an 

average of about £40 per head! Halloween is 

big business and the general public’s desire 

to be scared seems to just keep growing. 

So why is it so popular? We could go into 

pages theorising on why scare attractions 

work, but the key point is that people 

love to have fun as a group. We love to be 

scared, and we love it even more when we 

see our friends scared. We cling to loved 

ones in the dark and we scream, and then 

we laugh about what we experienced. For 

a short time, the only thing in your mind is 

wondering what is about to jump out next 

and any thoughts of work stress, Brexit or 

anything else fades into insignificance! 

So, what is required for a scare event? 

There really is no set pattern, the only limit 

being your imagination. While some of 

the bigger events such as Hallowscream 

at York Maze and Fear at Avon Valley work 

around a central arena with attractions built 

in standalone marquees and/or packing 

containers, others such as Fear Fest Evil in 

Chepstow utilise the natural location and 

send guests on a 60 minute walk along an 

abandoned quarry railway. In fact, some of 

the more unique events stand out because 

of their location, and the UK has seen scare 

attractions built in abandoned buildings, 

woodlands, stately homes, prehistoric caves 

and more. It really is a matter of seeing what 

is available and working with it. 

Scaresville at Kentwell Hall recently won 

the annual SCAR award for best multi part 

scare event. The experience is one long 

trail through woodlands, outbuildings and 

the old stables of the estate. When setting 

up the show originally, the creative team 

looked at what was available to them and 

designed the attraction around what they 

had. The organic growth of the event has 

been a family undertaking and apart from 

externally sourcing props and effects, has all 

been created in house. 

That said, when starting something new, 

many attractions work with an external 

consulting company as they may have no 

idea where to start. There are multiple 

production companies who between them 

have years of experience creating scare 

events, and the services they offer could 

range from a simple one-off consult as to 

the viability of an event through to full scale 

design, production and operation. The 

choice of which way to go is purely down 

to budget and how much involvement you 

want in your own event. 

GETTING STARTED 

So, you’ve assessed the land and buildings 

available, and designed something you 

think will scare people, but then the hard 

work really begins – getting the name out 

there so people come and visit. Fortunately, 

the public are now quite aware of scare 

attractions and what they are, but in an 

ever-growing market, attractions need to 

stand out. This is where a good marketing 

and social media presence comes in and 

it’s no surprise that most events these 

Kentwell Hall in 

Suffolk, home to 

Scaresville – a 

haunted village 

that appears in 

the grounds every 

Halloween... 



days seem to hold media and press events, 

reaching out to social media influencers for 

instant viral marketing. 

But is Halloween profitable? In a word 

yes. But you do have to be careful. It is 

very easy to spend a lot of money on cool 

props, effects and extra actors, when all you 

actually need is a bit of inspired creativity. 

Some of the most impressive effects and 

scares have been created more out of 

necessity as there hasn’t been the budget 

available. Also, it is important to understand 

how much your audience will pay for your 

experience and look carefully at the target 

demographic. Scare Kingdom Scream 

Park near Blackburn has some of the most 

elaborate scare attractions in the UK but is 

a fraction of the price of similar attractions 

down south. The price point appeals to 

locals and the event sells out every year. 

Like any venture, there is a lot to consider, 

but there genuinely is a market out there 

for more Halloween events and scare 

attractions. With the season falling over 

the October half term period, people are 

looking for things to do and if you have 

land or buildings sitting empty you could 

be putting them to better use. It’s also 

worth mentioning that secondary spend is 

massive and it comes as no surprise that 

most events offer food, drink and even 

merchandise. 

We would advise anyone even 

considering opening a scare event to visit 

ScareCON – the annual convention for scare 

attraction owners and designers. This is a 

great place to meet other operators, props 

suppliers and production companies to find 

out what has worked for them in the past. 

The summer show also hosts the prestigious 

SCAR awards ceremony - an accolade that 

all events eagerly compete for. 

I hope this article has given you a taste 

of what is possible and has maybe inspired 

you to take the plunge. It’s a very satisfying 

feeling hearing people scream. It may sound 

weird but if they are screaming then they’re 

having fun. And after all, that’s what it is all 

about! 

CASE STUDY 

25 Years of Halloween 

at Tulleys Farm 

Michael Bolton gives a brief history of the farm's Halloween 

diversification, which has positioned it as the UK's number 

one scare attraction 

A BRIEF history of a farm’s 

Halloween diversification which 

has positioned it as the UK’s No.1 

scare attraction 

The farming business at Tulleys 

was started by Bernard Beare. 

In the early 1970s, Bernard's 

son Denis saw the potential for 

Pick Your Own and, with his wife 

Marion, set about turning Tulleys 

Farm in Crawley into one of the 

largest Pick Your Own farms in 

the area. Denis and Marion's 

son, Stuart, joined the farming 

business in 1991, the farm shop 

was opened in the summer of 

1992 and the tearoom followed 

in 1996. 

Stuart is not a conventional 

farmer and his passion for 

creating experiences has led to the 

creation of Tulleys Shocktober 

Fest in October, which has 

repeatedly won the title of the 

UK’s No.1 Halloween Attraction. 

The festival is now the 

UK's biggest Halloween 

event, featuring eight attractions, 

roaming characters and 

fairground rides, attracting over 

80,000 visitors each year. 

TIMELINE 

n 1994 - The farm opened a small 

fête style event and called it the 

Pumpkin Festival. 

n 1995 - This was the first year 

running a proper Halloween 

event as the farm was trying 

to build momentum around 

pumpkin sales. It ran the Pumpkin 

Festival from mid-October, with 

a pumpkin carving competition, 

fête-type games, maggot racing 

and about 300 visitors. 


Michael Bolton has been 

visiting and reviewing scare 

events for over 20 years and 

runs ScareTOUR, the UK’s 

biggest news and reviews 

site for the industry. He has also 

consulted and advised on a number of large UK 

attractions. For further details of ScareCON or to 

talk through possible options for your own venue, 

contact Michael through www.scarecon.org or 

www.scaretouruk.com


n 1996 - More side games were 

added, as well as a new Spook Hunt 

attraction for families. 

n 1997 - A straw bale maze was 

created but was not very successful. 

The pre-cursor to The Creepy 

Cottage was opened - a small walk 

through a haunted house built with 

simple props and no animation. 

The event ran for nine days over the 

October half term. 

n 1998 - The Creepy Cottage was 

built with a computer controlled 

pneumatic prop system and 

more effects. This version of the 

Creepy Cottage remained virtually 

unchanged for a few years 

n 1999 - This year was about 

consolidating and developing 

the event with an extra opening 

weekend added. 

n 2000 - The Spooky Trail was 

added which still runs in the 

daytime today as a treasure hunt 

for children around a simple maize 

maze. 

n 2001 - Same as 2000. 

n 2002 - The Spooky Wagon ride 

was added for the daytime event, 

running until 7pm each evening 

over half term. 

n 2003 - The Haunted Hayride 

debuted properly with 12 scenes 

in the woods and three trailers 

running. With the farm open until 

9pm, and with Creepy Cottage 

running and the Spooky Trail, the 

park had over 15,000 visitors. 

n 2004 - The loading platform and 

the station were redesigned to 

allow more efficient loading and 

unloading of the Haunted Hayride. 

n 2005 - The Field of Screams - a 

walk through a maze field with live 

actors and effects - was added to 

bring the attraction tally up to three. 

n 2006 - The Haunted Hayride 

was extensively refurbished with a 

further 10 scenes added. 

n 2007 - The park had a general 

reorganisation with a new 

admission area and an additional 

food court added. The entrance 

to the Field of Screams was also 

relocated. 

n 2008 - Further additions were 

made to the infrastructure with a 

fun fair included and additional 

ticket booths added. 

n 2009 - The Cellar and It's Curtains 

mazes were added as part of a new 

events area, taking the park up to 

five attractions. 

n 2010 - The line-up remained 

similar but the It’s Curtains maze 

was expanded. 

n 2011 - New attraction Hell- 

Ements was added to the line-up. 

This was the UK's first "hooded" 

maze. 

n 2012 - This year The Field was 

replaced with a new attraction - Dr 

Plague's Terror Trail and It's Curtains 

was rebranded to Twisted. 

n 2013 - This was the year the park 

took on a more festival vibe with 

large stages and live music added. 

Dr Fear's Terror Trail was replaced 

with Woodshock: Rottin’ Since 69. 

n 2014 - The Tunnel was built in the 

field and a new Silver Screen scare 

zone was added. A dedicated visitor 

services building was created. 

n 

2015 - Twisted evolved to 

become Nightshade Circus. Two 

brand new attractions were added 

- The Chop Shop and The Volt - and 

the field once again changed into a 

new attraction called The Colony. 

This was, by far, the biggest event 

Tulleys had created with a second 

music stage added, a total of eight 

attractions and over 60,000 visitors. 

n 2016 - The Coven of 13 was 

built into a new part of the site 

and more changes were made to 

the event arena, creating a new 

Ghost Town with a mid-way games 

area. A second music stage was 

added and the Twisted maze had a 

rebrand to become a 3D attraction - 

PanDEMONium's 3D Carnival. 

n 2017 – Hellements was 

rebranded to VIXI with some new 

effects extending the experience. 

The Coven of 13 was also extended 

with new scenes in the woodlands. 

n 2018 – For its 25th year, the park 

has added a live entertainment 

show from the Circus of Horrors, 

while extending The Cellar with a 

new theme – Imprisoned. 

www.tulleysfarm.com / 

www.shocktoberfest.co.uk 



7 & 8 

NOV 2018 

NEC 

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COUNTRY HOUSE 

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: CORPORATE EVENTS 

Events 

are RUBBISH! 

How venues hosting conferences and business 

events can make a real impact on reducing waste 

ipsum 

THE EVENT industry is very good 

at jumping on a bandwagon; 

Brexit, apprenticeships and the 

gender-pay-gap to name but a few. 

It squeezes a big picture topic 

or worthy cause to fit its own selfworth 

then slaps itself on the back 

or mops its brow – but perhaps 

the industry actually needs to look 

internally before weighing in on 

external debates? 

This sector is very vocal when it 

wants a quick media hit. However, 

we are more often than not 

slow to get our act together and 

ultimately other industries don’t 

want to listen to the moans of the 

meetings market. 

As an industry we have a huge 

problem about to hit and it’s time 

to address the big elephant in 

the room. Our colleagues in retail 

and public catering are currently 

struggling to come to terms with 

their consumption of drinking 

straws and plastics. For the event 

sector the ramifications are far, far 

bigger: 

› think of any event and the cups, 

the plates and the ‘disposables’ 

used in catering 

› think of the giveaways that 

are ever present, such as pens, 

stress balls and gift bags. 

With some large event venues 

hosting 10,000 guests over a three 

day period, the figures become 

far more explosive than a few 

thousand straws in the capital’s 

destination restaurants and 

cocktail bars. 

While plastic is an urgent 

matter that needs addressing, 

the hospitality and events sector 

struggles with its conscience 

around being sustainable in 

general. Plastic is a very real topic 

and we need to address it but 

taking a more holistic approach 

is the answer. Banning straws is 

a great move, we’ve all seen Blue 

Planet, but we can’t just stop 

GETTY IMAGES 

there and think we’ve done our 

bit. Straws have disappeared but 

plastic drinking bottles are given 

away without thought, wooden 

cutlery is handed out with a lunch 

packaged in plastic. Let’s get 

smart, ditch the quick fixes and 

think long term. 

Let’s take the plastic bag policy 

as an example. In 2015, the law 

changed, requiring large shops in 

England to charge 5p for all singleuse 

plastic carrier bags. The policy 

was introduced in an attempt to 

reduce their use and the litter they 

can cause by encouraging people 

to reuse bags. 

At first this evoked national 

outrage, “What effect will reusing 

“WHAT 

EFFECT WILL 

REUSING 

PLASTIC 

BAGS HAVE?” 

PEOPLE 

CRIED WHILE 

TABLOID 

PAPERS 

PREDICTED 

A DESCENT 

INTO 

‘CHAOS’ 

plastic bags have?” people cried 

while tabloid papers predicted a 

descent into ‘chaos’. That was until 

it was revealed that in the first six 

months the number of single-use 

plastic bags used by shoppers in 

England plummeted by more than 

85%. Also, a recent study by Cefas 

revealed since the 5p charge on 

plastic bags was introduced, which 

has taken over 9 billion plastic 

bags out of circulation, there has 

been an estimated 50% reduction 

in plastic bag marine litter - long 

live the turtles! 

Now it’s second nature to go 

to the shop with a back pack, a 

Bag For Life and a couple of extra 

totes, proof that these seemingly 



small changes are having a huge 

effect on the environment. I’m not 

saying we should force a levy onto 

everything, but perhaps the moral 

of the story is that behaviours can 

change and those changes make a 

difference. 

It is our responsibility to look 

after our planet so let's get serious 

about plastic and food waste. 

Event organisers need to be 

thinking about the environmental 

impact of an event before it’s 

begun. Can anything be recycled 

or reused from a previous event? 

Do you really need so much food? 

Can plastic water bottles be traded 

in for water filling stations or a 

simple jug? 

Sustainability initiatives and 

waste reduction processes need 

to be routinely included in the 

pre and post event strategy and 

responsibility shared between the 

venue and the event organiser. 

Start small and go from there, 

it’s definitely a case of breaking 

old habits and realising that trying 

to become more sustainable as a 

person and a business is not ‘too 

much effort’. There are plenty 

of tools online that offer free 

advice, and try looking towards 

businesses that are already 

paving the way on such issues. 15 

Hatfields, a leading sustainable 

events venue in central London, 

recently gave away saplings in 

compostable packaging instead of 

pens at an exhibition. 

Another useful resource is OLIO, 


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 

BELOW Unwanted 

promotional pens 

can be put to 

better use 

a pioneering app which helps 

to pass on unused or unwanted 

food. OLIO’s Food Waste Heroes 

programme provides volunteers 

to pick up and redistribute unsold 

or unused food from businesses 

at the end of the day and offers 

guidance on what can and can’t be 

passed on as this is often a worry 

for corporate companies. 

BE A THOUGHT LEADER 

As an industry we need to square 

up to what’s ahead by being less 

opportunistic with matters that 

are not as relevant or prevalent. 

Banning plastic and tackling the 

huge problem of waste in the 

events sector with more gusto 

than just removing straws from 

the bar top will have far greater 

resonance and thought leadership 

than trying to jump on many of the 

UK’s other issues. 

At Triggerfish we attend 

many events and exhibitions 

and often notice, amongst 

other unnecessary items of 

merchandise, a sea of branded 

biros ready to give away to 

potential clients. But, we 

pondered, what happens to those 

pens after the event and is there 

a way we can avoid them going 

to landfill. With that in mind, at 

this year’s SquareMeal Venues + 

Events Live we simply encouraged 

exhibitors to donate the leftover 

pen and pencil giveaways to 

Triggerfish. In turn we arranged 

for them to go to schools and 

orphanages who need them far 

more than the show’s tech savvy 

Insta-tanious visitor. 

Our premise is simple, we want 

to encourage tomorrow’s artists 

and wordsmiths. So, rather than 

letting the exhibitors’ surplus 

pens and pencils go to landfill 

or sit unforgotten in a draw, we 

encouraged them to help us pen 

a better education for children in 

schools and orphanages overseas 

who often struggle to fund such 

items. 

The support from the events 

industry was unanimous and 

we are delighted to be helping 

children overseas in furthering 

their education and enjoying 

the simple pleasure and wonder 

that ink and graphite can bring. 

Searcys, The Science Museum, 

Sodexo, Center Parcs, Tottenham 

Hotspur and more were abundant 

in their generosity and have 

helped us gather the necessary 

tools for those starting their 

education. 

Our first shipment was sent 

overseas to Malawi and we 

are continuing to encourage 

conference organisers, exhibitions 

and venues large and small to 

collect up pens and help us recycle 

the 'write' way. 

We have a responsibility to 

future generations and can 

genuinely create an impact in the 

UK and across the business of 

events. And all too often how you 

can help is under your nose. 

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PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Professional 

Services 

Wedding and party 

venue in Somerset 

Description: A new wedding 

and party venue in Somerset 

set up by an established 

catering business 

Service: Asset finance 

Supplier: Bluestar Leasing 

Telephone: 01420 481500 

Website: 

www.bluestarleasing.com 

Details: Bluestar Leasing 

recently helped a company 

with its new business 

venture of hosting corporate 

parties and weddings. The 

Somerset based business 

had many years’ experience 

providing catering for 

functions across the UK. After 

a very successful quarter the 

customer decided to expand 

by having their own venue to 

host from. 

Bluestar secured the 

finance for a wide range of 

items including a marquee, 

catering equipment, heating 

and furniture from multiple 

suppliers. The cost totalled 

£30,000 + VAT and was 

placed on a three year term 

with no deposit required 

from the customer. 

The finance was approved 

within 24 hours with a 

simple process and e-sign 

documents. No director’s 

guarantee was required and 

suppliers were paid in full on 

delivery. 

Protecting working capital 

was key for the customer 

and by spreading the cost 

over 36 monthly payments of 

£980 the business achieved 

its goal. Since the launch 

in August the business 

has received a high level 

of bookings and the new 

venture looks to have a very 

successful future ahead. 

Feedback: “Excellent service 

from start to finish - friendly 

and professional”. 

MARTA MAY 

Brinsop Court, 

Herefordshire 

Description: Brinsop Court is 

a Grade 1 listed 12th Century 

moated manor house just outside 

Hereford City. It nestles within 

its own 800 acre estate and 

hosts multi day weddings and 

celebrations on an exclusive-use 

basis 

Service: Wedding venue 

consultancy to increase bookings 

Consultant: Kelly Chandler 

Wedding Consulting 

Telephone: 01483 282858 / 

07721 093566 

Website: www.kellychandler 

consulting.co.uk/consultingservices 

Details: The team at Brinsop 

got in touch and booked Kelly’s 

‘Refine and Shine’ consulting 

service for established wedding 

venues. They were generally 

performing well as a business, 

still receiving a high volume of 

enquiries and taking a good 

number of wedding bookings. 

However, they knew that there 

was still room for improvement to 

increase sales. 

Kelly spent time analysing 

Brinsop Court’s presence 

remotely (website, marketing and 

social media) then spent a day 

with the full team getting under 

the skin of the wedding business, 

reviewing physical features of 

the venue, logistics, the wedding 

showround process and the 

enquiry and sales process. Via 

open discussions on the day 

and the post-session report, 

Kelly identified key areas for the 

team to focus on and develop. 

Via monthly follow up phone 

sessions, she supported the team 

to prioritise their actions, keep 

moving forward and make the 

changes and updates needed. 

They did all of this during their 

busiest wedding time of the 

year (no easy task) and are 

now consistently seeing a huge 

uplift in quantity and quality of 

bookings. 

Feedback: “Working with 

Kelly has restored confidence 

here at Brinsop Court. She 

provided us with clear and useful 

information that we’ve been able 

to implement and are already 

experiencing great results in just a 

few short months. 

“At the end of August 2018, we 

had already exceeded our sales 

figures for the whole of 2017. With 

over four months to go to add to 

those figures we were beyond 

delighted with our results since 

working with Kelly. We are fully 

booked every weekend for private 

hire from the end of March to the 

end of September 2019. We are 

thrilled with this. 

“Kelly has such a great 

understanding and so much 

knowledge from all her 

experience in the weddings and 

events industry. She has very 

kindly passed on all her tips, 

tricks and industry secrets which 

we have been so grateful for. 

She is always on hand to ask 

any questions, big or small, and 

provides honest feedback.” 


Polhawn Fort 

Description: Set above the 

secluded beach of Polhawn 

Cove in Cornwall, Polhawn Fort 

has outstanding sea and coastal 

views. Couples can choose to 

tie the knot inside the fort or go 

for a more bohemian vibe out in 

the venue’s summerhouse 

Service: Wedding insurance 

Supplier: Event Insurance 

Services 

Telephone: 01425 470 360 

Website: www.eventsinsurance.co.uk 

Details: Polhawn Fort is a venue 

that caters for some stunning 

weddings on its grounds. The 

events team recommends to 

all wedding couples looking 

to book their venue that they 

take out wedding insurance. 

This is to safeguard against a 

variety of things; from failed 

photos, damage to wedding 

gifts, flowers and attire, to the 

worst case of cancellation or 

rearrangement of the wedding, 

as well as essential public 

liability cover. 

A newly engaged couple 

had their hearts set on the 

beautiful location to celebrate 

their big day. However, in 

the run up to the wedding, 

the couple had to make the 

decision to cancel the wedding 

on the booked date due to 

unforeseen and unavoidable 

circumstances. 

Fortunately, they had 

decided to take Polhawn 

Fort’s advice and took out 

insurance with Event Insurance 

Services. The pair contacted 

the claims team and explained 

the situation stating that the 

wedding could no longer go 

ahead on the original date. 

Event Insurance Services, 

along with the events team 

at Polhawn Fort, were able to 

help move the wedding to a 

later date, rather than cancel 

the wedding totally. Having 

the insurance in place meant 

that the bride and groom were 

able to rearrange the wedding 

without any financial impact to 

either themselves or the venue. 

Feedback: Polhawn Fort 

said :“We recommend to all 

our wedding couples that 

they take out insurance for 

their wedding. Unfortunately 

wedding cancellations are not 

uncommon and things that 

are unforeseen do happen. 

Not only can insurance offer 

couples some protection 

should anything go wrong, 

but it can also save a lot of 

heartache and stress when 

things do. It also provides us as 

a venue some peace of mind 

knowing that the wedding 

couples have some extra 

financial security.” 


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GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Long Valley 

Yurts 

Glamping pioneers Richard and 

John didn't have it easy in the start 

up years but now operate five sites 

hosting a total of 100 guests a night 

Friends since university, the intrepid Richard Coulter and John Maddy share a passion 

for the outdoors that has resulted in a multi-site yurt glamping business with some 

serious profit margins. We talk to John about how they work with landowners and how 

their attention to detail and quality has paid dividends. 

What is your team’s back story – 

life before Long Valley Yurts? 

That’s some time ago now… 

Richard and I met at university 

studying Environmental 

Management and Outdoor 

Education, and Outdoor Education 

and Leadership respectively. We 

became best friends and climbing 

partners, which enhanced our love 

for the outdoors and staying in wild 

places. 

Richard left university and 

went to work for a development 

training organisation working with 

corporate clients taking him to all 

corners of the globe. In his spare 

time he took groups on overland 

expeditions as far afield as Peru. 

“WE BOTH 

LOVED 

CAMPING AND 

OUTDOOR 

ADVENTURES 

AND WE 

SPOTTED A 

GAP IN THE 

MARKET FOR 

BRINGING 

FRIENDS AND 

FAMILIES 

TOGETHER 

THROUGH 

NATURE” 

4 

I went to work for Outward 

Bound mountain school working 

with young people using the 

outdoors to facilitate development 

and learning before moving into 

corporate development training 

working alongside Richard. 

Describe your glamping operation 

and what made you decide to 

enter the industry 

Richard and myself were both 

working for another company and 

wanted something different. We 

both loved camping and outdoor 

adventures and we spotted a gap in 

the market for bringing friends and 

families together through nature. 

We knew if we could share our 

passion for the outdoors and 

outdoor living with others we could 

potentially have the makings of 

something special and new. 

When did you open and how did 

you research the business before 

entering it? 

When Long Valley Yurts started 

in 2008 we were one of the first 

glamping companies commercially 

operating in the country. At that 

point we had some experience of 

yurts but certainly not holidays. The 

UK market didn’t really know what 

a yurt was let alone why they would 

stay in one, especially in the Lake 

District! 

There were none of the weird 

and wonderful choices that there 

are today. We knew we needed a 

structure that was unique, spacious 

and robust enough to stand up to 

everything the Lake District weather 

could throw at it! Having worked 

out of yurts previously we knew this 

would be the best solution. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

When we started, we quickly 

learned that the UK weather 

demanded a more robust product 

than was currently available. After 

researching extensively to no avail, 

we decided to take things in house 

and have our yurts manufactured 


GLAMPSITES 

specifically for us. They meet our 

high standards and specifications 

and are perfect for use in the Lake 

District in all weathers. They are 

products that we trust and are 

immensely proud of. 

We currently operate from March 

to November. Over winter we 

refurbish and maintain all of our 

structures, allowing us to keep our 

product looking tip top and in the 

best possible condition. This also 

gives us a break! 

Tell us about your locations and 

sites 

Long Valley Yurts currently operates 

from five stunning locations - 

four in the Lake District National 

Park and one in the Peak District 

National Park. All our locations 

offer something different for our 

guests but fundamentally and 

most importantly they offer the 

opportunity to unplug from life and 

reconnect with each other. 

Great Langdale was our first 

location and not only is it in a truly 

stunning and wild setting in the 

heart of the Lake District mountains 

but it also provided us with the 

name for our company with ‘Great 

Langdale’ being the Norse for Long 

Valley! We currently have three 

yurts here. 

Our Low Wray site comprises 

six yurts and is situated on Lake 

Windermere. It’s close to Ambleside, 

Hawkshead and Windermere on 

what is often referred to as the quiet 

side of what is England’s largest 

lake. 

Moss Howe Farm is nestled in the 

limestone foot hills of the southern 

Lake District. The topography 

here is very different – beautiful 

limestone escarpments and very 

close to the coast. We currently 

have four yurts at Moss Howe, 

three of which have their own 

Scandinavian hot tubs. 

Sykeside is our newest Lake 

District location. We have two 

yurts set in the jaw dropping 

Dovedale Valley close to the banks 

of Brotherswater. A short drive from 

Ullswater, guests can explore the 

beautiful Helvellyn range and the 

eastern mountains. 

We broke the mould with 

Knotlow Farm in the Peak District, 

our first site outside of the Lakes. 

The site itself is a hidden gem; a 

warm, friendly, family-run campsite 

in the heart of the National Park. 

Small and peaceful, the site is 

surrounded by over 100 acres of 

farmland, We have four yurts here, 

two of them with hot tubs. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

We currently work with farmers, 

landowners and existing campsites, 

so depending on the location we 

sometimes don’t require it. We 

offer joint venture partnerships 

and work with people to develop 

their campsite or piece of land into 

something very special.

GLAMPSITES 

We have evolved our product 

over the years to what you see 

today. This has been for many 

reasons and planning has certainly 

been a factor. For example, our 

flooring looks very permanent 

and solid but is actually very 

transportable. The yurts also lend 

themselves very well to being 

mobile - as their original nomadic 

routes demanded. 

Every nut and bolt has been 

meticulously thought about and 

managed in order to maintain only 

the highest standards of safety and 

quality for our guests and partners. 

How did you finance the project? 

Did you use any grants? 

We wish! Back when we started we 

didn’t really have any support from 

banks or grants and diversification 

wasn’t the buzzword that it is 

today. We set our first site up in 

the Langdale Valley with two yurts, 

a personal loan and a wing and a 

prayer… By the end of the first year 

we knew we were on to something 

very special indeed. 

“OUR ETHOS 

IS TO CREATE 

AMAZING 

SPACES IN 

AMAZING 

PLACES, GIV- 

ING PEOPLE 

THE ABILITY 

TO DISCON- 

NECT FROM 

ALL THE 

STRESSES 

OF LIFE AND 

RECONNECT 

WITH EACH 

OTHER” 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

We didn’t have any previous 

marketing experience so we 

learnt everything as we grew, but 

unfortunately not always the easy 

way. We went on lots of courses 

and were selected to take part in 

a government funded programme 

about seven years ago called the 

Growth Accelerator. We were paired 

with a business specialist who we 

worked with extensively to build 

our brand from the ground up. 

The journey we went on and the 

brand we have created has formed 

the backbone of our business and 

filters every decision we make. 

How would you describe your 

ethos? 

Our ethos is to create amazing 

spaces in amazing places, giving 

people the ability to disconnect 

from all the stresses of life and 

reconnect with each other. We 

offer “holidays with a breath of 

fresh air”. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

Our spaces needed to be unique 

and flexible. We needed to have a 

space that was authentic, colourful 

and comfortable. Quality is at the 

heart of Long Valley Yurts and our 

interiors reflect that too. We have 

hand-picked authentic antique 

furniture, installed cosy log burning 

stoves, chosen beautiful Moroccan 

rugs and lanterns, hung twinkling 

fairy lights… it is definitely a 

luxurious experience. 

What challenges have you faced? 

Probably as many as any small 

business faces, one of which was 

trying to create a ‘trend’ that no 

one had heard of. Trying to drum up 

support, convincing newspapers to 

write about a new trend that was 

going to sweep the UK market off 

its feet! 

Our supply chain was almost non 

existent in the early years. We have 

had to work tirelessly over the last 

10 years with all our suppliers to 

create something environmentally 


GLAMPSITES 

sustainable that we were all proud 

of. Working with these suppliers, we 

had to invent, create, design and 

tailor every element of our business 

to the point it’s at today. New 

glamping businesses don’t have 

this problem today as most of this 

is available now online in one form 

or another. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

We are currently developing some 

of our existing and new locations 

to offer weddings. An exciting 

venture that will provide a totally 

unique and romantic offer for lots 

of couples. 

We are also designing technology 

that will revolutionise off-grid spa 

experiences for the industry and we 

are hoping to bring this to market 

next year. 

There may be one or two more 

new sites added next year too as 

we are constantly looking for new 

locations and partners. 

Describe your average day midseason 

No day is the same! It could involve 

H&S inspections on site and site 

partner meetings to designing new 

equipment for the following year 

and helping our guests. We are 

training new staff for the future and 

investing in new professional roles 

in the industry. We are constantly 

evolving the business and trying 

to drive it forward. We work with 

manufacturers to test new products 

and feedback real time information 

for the industry. So you could say 

it’s fairly varied! 

What do you enjoy about the 

business? 

We love what we have created, and 

it’s this reason we still love it. We 

are in charge of our own destiny. We 

“WE HAVE 

CONVINCED 

THE MASSES 

TO ABANDON 

TECHNOL- 

OGY AND 

RECONNECT 

WITH EACH 

OTHER FACE 

TO FACE 

AGAIN. AS A 

BUSINESS 

THIS HAS 

MADE US 

WELL OVER A 

£MILLION” 

have created an offering that was 

born in a recession, grew in the rain 

of the Lake District and convinced 

the masses to abandon technology 

and reconnect with each other face 

to face again. As a business this has 

made us well over a £million. 

What are you most proud of? 

Being one of the early pioneers of 

glamping in the UK and creating 

an experience that gives over 100 

people a night memories that will 

last a lifetime. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We offer consultancy services for 

individuals looking to diversify and 

are working with other locations 

to develop the Long Valley Yurts 

family. We are also currently 

developing our offer to the wedding 

market. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

The good thing about setting a 

business up today is that there 

is a lot of help, information and 

financial support. Take your time 

and research your idea - do you 

need a robust product that will 

stand the test of time, or do you 

want to ‘stack them high and 

sell them cheap’? Research your 

target market and demographic 

and create a solid business plan 

checked by someone who knows 

what they are talking about (this 

might not be the banks). 

Always buy the best quality 

things you can afford; it may seem 

expensive at first but will pay 

dividends in the future! 

Most of all, enjoy what you’re 

doing. It will be the hardest thing 

you have ever done in your life but 

worth every minute. Let us know 

how you get on! We wish you the 

best of Luck - John and Richard. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

Low Wray National Trust Campsite 

Crieff Road 

Ambleside LA22 0JA 

Great Langdale National Trust 

Campsite 

Great Langdale 

Near Ambleside LA22 9JU 

Moss Howe Farm Campsite 

Witherslack 

Grange-Over-Sands LA11 6SA 

Sykeside Campsite 

Brotherswater 

Hartsop CA11 0NZ 

Knotlow Farm Campsite 

Flagg 

Buxton SK17 9QP 

01539 733 044 

www.luxury-yurt-holidays.co.uk 


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GLAMPSITES 

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: GLAMPING 

IT’S SHOW TIME! 

with Kate Morel 

Seminars, exhibitions, roadshows and 

site visits – does this woman ever stop?! 

ABOUT KATE 

Kate Morel’s consultancy work 

specialises in the alternative 

and glamping accommodation 

sector, offering feasibility reports 

and creating concepts for new 

developments. Her advice brings 

a clear and experienced focus 

to proposed projects, and she 

understands that successful 

glamping businesses rely on 

creativity as well as sound 

financials, keeping an eye on both. 

Kate has also teamed up with other 

industry specialists to create Morel 

& Co, which is supporting projects 

with expert planning application 

advice, bespoke designs and 

structure installation. Specialising 

in design-led projects - treehouses, 

cabins and natural builds such 

as roundhouses - the team brings 

refreshingly honest advice, indepth 

experience and genuine 

enthusiasm to every project. Get in 

touch info@katemorel.com or visit 

www.morelcompany.co.uk / www. 

katemorel.com 

Join Kate’s Facebook business 

support group by searching 

Glamping Business Link. 

IT’S THAT time of year 

again with back to back 

industry events, annual 

conferences, summits 

and get-togethers. The 

annual Glamping Show was 

held at Stoneleigh Park in 

September, with a well- 

attended seminar programme 

and a wide range of exhibitors. 

There were also new product 

launches, such as the Timber Tipi, 

and an astonishing infra-red solar-powered 

heating system by Universal Glamping. 

The European glamping specialists got 

together to discuss what’s going on in respective 

countries and to get a feel for how the European 

landscape is shaping up overall. Individual 

country issues aside, it was interesting to 

note that similar trends for higher end, more 

experiential, and proper ‘back to nature’ 

glamping, are gaining momentum throughout. 

I also had many other conversations with 

industry colleagues about how the sector is 

developing, new products and companies 

entering the marketplace, as well as those who 

have already departed. 

Dare I mention ‘the B word’? Some 

conversations also pondered the effects 

of Brexit – London demonstrations 

notwithstanding. In the event of us leaving 

the EU, the withdrawal of rural development 

funds could see less projects going ahead, 

while, perhaps ironically, the withdrawal of EU 

subsidies would see more landowners looking 

to diversify. I hear conflicting information about 

how imports and exports may or may not be 

affected, even so, for our industry, an impact 

on costs of imported timber and cheap pods 

and cabins from Europe isn’t to be entirely 

overlooked. 

Another subject that came up many times 

was the lack of research and consultation 

being undertaken by some before deciding on 

ABOVE The GlampRad, an ultra 

efficient, sewn in heating system 

from Universal Glamping 

LEFT A miniature sized demo 

model of the new Timber Tipi 

cabin 

a glamping business model, 

choosing the accommodation 

structure, and submitting the 

planning application. Having been asked 

to get involved in such projects some way down 

the line, I have to say it’s a dispiriting situation 

because unless they have the necessary 

additional funds (and personal motivation) to 

invest in rectifying the project, what’s done is 

done. While some resulting sites might still do 

well, in an industry that’s developing so fast, 

and with other influencing factors now on the 

horizon, surely it pays to do one’s homework? 

On a personal note, the Glamping Show 

was a slightly different experience for me this 

year, because as well as running workshops 

and seminars, one of the new businesses being 

launched there was my own new venture, 

Morel & Co. And very interesting it was too, 

with enquiries and discussions about planning 

permissions, bespoke treehouses, cabins, and 

even iron-age roundhouses. The show ended 

on a high with team members Leigh, Carwyn, 

Allan and myself being interviewed by TV 

presenter Max McMurdo. The resulting video 

gets the message across nicely - even though 

my performance is best described as ‘rabbit in 

headlights’ - the boys however were as cool as 

cukes! 

‘Be My Guest Roadshow’ in Torquay was next 

on the calendar, their roadshows are always well 

attended, with a good mix of local and national 

exhibitors and informative seminars. After that 

was the Carmarthenshire Tourism Summit, with 

a great range of local suppliers, producers and 

companies. I’d like to extend a diolch yn fawr to 

the Carmarthenshire Tourism Association for 

asking me to give the headline seminar. 


GLAMPSITES 

FROM 

THE DIARY 

I FLEW to Scotland recently to provide two 

workshops for the Friends of Loch Lomond 

and the Trossachs, along with a tour of the 

region to view potential and existing sites. 

They very kindly arranged for me to stay 

at Loch Katrine Eco Lodges, which blends 

beautifully into the landscape amidst the 

trees. The view from the rear window was 

of woodland, edged with undisturbed 

boulders still covered in moss. Through 

the front glazed wall were views of the 

loch itself with steamship, Sir Walter Scott, 

serenely moored on the opposite bank. It 

was absolutely idyllic. 

Thank you to James Fraser for 

highlighting glamping as a key leisure 

initiative in the area, to Jared Bowers 

for organising the workshops (and 

picking me up at silly o’clock due to a 

cancelled flight), and to Gordon Allen and 

his staff at Loch Katrine Eco Lodges for 

superb Scottish hospitality - right down 

to little chilled bottles of bubbly and a 

champagne glass in the fridge. 

The glamping industry is still in its 

infancy in Scotland and there remains a 

huge amount of untapped potential with 

existing sites achieving remarkable rental 

fees. On a personal level, I was enchanted 

by the beauty of the area, little wonder it’s 

a favourite shoot location for movies and 

TV series such as Outlander. Fortuitously, 

I’m planning to return just after the 

Farm Business Innovation Show to visit 

potential sites and projects, which I have 

to say I am really looking forward to. 

COLIN / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / CC BY-SA 4.0 

Whisk me Away 

TO THE captivating Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge resort 

in Botswana. ‘A timeless explorer’s lodge that beats with 

the pulse of wild Africa’, where elephants stroll by in their 

natural habitat and the Milky Way illuminates the night sky. 

Activities include a game hide for watching the animals 

from (elephants in particular), safari drives and trips to 

see ancient rock art and baobab trees. A tour of all three of 

Belmond's resorts would be a trip of a lifetime, a proposal 

here would be unforgettable and a celebration package 

would be exceptional… and did I mention there were 

elephants? 

All it needs is a Robert Redford look-a-like to wash my hair 

by the river… or maybe I’ll stick with the elephants! 

Till next time, Kate 

Up & Coming 

NEXT UP is the Farm Innovation Show, held at the NEC on 7-8 

November, also incorporating Country House, Destination Hotel 

& Spa, Holiday Park & Resort, and Leisure Hospitality & Tourism 

World. It’s an inspiring event, clients of mine that attended for the 

first time last year were most impressed so do come along if you’re 

looking for business ideas. When I’m not on the Glamping Q&A 

Panel and giving seminars I’ll be with Morel & Co’s exhibition stand 

so hopefully see you there, it’s always good to meet OAB readers… 

Oh, and wear comfy shoes, it’s a big show! 

Be My Guest will be in Lincolnshire, at Skegness on 13 November 

with an in depth seminar from Google Digital Garage between 

11.30am–12.50pm. This was hugely popular at the Torquay event 

so grab your seat early. 

One event that I couldn’t get to this year, but is definitely in my 

diary for 2019, is the Salon Atlantica at La Rochelle in France – 

because with just under 500 exhibitors it’s quite likely the biggest 

glamping related show in the world (see www.salon-atlantica.fr). 


GLAMPSITES 

GUEST COMMENT 

Imagine my 

Disappointment... 

Marketing expert Sarah Orchard explains the real cost of a negative online review 

GETTY IMAGES 

IT’S BEEN estimated that a 

negative customer review on 

YouTube, Twitter or Facebook 

can cost a company about 30 

customers. It’s a pretty scary 

statistic isn’t it? 

Social media is a great way of 

getting your marketing messages 

to a wide audience. From 

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter 

to YouTube, there’s no arguing with 

its effectiveness in building brand 

awareness and giving guests a 

reason to visit your glampsite. Until 

you fall foul of a negative opinion, 

that is – and then it feels like there’s 

no place to hide. Because an awful 

lot of people are going to see it! 

Making a complaint used to 

mean writing a Mr or Mrs ‘Angry’ 

letter to a company’s customer 

service department or returning 

to a store to demand a refund. It 

was largely a private interaction 

between two parties, unless you 

told a few friends along the way to 

never use that particular company, 

or you had a slanging match with 

the store manager and attracted a 

large crowd. But now, even the 

opinion of just one person can 

be shared with hundreds 

or even thousands of other 

potential customers in an 

instant. 

THE FEAR OF A BAD CUSTOMER 

EXPERIENCE 

Such is the fear factor of negative 

online reviews on TripAdvisor, 

Facebook and Google, that it’s 

probably one of the most common 

concerns that crops up when I 

discuss the use of blogging and 

social media as part of a marketing 

plan with glamping business 

clients. Nobody wants to risk their 

reputation or the possibility of 

losing or alienating guests because 

of a negative online review, but 

shying away from social media 

presents (potentially) an even 

greater risk – that of losing out on 

exposure and the ability to target 

your ideal guests. 

It may feel like you don’t have full 

control of your brand online – and 

it’s true, you don’t. Total control is 

H 

history. The days of pushing out 

marketing messages and expecting 

your audience to simply listen and 

do what you want are long gone. 

What we have now is a two-way 

dialogue. And that’s priceless. 

SO WHEN CAN A NEGATIVE 

REVIEW BE A GOOD REVIEW? 

Online reviews give you instant 

access to your guests’ thoughts 

and feelings. You can get a good 

understanding of how your recent 

guests perceive your glampsite, 

and all feedback – good or bad 

– provides a way of measuring 

success and ensuring continual 

improvement of the glamping 

experience you have created and 

are actually delivering. 

If someone does leave a negative 

comment, don’t feel humiliated or 

upset. Okay, that’s easy to say and 

you probably will feel hurt initially. 

But pick yourself up and look on 

it as an opportunity. Yes, really. 

A guest has brought 

something to your attention – you 

may not have even been aware of 

it, so this is your chance to make 

a positive change about that 

particular element of your glamping 

experience. Show that you’re 

prepared to listen – address their 

concerns, offer a partial refund, or 

another stay at a discounted rate 

to show that you have put it right. 

Do whatever is necessary to give 

your guest a sense of satisfaction 


GLAMPSITES 

and resolution. Be considerate and 

sincere in your response. Be seen to 

respond promptly to the feedback 

and then take further discussion 

offline to resolve fully. 

Get it right and you will actually 

build greater customer loyalty 

and trust. Others will see that you 

actually care about keeping your 

guests happy. And that negative will 

become a positive. 

TRUST YOUR GUESTS’ COMMON 

SENSE… 

When delivering an experience it is 

almost impossible to get it 100 per 

cent spot on, 100 per cent of the 

time. So you may get a negative 

comment once in the while. It’s 

been shown that future guests 

looking at TripAdvisor, Facebook or 

Google reviews tend to take things 

on balance and look at feedback 

scores overall. 

If the majority of guests gave four 

to five star reviews, the one that 

left a one star review is unlikely 

to sway them from staying. That 

one negative review might be 

because the guest chose the wrong 

glampsite for them and your 

future guests may even realise this 

when reading it. So one negative 

review, although disappointing, is 

not the end of the world for your 

reputation. 

SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE! 

Your speed of response is vital. 

Your glamping guests will be using 

sites like TripAdvisor, Facebook 

and Google so reviews here should 

be monitored regularly. Always, 

always, always monitor the reviews 

you receive and act immediately on 

any that are negative. Post a reply 

and then take it offline to continue 

the dialogue and fully resolve the 

issue. If you’re lucky, that customer 

will then feel compelled to write 

a new review about the excellent 

customer service they have just 

received. 

No matter how bad it may be, do 

resist the urge to remove a negative 

online review. Guests may even 

be suspicious of reviews that are 

nothing less than glowing and give 

five stars. Follow my advice and 

even negative reviews will end up 

working in your favour. 


Sarah Orchard helps owners of glamping sites and other hospitality 

businesses get their marketing approach spot on to get more bookings 

without using expensive online agents. She is a professionally qualified 

Chartered Marketer with over 25 years’ of hands-on marketing experience in 

travel and tourism. Sarah is also currently developing and launching her 

own glampsite with her husband – an exciting new venture and a big 

learning curve too! For more on Sarah and her marketing services, 

visit www.get-fully-booked.com and 

www.orchardmarketingassociates.co.uk

GLAMPSITES 

Design 

Trends 

Nikkita Palmer gives her 2019 forecast for 

interior trends, and explains how successful 

design is more about people than ‘stuff’ 

WITH 2018 coming to a close and the glamping season slowing 

down, we’ve had lots of enquiries about redesigning spaces for 

2019. As the industry continues to grow, so does the competition 

and sites are now looking for more unusual ways to draw in 

customers. 

As trends continue to move, I can’t help but feel that interiors 

are becoming more about people, how they feel and how we want 

to make them feel. While colour, pattern and surface helps to 

embrace and communicate this, movements in society effect how 

we as humans want to spend our time, and this trend in itself sits 

beautifully with the glamping industry and the growth in popularity 

of this type of holiday. 

EXPERIENCES OVER THINGS 

While the expression ‘experiences over things’ gives the impression 

of little to no ‘stuff’, I like to think of the trend as a quality over 

quantity scenario. As a culture, we are removing ourselves from 

consumerism, as it has been previously known, by thinking more 

practically about the things we own, buy and invest in. As an 

experience in itself, glamping offers the perfect getaway for those in 

search of more experience outside of their day to day lives. While the 

structures you choose for your site are important, interiors can play 

a huge part in making your site stand out from the rest, creating an 

atmosphere and adding to the overall experience. 

Think carefully when dressing your interior. Think what is 

necessary to create the type of holiday you are marketing - is it 

luxury, is it aimed at couples or is it families you want to attract? 

Use these key customer profiles to help you decide what will 

work and what won’t in your space. With glamping now replacing 

old-fashioned camping for many, these holidays no longer involve 

packing ‘everything but the kitchen sink’. And with mini-moons, 

staycations and weekends away becoming even more popular, it is 

essential to provide your guests with everything they need for their 

break to create a true sense of escape, experience and luxury. 

Sourcing products and homewares can be tricky when on a 

budget, and the cheap and cheerful option is unlikely to bag you 

your ‘ideal client’. Choose your accessories carefully and from 

quality sources and suppliers; with thousands of start up small 

businesses, the array of unusual products available is forever 

increasing. 

We’ve been lucky enough to spend the last few months working 

with Universal Glamping on its brand new structure, the GlampLoft 

(pictured), creating on-trend interior furniture and homewares 

for release in 2019. We worked closely with small UK businesses to 

choose the best, most cost effective and trend based items, which 

are ‘easy care’ and functional - think quality enamelware for dining 


GLAMPSITES 

and cooking; it’s non-breakable, well made 

and beautiful. Using this type of product 

promotes a sense of nostalgia, a call back to 

childhood camping, with the added modern 

touch of luxury that glamping now stands 

for. 

CREATE A STORYLINE FOR YOUR GUESTS 

Pulling on the strings of nostalgia and 

creating a story for your guests is essential 

and this can be easily achieved with 

carefully selected interior pieces. Use 

photography to promote your site according 

to how you want your guests to feel when 

staying with you. Following a huge rise in 

winter stays, pull on elements of hygge by 

incorporating soft cosy blankets (we love 

Neat Homewares’ self clean lambswool 

luxury throws), soft pile and velvet cushions 

and burnt reclaimed wood furniture for the 

ultimate winter nest. 

Small additions also make a big 

difference. For those of you that supply 

hampers, consider little furry friends when 

stocking treats, with dogs now members of 

the family a gentle nod of acknowledgment 

is sure to please your guests. Add handmade 

winter or autumnal wreaths to doors - 

these are really fun to make and can be 

made from natural pickings; we use willow 

branches for the structure and add thistles, 

corn and threaded conkers to decorate. 

Adapt your spaces throughout the 

seasons. With technologies ever improving, 

invest in heating systems for your structures 

to prolong the season into the autumn 

and winter months. Another innovation 

from the team at Universal Glamping is the 

GlampRad. Proving that heating doesn’t 

just have to come in ugly white units, it can 

be stitched into canvas or encased in steel 

panels depending on the space you want to 

heat. 

When making the furniture for the 

GlampLoft we were keen to make the dining 

table and benches lightweight so they 

could be moved outside in the summer. 

This was enhanced further with the sides 

of the canvas structure opening to create 

an indoor/outdoor space for those warmer 

summer evenings. Play with these ideas so 

that they work with your location and bring 

the personality of your site out; consider 

the best views, wind shelters and adaptable 

spaces to ensure your guests get the best 

out of their stay. 

When working with colour, darker matte 

shades of blues and greens are still on 

the rise, with the addition of softer sandy 

shades like Dulux’s colour of the year 2019, 

‘Spiced Honey’. This earthy, jute warm tone 

can be made to reflect soothing, cosy or 

vibrant moods depending on the pallet it is 

combined with. Add playful pops of colour 

with tasseled or pompom fringed blankets, 

lampshades, scatter cushions or mirrors. 

These key, on-trend colours also work great 

with canvas and wood tones - think carefully 

about the colouring of your structure and 

how to pair it with accessories to give a 

comfortable and warming environment. 

“WHEN WORKING WITH 

COLOUR, DARKER MATTE 

SHADES OF BLUES AND 

GREENS ARE STILL ON THE 

RISE, WITH THE ADDITION OF 

SOFTER SANDY SHADES LIKE 

DULUX’S COLOUR OF THE 

YEAR 2019, ‘SPICED HONEY'” 

It is always important to consider light 

to avoid overly dark or synthetically 

light spaces. Try to stay clear of clinical 

surfaces, shiny or bright plastic accessories. 

Instead opt for matte and tactile materials 

promoting a reconnection with the 

environment and a deeper physical 

grounding to the world around us. 

SUSTAINABILITY AND WELLNESS 

As sustainability and wellness becomes 

ever more prominent in society, we are now 

more aware of the products we consume 

and the effect of the things that we do. 

Alongside this, the resurgence of craft means 

people are investing more in products made 

from honest materials and those which 

portray a sense of traditional and modern 

craft techniques. Again, adding a storyline 

to your site, promote yourself on what you 

provide. Market the sustainable aspects 

of your location, structures and internals, 


GLAMPSITES 

comment on the local makers who helped 

to make the space, or leave directories of 

locally sourced products available in the 

area so your guests can take a piece home 

for themselves - this could be for anything 

from local honey to a furniture maker. 

Sourcing sustainable products is also 

key and doesn’t need to be expensive. 

Try to use organic bed linen, natural 

soaps, environmentally friendly washing 

detergents and consider likely market 

groups such as vegetarians, vegans and 

those with high risk of allergies, all things 

now continually on the rise. 

Workshops or courses can also be a 

great way of marketing mid week or out 

of season stays and this fits beautifully 

with the rise in wellness and sustainability. 

Yoga and makers’ retreats are continually 

popular with those wanting to escape the 

rat race of modern life. Be sure to sell the 

whole package by adding elements to 

your internals during these events, maybe 

provide a yoga mat and herbal tea to each 

space or create a shared, cosy dining space 

for large groups in the evening. Small 

touches such as lemoned water and rustic 

tea light holders through the centre of the 

table help to create an atmosphere that will 

draw guests back again and again. 

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX 

In order to set yourself apart in the industry, 

thinking outside of the box is essential. 

Be sure to spread your creativity and 

theming across your site to avoid having 

one beautiful space and the rest letting 

you down. Gone are the days of white tiled 

campsite bathrooms, and whether it is a 

shared facility or not, it is key to make these 

areas as aesthetically pleasing as the rest. 

I love bathroom design and trends 

because you really can transform a 

space with accessorising on a very small 

budget. With new products on the market 

such as tile paints, grout pens and wood 

effect lino, it really doesn’t need to be 

a complete reconstruction. Concrete is 

particularly popular in bathrooms at the 

moment, however can be imitated with 

concrete effect finishes or accessories. 

We also love dark blue and green metro 

tiles which give a clean and trendy finish. 

Brass is back, and vintage brass taps on an 

upcycled draw sink unit can make a huge 

impact. Add trendy but playful elements 

by incorporating fun tropical print shower 

curtains or towels. 

Other areas to consider are outdoor 

spaces, shared alfresco kitchens (which 

can be a real statement), fire pit areas and 

dog wash facilities. 


Nikkita Palmer is an expert in the trend of small spaces and is passionate about ‘slow design,’ 

reconnecting with nature, the importance of community and the trend of experiences rather than 

things. Visit www.nikkitapalmer.com (@nikkitapdesigns on social media) to view her furniture and 

interior work or get in touch at nikkitapalmerdesigns@gmail.com / 07766 827997. 

To view Nikkita’s collaboration with Universal Glamping, visit www.glamploft.com 

Say hello – Stand 3092 

Finman Glamping 

Cabins and BBQ Huts 

Fantastic ROI 

return a profit within 

year 1 based on 25% 

occupancy / £75 rental 

with a 17m2 Finman 

Sleeper Cabin 

Our fantastic range includes traditional, 

contemporary, double storey and low 

profile designs to sleep or host a range 

of guests. BBQ huts from £3,685 and 

Log Cabins from £1,394. 

“We are delighted with the Finman BBQ Hut. The 

quality of build is superb, and Logspan provided a 

very efficient fitting team. Logspan and its product 

have exceeded our expectations.” Alastair 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 info@logspan.com www.logspan.com 


GLAMPSITES 

OAB 

LOVES… 

INTERIORS 

Making things beautiful on the inside 

WE LOVE… 

Interior design services and bespoke products from Nikkita Palmer 

WHY? 

With a passion for how design can help glampers 

reconnect with their environment and each 

other, Nikkita’s handcrafted wares are 

affordable, homely and naturalistic. 

A design graduate of repute, 

Nikkita’s Bedfordshire studio 

also offers interior design 

consultancy and specialises 

in small spaces, upcycling 

and sustainable materials 

including wood, concrete and 

recycled acrylic. 

FROM 

Nikkita Palmer Bespoke 

Interiors 

07766 827 997 

www.nikkitapalmer.com 

WE LOVE… 

Furnishings from The Vintage Tent 

Company 

WE LOVE… 

The GlampRad IR glamping heater from Universal 

Glamping 

WHY? 

Sewn into canvas or integrated into steel panels, the 

GlampRad from Universal Glamping is a must have 

for all year round glamping structures. Unobtrusive 

and ultra efficient heat without the risk of a naked 

flame, anyone who visited the company’s Loft 

structure at this year’s Glamping Show will attest to 

its effectiveness! 

FROM 

Universal Glamping 

01269 853957 

www.universalglamping.co.uk 

WE LOVE… 

Handcrafted furniture from Wild Hart 

WHY? 

The love these pieces have been made 

with is evident in their quality and beauty. 

Designer-maker Nick Sneller’s handiwork 

has won awards and his Wild Hart brand 

has become synonymous with outstanding 

design with a sustainable ethos. Along with 

bespoke glamping structures (including the 

utterly charming new stilted treehouse) and 

naturalistic playscapes, the Wild Hart furniture 

range is craftsmanship at its best. 

FROM 

Wild Hart 

07971 869 058 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

WHY? 

As suppliers of their own design of 

bell tents to glampsites, festivals and 

function venues, these guys knows a 

thing or two about making them look 

beautiful. The online shop offers a 

glorious collection of furnishings from 

embroidered chairs, rugs and pouffes 

to sumptuous bed covers, vintage 

wares, reclaimed wooden furniture and 

character lighting, with some quirky 

stuff thrown in for good measure. 

FROM 

The Vintage Tent Company 

07903 679 900 

www.thevintagetentcompany.com 


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FIELD OF DREAMS. 

Build it and they will come... 

If you’re a landowner looking to start a glamping business, an event 

planner or a festival organiser getting ready to stage the greatest show 

on earth, we can help you with all of your camping requirements. 

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

glamping is booming amongst people looking for a fun, unique and 

engaging outdoor experience. Here at the Vintage Tent Co, we have 

created and collated a beautiful range of retro-inspired camping 

equipment and accessories from around the world to give your campsite 

or event a classic vintage vibe and some serious boho chic. Cooler than a 

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tents are stylish, practical, durable, fun and incredibly functional. 

Alongside these, we can also provide you with all of the accoutrements 

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EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

The Vicar’s 

Picnic 

‘Kent’s biggest little music festival’ - a 

testament to its dedicated voluntary team 

Who could have though that a group of friends’ disappointment over Glastonbury tickets 

six years ago would lead to a nomination for Best of Event of the Year at the upcoming 

NOEA Awards. The Vicar’s Picnic attracts thousands of festivalgoers to a sleepy Kentish 

village every summer with acts including Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Starsailor and Seb 

Fontaine. We talk to founding member Thom Harris. 

Describe your event and how 

many people it attracts? 

Imagine standing in a beautiful 

Kentish field by a lazy river, 

surrounded by banks of rolling 

meadows bursting with lavender on 

the outskirts of a gorgeous English 

village. It's pretty, peaceful and 

bucolic... 

All that remains for you to do is 

build a trackway, put up the fencing, 

sort the plumbing, power, portaloos 

and parking, build four stages, two 

campsites and a temporary town, 

corral the vendors, placate the 

locals and then make everything 

look pretty. Organise barriers, 

bars and bands, poets, performers 

and press, add 4,000 friendly 

festivalgoers and hope for the best. 

Also, all this work (and the 10 

months work preceding it) is unpaid. 

If there are any profits, they go to 

charity or are reinvested back into 

the company. Most of the support 

staff are volunteers, but if it all goes 

wrong, it will be All. Your. Fault. 

Finally, the gates open, the music 

plays and suddenly, it all comes 

together. A successful family-friendly 

festival headlined by established 

acts and supported by new, hungry 

bands, a roster of legendary DJs, 

comedians, poets, artists and 

entertainers. Welcome to The Vicar's 

Picnic - the biggest little festival in 

Kent! 

(That's the long answer. The short 

answer is we're an independent 

music festival in Kent with a target 

demographic of 30-50 year olds. I 

prefer the longer one). 

Explain a bit about your venue 

and its history 

Like all the greatest ideas, it began 

on the back of a beermat. 

After failing to get tickets for 

Glastonbury, a group of friends from 

Vicarage Road in Yalding were down 

the pub and decided to put on their 

own little festival instead. Some of 

them had been in bands, some of 

them had a patch of land and all 

of them loved music and a party. 

They got a few local bands together, 

sold a couple of hundred tickets, 

donated the profits to charity and 

had a great day. 

The next year, they did it again 

but this time (without really trying), 

500 people turned up. The parish 

council noticed and offered them 

access to a far bigger location just 

outside of the village. Fuelled by 

enthusiasm, camaraderie and a 

blissful ignorance of what they were 

getting into and where it would 

lead, they successfully launched a 

two-day event attended by 1,500 

festivalgoers. 

The three years since then has 

seen the festival increase a third 

in size each summer and with it, 


EVENTS 

the team's experience. The Vicar's 

Picnic began almost by chance, but 

its subsequent success has been no 

accident. 

How did you find applying for 

permission to run the event? 

Did you have to make any 

compromises to satisfy the local 

authority? 

After seeing the potential from 

our first two events, Yalding Parish 

Council invited us to use our current 

site - The Lees - which is essentially 

an L-shape of three adjoining 

meadows located just outside the 

village. This allowed us to swiftly 

grow in size to accommodate both 

camping and parking, but also 

means we have to compromise on 

issues that the council prioritise. 

For example, after two successful 

years on the site we were obliged 

to stage the festival one week later 

to accommodate the annual grass 

cutting and collection of the fields. 

Subsequently, instead of the event 

taking place just before the end of 

the summer school term, it would 

now run a few days after, which in 

turn would have a direct impact on 

ticket sales. Though it seemed to 

be a minor issue, the parish council 

refused to reconsider so we had to 

acquiesce. 

Overall, however, this is a minor 

quibble. Thanks to the largesse of 

the local community and CALPAC, 

a fishing club that retain the right 

of access to the field that serves as 

our main arena, we have a beautiful 

location at next to no cost. Unlike 

many other festivals who have to 

pay tens of thousands to secure a 

site, the only financial stipulation 

we have to meet is a donation to a 

local charity on CALPAC's behalf. In 

return, Yalding's pubs, tearooms, 

B&Bs and shops enjoy their busiest 

- and most profitable - weekend of 

the year. 

We also have an excellent 

relationship with Maidstone and 

Kent County Council, mainly 

through dint of taking all the 

legislation seriously and keeping in 

regular contact. We've only ever had 

one noise complaint in three years 

which they still maintain is some 

sort of record. 

How have you planned the layout 

of the event and what structures 

do you use? 

We have a quirky site, partially 

ringed by a river and surrounded by 

environmentally protected land, so 

we work with what we have. Saying 

that, we've managed to triple in 

size in attendance by constantly 

tweaking the site layout to maximise 

space and renegotiating with the 

parish council to accommodate 

extra parking and camping. Like 

“WE HAVE A 

QUIRKY SITE, 

PARTIALLY 

RINGED BY 

A RIVER AND 

SURROUNDED 

BY ENVIRON- 

MENTALLY 

PROTECTED 

LAND, SO WE 

WORK WITH 

WHAT WE 

HAVE” 

everything else, we learned on 

the job through trial and error but 

luckily our colleague Jo turned out 

to be some kind of planning savant. 

Give her grid paper and a tape 

measure and you're all set! 

In terms of structures, the Main 

Stage, Big Top, Dance Tent and 

Artists' Quarter are the primary 

concerns. Apart from a handful of 

smaller marquees, flagpoles and 

fencing, the rest is hired. We laid 

some basic plumbing a few years 

ago but beyond that, the entire 

infrastructure is temporary. 

How did you research and source 

your marquees, flooring, bars etc? 

In the beginning, through friends, 

family and the locals. For example, 

the local scout marquee was the 

Kid's Workshop in year one, the

ackstage bar in year three and is 

now our most basic undercover prep 

and tech area. It's actually a good 

analogy for the event as a whole: 

our needs changed while we grew 

but that marquee is still pitching in 

(pun intended) and doing a job. Plus 

Yalding scouts still get a rental fee 

from us, so everybody wins. 

These days, we're usually fielding 

tenders from various companies 

but still rely on referrals and 

previous partners. We've been 

very lucky to have a long-standing 

relationship with the SRD Group 

(www.srdgroup.co.uk) who supply, 

build and manage most of our 

stage, sound and lighting. They've 

been a great support to a growing 

festival like ours and are a big 

part of our success and National 

Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) 

nomination for the Event of the Year 

Award. 

What entertainment do you offer 

and how did you choose and 

source it? 

We understand our demographic. 

The main stage acts are a mix of 

big names (Fun Lovin' Criminals, 

Starsailor, Cast, Reef, Fratellis) and 

strong up and coming support with 

a few crowd favourites thrown in 

(Bang Bang Romeo, knees-up Ska 

on a Saturday afternoon). 

The Big Top covers fresh new 

bands and strong local acts and 

somehow we manage to secure 

legendary DJs that pack out the 

Secret Disco (Seb Fontaine, Norman 

Jay, Nightmares On Wax). 

The Artists' Quarter features 

amazing local art, poets and 

comedians, with a household name 

for added stardust. Stephen K Amos 

destroyed it this year and enjoyed 

his set hugely. 

Beyond that, we also have a 

Kid's Field that wows children - 

with its rides, games, workshops 

and activities and amazes parents 

because the majority of these are 

free. Curated by core team member 

Maddy (creative; headstrong), 

additional entertainers include 

circus performers, storytellers, 

dancers and firebreathers. 

We source the bigger acts the 

usual way, through agents, but 

a surprising amount is still done 

through recommendations, 

applications and word of mouth. 

That last point is actually our 

secret weapon: we treat all our 

performers, big and small, with 

real care and appreciation. We're 

thrilled they're part of our event 

and that enthusiasm and love 

seems to genuinely spread to our 

artists who often choose to stay an 

extra few hours (or day) to enjoy 

themselves. We're nice people and 

our reputation now precedes us (we 

hope anyway). 

What provisions do you make for 

power, lights and sound? 

Due to the arena's location close to 

the village we have to be careful to 

stay within agreed parameters while 


EVENTS 

still putting on a better sound and 

light show than previous years. 

I manage to achieve this 

by absolving myself of all 

responsibility and leaving it to 

others in the core team; Dave 

(production; head honcho), Jo 

(site planner; cool head) and Phil 

(health and safety; headmaster). 

Together, they liaise with SRD and 

other contractors to deliver an 

infrastructure that is the focal point 

of the entire weekend. I won't bore 

you by going into greater technical 

detail (I couldn't even if I wanted 

to). 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

The Ticketsellers are our online 

vendors but our on-site admissions 

team is made up of volunteers (as 

are a lot of our various support 

staff). Two obvious exceptions are 

health and safety and security. 

As a family festival we have to be 

hyper-vigilant about child safety, 

especially being located next to a 

(fenced-off) river. The only thing 

that could ever make us regret this 

whole adventure is if someone was 

seriously hurt on our watch so this 

will always be priority number one. 

It just isn't worth the risk otherwise. 

Luckily for us, we have a fabulous 

crowd of happy Picknickers. 

Barring two minor issues from a 

total crowd of 15,000 festivalgoers 

over six years, that's a record any 

event should be rightly proud of. 

What ground protection do you 

use for cars and footfall? 

Basic trackway, straw for mud and 

we try and limit all non-essential 

vehicle access to the site. Again, 

it's protected land so minimising 

damage is paramount. 

“LUCKILY FOR 

US, WE HAVE 

A FABULOUS 

CROWD 

OF HAPPY 

PICKNICKERS. 

BARRING 

TWO MINOR 

ISSUES FROM 

A TOTAL 

CROWD OF 

15,000 

FESTIVAL- 

GOERS OVER 

SIX YEARS, 

THAT'S A 

RECORD 

ANY EVENT 

SHOULD 

BE RIGHTLY 

PROUD OF” 

How do you publicise the event? 

We have a loyal base of fans who 

always support us but social media 

word of mouth becomes more 

and more important each year. 

Roadside posters are cheap but very 

effective. Unless you have a large 

marketing budget and a clearly 

defined audience, print media 

gives less bang for your buck (and 

I say this as someone who's day 

job is an advertising manager for a 

magazine). 

Relationships with local charities 

and sport clubs are mutually 

beneficial as are media tie-ins. This 

year we officially partnered with 

BBC Radio Kent which allowed us 

on-air interviews, promotions and 

a live broadcast from the festival on 

the Saturday afternoon. Ultimately, 

we're not reinventing the marketing 

wheel but with a limited budget, 

you have to get the basics right. 

What challenges have you faced? 

In no particular order: Agents 

(occasionally), body odour, 

colleague conflict, dehydration, 

early-morning sunshine, forgetting 

to put on sun cream, glitter cannons 

(every tiny piece has to be picked 

up), heavy lifting, indifference, 

journalists, killjoys, last minute 

ticket requests, moaners, nonstop 

stress, over-running sets, 

power-cuts, queues, riders, 

stolen trackway, unreasonable 

complaints, village upset, Wi-Fi (lack 

of), xylophonists (too many of), 

yesterday's rubbish, zips on tents 

How have you financed the event 

and how profitable is it? 

Apart from the team’s initial 

small personal investment, the 

vast majority is funded by ticket 

sales and our cut of vendor sales. 

Each year we manage to donate 

a percentage of profits to our 

charities and anything left over 

goes to fund the following year’s 

festival. We've never lost money but 

it's often close. We've never taken a 

wage or dividend. 

We were lucky to have one year 

where a major sponsor supplied 

a huge amount of investment and 

man-power which left us with a 

cash reserve, but sponsorship 

is sorely needed. Did I mention 

my email address is thom@ 

vicarspicnic.co.uk? 

What advice could you give to 

someone coming into the outdoor 

event industry? 

We're a slightly more unusual event 

team because this isn't our day 

job and doing it usually costs us 

time and money, so with that in 

mind, I'd offer these three pearls 

of wisdom: 1) Do it for the love of 

doing it and not the money because 

this probably won't make you rich. 

2) All gigs, parties, train journeys 

and everything else inbetween is 

an opportunity. Speak to everyone 

you possibly can because you 

never know where it may lead. 3) 

It's never too early, or too late, for a 

tequila. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

STAGES, SOUND & LIGHTING 

SRD Group www.srdgroup.co.uk 

BARS 

Brooks Bars www.brooksbars.com 

TOILETS 

Four Jays www.fourjays.co.uk 

TICKETING 

The Ticketsellers 

www.theticketsellers.co.uk 


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EVENTS 

EVENT NOTES 

It’s a Team Thing 

Event production expert John Radford on the importance of 

teamwork in the ever changing world of outdoor events 

GETTY IMAGES 

WOW, WE are already at the end 

of summer 2018 and what a year 

it’s been. After the poor summer 

weather in 2017, the start of 

this year’s summer saw a rather 

warmer and more enjoyable set 

of conditions; it wasn’t a perfect 

year with some events having to be 

cancelled or curtailed later in the 

period but it was certainly a step 

up. This year we were looking after 

crews and customers alike with 

extra water and shade whereas just 

12 months ago it was shelter from 

the rain and hot drinks all round! 

There’s nothing like the weather to 

keep you on your toes. 

I can’t complain though, 

these ever-changing needs are 

what I love so much about our 

event industry. It’s always a set 

of evolving requirements and 

needs, and there are always new 

challenges to overcome. Our role 

- event managing, designing sites, 

producing or providing safety 

solutions - drives us to meet new 

challenges and create solutions that 

provide great experiences for our 

guests and customers alike and is 


John Radford runs JR 

Event Services and 

has worked in the 

event industry for over 

20 years. He provides 

event management 

and event safety 

consultancy services 

for a broad spectrum 

of events from single 

day and city centre 

cultural events to 

week long music and 

dance festivals. Visit 

www.jreventservices. 

co.uk or call 01275 

406760 for an informal 

chat. 

what makes this industry so unique 

in my mind. 

It’s also really inspiring looking 

at how fellow event suppliers 

and teams develop solutions and 

systems to get the best out of a 

situation. Listening and learning 

from all those teams of suppliers, 

contractors, freelancers and 

promoters can really help and 

inform our own decision making. 

FACING CHALLENGES TOGETHER 

This summer has presented 

JR Event Services with many 

challenges. One that stands out 

for us is the work we undertook 

to assist one of our clients move 

their project to a new home. Due 

to external factors we had to create 

an event space for 10,000 in a little 

over two months from scratch. The 

big asset here though - and the one 

that stands out for me - is that it 

was achievable because of the team 

that worked together to achieve 

the outcome. From landowner, to 

promoter, to contractors, suppliers 

and staff – it needed a team to 

create the right outcome. 

The reason I am talking about 

this is simple – we, you, I, we all 

need a team to achieve our goals 

and ultimately our events. Yes, 

we can go it alone and struggle to 

build the knowledge, experience 

and skills that are needed, or we 

can develop a team that brings all 

those constituent parts together 

to ensure that the boxes are more 

than just ticked. Be it ensuring the 

fence lines are appropriate or the 

stages the right size or the toilets 

being the right quantity and style 

– the knowledge that is needed to 

bring an event together is critical to 

a successful outcome. 

Many of our projects are complex 

and multi-faceted, and to pretend 

that we have all the answers 

is unwise to say the least, and 

possibly fool hardy in the extreme. 

Bringing a team together to work 

alongside you provides that wide 

spectrum of knowledge that can 

make all the difference. 

Over the years, as a small 

business in the events industry, we 

have worked hard to develop long 

lasting relationships and team- 


EVENTS 

working solutions with suppliers, 

freelancers and contractors who 

have the same ethos as us. More 

importantly though, is the need 

to develop those relationships for 

the long term. We make sure that 

the right team works on the right 

project and look carefully at what 

each part needs or requires, in 

order for it to be a success. It can’t 

just be a case of “one size fits all”. 

That philosophy ultimately leads 

to compromises across the board 

and isn’t, in our view, sustainable. 

It’s about working alongside similar 

minded individuals to ensure 

that the end product is the best it 

possibly can be and ideally meet 

the unique requirements of that 

given project. 

Sometimes we are the creators 

of the team and at other times we 

are just a small part of that family 

trying our best to make the overall 

event machine work at its optimum 

effectiveness. It’s that “hands on” 

philosophy of helping each other 

out and not being too precious 

about only doing what your primary 

role is. Going that extra mile makes 

the difference to the end result - it 

might simply be picking up some 

litter on the way through the event 

site or being able to radically 

redesign the main arena, but both 

can enhance the visitor experience 

and make the event or project 

memorable for all the right reasons. 

CREATING THE TEAM 

How do we go about creating 

those teams? For us as a business 

it’s about talking with others in 

the event industry, developing 

relationships and networking with 

freelancers and contractors, slowly 

building that digital “little black 

book” of contacts and people that 

can bring their skills and expertise 

to a project. Who can slot into a role 

quickly and ensure that the end 

client, be they the landowner, the 

promoter or corporate body, has 

the best team around them to take 

their vision and turn it into a reality. 

These business and personal 

relationships can take years to 

develop and you may not always 

get them right but without 

them projects can be harder to 

successfully complete and the 

outcomes not as envisaged. 

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT 

This time of year is also the ideal 

time to get out and about, talking 

with potential new suppliers at 

various industry events such as 

the Showman's Show, FestOut and 

the Glamping Show to name just 

three. My recommendation would 

be to get out there and talk to the 

suppliers and contractors about 

your project. There will always be 

someone willing to talk to you and 

hopefully provide you with the 

solutions you are looking for. 

The classic skill of networking, 

although not everybody’s cup of 

tea, can be central to developing 

those contacts and introductions. 

Take that time out to meet 

for a coffee and chat. Initial 

introductions over email or phone 

are fine as a first step but you 

really need to talk to someone face 

to face to understand if they will fit 

in with your project. 

As a supplier we always want 

to meet our clients first as well 

before committing - we want to 

ensure that we can meet their 

expectations and requirements 

and that they understand what 

we can bring to their project. 

It’s a two-way thing where both 

parties need to be working in 

synergy from the start. Listen for 

recommendations and personal 

introductions as well, as they can 

prove incredibly useful where the 

introduction has come from an 

“THERE WILL 

ALWAYS BE 

SOMEONE 

WILLING 

TO TALK TO 

YOU AND 

HOPEFULLY 

PROVIDE YOU 

WITH THE 

SOLUTIONS 

YOU ARE 

LOOKING 

FOR” 

already trusted member of your 

team. 

The potential fly in the ointment 

here is that those constituent 

elements of your team may not 

always be the cheapest! It may 

be that your preferred supplier 

is just that little bit more than 

the cheapest provider you have 

found. But look at it in terms of 

this: is there a case for worthwhile 

investment in creating the right 

solution rather than just a tick box 

for the provision of the service you 

need? The budget clearly needs to 

be balanced but those relationships 

as part of a team can help with that 

by working in collaboration to find 

the most effective solutions to a 

given problem. In the long term 

will that extra investment provide 

you with the right team player that 

aligns with your vision the best? 

So, what are you waiting for? If 

you are new to the event world get 

out there and meet those potential 

new suppliers and team members 

who can work alongside you to fulfil 

your vision. Put that investment in 

time and effort to create that close 

working, collaborative team that 

will hopefully serve you well for 

many years. Or, if like me you’ve 

been around for a few years, take 

care of those team members that 

have helped you across the years 

and projects. That investment in 

time is so worthwhile and can only 

be of benefit. 


BRINGING 

EVENTS TO LIFE 

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w www.srdgroup.co.uk 


EVENTS 

Cue the Music 

Joe Heap helps us with the balancing 

act of festival programming 

THE WHOLE business of 

programming and building a line up 

seems to get harder year on year. I’ve 

been working in festivals for 20 years 

and programming for the last six or 

seven. You’d think that experience, 

good relationships with agents and 

the sheer amount of time I spend 

researching would mean that it’s a 

quick job these days. 

So why is it getting harder? Well, 

the festival scene continues to grow. 

Competition is rife, and the bigger 

names and agents have more choice 

and therefore more power. Plus, there 

are no guarantees that what you 

thought was a nailed-on ticket seller 

is going to do it when it comes to 

festivals. Even those artists selling out 

decent size tours won’t necessarily 

sell your festival out. You have to dig 

deeper. 

You can very quickly use up a huge 

chunk of your programme budget 

on a name or two and not have 

enough to build a great programme 

of surprises, adventures and new 

names. And in the end, that is what 

will make your festival stand out from 

the rest. 

The festival experience is becoming 

as important as the headliner these 

days, so you have to get the balance 

of spending just right. 

That said, we still rely on some 

heavy hitting headliners to shift 

those last few hundred tickets… and 

the agents know it. It’s supply and 

demand. Who needs who more, and 

at the moment we need them more 

than they need us. 

But hopefully it’s a mutually 

beneficial relationship that supports 

live events and live music, finding 

new audiences for both artists and 

our festivals. And I think in the main 

it is. 

The Shires 

performing 

at Towersey 

Festival 


EVENTS 

NEGOTIATIONS 

So how do you know you’re getting the 

deal that will work for you? Well you 

have to put the work in. Look at tours 

and how they sell. Look at geography; 

where’s their fan base? Social media 

stats are useful but not always truthful. 

Ask! Ask the agent, the manager, and 

the artist about where they are in their 

career. Then start negotiations. An 

agent won’t want to pitch a fee and 

you don’t want to make a silly offer. I 

try and get a ballpark figure from them 

first. A place to start. Are we talking 

about the same ballpark and if we are 

then the game is on. They will pitch 

a higher fee; you’ll say we only have 

half of that and in the end, you find a 

middle ground. The more I do it the 

more I know roughly where an artist’s 

fee should be from the off. 

It’s always a higher fee for festivals 

and one-off events. It’s annoying, 

but you have to understand why. 

Tours are built to be progressive and 

geographically sensible. From one town 

to the next and in one short period. 

They are mostly done on door splits 

(percentages) so the artists and team 

can work out what the return is likely 

to be. 

A festival might be at the other end of 

the country and they may have to travel 

just to do that one gig. They are sharing 

the stage with lots of other artists, so 

the ticket price calculation and split 

doesn’t work. They have to pay one off 

costs like rehearsals, drivers, sound and 

light techs. 

On the flip side, the costs and risks 

of festivals are huge and occasionally 

artists and agents see them as a cash 

cow. In some cases, killing the festivals 

that might have booked them again 

if only the fees had been a bit more 

sensible. 

A TOUGH INDUSTRY 

And then there’s my biggest 

bugbare. We are constantly 

asked to book the same big 

names, the same top artists over 

and over again by their loving 

fans. These artists dominate the 

market and it becomes a catch 

22. Developing artists end up 

playing for peanuts and we can’t 

book as many as we would like. 

So, the scene doesn’t produce, 

or the system doesn’t allow, 

enough new headliners to climb 

to the top. 

It has always been like that 

I guess. The music scene is 

perhaps the toughest of tough 

industries and I can’t see that 

model changing anytime soon. 

It would be refreshing to hear a 

major headliner say, “I’ll knock a 

few thousand off my fee for you 

to book these great new artists 

that I’m supporting”. Maybe 

that’s something we can work 

on in the future? 

But it can be magical, so no 

more doom and gloom. If you’re 

starting something new then 

first and foremost, know your 

audience and know your genre. 

Are you a blues, jazz, hip hop or 

something else festival? Do you 

know enough about that scene? 

Does the scene know enough 

about you to trust you? A lot of 

agents will want guaranteed 

fees up front or certainly 

deposits so look at your cash 

flow. 

You need to work a long long 

way ahead. I’m sometimes 

booking 18 months in advance. 

On the other hand, leave room 

for last minute exciting offers 

and deals. There is often a panic 

nearer the summer and you 

need to leave room for names 

that suddenly rise to the top 

and need a stage to promote the 

latest single.

EVENTS 

KEEPING THEM HAPPY 

Now the festival is on. Look 

after all the artists. Not just the 

big names. Let them enjoy the 

festival. Put them at ease. You 

want a great show from them and 

they (including their crew) will be 

twitchy and nervous. But don’t 

get silly. Remember that they are 

doing a job for or with you. Spend 

too much on crazy riders and 

hospitality and a lot will end up in 

the bin and your budget will spiral 

out of control. 

Make sure the stages are set, 

you have the right crew, copies of 

tech specs in all the right hands. 

Good sound and lights and great 

crew make all the difference. Don’t 

underspend on production. You’ll 

get a bad reputation fast. You 

want the artists to have a great gig 

and report back on a wonderful 

experience. It doesn’t always work 

like that but let’s aim high. 

And finally (coming back to a 

point I made earlier) think beyond 

the main stages. Think about the 

experience. An artistic budget 

should be for more than just great 

bands. It should include site wide 

experiences - activities, discoveries, 

beautiful things to look at, learn 

and take home. 

The festival boom is showing 

early signs of slowing I think. But 

it is still enormous. So give your 

audiences something special that 

they can’t see in the local gig venue. 

A gig ticket might be £30 or £40 

for one headliner and a support. 

At a festival they can see 50 bands 

in a day, see amazing street 

theatre, learn to build a lantern or 

a woodland den. They can dress 

up, wear face paint, learn to juggle 

and dance till the early hours. So, 

consider all of that lot and then let 

the balancing act begin! 

GETTY IMAGES 

SCHEDULING 

When you start putting it all together, plan to a schedule. Know how many stage spots 

you have to fill and work on balancing them. Too many big bands one after another will 

be hard for the crew to manage and not leave room for the audience to take a breather. 

Think solos, duos, bands, acoustic spots. Get the balance right. And if you are working 

across multiple stages then make sure there’s time for the movement of audiences 

between them. Don’t programme them all to run at exactly the same time. Give people 

choice and make it a hard choice. 

CONTRACTS 

Now you’re into negotiations. Read the contracts. Check the cancellation clauses, 

the tech specs and see the riders before doing the deal. Think about exclusivity. 

Will they be playing 10 miles up the road on the next weekend? And something I 

have learnt the hard way this year… talk about marketing support. Will they push 

their own tour and ignore you? This should be a mutually supportive deal folks! 

ABOUT THE 

AUTHOR 

Joe Heap is the 

director and 

programmer of 

Towersey Festival, the 

oldest independent 

festival in the UK. 

Established in 1965, it 

continues to be one of 

the country’s leading 

festivals of acoustic, 

folk and roots music, 

attracting over 8,000 

people annually. See 

the website to get 

involved as a supplier, 

concession or to book 

tickets. 

www.towersey 

festival.com 


EVENTS 

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 

Tel: 01275 406760 

www.jreventservices.co.uk 

Email: info@jreventservices.co.uk 

You can also find us on

EVENTS 

It Couldn’t 

Happen to Me! 

Two NOEA members share their close shave stories 

highlighting the importance of risk mitigation at events – 

the theme of this year’s NOEA convention 

THIS YEAR the National Outdoor Events 

Association (NOEA) Annual Convention 

has the theme, ‘It Couldn’t Happen to Me’ 

and will focus on the many risks that event 

organisers and production specialists go 

through to put an event on. 

This is back to classic NOEA territory; 

we’re the only association that has strict 

accreditation criteria to membership, 

and because of this, can assure event 

professionals that by working with NOEA 

members, you have trusted partners that 

will be there for you. 

This is a really important theme, because 

it is almost impossible to predict what could 

go wrong at an event, and sometimes we 

can only learn from those that have already 

learned the hard way. 

The convention will create a ‘safe’ 

environment where event professionals can 

share their stories, good and bad, what they 

learned and most importantly what others 

can learn to protect their events from the 

complacency that announces, 'it couldn't 

happen to me!' 

As a taster, we have two stories from 

people brave enough to share their own 

experience of events that just don’t go to 

plan… 

It couldn't 

happen to me! 

BECKY STEVENS, 

HYBRED EVENTS 

If I had a pound for every time someone 

said, ‘that wouldn’t happen’ when I showed 

them a risk assessment I’d be writing this 

from a beach in the Caribbean. 

The list of things that ‘would never 

happen’ at events I have worked on over 

the past 20 years is long and includes: 

› A marquee not being properly fixed and 

blowing away despite six rather large 

security staff trying to hold onto to it 

› The time it rained solidly for two days and 

the stages started to sink into the mud 

› Toilets flooding because the organiser 

wanted to ‘save money’ and hadn’t 

booked an ‘empty and clean’ overnight 

› The wrong type of fencing being 

delivered, resulting in the police having to 

close a major A-road as people egressed 

onto it 

› People climbing fences 

› A wasp nest in a medical tent 

› Lampposts falling over and blocking a 

road on a half marathon route (luckily 

before the race started!) 

› People being sick from eating too 

many sweets given out by kind hearted 

residents 

› A suspect package on a parade route 

requiring bomb disposal experts and a 

quick re-route of a parade through a city 

centre. 

The list goes on… What can we learn from 

these? In the case of the suspect package, 

it highlighted the importance of effective 

multi agency working. Because we had 

looked at an incident on the parade route 

in a tabletop meeting, the team was able 

to come together quickly and effectively to 

look at alternatives and different options 

for re-routing. We were able to re-deploy 

staff quickly and communicate to the 

bus company to enable them to re-route 

buses. Since that incident, a more detailed 

contingency plan has been developed 

which now breaks the parade and the route 

down into manageable sections so if an 

incident of any kind (suspect package, gas 

leak, fire etc.) occurs the parade in some 

format would be able to continue. 

GETTY IMAGES 

Because I’ve experienced all these 

things it means I am more confident and 

competent when looking for hazards and 

risks. It also means I’m more prepared 

to speak out when something isn’t right; 

sometimes the safest thing is to cancel 

or postpone rather than to push on. But 

this is a hard decision to make when you 

know that hundreds of hours of work and 

dedication has gone into delivering the 

event. 

It’s important that those of us who 

have grown with the industry and have 

experienced many different challenges 

share our knowledge and skills. By learning 

from everyone’s mistakes and problems the 

industry can develop and evolve. New event 

organisers need the benefit of experienced 

organisers to help them avoid some 

common pitfalls. This is where NOEA can 

help. By bringing together people from all 

different backgrounds and experiences we 

can improve the industry and work together 

to not make the same mistakes twice. 

This year’s NOEA conference theme gives 

an opportunity for us to put our hand up 

and say ‘it did happen to me and this is 

what I learned’. 


EVENTS 

It couldn't 

happen to me! 

ANDREW MCQUILLAN, 

THE CROWD 

MANAGEMENT COMPANY 

It’s often the case, that when you’re initially 

asked to work with an event as a safety 

officer, the objective is to improve existing 

safety systems and procedures. This often 

comes with the insinuation that existing 

procedures are not good, and so this 

first contact can often be met with some 

resistance on the ground. Who likes being 

told what they normally do is not allowed 

any more!? Who likes being critiqued? 

My story begins with a similar situation, 

when I was asked to join a touring event 

as its safety officer. It happened to be an 

event involving high speed drones, another 

area I specialise in, so I was relishing the 

opportunity. I was joining the already 

underway tour in New Orleans, USA, arriving 

on the second day of their three-day load in. 

The event was held in ‘Mardi Gras World’ 

which houses the most spectacular floats 

used for parades in New Orleans, not just 

during Mardi Gras but all year round for 

various events. For this particular event, the 

plan was to race high speed drones around 

the building between these incredibly 

flammable floats - what could possibly go 

wrong?! 

On arrival, I remember looking around 

the building, a very old warehouse possibly 

built in the 1930s or 1940s, and found a 

large circular outlet outside but without any 

BOOK YOUR PLACE AT THE NOEA CONFERENCE 

associated drain holes etc.; it was around 

40cm in diameter. I asked the building 

manager if this was an output for water and 

he said it was decommissioned and not in 

use. I thought little more of it. 

Then on the main event day, a tropical 

storm moved in with a high volume of water 

falling on the building just as the lunch 

break was called for crew. Outside this 40cm 

wide hole was the crew catering marquee 

and the entire electrical distribution system 

which was on the ground beside a large 

generator. 

On walking outside to get lunch I 

discovered the only outlet for water on the 

roof was this “decommissioned” hole which 

was now pumping out a high volume of 

water (nearly half a foot deep on the street) 

covering the electrical equipment and floor 

of the marquee. Furthermore, the crew 

decided that getting lunch was a higher 

priority and had waded into the marquee. 

Some enterprising chaps brought some 

wooden pallets out which did not even 

reach above the water level. 

Taking a second to stop, this is a classic, 

'it couldn't happen to me' scenario. Often 

in events, it is not just one highly visible 

issue that causes the problems, it is the 

combination of a series of smaller issues 

that combine with an external factor; in this 

case a tropical storm! 

In this case it was very easy to intervene, 

and although I didn’t make myself too 

popular with the hungry crew for a few 

minutes, they were very quick to see 

that the alternative was a lot worse. The 

main learning I took though was the 

understanding that, on the surface, small 

things look small, but if scenarios are 

played out in a joint meeting, we can look 

to predict things like weather, but also 

understand the different responsibilities – 

and often the different agendas! – that are 

involved. 

In this case, the worst case scenario was 

avoided, the event proceeded and everyone 

was safe, but it was a close one, and it could 

have been a lot worse for everyone. The 

learnings were passed around the crew, 

procedures were put in place, and hopefully 

next time we can avoid going as close to 

tragedy, and perhaps rely less on the idea 

that chance will keep everyone safe! 

The NOEA 15th Annual Convention and Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday 21 

November at The Guildhall and the Roman Baths and Pump Room. 

Visit www.noea.org.uk to book your place. 


EVENTS 

PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Heat, Power & Lighting 

Love Summer Festival 

Description: Weekend music 

festival in Plymouth, Devon 

Product: 12 x 20KVA 

generators, 8 x Trime X-eco 

lights 

Supplier: Brandon Hire 

Telephone: 0333 2000 836 

Website: www. 

brandontoilethire.co.uk 

Details: Brandon Hire’s 

highly experienced South 

West events team, based 

at the Plympton office, 

supported this year’s highly 

successful Love Summer 

Festival by delivering a 

complete event management 

service including the hire of 

lighting, electrical power and 

distribution, security fencing, 

crowd control barriers and 

event toilets. 

At pre-event planning 

meetings the regional events 

team, led by Brandon Hire’s 

South West regional events 

manager Scott Bryant, 

worked closely with the 

festival’s team, analysing 

site plans to pinpoint the 

best locations, delivery and 

collection time-frames, 

logistics and critical volumes 

of equipment for site ‘hotspots’. 

Members of the Brandon 

Hire events team were in 

attendance throughout the 

festival, providing portable 

toilet servicing, equipment 

safety and security checks 

and maintenance. 

Post-event planning meant 

a swift on-site disassembly 

was accomplished on time. 

Feedback: Billy Hughes, 

owner of Love Summer 

Festival, said: “Brandon 

Hire consistently delivers 

excellent service and 

equipment. We have used 

them for eight years for all 

our infrastructure and power 

provision; they understand 

our needs and over deliver 

every time. I would not 

hesitate in recommending 

them to others. Scott, Peter 

and the Plympton Events 

Team, they do festivals ‘On 

Smash!’ It doesn’t matter 

what you throw at them - 

weather, extra requirements, 

unrealistic targets, anything 

- they just get on with it.” 

The Vicar’s Picnic 

Description: ‘Kent’s biggest 

little festival’ 

Services: Full production 

facilities including staging, 

PA, lighting, power 

distribution, crew and 

transport 

Supplier: SRD Group 

Telephone: 01732 373920 

Website: www.srdgroup. 

co.uk 

Details: SRD has been 

providing full staging, 

lighting, audio and 

production services for 

Vicar’s Picnic for the last 

three years. Each year the 

festival has grown - originally 

the stage was an 8m x 6m 

ARC roof but for the last two 

years a 10m x 8m saddle roof 

with PA wings and sheds has 

been used. This year SRD was 

asked to provide extended 

rear decking for the artists 

and their equipment. This 

was easily achieved and the 

artists were impressed with 

the area provided. 

The lighting was 

professionally installed and 

operated using experienced 

technicians to give a superb 

finished look. This was rigged 

from the roof of the stage 

and programs were set in the 

console to give the required 

effect for the artists and the 

audience. 

For PA, the latest offering 

from GAE was utilised at 

FoH and Monitors giving 

unrivalled sound on both live 

stages all controlled using 

the dLive systems from Allen 

and Heath. 

Feedback: Having worked 

closely with the organisers 

for a number of years we 

pride ourselves on making 

sure the client has what they 

need. The meetings start 

early in the year to get the 

details right and see how 

the event can be improved 

on from the previous year. 

Social media plays a big part 

and we regularly check what 

attendees liked or not, and 

work to improve any issues. 

The fact that we do 

everything in house using 

our own equipment is a 

huge plus - we have fewer 

people to rely on, less stress 

and offer cost savings to the 

client. 


EVENTS 

The Showman’s Show 

Description: The UK’s original 

and most comprehensive 

exhibition of products, services 

and entertainment for the 

festival, outdoor and special 

event industry 

Product: The Arcotherm Jumbo 

range 

Supplier: Arcotherm 

Telephone: 0345 600 44 99 

Website: www.arcotherm.co.uk 

Details: Arcotherm has 

exhibited at the Showman’s 

Show for 21 years and has built 

a reputation for selling high 

quality, affordable heaters to 

the marquee and events sector. 

Its heaters can be seen 

around every corner at the 

show, heating the numerous 

temporary structures on show, 

including the Mar-Key exhibit 

(pictured). Many have been sold 

to event hire companies then 

hired to exhibitors, while others 

have been purchased directly. 

The main hall at the 

Showman’s Show is heated 

using the Jumbo range of 

indirect oil fired heaters, with 

heat outputs from 81kW to 

218kW. 

The Jumbo range and 

EC range are perfect for 

heating marquees, tents, tipis 

and temporary structures. 

Arcotherm’s marquee packages 

include accessories such as 

ducting and thermostats to 

ensure easy set up. 

Feedback: Kirsty Birch, 

business manager, said: “We 

are usually situated on Avenue 

E each year and it is always 

satisfying to walk around the 

showground and see how many 

Arcotherm heaters are being 

used at the exhibition.” 

Pendennis Castle Tallships and 

Glen Miller Orchestra 

Description: A performance by the Glen 

Miller Orchestra at Pendennis Castle in 

association with the Tallships event at 

Falmouth 

Product: Electric power and distribution for 

stage, sound and access lighting 

Supplier: C. B. Potts Electrical 

Telephone: 01460 242021 

Website: www.cbpottselectrical.co.uk 

Details: C. B. Potts Electrical was asked to 

provide all the electrical services for the 

event during the day, and the concert and 

fireworks display in the evening. All access 

routes were lit by temporary and emergency 

lighting, especially through the tunnel under 

the battlements. The lighting was controlled 

by photocell and time clocks built 

into specialist control 

panels. 

A temporary 

scaffolding walkway 

was constructed over the moat, which had 

to be lit separately by two electrical supplies, 

one from each side, so if one system failed 

the walkway was always illuminated. 

The main feed from the generator was 

installed through the main Pendennis 

Castle Hostel building to the back stage 

distribution for 

power and lighting of the event. 

The reason for going through the building 

rather than around the outside was the 

considerable length of cable that would 

have been required. As the cable passed 

through the building, including the refectory, 

a gantry had to be constructed over the 

entrance to allow 

constant access to 

the dining hall. 

The only access to Pendennis Castle has 

a limited width and height over a steep 

cobbled access road, so all equipment had 

to be loaded onto trailers and towed onto 

site by Land Rover. 

Feedback: Ben Potts said: “Customers who 

have hired our services are delighted with 

our professional approach and standard of 

workmanship. Our engineers are always on 

site during the event to ensure the event 

runs smoothly and provide technical backup 

if required.” 


EVENTS 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOTS 

SMC TL55 Solar 

Morris Site Machinery 

0345 409 0280 

www.morrismachinery.co.uk 

Morris Site Machinery is helping 

light the way for event organisers 

looking to reduce their impact 

on the environment with its 

innovative SMC TL55 Solar 

lighting tower. 

100 per cent recyclable, with 

an indefinite run time and a 

lifetime of over 10 years, the 

TL55 Solar is a trailblazer in the 

lighting tower field. It meets 

demand for a sustainable, 

environmentally friendly, low 

maintenance lighting tower. 

Reliable, robust and offering 

instant light from four LED 

lamps, the TL55 Solar does not 

compromise on power or quality. 

With both battery and mains 

supply provision, it offers flexible 

options for all applications. 

Marquee Heating 

Thermobile UK 

02476 357960 

www.thermobile.co.uk 

Thermobile heaters are manufactured in 

Holland and built to a very high quality. They 

have a minimum efficiency of 90%, which 

means that 90% of the fuel burned goes as 

useful heat into the heated space and only 

10% via the flue. This is a very high efficiency 

in comparison to other heaters on the market. 

The Thermobile ITA range is ideal for heating 

marquees and other temporary structures. It 

comprises small, mobile units with a 5 -10m 

range for ducting and 15hr integral fuel tanks. 

The larger IMA units require a separate fuel tank 

and can be ducted up to 40m. 


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Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

LEADING SUPPLIER OF 

ROADWAYS AND MORE! 

GT Trax 

01487 823344 

www.gttrax.co.uk 

Established in early 2005, 

GT Trax is one of the UK’s 

leading suppliers of temporary 

roadways, walkways, flooring, 

seating, fencing and structures. 

It offers a complete delivery, 

install, uplift and collection 

service, with fully trained and 

experienced site personnel. 

The range encompasses heavy 

duty trackway and hardwearing 

non-slip walkways, alongside 

picket and Heras fencing. It 

also has a line-up of single and 

double StarShades, along with 

the unique MegaSol. 

So, for your next event, get in 

touch with the GT Trax hire desk 

and see how our equipment can 

enhance your visitor experience. 

CAMPPLUS’ GLAMPING 

BARRELS SUPPORT SOCIAL 

ENTERPRISE 

CampPlus 

01908 538055 

www.campplus.co.uk 

Glamping structure and ensuite 

pod provider CampPlus is 

providing Kevin Baker with two 

fully fitted Glamping Barrels 

and a Duo en-suite unit at a 

very low cost to get his social 

enterprise glamping site off 

the ground. Launching at the 

Farm Business Innovation 

Show (stand 2282), Baker’s 

Give Them A Break project will 

provide discounted holidays 

for carers and others that need 

a break in the low season, and 

free accommodation for the 

homeless for six months of the 

year. CampPlus is keen to talk 

to other sites that would like 

to do the same, and can offer 

special rates. 

STORAGE AND PHONE 

CHARGING LOCKERS 

The Big Locker Hire Co. 

07958 671072 

www.biglockerhire.com 

The Big Locker Hire Co. provides 

storage locker and phone 

charging locker services for 

festivals and events. Having 

somewhere for guests, artists 

and staff to store their things 

and charge phones is becoming 

increasingly popular. Lockers 

can add an element of luxury to 

your VIP packages, become part 

of your back-stage offering for 

artists or simply provide security 

for staff belongings. All of the 

Big Locker Hire Co. services can 

be fully managed by its friendly 

staff or you can rent on a dry 

hire basis – and get loads of free 

advice and support on how to 

run things. 

MASTER MAKERS OF 

DISCERNING SHEPHERD HUT 

SPACES 

Blackdown Shepherd Huts 

01460 929774 

www.blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Established in 2011, Blackdown 

Shepherd Huts is now one 

of the leading shepherd hut 

makers with a reputation for 

quality and service that goes 

above and beyond what’s 

expected. With a skilled team 

of carpenters and joiners who 

love to create innovative builds 

and realise their customers' 

dreams, Blackdown offers 

unique solutions for a number 

of needs. From a hut to retreat 

into, to a space solution for your 

hotel or boutique glampsite, 

the team will work with you to 

create exactly what you need, 

and you can rest assured that 

you will enjoy the results for 

years to come. 


INSTANT, SELF POWERED 

SOUND STAGE 

DJ Truck 

07958 671072 

www.DJtruck.com 

DJ Truck provides a unique 

sound solution for festivals and 

events. Combining the rugged 

durability of the Land Rover 

Defender with a top quality 

sound system gives you a great 

looking, independent sound 

stage that can be positioned 

practically anywhere. Trucks 

come complete with everything 

you need to play music 

including CDJs, mixers and 

speakers plus their own power 

generator and can be set up 

and packed down within 30 

minutes. Trucks can also be 

branded, whether that’s a 

complete wrap in your festival 

colours, a sponsor’s logo or 

even a giant picture of the 

guest of honour. 

GLAMPING TREEHOUSES 

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. 

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. 

POWERPACK 100+ 

Portable Power Technology 

01474 761051 

www.portablepowertech.com 

Our compact, lightweight and 

efficient Powerpack 100+ is a 

rugged, versatile system that will 

prove itself to be a vital part of 

your site! The Powerpack 100+ 

can power and charge a variety of 

small devices including phones, 

radios and laptops and is the 

ideal product to power lighting in 

glamping pods. 

Consisting of a 100w inverter and 

efficient Li-ion battery, this unit 

can be charged by grid, solar or a 

car’s 12v socket. 

PPT offers a wide range of offgrid 

power solutions so use our 

expertise to customise a system 

to suit you! Call us now on 01474 

761051. 


Classified Directory 

BARKER Marquees 

Fabric Engineering at its Best 

Traditional and 

Modern Marquees, 

Linings and Accessories 

Avoid a messy 

situation with 

Hand crafted in the UK for over 100 years 

01883 337099 • sales@barkersmarquees.co.uk 

www.barkersmarquees.co.uk 

0800 66 88 00 

metrorod.co.uk 

Keeping Things 

Together 

Probably the largest selection of textile fasteners in the UK 

Sewage Treatment Systems 

Electric Free Biomatic Systems 

For all residential, commercial 

and industrial applications 

www.opas.co.uk 

Exhibition Trailers • Sale or Hire 

020 8441 0813 • info@showmobiles.co.uk 

www.showmobiles.co.uk 

01295 236101 • info@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 

Airstream Facilities 

www.twilight-trees.com 

Europe’s leading supplier of Airstreams, 

with a fleet of over 40. 

Add a touch of class to any event 

07775 802611 

www.airstreamfacilities.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 

British Made Bespoke Design 

Contemporary cedar 

wood hot tubs from 

£2,495 + VAT 

01453 767171 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

01934 832 801 

www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk 

Finman 

Glamping 

Cabins and 

BBQ Huts 

From 

£3,685 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 www.logspan.com 


DAY IN THE LIFE 

24 Hours with… 

Shell Robshaw-Bryan 

of Camping With Style 

We join glamping ‘influencer’ Shell Robshaw-Bryan on a short trip 

away creating content for her blog which ranks first in Google 

PROFILE 

SHELL ROBSHAW-BRYAN 

Shell is a professional content 

marketing and SEO expert who 

started blogging following 

a serious snowboarding 

accident that left her with a 

broken back. 

Realising that camping in the 

back-to-basics way was no 

longer an option for her, she 

turned her attention to the 

emerging glamping trend, 

putting her marketing knowhow 

to use and starting the 

Camping with Style blog in 

March 2014. 

CAMPING WITH STYLE 

In the past four years Camping 

with Style has quickly grown 

to become the number one 

camping blog in the UK, 

working with many of the 

biggest names in the camping 

and glamping industry. 

With a commitment to helping 

independent site owners 

receive more publicity, the 

blog features reviews and 

features on UK glamping 

providers as well as articles, 

tips and advice aimed at 

inspiring people to get active 

and spend more time enjoying 

the great outdoors. www. 

campingwithstyle.co.uk 

THIS MORNING (a very rare Saturday morning at 

home!) I start my day at 8am, and the first thing I do is 

look out of the window to check the weather. Autumn 

can be a challenging time of year for photo shoots; 

no one wants to see a sad looking tent in the rain, but 

I’m relieved to see clear blue sky. 

I make a mug of cinnamon tea and, still in my 

PJs, settle onto the sofa with the cats to sift through 

dozens of emails from various brands asking us to 

work with them. Over the last two years the volume 

of product reviews I’m approached with has reached 

such a level that I’ve had to look for help, and now 

have a small team who work on a volunteer basis. 

I’m left with three promising sounding emails. One 

from a glamping site owner in Portugal looking for 

more exposure, one from a tent manufacturer that 

I’ve not worked with before and another from a new 

outdoor clothing brand launching on Kickstarter. 

Once my emails are done, I check my traffic levels 

and take a look at my top performing content in 

Google Analytics, then I have a quick look to see what 

our top search terms are. Occasionally I find topics 

that people are searching for that give me ideas for 

new content, and keeping on top of things from this 

perspective is one of the reasons why the blog ranks 

so well in Google and makes it easy for brands and 

glamping site owners to find us. 

I’ve already booked a one night stay at a local 

campsite, so it’s time to pack the car with my tent and 

large amount of camping gear, including the camp 

storage unit I’m reviewing. I’ve already used the unit 

on a previous camping trip, but due to poor weather 

and a duff camera battery, didn’t manage to get all 

the shots I wanted. 

Around lunch time I arrive at the site close to 

beautiful 

Delamere Forest in Cheshire and set up camp. Social 

media plays a big role in what I do, so I am constantly 

updating Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and I post 

photos of my tent and the campsite. 

Setting up always takes me a long time – I really do 

live and breathe the “camping with style” ethos, so 

rocking up with a tiny pop-up tent and sleeping bag 

really isn’t my thing! I stop and make lunch on my 

camp stove, a huge portion of leek and potato soup 

I made the other night, and think about the shots I 

want to get. 

Photos and video taken, by mid-afternoon it’s time 

to chill out and enjoy myself. I head into Delamere 

Forest to go walking, again taking more snaps on my 

phone so I can post on social media. 

One of the things about so called ‘influencers’ 

is that they are often accused of presenting a fake 

lifestyle, and I think in fashion and lifestyle blogging 

that can certainly be the case. I pride myself on being 

as authentic as possible though; I couldn’t find the 

energy or passion to put the hours in that I do if I 

didn’t genuinely live the lifestyle, and I like to provide 

a glimpse at my ‘real’ life. Not just the good or the fun 

bits! 

After a lovely walk I’m feeling calm and return to 

the campsite via the pub. I figure after lugging all my 

camping gear around and my walk I deserve a bit of 

a feast. After dinner I head back to the campsite and 

my cosy little tent set up the way I love. As night falls, 

I’m reminded of just how lucky I am to do what I do 

and share it with people who love the 

great outdoors just as much as me. 


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Open Air Business October/November 2018

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