Open Air Business December 2018
The UK's outdoor hospitality business magazine for function venues, glamping, festivals and outdoor events
The UK's outdoor hospitality business magazine for function venues, glamping, festivals and outdoor events
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ISSUE 23 | December 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com
BUSINESS
CONTEMPORARY Structures
FUNCTION VENUES
> Influencers
> Winter Lights
/ /
>
GLAMPSITES
> Maximising Bookings
> Hots Tubs & Cooking
EVENTS
> Relocation
Bars & Catering
CASE STUDIES:
BRIDAL BARN • HAPPY VALLEY NORFOLK • MAGICAL WOODLAND
BUSINESS
2019 PRE SEASON
GATHERING
24-25 March 2019
Hothorpe Hall, Leicestershire
AFFORDABLE
Just £70
FOCUSSED
and practical
FUN
we've got a
gin bar and a
treehouse!
24-25 March 2019
Hothorpe Hall,
Leicestershire
BUSINESS
2019 PRE SEASON
GATHERING
Limited tickets...
We are offering 150 delegate spaces
• 50 x delegates
from Function
Venue businesses
• 50 x delegates
from Glamping
businesses
book
now
• 50 x delegates
from Outdoor
Event businesses
Pick and choose between streams of content at the event • Expand
your Open Air Business horizons by interacting with peers and
experts across sectors
From the people
who bring you
www.oabgathering.com
ISSUE 23 | December 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com
WELCOME
Welcome
HAPPY CHRISTMAS! You’ll find a good smattering of festive content in this
issue, I hope it brings you cheer and inspires you for the 2019 season. It
seems Christmas really does come early for some of you – up to 18 months
early for Hever Castle so our ‘Behind the Scenes’ feature on page 72 reveals.
I’d like to welcome a new feature in ‘Entrepreneur’s Chat’. This in depth
conversation demonstrates how individuals have successfully diversified
into outdoor hospitality and the route they have taken. We kick off with Tom
Turney of Tapnell Farm and Tom’s Eco Lodge on the Isle Of Wight. Whatever he’s on I want some.
OAB’S PRE-SEASON GATHERING
As much as I would like to signpost you to more of this bumper issue’s content, I am going to use
my limited word count to introduce you to our shiny new event happening in March – the Open
Air Business Pre-Season Gathering. As per the advert to your left, it is something of a conference
with a difference. Sure, it is has practical, take home learnings from some of our favourite
industry people, a supplier’s village and a chance to dip in and out of sessions across all three of
our outdoor hospitality sectors, but it also has a treehouse to explore, a purpose built woodland
wedding and corporate events venue to get inspired by, and a laid back networking evening preconference
with funky accommodation should you wish to stay over.
You may recognise the sound of the venue from the above as we have featured it as a case
study previously. If not, check it out – Hothorpe Hall & The Woodlands, conveniently placed in
the middle of the country so no excuses for not coming along. We are making it as affordable as
possible at just £70 per day ticket although we unfortunately have limited space so it’s going to
be first come first served. Find out more at www.oabgathering.com.
Here’s to a great 2019! (and please, no one mention Brexit…)
UP FRONT
4 News
8 Product News
10 Showman’s Show
Review
12 Farm Business
Innovation Show
Review
15 Entrepreneur’s Chat
– Tom Turney, Tapnell
Farm
18 Instagram – 10 tips
from Sarah Orchard
FUNCTION VENUES
21 Bridal Barn – purchased
on a whim but offering a
great ROI
26 New Year Rush –
prepare with Kelly
Chandler
28 Influencers – Andrew
White helps qualify their
value
30 Guest Comment –
making the most of
winter with seasonal
lighting
32 Landscape & Exteriors
– the latest product
updates
GLAMPSITES
35 Happy Valley Norfolk
– an enchanting forest
retreat
40 Industry Insights – Kate
Morel’s glamping news
and views
42 Maximising bookings
– tips from Quality
Unearthed
46 Guest Comment
– woodfired hot
tubs in commercial
environments
48 OAB Loves…
Contemporary
Structures – cutting
edge design
Tally Wade
Editor / Publisher
Contents ISSUE #23 December 2018
52 Hot Tubs & Cooking
– the latest product
updates
EVENTS
55 Magical Woodland – an
enchanted spectacular
of light
60 Saving Secret Widget –
how to move an entire
festival last minute
65 Guest Comment –
solving waste plastic at
events with Michael Hall
66 Industry Insights –
John Radford’s event
news and views
68 Bars & Catering – the
latest product updates
70 Spotlight
71 Classifieds
73 Behind the Scenes...
PUBLISHERS
Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com
Tally Wade - tally@openairbusiness.com
EDITOR
Tally Wade - tally@openairbusiness.com
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ISSUE 23 | DECEMBER 2018 | www.openairbusiness.com
CONTEMPORARY Structures
FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES
EVENTS
> Influencers
> Maximising Bookings > Relocation
/ /
> Winter Lights
> Hots Tubs & Cooking > Bars & Catering
CASE STUDIES:
BRIDAL BARN • HAPPY VALLEY NORFOLK • MAGICAL WOODLAND
COVER PHOTO
The new two-tier GlampLoft from Universal Glamping,
complete with insulation and integrated Nanotech
infrared heating technology for year round use. 01269
853957 / www.universalglamping.com
BUSINESS
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3
24
23
GRAND SAFARI
TENT 7-8
PERSONS
2
21
20
19
16
15
14
PLANTING
1
10
9 8 7
6 5
4 3
2 1
NEW ENTRANCE
SEWER PIPE
EXISTING TREE TO BE
RETAINED
SWEDISH
BBQ CABIN
ROADWAY
HEDGE
FOOTPATH
AMENITY SHOP
YURT
FOOTPATH
PLANTING
FOOTPATH
EN-SUITES & WASHING
ROOM
HEDGE
PUBLIC TOILETS
PLANTING
HEDGE
YURT
DRAINAGE PIPE
PLANTING
EVENTS AREA
YURT
PLANTING
POND
The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality
Best in Wales
A GUEST house in Pentrefoelas,
which featured in the TV series Four
in Bed earlier this year, has been
shortlisted for the eviivo Hidden Gem
awards. Llwyn Onn, a former Victorian
watermill and school house turned
traditional family run B&B, was one
of just nine properties in the UK to
be shortlisted. The panel of industry
experts commended the owners of
the five bedroom rural retreat for their
hospitality, but they were equally
impressed with their unique glamping
site.
“We got rid of the camping site
when we bought the house three years
ago and turned it into glamping pods.
We’ve got four units which can house
two people at a time and they are
going really well for us.”
The fifth annual eviivo awards
celebrates the independent
accommodation sector from B&Bs to
glampsites to boutique hotels.
New Glamping site in South Derbyshire
TO HELP cope with the
increasing number of
visitors to the National
Forest, which stretches
across 200 square miles
of central England, a new
glamping site has been
proposed for Park Farm in
the village of Overseal.
On behalf of the
landowner, Edward
Rayner, AM Planning
Consultants has applied
to South Derbyshire District
Council for permission
to turn agricultural land
into a glamping site,
comprising 15 glamping
units (including shepherd
huts, yurts and safari tents),
timber hot tubs and a
Swedish BBQ. They have
also requested to change
the use of a residential
garage to an ancillary
amenity shop, as well as
the construction of wash
and toilet facilities and car
parking.
Overseal is surrounded
by attractions and with the
National Forest helping
to increase the profile of
Derbyshire as a tourist
destination, it is anticipated
the glamping site will be a
welcome addition to the
area.
It is also supported
by the National Forest
Company which has
P A R K F A R M , A C R E S F O R D R O A D, S W A D L I N C O T E
GLAMPING PLAN
SCALE 1:500
PLANTING
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
PLANTING
Proposed Site Plan Park Farm
undertaken a Destination
Gap Analysis that highlights
‘the development of
good quality visitor
accommodation as a main
priority for the destination;
in particular, exemplar
forest cabins’.
Roger and Sara Wilkins
who manage the site have
been working towards
this diversification for four
years: “We have planted
3,300 trees and created a
pond and forest school,
along with an events area
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
HEDGE
PLANTING
SHEPHERD HUT
PERSONS
TENT 7-8
GRAND SAFARI
PLANTING
PLANTING
17 18
FOOTPATH
SHEPHERD HUT
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
EXISTING TR E TO BE
RETAINED
12 13
SHEPHERD HUT
PERSONS
TENT 7-8
GRAND SAFARI
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
GRAND SAFARI
TENT 7-8
PERSONS
PLANTING
YURT
PLANTING
PLANTING
SHEPHERD HUT
PLANTING
EXISTING TR E TO BE
RETAINED
YURT
TENT 7-8
PERSONS
GRAND SAFARI
SHEPHERD HUT
DIVERTED PUBLIC FOOTPATH
EXITING PUBLIC
FOOTPATH
PLANTING
that we hope will also be
used as a wedding venue.
Another villager has put in
planning for a microbrewery
in one of the agricultural
buildings, which would be
a welcome addition to the
events side of the business.
We really hope the scheme
gets the green light as we
feel it will be a great asset to
Overseal and, with a public
footpath running through
the land, it will welcome
walkers to the new forestry
areas, too.”
PLANTING
P L A N N I N G
33 ARCHITECTURE
Luxury Hotel Submits
Plans for Wedding
Village
DOXFORD HALL, a Grade II-listed luxury hotel eight
miles north of Alnwick, is seeking permission from
Northumberland County Council to construct a
wedding village within its historic walled garden.
The plans include a new pavilion, 13 guest lodge
rooms, including a bridal suite, an ancillary building for
catering and toilets and additional car parking spaces.
The venue will primarily be used to host weddings,
but also conferences and events, and hopes to become
more of a tourist destination. A design and access
statement prepared by 33 Architecture is requesting
the use of materials that will be sympathetic to the
structures around the Hall’s walled garden.
4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
LICENCE TO BUILD
GLAMPING JUST GOT SERIOUS
Sited underground, below and at a distance away from the mains
drainage or a septic tank, Sanifos is armed with load balancing pumps
and high-performance macerating systems… meaning you can start
expanding your business as aggressively as you dare.
Anything’s possible. Visit saniflo.co.uk to see how.
The latest news from the world of outdoor hospitality
Irish Start-up
wins €2.7m
Contract
AN IRISH-start-up has won a contract
worth almost €3m to supply pre-fab
holiday homes to Canada. Having already
raised €5.5 million from backers, this new
contract will see Zoobox supply 15 units
to a partner company in Canada. The firm
is also eyeing up five likely sites in Ireland
for its holiday homes, looking at locations
in Clare, Galway, Wicklow, Cork and Kerry.
According to its CEO,
Guillaume Pellerin, Zoobox aims to
supply a growing market for eco-tourism.
“The whole goal is to immerse people
in nature. Lifestyles that force people to
spend 90 per cent of their time indoors
and up to six hours a day in front of a
screen are driving a demand for outdoor
holidays that combine camping with
luxury.”
To that end, the homes represent the
highest level of glamping, with one wall
a series of sliding glass panels. The units
are designed to be off-grid with electricity
from solar panels and wind turbines. It’s
expected to cost €200 a night for a family
of four although structures can sleep up
to six.
NOEA Celebrates Record Breaking Convention & Awards
REPRESENTING THE voice of
the outdoor events industry,
the National Outdoor Events
Association (NOEA) held its
15th Annual Convention at the
Guildhall in Bath, followed by
its 2018 Awards ceremony at
the fantastic Roman Baths and
Pump Rooms venue.
The theme ‘It Couldn’t
Happen to Me’ provided
entertaining yet topical and
important content from a
variety of high profile speakers.
The keynote was delivered by
Dick Tee of EnTEEtainment
and included horror stories of
events gone wrong such as the
huge over attendance of Fat
Boy Slim’s Big Beach Boutique
II in Brighton in 2002.
The National Events
Intelligence Unit (NEIU) gave
up-to-date information on the
issues affecting major events
in 2018 followed by deeply
personal stories from Becky
Stevens, Hybred Events, and
industry consultant Simon
Hughes.
The main set piece of the day
was a live role play presented
6 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
by A.C.T (National), and led
by Bev Osborne, Training 4
Resilience. A crisis scenario was
presented and delegates were
invited to vote on a series of
decisions through a live poll.
This was followed by a group
workshop where tables were
given different scenarios and
invited to suggest actions and
strategies for dealing with
them.
Linda Krawecke from Tiger
Tea, shared an update on
her business's work around
creating ‘safe places’ at festival
sites throughout the summer,
before the audience was given
a supplier’s perspective with
NOEA Futures Supporters,
A.C.T (National), GL events,
Eventbrite and Arnold Clarke
all adding to the discussion.
The day finished with a
summarising panel discussion.
Congratulations to the 2018
Award winners who were
celebrated at a black tie event
in the evening. Bournemouth
7s Festival scooped both the
Large Festival of the Year Award
and Sporting Event of the Year.
The judges said: “We liked the
idea of merging a sporting
event with a festival, adding
a wider message of making
sport fun for everyone. It was a
unique spin on a sporting event
and enabled more people to
get involved.”
Glastonbury Abbey and
Liverpool Bordeaux Wine
Festival took Best New Event
with the judges awarding two
prizes – the abbey winning
small new event and the
Merseyside festival taking the
trophy for large new event.
The Edinburgh Festival won
the Judge’s Award. Best
Small Festival went to Just So
Festival.
Andy Grove, president of
NOEA, said: “The quality of the
award winners was genuinely
outstanding, and showed
innovation, creative thinking
and experience. These are
great events, run by the best
event professionals, and are
a credit to the industry. We’re
delighted to be giving them
the recognition they deserve
through NOEA.”
Dundas Castle
Ramps up
Corporate Offering
DUNDAS CASTLE near Edinburgh has
launched an all-inclusive day delegate
package for corporate events.
The castle is still a family home and
has been hosting corporate events
since 2001. Keen to make it easier for
event planners to make use of the castle
for day events, the team has created
an exclusive use package to include
refreshments, lunch and all the extras
needed.
With a range of spaces to choose
from, the new package is ideal for
a wide range of events from small
boardroom meetings of 14 in the 600
year old Stag Chamber, to conferences
with space for 200 in the modern, selfcontained
Pavilion.
By consolidating its offering for
business events mid-week, the castle
is maximising business opportunities
outside of its busy weekends, which
are filled by wedding bookings and
glamping (from May-October).
General manager Louise Andrew
said: “We have created the day delegate
package to make it stress-free for those
looking for a corporate venue with a bit
of a difference – not many can say their
next conference is in a 15th century
castle! We have offered corporate
packages in the past, but this is the first
time we have offered an all-inclusive
day delegate rate.
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
GlampRad
Collaborations
GLAMPRAD IS a new infrared heating solution
for glamping structures from Universal
Glamping. It has been showcased at both
the Glamping Show and the Farm Business
Innovation Show generating early sales with
customers using it to heat a range of structures
from garden pods to yurts.
Since 2017, the GlampRAD has been
incorporated into the manufacture of the
company’s glamping pods, mounted to the
ceiling as a steel panel with the option of
LED lighting. Used as a canvas radiator, it is
also integrated into the new two tier canvas
structure, the GlampLoft. Other manufacturers
are also excited about the potential with
collaborations across the channel.
“We are extremely excited to have formed a
strategic partnership with Cabanon, a French
based safari tent manufacturer,” says director
George Richardson. “We are also forming new
partnerships with various UK and European
companies who are interested in promoting the
GlampRAD brand. We are really looking forward
to 2019 which we hope to be a very busy time
for us here at Universal Glamping!”
www.universalglamping.com
Eco-Bunkbox Accommodation
ARCHITECTS FROM
eco-bunkbox have
delivered fun,
comfortable residential
bunk accommodation
for young people to
enjoy sport and outdoor
recreational holidays
at the Norwich City
Community Sports
Foundation. Delivered
in five eco-bunkbox
units, the flexible
accommodation sleeps
up to 70 and the off-site
construction method
meant the project was
delivered in just six
weeks.
Sustainability is
central to designs,
with recyclable and
sustainable materials
incorporated and
superb levels of
insulation.
Offering warmth and
comfort all year round,
layouts can be adapted
for luxury glamping,
outdoor learning or
family lodges. Structures
meet permanent
building regulations,
have a lifetime of over
40 years and are low
maintenance.
“The young people
really enjoy staying
in them, even in the
hottest times of the
summer,” says a
spokesperson from the
club. “They’re a unique,
great use of space, and
make young people
happy!”
Financing schemes
are available and
nationwide delivery.
www.eco-bunkbox.com
/ 01603 706296.
No More Pine Needles!
TWILIGHT TREES is delighted to
announce the introduction of a
snow dusted, LED faux Christmas
tree to its range. Traditional in
style, the Frosted LED Christmas
Tree stands at 2.5m tall and
is available to hire – perfect
for venues and planners with
Christmas 2020 to prepare for.
“It’s taken us four years to find
a Christmas tree that meets our
approval,” said founder Susie
Reid Thomas. “It has an ever so
slight dusting of snow and, true
to form, has a little twinkle!
“A perfect accompaniment is
the non-lit Frosted Fir Table Top
Tree. A perfectly formed pine in a
dark evergreen with a dusting of
frost, it stands at 155cm tall - the
perfect size and shape for a table
centre, placed around the room
or in a uniform line along a row
of long tables.”
www.twilight-trees.com
8 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
further.space Launches £9M
Alternative Tourism Business
TOURISM ENTREPRENEURS
Peter Farquharson and David
Maxwell launched further.
space at the NI Leisure Show
at Balmoral Park in November,
with the aim to install 500
tourist pods throughout the UK
and Ireland by 2023.
The start-up firm aims to
establish up to 100 micro
tourism joint partnerships
with landowners and existing
tourism ventures, deploying
500 pods in hand-picked
locations over the next five
years. The company offers
business partners a complete
tourism support package –
from financing and planning
support to marketing and
booking systems.
further.space is the sister
company of Intupod, a
manufacturer of multi-purpose
aluminium structured pods in
Belfast. Each pod is forecast
to deliver an annual revenue
of £18,000 per year, with 500
pods over five years estimated
to generate a total revenue of
£9M. A partnership with four
pods on one site will generate
an annual revenue of £72,000
per year and £360,000 over five
years.
CEO of further.space, and
former founder of Habitat
for Humanity Northern
Ireland, Peter Farquharson
said: “My background is in
creating sustainable global
accommodation solutions.
While it is well documented
that the tourist industry is
one of the biggest growth
industries in Ireland and the
fifth biggest industry in the
world, often some of our most
attractive natural landscapes
suffer from accommodation
shortages, limiting local
potential to access the
tourist pound. Our vision is
to empower landowners in
spectacular off-the-beatentrack
locations to create
profitable, sustainable and low
maintenance micro tourism
businesses on their land, with
social and economic benefits
for the entire area.”
www.further.space
Call On:
01527
821848
A 30 year
guarantee on
steel frame
and chassis
A Riverside Shepherd Hut can be Whatever you Want
View our huts in a relaxed,
domestic atmosphere with a
cup of tea and a slice of cake!
• Insulated walls, floor and roof
for year round use
• Choice of exteriors – larchwood,
corrugated or red cedar
• Self contained - ready to rent out.
Accommodation, home office,
play room - you dream it, we’ll build it!
From the 16ft Traditional
Hut… to the huge 30ft
Shepherd’s Lodge
HANDMADE
IN BRITAIN
hello@riversidesheperdhuts.co.uk
www.riversidesheperdhuts.co.uk
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 9
The Showman’s
Show 2018
Innovation and sustainability were key themes at this
year’s show reports Michelle Tayton
ONCE AGAIN the Showman’s Show
delivered a great cross section of
products and services across the entire
event production supply chain; from
state-of-the-art structures, plant and
hire equipment to waste management,
sustainable solutions, entertainment
and finishing touches. The diversity of
the exhibits on show was coupled with
innovative launches and masses of
ideas for moving events forward.
Over 50 Vision:2025 festival teams
and environmentally-minded suppliers
gathered on the first day in the ‘Hub
Talks’ tipi to share knowledge and
experiences of working towards
making events more sustainable.
Teams from events as diverse as Hay
Festival, Boomtown Fair, Greenbelt
and Just So festival, and many more,
gathered to watch event director
Johnny Lance open the day with a
round-up of initiatives the Showman’s
Show team had undertaken to
improve its environmental impact.
This was followed by Paul Reed of the
Association of Independent Festivals
(AIF) sharing how 60 UK festivals have
come together to cut single-use plastics
at events.
After an afternoon of speakers
on innovation in supplier services
and products, and expert advice on
key topics such event power, waste,
travel and toilets, the day ended with
a call to action to join the festival
communities who are taking action
around environmental issues. Energy
Revolution shared plans to help events
balance or ‘offset’ over 10 million fossilfuel
festival travel miles by 2020 with
investment in renewable energy. The
8thPlate project called for more events
to send surplus festival food to those
in need, and Julie’s Bicycle launched
an offer for Vision:2025 festivals to use
their Creative IG Tools to accurately
measure the impacts of events.
RAW Bottles, with its high-quality
stainless steel brand-able drinking
bottles, took home the Green Supplier
and Innovation Award. Now in its fourth
year, it was judged in front of a panel
in a Dragons Den style presentation
for the first time. The panel included
Claire O’Neill from A Greener Festival,
Catherine Bottrill of Julie’s Bicycle, Paul
Reed from AIF and Steve Heap of the
Association of Festival Organisers (AFO).
Commenting on the success of this
year’s Showman’s Show, Lance said:
“The response of exhibitors and visitors
to the show is probably the best way to
gauge how successful it has been, and
I have to say we have been completely
inundated with positive feedback! On
site we had visitors popping into the
show office to say how much they had
enjoyed the show, as well as companies
who want to exhibit at next year’s event
requesting meetings and lots of great
comments from exhibitors.
“A quick look at our social media
accounts and you’ll see some really
encouraging posts from visitors and
exhibitors alike. Now that the dust has
settled and we’re back at our desks I’m
pleased to say that it continues; we’ve
received fantastic comments from
exhibitors who have been with us for
years saying that it was their best show
yet and lots of exhibitors who want
to rebook for 2019 straight away. It
doesn’t really get any better than that.
“The show had a really nice buzz to
it throughout which was great to see.
All in all, a really positive couple of
days that leave us very much looking
forward to the Showman’s Show 2019.”
SAVE THE DATE
The Showman’s Show 2019 will
take place at Newbury Showground
on 16-17 October.
➊
OAB’s Top Picks
➊ GT Trax
As well as being a leading supplier of
plastic temporary roadways and walkways,
GT Trax also provides marquee flooring,
event seating and structures, all for hire
or purchase with nationwide delivery and
installation
LuxTrax and LiteTrax are ideally suited
to marquee flooring, delivering non-slip
temporary walkways for inside or outside.
LuxTrax is used to provide walkways at
the Burghley and Badminton Horse Trials
and at many outdoor exhibitions. The Lite
version can be used to create a plastic floor
- particularly good where it will be covered
by carpet, with holes for gripper rods. www.
gttrax.co.uk
➋ DCRS
Providing radios for hire, sale or lease,
DCRS showcased its Radio Allocation
System (RAS) which uses a simple on-site
PC based system to allow event organisers
to log radios and accessories to individual
users or groups. The system is delivered
preloaded with all of the equipment on hire
and records a username, email address/
➋
10 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
INDUSTRY NEWS
➍
➌
telephone number and a user photo,
all of which is dated and time stamped,
providing an accurate record of what
equipment is left unallocated. A simple
report shows what has not been returned
at the end of the hire and who has the
equipment! www.dcrs.co.uk
➌ Cooling and Heating Solutions
Cooling and Heating Solutions has
provided temporary heating, air
conditioning and ventilation systems
nationwide for over 25 years and remains
a family run business. Among its product
lines is an up-to-date range (15kW up
to 200kW) of indirect oil fired heaters
available for sale or hire. These heaters are
fantastic for heating temporary structures
and event spaces - marquee heating is
their forté!
Hire costs from £89+vat per week, or buy
from £699+vat, with delivery the same or
next day. Service and maintenance of any
heater also undertaken at home or away.
www.coolingandheatingsolutions.com
➍ StagesForHire
StagesForHire offers mid-size stages for
events across the UK, perfect for festivals,
concerts and community events.
At the show it launched a new trailer
mounted Victorian bandstand structure
with an impressive two hour build time.
Offering an elegant alternative to a regular
event stage, it will add glamour to any
festival, party, wedding, ball or special
event.
Measuring 4.8m across, the octagonal
structure is self-supporting and needs no
additional weights or ropes to fasten it
down. Full PA, lighting, power supplies,
experienced crew and technicians and a
whole range of extras are also available.
www.stagesforhire.com
➎ Magic Tea Pot
Billed as the ‘friendliest festival venue’
and perfect for acoustic music and
➎
singalongs, the ‘kettle's always on’ in
the Magic Tea Pot! An intimate pop-up
venue with a fireplace at its centre, the 12
sided structure measures 8m across and
features built in bench seating all the way
around, with further seating around the
fire. We can see this at festivals and even
fancy parties, hosted by its friendly crew of
musicians, fire keepers and tea makers.
Instruments come included, with a
tuned acoustic piano, guitars, trombone
and saxophone – and anyone is welcome
to play, creating an ever-changing vibe.
www.magicteapot.co.uk
➏ RAW Bottles
RAW Bottles is the sister organisation
to RAW Foundation, a UK sustainable
development charity that has been
committed to raising awareness and
campaigning against pointless plastic for
over a decade.
Available in 500ml or 750ml sizes, these
stainless steel brand-able bottles come
with either a traditional screw or sports top
and have already been adopted by green
minded festivals including Glastonbury,
Shambala and Port Eliot. Every bottle sold
helps tackle single-use plastic and also
helps fund RAW Foundation’s education
and campaign work globally. We are
delighted that RAW won the The Green
Supplier and Innovation Award at the
show. www.raw-bottles.org
➏
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 11
➊
OAB’s Top Picks
Farm Business
Innovation Show 2018
Bigger and better than ever before with expert content
packing out seminar venues, writes Laura McDonald
IN NOVEMBER the doors opened at the
NEC Birmingham for the sixth edition
of the Farm Business Innovation Show,
attracting visitors from across the
country eager to talk to experts, discover
the latest innovations and be inspired
by diversification ideas. From 10am on
day one there was a bustle in the hall
and a fantastic entrepreneurial vibe.
DEFRA’s Henry Dieudonne-Demaria
kicked off the Keynote Stage to a packed
audience, followed by the fascinating
Lord Carnarvon, who talked the crowd
through the transformation of his estate,
Highclere Castle, into the world-famous
‘Downton Abbey’. The diverse seminar
schedule continued across the two-day
event on the Keynote stage as well as
the other seven seminar theatres. No
stone was left unturned with topics
including glamping, weddings, retail,
financing, alternative crops and putting
a bow tie on a llama!
The Live Debates Area featured
various panels of industry experts
talking through current hot topics and
taking questions from the audience.
Throughout the two days panellists
explored the areas of renewable
energy, business post-Brexit, glamping,
planning permission, marketing and PR,
and event hire and accommodation.
This aspect of the show gives an
opportunity for visitors to learn and
interact directly with acclaimed industry
experts, and is confirmed to return for
2019.
Those seeking business advice,
resources and skills were spoilt for
choice, with experts from the CLA, the
Rural Payments agency and the NFU on
hand. The CLA ran a whole schedule of
seminars throughout the event which
were hugely popular. These talks offered
guidance on grants and funding for
diversifying businesses, preparing your
business for Brexit, top 10 tips when
diversifying, and a variety of other
relevant subjects. The insight from CLA
experts was fantastic for the show and
has received a host of positive feedback.
Plans for the 2019 show are well
underway, with 86% of exhibitors
having already re-booked. Farm
Business Innovation 2018 has received
an unprecedented level of positive
feedback and the team is already
working hard to ensure the 2019 edition
is even better.
SAVE THE DATE
The Farm Business Innovation
Show 2019 will take place at the
NEC Birmingham on 6-7 November.
➊ Glampsan
Glampsan supplies flexible solutions for
capturing, managing, storing and pumping
water and waste at holiday parks,
glamping, camping, and caravanning sites.
Specialising in the supply of plastic
tanks from 150 to 30,000 litres for above
and below ground storage of waste
and water, its also provides a range of
complementary products to help manage
water and waste on sites both on or
off-grid including sewage and grey water
lifting stations, sewage and water pumps,
water filtration and pressure boosters,
sewage treatment plants and septic tanks,
and level alarms and Elsan tipping points.
www.glampsan.com
➋ Tithe Barn Shepherd Huts
Build your own shepherds hut with parts
and plans. Tithe Barn Shepherd Huts has
been building huts since 2011 but now
sells plans for building, together with a
comprehensive step by step guide. It also
supplies all the essential components
required to build your own shepherds
huts, including cast iron wheels and
chassis, timber roof structures, traditional
hardwood windows and stable doors,
➋
12 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
INDUSTRY NEWS
➌
curved corrugated roofing and wall panels,
stoves, flue systems and much more.
Its components are used by shepherd
hut builders, large and small, throughout
the UK, Ireland and further afield and carry
no identifying marks or imprints.
www.shepherd-huts.com
➌ Brilliant Trails
Aiming to revolutionise the way people
interact with locations, Brilliant Trails
creates profitable experiences for land
and property owners. Its extensive range
of trail options include interactive sensory
trails (fairy trails) and treasure hunts
designed around three main themes:
family experiences, history and heritage,
and education.
The team’s passion is based around
creating fun and educational experiences
for visitors, while generating income for
businesses. www.brillianttrails.com
➍ The Sign Maker
This team of craftsmen makes signs to suit
all budgets - woodworking, engraving,
casting, printing, sand-blasting, chemical
etching, anoprinting and hand painting
from workshops in Devon. They have a
barn full of racks of timber, slate and other
stone of varying thickness and can create
anything from small wooden plaques to
massive business signage.
Engraved signs are available in brass
and a range of other materials including
Corian which is perfect for stylish,
maintenance-free plaques. Traditional
cast bronze is ideal for important plaques,
or opt for a traditional painted sign using
a polyurethane paint available in Farrow
and Ball colours. www.sign-maker.net
➎ Solar Technology International
A supplier of off-grid power and lighting
systems for remote indoor and outdoor
spaces. Designed to provide cost effective
solutions without any compromise in
brightness or functionality, all the systems
supplied are plug and play making DIY
installation simple.
Whether looking to floodlight a car
park or give warm tone illumination and
power in glamping pods, Solar Technology
is likely to have an off the peg system. If
➍
➎
one of the ready made kits is not suitable
then opting for a custom designed system
is likely to cost a lot less than a new grid
connection to a remote area.
www.solartechnology.co.uk
➏ Iglucraft
These unique wooden cabins and saunas
are handmade with a spruce shingle
exterior and aspen slats inside, using a
shingle production technique hundreds
of years old. They have been designed to
be easily transported by road and have
insulation that can withstand Nordic
temperatures of -25 deg C.
The range comprises four models from
10-19sqm, with bespoke units available
on request. Each model includes a
fitted kitchen and larger units include a
bathroom. Saunas are available in several
configurations with a relax room and wash
area in larger models, and the choice of a
woodfired or electric stove. www.iglucraft.
co.uk
➏
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 13
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT
Tom
Turney
In the first of our series on outdoor hospitality
entrepreneurs, we meet Tom Turney – the man
behind diversifying Tapnell Farm on the Isle of Wight.
Louise Creasy reports
ORIGINALLY THE setting for the
legendary and original Isle of Wight
Festival 1970, it seems Tapnell Farm is
creating an equally notorious name for
itself and raising the bar for tourism on
the Island. A second generation member
of the Turney family, Tom Turney has
realised his dream of an eco-holiday
heaven that emulates the charm of an
island childhood, and with the help of his
family evolved it into a micro commercial
empire that includes glamping, a farm
park, restaurant, wedding venue and
more.
It all started in 2008 with Tapnell
Manor, a house on the Turney’s family
farm available for let. It was self-catering
at its most basic – a key would be left for
people who had booked and they would
look after themselves. A decade on and
the site has evolved to become an awardwinning
tourism attraction welcoming
100,000 visitors each year.
Andrew Turney, head of the family,
bought the farm in the early 1980s
and is still playing an active role in the
reinvention of the business. Tom is one
of four children and returned home
six years ago after gaining a degree
in business and management from
the Leeds University Business School.
Inspired by the success of hiring out the
house, he set up five safari tents on the
farm with the help of a diversification
grant.
“Having the idea of glamping
resonates to my childhood when we
brought friends back to the farm,” says
Tom. “Our parents were always very
welcoming and I realised there was
massive potential for people who were
working in the cities to get away to the
countryside and receive the same sort
of experience.”
MORE MONEY IN GLAMPING
With the decline in the dairy industry
hitting the Isle of Wight particularly
hard, the Turney family sold its herd of
cattle in 2014. “We were receiving 9p
a litre less for our milk on the Island,
compared to the same cows doing the
same job at our Dorset farm, and it
just wasn’t sustainable any more,” he
explains. “Dad’s always been forward
thinking and pushing us towards new
ideas and had foreseen that dairying
was a declining industry where we
lived. We’re in such a beautiful spot,
and utilising the land in a completely
different way in a relatively new market
at that point seemed an obvious
direction to go.”
At the same time the closure of two
animal attractions on the Island meant
an added opportunity. Tom explains:
“A couple of local tourist attractions
[Seaview Wildlife Encounter and
Colemans Farm Park] had to close
down for planning and family reasons.
The timing was perfect for us as we
had moved away from dairy and had
the space and buildings to rehome
some of the animals. They were hugely
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 15
successful businesses so we knew we were
onto a winner and it fitted really well with
our new direction.”
FOOD AND PLAY
By now Tom had established Tom’s Eco
Lodge which as well as the five safari tents,
now included three wooden cabins, two ‘eco
pods’, three farm cottage lets and the manor
hosting up to 100 people at any one time.
In 2015, and in homage to the family’s dairy
farm heritage, Tom’s brother in-law who had
a background in catering launched the Cow
Company, converting an old Swiss barn to
a restaurant, which opened in June, along
with a gallery gift shop.
“The Cow Bar and Restaurant, which has
since branched out to cater for vegan and
vegetarian diets, is established in its own
right now and has become a standalone
business,” says Tom. “The play barn quickly
followed. At first it was quite agricultural,
with a few tunnels, hay bales and a zip
wire, but incredibly popular – within a few
months we were too busy. We misjudged the
demand and were struggling to keep up.
“We learnt from that and it showed us the
kind of thing people wanted. There’s never
been a grand plan, we’ve always tested the
market and gone with what works. We have
vision and ambition but we’re very fluid
in our approach, and as a relatively small
business we are lucky enough to be able
to adapt and change based on customer
feedback.”
A MOVE TO WEDDINGS
As any recent visitor will testify, Tapnell
Farm is now an established farm park and
glamping site, but it’s an events venue
too. Last year the family offered East Afton
Farmhouse and Tapnell Farm for weddings.
Tom explains: “We’re already fully booked
for next year. We’re offering holiday-style
weddings, so we do one wedding a week and
guests can get to know one another other
over the course of that period. I got the idea
from a friend’s wedding that I attended last
year – it leaves a far more lasting legacy, and
there’s a real trend for weekend and weeklong
destination weddings at the moment.
“We also host events in our restaurant and
rustic barn. We recently held a big Halloween
party where we had 350 predominantly local
residents along for a big knees-up. We’ve got
Christmas coming up so we have Santa Claus
coming to town. We did it for the first time
last year with an elves workshop and the
opportunity to feed and pet reindeer – it was
a real hit. This year will be bigger and better
and we have four planned weekends of
different activities building up to Christmas
Day.”
SUSTAINABLE ETHOS
Tapnell Farm is a great example of
21st century thinking combined with
environmental credentials. In 2012 it
installed a 500kW solar power plant, which
is the equivalent of delivering energy to 300
houses. This is linked to the accommodation
and farm units along with a biomass boiler,
which runs off wood pellets and is connected
to the central heating and hot water
systems. Water supply will soon come from
the farm’s bore hole, which is in the process
of getting signed off so that it’s not solely for
agricultural use.
“Employing sustainable practices is a
mind-set and we are continually evolving.
The big one now is waste and we were aware
of that when we opened up the restaurant
so started using compostable products
– it’s always something that’s involved in
our decision making and we’re constantly
looking at improving what we do. Earlier
this year I spoke at the first Isle of Wight
Environmental Conference initiated by
the Isle of Wight Council to consider how it
can secure a low carbon, resource efficient
and environmentally sensitive future. Next
week I’ve got a meeting about how to turn
our waste into energy.”
While all the winter housing, silage pits
and infrastructure of the dairy has been
converted into either Tapnell Farm Park or
holiday accommodation, the farm itself is
still operational in arable. “We have 400
acres in total and land-wise most of it is
still farmed. We grow wheat and maize,
and crops for renewables which are sent
to an anaerobic digester – a renewable
gas plant that turns feedstock in carbon
dioxide and methane. The former goes to
fizzy drink suppliers, the latter back to the
grid as gas for local residents. Our business
is split between property, renewable
energy, farming and leisure, the last two
of which are probably the two biggest
sectors.”
Tapnell Farm
purchased by the
Turney family
Tapnell Manor
let as holiday
accommodation
Tom launches
the farm’s glamping
offering in five
safari tents
The first of 35
awards (to date)
was won
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
TIMELINE
1980s
2008
2012
2013
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
LEFT: Hot off the Press!
Tom’s Eco Lodge has just taken gold in the
Glamping Business of the Year category at the
Beautiful South Tourism Awards
FINANCE AND GROWTH
Since Tom’s first input, the market has
changed massively and it’s flooded with
glamping – now the most profitable part
of the business is the farm park, and it’s
certainly keeping him on his toes. “We
have to change all the time as visitors
may be coming 10 times a year. With the
accommodation, people come once a year,
so all it needs is updating, or to keep up with
demand and build more pods.” To that end
two bespoke Modulogs were added in 2017.
In order to keep evolving, the family
spend a lot of time with outside advisors
specialising in finance, rural planning,
legal advice and architectural design. “We
probably use them a disproportionate
amount of time but they’re very valuable,”
says Tom. “They’re expensive but save you
money in the long run, and it is something
we’ve always done as a family business.
We don’t pretend to know everything. A
decade ago I felt like I knew everything, now
I’ve learnt to understand my skills and my
limitations. This has become instrumental in
creating and evolving the farm.”
In terms of finance the business has a
small amount of bank loans, but compared
to those of a similar size, it’s very low on
leverage. The sale of the dairy herd helped
to kick start Tom’s Eco Lodge and a strong
balance sheet has meant the ability to
self-fund a lot of things from there. “It is
organic growth rather than acquisitions and
borrowing lots of money,” he continues.
“We were fortunate enough to get a tourism
grant for keeping the park open 363 days of
the year. We want to give people full time
employment and progression, rather than
just having seasonal employees which is
the norm for most tourist attractions on the
Island, and we want to change that.
“The key to success is predominantly
our team. I think it comes down to your
employees seeing the business's values as
a foundation stone. If you set an ethos and
a way of doing things, and believe in it and
live it, it’s more relevant and tangible for
everyone involved.”
It is this holistic approach to growing
a business sustainably that has won it
several accolades. Since 2013 Tapnell
Farm has secured 35 awards, with Tom
himself, Tapnell Manor, the glamping
accommodation, farming, farm park and its
sustainable practices all recognised.
PROS AND CONS OF ISLAND LIFE
“We try to embody everything that is good
about the Isle of Wight and we’re lucky
enough to have such a beautiful place to
do it all, and that is part of our identity,”
says Tom. “There are obviously cons about
being on an island. It costs more to build
here and it is worth less in the end, so it’s
double marginal disadvantages but on the
flip side things are cheaper. So, if you want
to buy or rent it’s less expensive than on the
mainland, and that extends to the land, too.
It’s cheaper for us to install solar energy than
say in Hampshire for instance, and we get
more sunshine hours so it’s double marginal
gain on that.
“People like the idea of being on a ferry
but don’t want to wait five hours to get
on it – the ferry companies hold people
to ransom and it’s getting worse. Red
Funnel and Wightlink are cutting services
and monopolising their profits which has
a knock-on effect on businesses like ours
as it affects our guests and their holiday
experience.”
Tom is a strong believer that if you
do something that’s good and fits the
environment it has the best chance of longterm
success. Rather than differentiating
the business from others, the family
concentrates on what customers want and
focusses on what the business is good at,
including what its location offers. Outside of
this Tom also turns to information sources
such as Farmers Weekly and the Economist,
as well as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,
which holds the world’s largest online
festival of ideas (the Disruptive Innovation
Festival).
“You have to evolve with the changing
markets,” Tom says. “Currently around
a third of Tapnell Farm’s day visitors are
tourists. We currently have planning in
for a lake, which will be home to an aqua
assault course that we hope to open next
summer. The idea is to encourage more
summertime play, as unlike most farm parks,
we’re quieter on sunny days. Because we’re
an island, when the sun’s out people head
to the beach, so this will help bring people
here, and keep them here for as long as
possible.”
Tapnell Farm is a great example of a
small-sized company leveraging market
diversification to drive growth. With plenty of
exciting projects in the pipeline for 2019 the
future looks bright for the entrepreneurial
family behind what is now a flourishing farm
park, glampsite and function venue.
Cow
Company
was launched
with a restaurant and
shop. Play barn
added. Pods and
cabin added to
glampsite
2014
Play barn
extends. Tapnell
Farm Park established
by Tom and brother
in law. Animals from
Seaview Wildlife
Park rehomed
2015
East Afton
Farmhouse
acquired to offer
weddings near
Tapnell. Two
Modulogs added to
glampsite
2017
The farm
welcomes
over 100,000
visitors
2018
DETAILS
Tapnell Farm & Tom's Eco Lodge
Newport Road, Yarmouth
Isle of Wight, PO41 0YJ
Toms Eco Lodge - 01983 758729
tomsecolodge.com
Tapnell Farm - 01983 758 722
tapnellfarm.com
East Afton Farmhouse - 01983 758729
eastaftonfarmhouse.com
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 17
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Instagram 101
Sarah Orchard shares her top 10 tips for using
Instagram to market your outdoor business
FACEBOOK’S LITTLE brother is growing up and now boasts 1
billion users globally (as of June 2018). The popularity of Instagram
is incredible and a fact that simply cannot be ignored.
But the trouble with a platform that has so many active users
is making sure your posts are found and seen by people who are
interested in what you offer – needles and haystacks comes to
mind! The days of adding a handful of random images and a few
hashtags to a post are well and truly over – you need a plan.
Instagram has a younger profile than Facebook and is popular
with the millennial generation – the place where 30 somethings
go to find inspiration and brands to love. So if you are running an
experience-based business – a festival, outdoor event, glampsite,
wedding venue or any other outdoor-based business – Instagram
could be just the platform for you.
1
Getting started
Set up your profile properly
and make sure you select a
business account in settings. Use
a great profile image, make sure
your Instagram handle instantly
conveys what you do (be consistent
with your other social platforms
if possible), and write a good bio.
Ideally include two to five hashtags
(#) in the bio line (a hash tag is
simply a way for people to search for
posts that have a common topic).
And don’t forget to include your
website address!
3
Finding your audience
Liking random posts isn’t likely to
achieve a great deal. Start by doing
your research - you can make likes and
follows work really well for your business.
What are your competitors doing on
Instagram? More importantly, check out who
is commenting and liking their posts – they
are probably your target market too. So
it makes sense to engage with and follow
them. This way, you’ll start to build an
audience that is actively interested in what
your outdoor business has to offer.
2Be stylish!
Instagram is a visuals-led platform, so you’re going to need great images. Don’t worry,
your smartphone images can be good enough, especially if you always use the same
camera angles and signature filter. Make sure the images mirror your brand’s visual identity
– adopting the same colours, fonts and image style used on your website – so that the
experience of your brand is consistent from one communication channel to another.
Keep things simple and shoot square from your smartphone for ease of posting. The
Instagram Layout app is really good for creating interesting montages, especially if you
want to post a sequence of images, say for an event set-up or lighting a wood burner at your
glampsite. CANVA (drag and drop graphic design website) is a great free tool as well.
4
Signpost your content
Instagram uses hashtags, very much like Twitter, and these help people filter
through millions of posts to find what’s of interest to them. Instagram allows
you to use up to 30 hashtags, but don’t go mad. Research has shown that using five to
10 hashtags per post is good.
How do you know which ones to use? Hashtags should describe the content of the
image post. To get started, I’d suggest typing in a popular search terms, like #glamping,
#smallfestival or #woodlandweddings, and seeing what posts come up top. Then look
at the top 10 posts (shown as most popular) and see what hashtags they have used.
Make a list.
Instagram will also auto-suggest hashtags as you start to type your chosen hashtag
into the search bar at the top of the screen. It’s worth checking out popular hashtags
using http://hashtagify.me too. I’d recommend using your type of business, brand
name and location in every post and you can even add some personality with some
humour hashtags. Check out what others do for some hashtag inspiration.
As loads of hashtags can look very messy, I’d recommend putting them at the end of
your post to keep things tidy, or better still keep your post clean with just two to three
hashtags and post them immediately into the first comment instead. You must get them
into the first comment and then you still get the visibility benefits of the hashtag when
people are searching.
18 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
5
Make posting a breeze!
Save the common hashtags you are going
to use on your smartphone using Notes or
similar. It makes it so much easier to prepare your
hashtags and post them easily and is consistently
every time.
You can also share other people Instagram
images using reposting apps like Repost or
Regrammer. These mean that you can acknowledge
the original source and add some nice content. It
can help build Instagram partnerships to grow your
following too.
6
Captions for personality
As I said earlier, you are trying to build interest and engagement
with your potential audience so think about what you can add that
will encourage people to like, comment or hopefully repost your content.
Growth can happen incredibly quickly if your followers like what they see
and want to see more by following your account. Emojis are often used to
add a bit of personality to posts. Have a play and see which captions work
best. Instagram analytics show you how your posts did so you can refine
what you do.
7
Share the Instagram love
Growth on Instagram depends to an extent on demonstrating that
you are engaged with your particular Instagram community and
know what they want to see. So look at what competitors are posting and
what gets high number of Likes and Comments. It’s well worth tagging
other local businesses, relevant industry associations or tourism boards
(use any regional hashtags they use, for example #visitwales, #deanwye,
#lovecornwalluk), or look for influencer accounts you want to nurture a
relationship with to help you grow.
You can also use a few special hashtags to encourage a bigger following.
For instance, #L4L means ‘like for like’ i.e. if you like me I’ll reciprocate and
like your posts. #follow and #followme are an obvious and transparent
request for some Instagram love.
8
Use Instagram
Stories to
share more
Instagram Stories mirrors the popularity
of Snapchat and it allows you to share
images or videos to only appear for 24
hours. Great for posting more frequently
or adding something in from a live
event, that is more ‘fly on the wall’ and
you don’t want to permanently appear
in the main Instagram feed or your
profile grid.
You can have some fun with it too –
add hashtags, filters, overlay text, drop
in stylish graphics and stickers, add your
location, a poll, and add a web page link
(for accounts with 10K+ followers).
Once you’ve created and posted your
Instagram Stories, you can download
individual posts, or even entire Stories
if you want to use them again, for
example on Facebook or your
website.
Stories are great for
seasonal messages, glampsite
activities, or live events. Find
out more on using Stories at
https://business.instagram.
com/blog/introducinginstagram-stories
9
Instagram
allows only one
web link, but…
When someone sees your posts, you ideally
want your audience to do something. Visit
your website and book or buy a ticket, enter
a competition, read a blog post, or sign up
to your email list – so make sure you have an
appropriate landing page on your website that
will enable them to complete the action you
want. As you can only have one link in your
bio, and it is a pain to keep changing it, there is
a great tool called Linktree (https://linktr.ee),
which enables you to create a landing
page with multiple web links. Bingo!
10
Plan and schedule
Just like a blog, it makes sense to plan your Instagram activity. Set
up a rolling three month content plan for all your social media and
allocate time to prepare and collate images and graphics, creating great captions and
researching hashtags.
As you can only use Instagram on your smartphone it can be a pain to remember
to post regularly so there are some scheduling tools you can use including Hootsuite,
Buffer, ScheduGram, and Later. They all have their pros and cons, so it’s a case of
choosing the one that feels right for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Orchard helps owners of glamping 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!
Sarah has two websites www.get-fully-booked.com and
www.orchardmarketingassociates.co.uk
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 19
FUNCTION VENUES
CASE STUDY
Bridal Barn
A secluded, off-grid woodland venue
offering an ancient barn and giant tipis
Purchased on a whim, a solid ROI made the case for the
creation of Bridal Barn as a venue. We talk to Ben Davies about
how he created a simple offering with great appeal, a mile
from the nearest power source.
When did you start your venue
business and what is its history?
My father in law and I purchased
the site three years ago and we
opened on 1 June this year. In
three months we have over 30
bookings
Tell us about your location and site
It is 80+ acres of woodland with a
sandstone barn near to Bridgnorth
in Shropshire.
We purchased it on a bit of a
whim. We were at a farm sale
when we were told the land was
coming up for sale. My father in
law had tried to buy it 25 years
beforehand as he loved it and it
is only three miles from were we
live. Originally we had intended to
convert the sandstone building on
site for residential use but the cost
of putting in the services would
have been £100k (we are a mile
away from a power supply). I had
worked in the wedding industry
as a photographer and seen the
increase in the trend for Bohemian
style events so we decided to turn
it into a rustic wedding venue.
It all kind of evolved in the right
“IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN
OUR FALL
BACK PLAN
TO CONVERT
THE BARN
INTO
RESIDENTIAL
USE IF WE
HAVE TO BUT
SO FAR THE
VENUE
OFFERS A
MUCH
BETTER ROI”
direction very naturally – the
woodland itself is actually called
Bridal Coppice!
It has always been our fall back
plan to convert the barn into
residential use if we have to but so
far the venue offers a much better
ROI.
What facilities for outdoor
functions do you offer?
The barn is our calling card. It was
derelict when we purchased the
site so we rebuilt one part and re
roofed the other using oak trusses
to keep as much character as we
could. We have done a few barn
conversions in the past so knew
what we were dealing with.
We also have two giant tipis.
We position one in the courtyard
outside the barn and the other in
the woodland to add a little magic.
They are offered in addition to the
venue hire but so far every couple
has booked them.
We also have a shepherds hut
which we market as a perfect
honeymoon suite. Apart from that
we have put in grass paths, and
parking on hardcore and gravel.
What services do you offer?
We are licensed for wedding
and civil ceremonies, which is
very important for us as over
50 per cent of the couples who
have booked have wanted to get
married on site. The new, more
relaxed rules for licensing makes
FUNCTION VENUES
it possible for couples to marry
outside then step inside the barn
to conduct the legal formalities
such as signing the register.
We are also licensed for events
(music, alcohol etc.) although we
don't have corkage so people can
bring their own drinks.
We are self catering but have
facilities on-site in a side room of
the barn (water and electric) for
caterers to use when preparing
food.
Describe how you researched
and sourced your structures
I had never been inside a tipi
before but saw a picture and just
knew they would be a perfect
for our venue. The barn can seat
160 guests and the tipis were
purchased to add more space
for a dancefloor etc. They were
an impulse buy in the end – two
came up for sale online at such a
good price I had to have them.
I hired them out for a season to
external events, which was a
baptism of fire!
The flooring and lighting
were extra – I was a bit naive
with what all the additionals
would cost. We use a Dandy
Dura matting in the woodland
marquee and I built a timber
deck for the courtyard structure.
We use festoon lights leading
up to the woods and have up
lit a few trees for an enchanted
woodland atmosphere at night.
I built the shepherds hut
myself from a £90 chassis I got
in a farm sale and the help of
a carpenter. I now understand
why they cost what they cost
new. I spent about £12,500 on
parts and labour – a saving no
doubt, but a lot of work!
How do you work with your
customers to make their
events unique?
We offer exclusivity, no corkage
and a blank slate for couples
to create what they wish. The
decision to allow couples a
free rein is two fold – it is less
responsibility/work for us
and allows customers to use
whichever suppliers they want,
which hopefully saves them
money.
Create your luxury retreat
Handcrafted in Somerset, uniquely yours...
FUNCTION VENUES
We have only done three events
to date and I am sure there will be
instances where I wish that I did
have a preferred suppliers list that
I have vetted but so far so good!
The only stipulation we have is
that caterers are certificated and
have all their hygiene practices in
place etc. This is very important.
How do you publicise yourself?
So far, through Facebook alone.
Being a graphic designer has
helped tremendously as I was
able to create visuals myself. I had
a drone video made and it has
had around 5,000 hits and done
everything I needed it to do in
terms of ‘selling’ the venue.
How would you describe your
‘style’ or unique selling point
A rustic, informal, self-catering
woodland venue.
How have you researched the
market?
I knew the market well from
my wedding photography days
and have some good contacts.
I also visit trade shows such as
the Showman’s Show and the
Glamping Show, and keep up to
date with Open Air Business of
course.
How do you find it working with
your father in law?
It’s great. He has his own ideas and
input and a wealth of experience
with converting barns but he lets
me get on with it. He is still a little
surprised that people want a
wedding in a barn.
What challenges have you faced?
We are entirely off-grid and run
off generators – at the moment
we have a 66kVA SDMO which is
probably too big so I am thinking
of reducing the size but having
two sister generators so one can
act as a back up should the worse
happen.
Our water comes from a bore
hole and we have a septic tank to
treat waste. We have a sustainable
ethos, which is also a necessity
as we are in such a remote,
unconnected location.
When it came to planning we
hired a consultant as they speak
the right lingo. The local authority
was actually very supportive and
helpful, even suggesting we do
more here.
A couple of our neighbours did
object, and I can’t blame them for
that. They are physically a mile
away and we do everything we can
to keep them informed about when
events are on and try to keep good
relations.
What are your plans for next
season?
I am interested in adding some pod
accommodation in the woodland
but in a sensitive way – not
overdeveloped. At the most we will
have two weddings a week but I am
not sure it will be commercial to
offer them for let for just one night.
It will all come down to ROI.
ADDRESS BOOK
MARQUEES
The Tipi Company www.
thetipicompany.com
FURNITURE
Tipples Hire, Shrewsbury www.
tipplesbar.co.uk
FLOORING
William Armes (Dandy Dura
matting) www.william-armes.
co.uk
GENERATOR
SDMO uk.sdmo.com
HEATING
National Heater Shops www.
nationalheatershops.co.uk
I am also looking at how we
might get into the corporate events
market, and maybe even wakes. A
small public event might also be a
possibility if it was done sensitively.
I know the site would lend itself to a
Santa’s grotto type event but I don’t
want to cash in on Christmas in a
tacky way – it would be more about
engaging people.
What do you enjoy about the
business?
Being part of happy occasions, and
great ROI!
What are you most proud of?
The positive feedback from
everyone who comes and loves
the location, barn and setting.
Producing an idea into reality.
What advice could you give
to someone coming into the
industry?
It will cost more than you think and
there will be things you can’t plan
for. Be realistic, speak to people
within the sector and plan, plan,
plan.
LIGHTING
Festive Lights www.festivelights.com
FIRE PITS
Fire Pits UK
www.firepitsuk.co.uk
DETAILS
Bridal Barn
Claverley
Wolverhampton
Shropshire, WV15 5PS
01746 710180
www.bridalbarn.wedding
24 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
For indoors and out, to buy or rent.
01962 877 644 | info@twilight-trees.com
www.twilight-trees.com
Tipis • Stretch Tents • Timber Domes • Bars
Structures!
Newest Our
Dome
Geo Timber
DOME STAGE
www.event-in-a-tent.co.uk•Tel: 01978 661449•info@event-in-a-tent.co.uk
FUNCTION VENUES
New Year
Rush
Are you ready for the flurry of enquiries
that occur between Christmas Eve
and Valentine’s Day?
IF YOU’RE a seasoned wedding venue
then you’ll know that we have an
unofficial wedding engagement season
each year and that heralds the start of a
bonanza of enquiries as newly engaged
couples start their wedding planning
adventures. If you’re newer to weddings
then here’s your friendly warning:
engagement season starts on Christmas
Eve (thereabouts) and runs through to
Valentine’s Day (14 February) – during
this time a phenomenal percentage of
wedding engagements occur. And with
engagements comes wedding planning,
kicking off with venue finding…
This feature shares some reminders to
you of what your newly engaged couples
are looking for, expecting and what
will make them compelled to shortlist
you and your special place or space for
viewing and eventually booking. This is
what you need:
A THOROUGH WEBSITE
Years ago a website was a taster, to
encourage the customer to take steps
to get in touch and enquire to find out
more by phone or in person. In 2019
the website needs to do a much more
thorough job of showcasing exactly what
you have. Millennial wedding couples are
time short like never before and research
everything online. They want to see it
all and research like crazy so if you don’t
present them with enough of the magic to
entice them to take action, then they won’t
get in touch and will go elsewhere. Ensure
you have:
› An ‘at a glance’ summary of what
your venue is about and your key
features such as guest capacities,
accommodation and exclusive use,
shown easily and quickly
› Excellent impactful imagery (and ideally
virtual tours and video) that show all
areas of your venue dressed in inspiring
wedding styles and in wedding uses
(they don’t want to have to imagine,
they want to be shown)
› A clear “story of the day” told to them
in terms of how they can use your
wedding venue across the day or across
the weekend, all the while emphasising
flexibility and choice
› Show your experience. Be sure to
emphasise service, approachability
and the strength of your internal
and extended supplier team – the
newly engaged couple can be quite
overwhelmed by this wedding journey
they suddenly find themselves on so
you need to reassure at every step of the
way.
GUIDELINE PRICING
You need to be up front and clear with
your venue hire fees to impact the new
breed of engaged couples. They want clear,
factual, transparent and fast. This can be
hard I know but ensure they have quick
and easy access to pricing. For those who
offer bespoke pricing based on a number
of factors, then a guideline ‘from’ price is a
minimum.
SMOOTH ENQUIRY PROCESS
As soon as the turkey is eaten, be ready for
enquiry central. Do you have your standard
(but personalised) enquiry reply ready to
go and are your team in place to ensure
speedy responses to initial enquiries? This
is key. If you know there are gaps in the
seven day week where enquiries cannot
be responded to, set up a friendly autoresponder
as a minimum referring your
enquiry to other resources in the meantime
GETTY IMAGES
26 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
FUNCTION VENUES
and reassuring couples of your timescales.
Make sure you have your systems in
place for logging enquiries for your own
marketing stats and for following up those
enquiries that look particularly promising.
TIP: I predict that 2019 will be the
year venues see a lot more enquiries
and questions coming through via
social media platforms, specifically
Instagram. So, plan for your Instagram
handle to be checked regularly and that
communication channels there are open!
GETTY IMAGES
BOOK A SHOWROUND
Make it nice and easy for your enquiry
to book in for a showround – avoid the
need for the back and forth on email
and use tech to help customers book
directly from your website and/or your
enquiry response email. I recommend
youcanbook.me and calendly.com which
can sync up with your online team diary.
Hand in hand with this is the need to
ensure you have plenty of timeslots
available on weekends and/or
evenings to show couples around
or have some strategically placed
open days to capture many
couples at once.
PLAN YOUR SHOWROUNDS
How are you going to plan
your 2019 showrounds? It’s
great to be able to sit down
with your couples before visiting
your spaces to really get an
understanding of what they are
looking to create for their wedding.
Hospitality is key – a nice drink and a
welcoming gift or goodie can really help
build rapport. Remember, this is a ‘once
in a lifetime’ experience and you’re part
of that special journey – enthusiasm
is everything, no matter if this is your
first showround or 100th that week! By
building rapport and understanding
a couple’s priorities at the start of a
showround you can tailor it to focus
on the things that are most important,
whether it’s a wild party or the finest food.
What will you leave your couples with?
Glossy brochures aren’t essential but
something physical (whether printed or
a goodie of sorts) can be lovely as a lot of
your couples will be sharing with family
(who are often stakeholders!).
FOLLOW UPS
Have an agreed system in place for
how you are going to follow up post
showround – who is going to do this in
GETTY IMAGES
your team, at what times of day or what
days of the week, and how are they going
to follow up and how often? I’m a big fan
of picking up the phone in conjunction
with email. Yes millennials don’t love the
phone but pre-warning them of a call to
come and/or leaving a personal friendly
voicemail still has impact. Offering to hold
dates for a short spell can work for some
venues and enable an obvious reason
to follow up. Two to three follow ups is
completely fine and highly recommended
but have a system in place to track follow
ups and note outcomes to really maximise
your opportunities.
With applying all (or even just a few) of
these tips and follow ups, I’m confident
you will be shining bright and filling that
venue diary up very nicely!
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Kelly Chandler
Wedding
Consulting
helps unique
places and
spaces to thrive
in the modern
wedding market via a range of specialist
one to one consulting and group training
programmes.
Kelly has a wealth of specialist wedding
industry experience through more
than 15 years leading her award-winning
independent wedding planning business,
The Bespoke Wedding Company, together
with a Directorship at industry body,
the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners.
Kelly is proud to eat, breathe and sleep
weddings - setting standards, inspiring,
mentoring and motivating others. She
is a well-respected go-to expert in the
business of weddings with a unique grasp
of both modern bridal expectations and a
venue’s commercial needs.
www.kellychandlerconsulting.co.uk
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 27
FUNCTION VENUES
BYLUMIERE
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
BYLUMIERE
Qualifying
‘Influencers’
Just how much value does hosting an ‘influencer’ bring to your venue?
TRYING TO make your name as a
destination, venue, hotel or leisure
attraction takes time, patience and
tenacity to say no to ‘marketing
opportunities’. The days of driving
awareness solely by print media
are gone and being replaced by
multiple digital channels. Done
right, the results are amazing but
actioned without due diligence and
you can end up out of pocket and
with a very harried approach of
today’s new marketing techniques.
Instagram influencers in
particular are an increasingly tricky
bunch to quantify and perhaps
that’s why they are taking a bit of
a bashing at the moment. Social
Chain has been very vocal with its
research and its punchy short film
points to the fact that Instagram
influencers are in fact boosting
their own content through a new
generation of bots and fake likes.
This business of falsifying online
endorsement is anticipated to be
costing brands millions per year.
Triggerfish’s specialism in the
hospitality sector means that on a
daily basis we get demands from
influencers who want to trial and
showcase our clients’ products and
services. Equally we’ve venues,
hotels and heritage venues who
don’t want to miss out on the instafamous
generation and will happily
jump to host an ‘influencer’ with
four figure followings. In the eyes
of some operators, the Instagram
influencer is capable of changing
fortunes at the post of a pic.
But as Social Chain points out,
some influencers have manipulated
their own following by buying
followers. More worryingly there’s
a move for some influencers to
boost their own posts by buying
likes and comments. Yet more
alarming is the prevalence of bots
to make this happen - it is a literal
false economy driven by algorithms
and hacks. “One of the biggest,
most elaborate, wide spread scams
in the history of marketing,” says
Social Chain’s Steve Bartlett.
This haunting insight means
hotels and venues need to be far
more robust with their influencer
due diligence; after all, I’ve still to
find a client who would willingly
give a hotel stay away for free
without qualification and payback.
It’s a very interesting time for the
influencer economy and when Paul
Stenson, the owner of the White
Moose Café and Charleville Lodge
Hotel in Dublin, sent a YouTube
vlogger an invoice for €5,289,000
'for all the publicity it’s given her';
I for one said 'hats off for kicking
back'.
The influencer model is nothing
new for the hospitality and events
sector. Familiarisation (fam)
visits are a long-established way
of doing business with agents
(intermediaries such as event
planners or events agencies)
invited, often at great cost, to
experience a destination, venue
or hotel. The invitee’s value is
BYLUMIERE
“THE ROI IS
MEASURED
ON HOW
MUCH
BUSINESS IS
PLACED. IT’S
A COSTLY OLD
MODEL AND
ONE THAT
SHOULD BE
REVISED”
28 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
FUNCTION VENUES
CASE STUDY
OBJECTIVE
To drive awareness of the six venues
under independent charity Historic Royal
Palaces as luxury wedding destinations,
with a showcase hosted at Kensington
Palace
ACTIONS
› Secure headline speakers to help drive
innovative content
› Agree influencers and their part in
driving awareness of the showcase
OUTCOMES
› Digital partnership agreed with Love My Dress
(leading wedding blogger - Instagram following:
117k, Domain authority: 63/100*)
› Estimate Twitter reach of 80k+ from
event hashtags #PickYourPalace and
#HRPWeddingShowcase
› Key wedding planners invited and agreement
on digital amplification expectations
› Speech by representatives from Harper’s
Bazaar and Sotheby’s
*Authoritative sites are ranked at 40+
when they are planning a fam
trip and in turn make sure a
robust agreement is in place
to guarantee imagery and
commentary is achieved on the
agent’s online platforms.
We’ve heard many horror
stories of louche behaviour
and even no shows, but it is the
agent’s responsibility to have a
forensic understanding of the
hotels, venues and destinations
they are promoting. It’s a
captive, commercially viable
and quantifiable audience of
influencers. Hotels, venue and
heritage attractions should
capitalise on it rather than taking
a punt on an influencer whose
follower validity cannot be proven
to drive revenue.
Using a highly respected ‘Top
50 agents’ report we have reinterpreted
the report based on
their social reach, and domain
authority. It makes for interesting
reading and is certainly a better
way of qualifying the validity of
business influencers.
Our industry is based on face to
face relationships – isn’t it time we
started to use these recognised
and respected faces by seeking
their online endorsements and not
those of a potential bot?
If you’d like a copy of the report
email media@triggerfish.co.uk
pre-determined by how much
potential business they have. The
ROI is measured on how much
business is placed. It’s a costly old
model and one that should be
revised. If an agent can influence
a budget then perhaps hotels and
destinations should also start
looking at the online value that an
agent can bring:
› They all have a demonstrable £
multi-million revenue stream
› All agents have websites
blogs, social platforms and
newsletters
› The hospitality and events
sector should consider this
as part of their due diligence
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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
BYLUMIERE
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 29
FUNCTION VENUES
GUEST COMMENT
NENAD OBRADOVIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Richard Warriner writes on using lighting to
create enchanting events in the off-season
RECENT YEARS have seen significant
growth in outdoor lighting and sound
events. These temporary installations are
often found at stately homes, botanical
gardens, forests and woodlands. Generally,
these Son et lumière (sound and light)
events run from the Autumn and into
Christmas. The shorter days obviously
being better suited to this kind of outdoor
event, and an ideal way to help a venue
increase visitor numbers outside of the
peak trading period of the summer.
Technology within the lighting, audio and
video industry is constantly evolving, and is
something we’re always keeping a close eye
on. LED lighting is very much commonplace
these days. The main benefits include
reduced power consumption, lower heat
output and minimised light pollution, as
light output from LEDs is directional. These
characteristics all help play an important
part when designing a lighting plot for an
outdoor event. We still use incandescent
lights and discharge lamps as I truly
believe that these can provide an effect
unachievable with LED. There is a place side
by side for both styles of lighting.
Bluetooth and wireless technology
provides us with ways to create
interactive installations within an outdoor
environment. This coupled with LED and
video technology means we are looking
forward to trying some new concepts in the
coming year.
LESS IS MORE
Sometimes less is more. If you’re working
on a tight budget it’s possible to create a
magical and enchanting atmosphere with
just a few high-powered coloured lights on
some large specimen trees or impressive
buildings. The moment moving lights are
added into the design the cost does start
to increase,
and financially
it takes it up
another level.
At one event
we found a very
cost-effective
lighting solution was
to install a pea light canopy
suspended from the trees, just
above peoples’ heads which then fell to
the ground either side of a woodland path,
effectively creating a tunnel of lights. The
children loved it, and it turned out to be one
of the most popular photo opportunities
during the entire event.
CASE STUDY
MAGICAL WOODLAND,
CHESHIRE FALCONRY
Magical Woodland is a new
event we’ve been involved
with this year held in
central Cheshire over a
two-week period covering
the autumn half term. We
collaborated with the land
owner to make ‘the woods
come alive’. The wood is
predominantly made up
of deciduous species of
tree, which are relatively
young - mainly birch with
a few good sized oak trees
scattered around. There
could be no better time
of year than the Autumn
half term to illuminate this
wood. The autumn colours
were fantastic and were
enhanced by our choice of
coloured lights.
We created depth by
positioning moving and
colour changing lights
deep into the wood, away
from the marked paths.
I strongly believe in
holding something back
each year. Don’t illuminate
every building, monument,
sculpture or your entire wood/
forest. Keep some area unused
for another year. Likewise, don’t
use every tool in your toolbox. You
want to keep visitors returning year after
year to see something new.
Whenever we undertake an outdoor
lighting project that runs over a couple of
weeks or more we need to ensure that any
kit we set up must deal with the good old
British weather, not to mention thousands
of people walking past and the occasional
This not only created
interest but prevented
black spots within the
wood. We didn’t want
people to feel frightened
by being in what would
normally be a very dark
30 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
FUNCTION VENUES
CASE STUDY
uninvited curiosity of the local wildlife.
The use of inflatable domes helps protect
our stock of moving heads. The lighting
choices need to be both reliable as well
as producing a spectacular show. Over
the years we’ve learnt to be reactive to
the ever-changing outdoor environment.
As a company we’re looking forward
to 2019. No doubt, just like any year it
will have its challenges. With a wide
selection of lighting and power jobs to
complete including music concerts, food
festivals and illuminated woodlands etc.
we are well placed to deliver our clients’
visions with our team of experts in power
distribution, lighting design and audio.
place at night. Therefore,
we made sure the route
was illuminated so that
they never actually saw the
unused, unlit parts of the
wood. A well illuminated
food court was in the centre
of the wood, and from here
you could branch out to the
various zones.
The Rainforest ‘zone’
was the main moving light
and sound show this year.
The topography of the
wood really worked to our
advantage as the Rainforest
was set in the bottom of the
largest natural ‘bowl’. The
bowl will be used again next
year and we’ve got some
fantastic ideas for that area.
The laser show was
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Warriner is
a director of Event
Equipment Ltd.
Established in 1997,
this Cheshire based
family business
supplies lighting and
power distribution
as well as staging,
bars, dance floors,
heaters and furniture
to events of all types
and sizes.
Priding itself on
keeping atop of
new trends, it also
loves the classic and
traditional. Event
Equipment is excited
when a client has
new ideas but is
also able to provide
guidance on what
might be needed,
drawing on over 20
years’ experience
working with some
of the country’s
most beautiful and
forward thinking
venues. www.
eventequipmentltd.
co.uk
popular over the lake,
but again next year we’ve
got plans to move things
up a notch and run with
something a little different,
perhaps involving projection
mapping. The lasers will stay
in the show, but with 15 acres
of wood to play with we’ve
got plenty of other places for
them to be positioned.
On average people were
staying in the woodland for
about an hour. We did allow
people to go around more
than once if they wanted,
and some people were in the
wood for three hours. Ticket
prices for an event like this
are £17-£20 for an adult, and
a child (3-15 years) £7-£10,
with under 3s free.
SANTA SAFARI, HAWKSTONE PARK
Some woodlands and parks lend themselves more to winter
lighting than others. An annual lighting job we undertake is the
illumination of an historic ‘woodland fantasy’ with cliffs, crags,
caves, deep woods and a series of extraordinary monuments
built over 200 years ago.
We start on site in early November when we install a
temporary power network within the cave system. This allows
the team at the park to start the build process of turning the
caves into Santa’s Grotto. We then arrive back on site in late
November to install the lighting. It’s a truly awesome venue,
and very difficult to light within budget. Everywhere you turn
there are huge specimen trees to illuminate and exposed rock
faces.
This event has always been about visiting Santa in his
grotto, but the lighting side was added in about nine years
ago. Back then visitors had to walk from the car park to the
visitor’s centre before taking a Land Rover through the gravel
tracks of the estate to the grotto. Originally the lighting was
installed to be functional but decorative. Feedback was so
positive regarding the lighting that it was decided to do more
for the next few years. Five years ago, the route changed and
there was no need to illuminate the woods so people could
see to walk. Instead we were lighting areas of the park and
woodland that would be seen from the window of a Land
Rover about 200-300m away.
I’m pleased to say we are now back on the original route
once again and visitors get the chance to walk alongside the
illuminated trees and rock faces. The area outside the caves is
also illuminated, and we know it’s well received by the amount
of people taking photos. It’s important to create these areas
so social media photo opportunities are abundant, to extend
your marketing reach for free, i.e. get the public to do it for
you!
The event is now not just about going to see Santa in his
grotto. It’s a whole magical experience of enchantment - with
coloured lights off road driving, an illuminated wishing bridge,
illuminated umbrellas suspended in the air, real reindeer, and
Santa tucked away deep in his grotto. There’s nothing else
quite like it out there. For a family of four, prices vary between
£69 and £80. The cheaper price is based on a trip during
daylight hours. The more expensive cost is for twilight/dark
when the lighting can be seen.
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 31
FUNCTION VENUES
PRODUCT IN FOCUS
Landscape
and Exteriors
CREDIT: ©2017 - ANTHONY RUMSEY MBE FBIPP
Lowther Castle
Description: Historic castle and garden, home to
the Earl of Lonsdale in medieval times
Product: A hand drawn, hand cut 1400mm
spherical fire pit made to reflect the
castle’s surroundings and provide a focal
point and feature for the impressive
gardens
Supplier: The Firepit Company
Telephone: 01440 730068
Website: www.thefirepitcompany.co.uk
Details: A unique sculptural firepit was produced
as a stunning centrepiece for the castle’s garden. The piece
was hand drawn by The Firepit Company’s artist, following
a discussion with the venue about key elements. The design
includes a silhouette of the distinctive castle, as well as a
massive dragon that forms their logo and the family crest. The
piece is brought together with a tree structure and an iconic
deer herd, another key feature of the castle grounds.
The design process was very interactive to ensure that all of
the customer’s key elements were captured and that the piece
sits beautifully in the landscaped gardens. The firepit is burned
regularly at the venue’s evening events to provide a beautiful
and memorable focal point.
Feedback: The firepit provides a stunning centrepiece and is
often a talking point for visitors. The venue has spoken about a
further set of firepits to complement this one and they say that
the feedback from customers is very complimentary.
Exclusive Wedding and Events Venue
Description: As a preferred supplier to exclusive
wedding venues, Twilight Trees installs faux trees both
indoors and out for added arboreal magic
Supplier: Twilight Trees
Telephone: 01962 877644
Website: www.twilight-trees.com
Details: Twilight Trees has worked on many events at
venues for discerning clients installing illuminated and
natural look trees. Hand-painted and hand-finished,
trees are available to hire or buy and range from
Mini, at 55cm, to Grande models measuring over four
metres.
Venues and event planners can choose from
lit cherry, maple or palm trees in the illuminated
collection, apple, cherry and romantic wisteria in the
blossom collection, and trees ‘in leaf’. New this autumn
are twinkling, snow dusted fir trees and the opulent
‘Trees in Gold’.
Feedback: “Twilight Trees were an absolute pleasure
to work with from the outset. The project was no easy
task due to the quick turnaround and location access,
but they delivered everything I could have asked for.
The trees we hired were amazing; they added great
height to the installation and looked very much real on
camera. I look forward to working with them again in
the future.
32 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
FUNCTION VENUES
PRODUCT
SNAPSHOTS
PRODUCT SNAPSHOTS
Tropical Hangout
Instant Marquees
01840 219048 / 213063
www.instantmarquees.co.uk
Comfortable, relaxing and fun, the
Tropical Hangout can bring a whole
new customer experience to your
venue. Guests can enjoy a drink and
a smile with friends while relaxing
in very comfortable hammocks - a
unique and charming experience.
Perfect for venues, glamping sites
and events, wherever you have
space, Tropical Hangout can spread
its magic. Outside by the pool, inside
near the bar, in a field, on just on
a sun-deck - anywhere you have
a 4x4m space can become a ‘Chill
Zone’. Tropical Hangout can wow
your guests with its tropical style
and deliver the ultimate in relaxing
experiences. Rent or buy, with or
without branding.
Earth Press Grids
Ecodeck
01773 875255
www.ecodeck.biz
The unique grid is designed to press into
existing grass, allowing vehicles to safely pass
over fields and grass tracks without churning
them up to a muddy mess.
Quick and easy to install, the extra large
grids are designed with a diamond profile to
simply cut through the ground when pressed
in with a ride-on vibrating roller. They are
extremely strong and flexible, with a joining
system that means undulating ground is not a
problem. Grass is kept green and the ground
toughened for no more mud.
Pallet quantities (60sqm per pallet) is £7 per
square metre delivered.
Park & Pro Front Mowers
STIGA
0800 669 6326
www.stigalawnmowers.co.uk
STIGA offers a wide range of
front-cut mowers with the
choice of two or four wheel
drive transmission, and diesel or
petrol powered engines. 50:50
articulated steering makes for
precise manoeuvring around
complex landscapes, and all
models feature hydrostatic
transmission as standard for
smooth speed control.
For a mulching
finish there is a wide
range of cutting
decks from 85cm
to 155cm in width,
and there is an
attachment for every
job including a flail
deck, lawn rake, powered
sweeper and snow clearing
implements.
The STIGA Park range is
offered with a five year domestic
warranty. The STIGA PRO range
has a one year commercial
warranty.
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 33
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
Silent Power
for every event and off grid venue
from
£2,600
for a 13’
Designer of Innovative Dream Solutions
EasyGrid is an
innovative power
system, incorporating
renewable energy
that brings silent
power to every event,
in any location.
3, 5, 10, 30 & 45kVA
Beautiful Inflatable
Bubble Houses
For extra accommodation in your
backyard or for any occasion for
days or months...
> MODULAR CONCEPT: fully transparent, semi
opaque or fully opaque for more privacy.
> Available from 6.5 feet to 26 feet diameter.
> NO BUILDING permit required.
> 50 min. set up, inflation included.
To buy or to rent We SHIP from FRANCE
Contact us today for a quote 01634 290772
e-mail or call us today to discuss your project!
CasaBubble ® distributed in France: +33(0)6 8627 9168
info@CasaBubble.com | www.CasaBubble.com
sales@energy-solutions.co.uk
www.energy-solutions.co.uk
34 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
GLAMPSITES
CASE STUDY
Happy Valley
Norfolk
A handbuilt forest glampsite offering
a year round escape to wilderness
Having sat on a domain name for 10 years,
Katy and Scott Coe realised their ambition to open a forest
glampsite after some initial planning set backs. Comprising
a luxury treehouse and shepherd huts handbuilt by Scott,
the site is also a designated nature reserve. We talk to Katy.
business that brings in a source of
income.
How did you research the business
before entering it?
When we first started there wasn’t
a huge amount of glamping around
in the UK. I obtained the domain
names as soon as the idea crossed
our minds over 10 years ago. It
wouldn’t be for another few years
that we actually had the resources
to start the business. We also
went to the Glamping Show which
helped with the legalities and UK
regulations.
What’s your back story – your life
before glamping?
I owned a vintage shop in North
Norfolk for five years and my
husband Scott is a carpenter/builder.
What made you decide to
start offering glamping
accommodation?
Scott is a carpenter and can build
anything he puts his mind to. With
a huge love for anything old, he
started out restoring antiques
before he went into hand cut roofs
and built our first shepherds hut
from an old chicken shed.
We both love an adventure and
used to take a tipi to the Lake
District and camp. This was the
start of our love for outdoor living.
We started with a shepherds hut
and a tipi about six years ago at
our old house. After our second
child we moved to the family farm.
We needed to create something
sustainable that would give us
jobs and the stunning location was
perfect for creating a glamping site.
We live on the site in an old farm
cottage and used the surrounding
land, which is useless from a
farming perspective, to create a
Tell us about your location
and site
We are a designated Norfolk Wildlife
Trust site on the edge of a 200
acre fir forest about half an hour
from the stunning north Norfolk
coastline. The natural beauty
and raw wilderness of the site is
what attracts our guests here. The
endless woodland walks and close
proximity to local attractions such
as Sandrinham and Houghton
as well as the coast means we’re
perfectly situated for an escape to
the country.
We have heated cabins, a
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 35
GLAMPSITES
woodfired hot tub, lovely facilities
and nature’s playground on our
doorstep. The treehouse has
disabled access and a private hot
tub. We have cabins which are
suitable for couples and families a
like and are just 15 minutes to the
nearest train station at Kings Lynn,
which is very accessible to London,
Cambridge etc.
Our main challenge regarding
the site is our rural location and the
internet. After researching every
possible way of getting the internet
we have to rely on satellite, which is
very expensive.
How did you tackle getting
planning?
Planning did take some time.
Initially the local parish refused
the site but after lengthy talks with
them they then retracted and gave
us their approval before being
passed by planning. Even though we
sit over a mile away from the village
I think the concept of glamping
was still fairly unknown and made
people nervous.
We undertook extensive surveys
and the low environmental impact
was something we didn’t want to
compromise on. The site was given
the green light from the ecological
survey as we had nature at the
forefront of our ethos and finally
planning was passed.
How did you finance the project?
We funded the initial build of the
site through loans from the bank
via the farm. We applied and got
accepted for a LEADER grant which
part-funded some of the materials
used on the treehouse build but
have had quite a few setbacks and
delays and are still yet to receive
this funding which has hindered our
progress with the site.
When we initially applied for the
grant and were accepted we were
thrilled. By the time the building
was due to start the price of timber
had gone up considerably and the
price of labour and other materials
had also increased. Building regs
had also changed which meant
it cost a lot more than the initial
quotes.
What glamping accommodation
do you offer and why did you
choose it?
We are a year round site and
summer is mainly dedicated to
weddings as people can hire the
entire site as their venue. At present
we have a number of shepherds
huts, a treehouse and, during the
summer months, we also have bell
tents.
We chose shepherds huts as the
cottage we live in is called Washpit
Cottage and has a beautiful pond
with a bridged island. This is
historically where the shepherds
would wash their sheep and it
was very much a case of keeping
history alive. We built the shepherds
huts around the surroundings and
encompassed a panoramic window
into the designs where there was
an open view. We positioned them
around the woods so they didn’t
encroach on each other - we didn’t
want to have them side by side so
people felt a sense of privacy.
Our shepherds huts come in all
36 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
GLAMPSITES
shapes and sizes and have wood
burners or radiators for heating.
They all have hand crafted, real
beds and are very comfortable.
The treehouse is another level of
luxury with underfloor air source
heating, private hot tub, king size
accommodation, a wet room, and
a fully functional kitchen with
dishwasher etc. It has incredible
views and you can witness some
awesome Norfolk sunsets from the
west facing open gable end. It is also
accessible for disabled guests.
How did you work out your
brand and how do you publicise
yourself?
The name of the site was easy. My
grandfather Frank called this part of
“PEOPLE
OFTEN
COMMENT
ON THE
PICTURES
BUT I
LITERALLY
JUST POINT
AND SHOOT.
IT’S EASY
WHEN THE
WILDER-
NESS DOES
THE WORK
FOR YOU”
the farm Happy Valley because of its
magic. We are at the mouth of the
small valley which is surrounded by
natural springs and ancient burial
grounds. With many an ancient tale
of this area referencing the likes of
Boudica it’s easy to see why guests
keep coming back.
I am a big user of Instagram and
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Instagram is my main tool as
it’s the most visual and you can
show people exactly what they
will be experiencing. People often
comment on the pictures but I
literally just point and shoot. It’s
easy when the wilderness does the
work for you.
We also use Airbnb and Cool
Camping along with Host Unusual.
How would you describe your
ethos and unique selling point?
Our ethos is very much ‘wilderness
living with a touch of luxury’. Guests
can sit back and stargaze in the
hot tub, and there are endless
health benefits from being in the
forest - it’s impossible not to feel
its effects once you’re here. The
Japanese have been prescribing
Forest Bathing (ShinrinYoku)
for centuries as a preventative
medicine to disease. It’s basically
being immersed in the forest and
absorbing it’s effects.
How did you choose your interior
decoration?
I wanted to go to town with all
sorts of fabulous Pinterest finds
but luckily my husband knows the
practicalities so was my reasoning
when it came to interiors. He has a
wonderful eye anyway and we used
lots of vintage wood, crates etc.
which he repurposed from the farm
to create the spaces.
What challenges have you faced?
Weather – wind and trees can
be tricky as can frost and frozen
pipes so I’m an avid weather
watcher now. The hot tubs are high
maintenance and labour intensive,
and wet weather plus woodland
terrain equals mud and lots of
extra cleaning. All in all it can be a
harsh environment to work in for
changeovers etc.
There is also the huge increase
in the number of glamping sites
across the country. This increase
in supply has pushed prices down
so the profit margin has lessened
and peoples' expectations are
constantly rising.
Juggling the business with two
young children is also a challenge.
When we started I did all the
changeovers and laundry by myself.
I spent so much on osteopath
appointments that I decided I was
allowed some help. I now have a
couple of great ladies who help with
the changeovers but still do all the
laundry in the house.
What are your plans for next
season?
We are adding a barn to the
venue for next season as well as
completing another cabin as we’re
still not at full capacity. We have a
play area for children which we will
expand.
Describe your average day midseason
A typical day includes washing and
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 37
GLAMPSITES
ironing, stripping cabins down after
guests leave, answering emails,
taking pictures and sharing on social
media, putting together proposals
and marketing, preparing for new
guests, emptying, cleaning, filling
and lighting the hot tub, checking
health and safety - the list goes on…
Why do you enjoy the business?
I never thought I’d be in the
hospitality business and had no
experience prior to opening but I
love interacting with guests and
being able to share this beautiful
part of the country with them. I
manage expectations by being
transparent in what we offer
and I love that I am outside for a
considerable part of the job.
What are you most proud of?
Sticking with it and not giving up.
We faced a lot of opposition in the
initial stages with differing advice
from planning consultants and huge
cost implications but we did it. We
had a vision that was sustainable
and exciting and didn’t give up. My
“WE HAD
A VISION
THAT WAS
SUSTAINABLE
AND EXCITING
AND DIDN’T
GIVE UP”
husband is a master craftsman and
I’m hugely proud of him for the high
level of accommodation we offer.
What other outdoor hospitality
sectors do you operate in?
We hold events on site and are
currently going through the process
of obtaining a wedding licence so
people can get married here. It
works very well during the summer
months as demand in more laid
back outdoor weddings is on the
rise. Having accommodation on site
is definitely an added bonus.
It’s the perfect venue for health
retreats and we intend to offer this
in future. Glamping throughout
the year gives us an income during
the quieter months and as the site
changes so dramatically throughout
the seasons we’ve found people
love it as much in the winter as they
do in the summer.
What advice could you give
to someone coming into the
industry?
Find your unique selling point
and be aware of the increase
in competition. It needs to be
something you’re very passionate
about as it’s definitely a lot harder
than I anticipated both physically
and emotionally. Make sure you
over budget for infrastructure and
build costs.
ADDRESS BOOK
HOT TUBS
Royal Tubs www.royaltubs.co.uk
BOOKING SYSTEM
Cool Camping
www.coolcamping.com
DIRECTORY SITES
Airbnb www.airbnb.co.uk
Cool Camping
www.coolcamping.com
INSURANCE
NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk
DETAILS
Happy Valley Norfolk,
Massingham Road, Grimston,
Norfolk, PE32 1DN
01485 600719
www.happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk
38 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
all year-round fun
and stylish group
accommodation
for young people
Shepherd’s huts
designed specifically
for the glamping
We supply:
• Flat pack kits
• Accommodation huts
• Off grid solutions
• Wet-room en suites
• Catering huts
• Bespoke solutions
industry
For more information: Tel: 07903313922
email: cathcaesar@talktalk.net www.plainhuts.co.uk
01603 706296 | info@eco-classrooms.com
www.eco-bunkbox.com
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 39
GLAMPSITES
Glamping
with Kate Morel
Forward thinking discussions, new events
and some words of warning
WHAT A year for the glamping industry – record breaking summer weather, varying
reports on year-end figures, current economic uncertainties, increasing staycation
breaks and more businesses entering the sector from both sides of the fence -
accommodation sites and suppliers to them. Nothing sits still in this sector for long.
As we approach a new year, reflecting on the industry as a whole and how it's
developing, it’s clear that while independent, boutique and lifestyle models remain
popular, there is a strong shift toward bigger developments. More big companies and
corporations are now seeing the opportunity and acting on it, yet some in the industry
don’t approve, they see it as a dilution of the experience that glamping should offer.
A fair criticism sometimes, yet I was talking with the director of a huge hospitality
company recently and was so taken aback by his ‘guest experience’ philosophy that I
stopped in my tracks and he literally finished my sentence for me. It’s not often I’m lost
for words, I can tell you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kate Morel works closely with her
clients to support new glamping
developments and businesses.
Through her new venture Morel &
Co, Kate and the team also offer
planning support, design and
installation of accommodations.
Kate supports industry events,
providing tailored presentations
and workshops for tourism
conferences and exhibitions and
recently published a Glamping
Business Guide in association
with the Friends of Loch Lomond
and the Trossachs. As a leading
expert in this niche sector she
is a respected ‘go-to’ specialist,
providing contract consultancy
to other industry specialists
and companies. 07849 514588
/ info@katemorel.com / www.
morelcompany.co.uk / www.
katemorel.com (Facebook Group:
Glamping Business Link).
FROM
THE DIARY
THE LAST few weeks have been something of a
blur, but a good one. More than ever I’ve been
engaged in genuinely exciting discussions with
forward thinking landowners and hospitality
businesses. In particular, the Farm Business
Innovation Show was fantastic; a tangible
buzz filled the hall within minutes of the doors
opening and seminars were packed out.
As usual, I’ve also been on the road a lot,
but one trip sticks in my mind which was my
return to Scotland, where for a week I visited
outstandingly beautiful locations. Most of
the projects involved bespoke cabins and
treehouses, and I was so excited about the
projects I started drawing my own designs.
While they won’t be winning any awards, this
is one of the reasons I never tire of what I do –
there’s always new inspiration to be found.
I try to keep my writing up-beat, but a recent
meeting brought up a couple of subjects that
have been causing hushed conversations for
some time. While I hesitate to write about
them, I’m going to anyway because there is
misleading advice being given about setting
up a glamping business, and it’s costing some
landowners dearly.
One of these subjects is planning
permissions. Despite what some people are
being told, and while there are exceptions
and exemptions, commercial glamping sites
require planning permission. Crucially, anyone
looking to add glamping needs to get the
facts, so find a professional consultant who
understands glamping or at least conduct
your own research before committing.
There are several potential consequences
of heeding misleading advice on planning
permissions and suffice it to say, they all
cost money. In particular, buying structures
before establishing planning permission
requirements is simply reckless.
The other subject is the choice of business
model or structure. Some sites struggle
because they’re based on advice from an
existing business model or recommended
structure, but sadly that business model
or structure wasn’t right for the location or
demographic. Some glamping models are
transferable but many aren’t; it isn’t always
possible to take a successful set-up and
reproduce it in another part of the country.
There can be several subtleties and variables
to consider so obtain as much information as
possible before committing to any particular
brand or transaction.
40 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
GLAMPSITES
Up &
Coming
THERE ARE a few exciting new events coming up next
spring. One is the Rural Business Expo on 6-7 February
2019 at the Telford International Centre, Shropshire. This
event will provide diversification ideas and guidance on
maximising resources available to agricultural and rural
communities through seminars on planning, marketing,
finance and a series of ‘how to’ workshops, including one
by me on glamping (www.energyandruralbusiness.co.uk).
The other is the Short Stay Show on 14 March at ExCel
London, a premium access conference for industry
stakeholders and influencers, with keynote speakers, UK
government representatives and notable panel session
specialists. It promises an innovative marketplace packed
with products and services, seminars on the latest trends,
plus a central networking area. I’ll be hosting a glamping
panel with a difference because we’ll be exploring the
challenges and opportunities of urban glamping - should
be interesting!
Another event that I’ve been asked to support is a
Creative Rural Conference being held at Tate Britain in
London on March 26. And of course, the day before (25
March) it's the inaugural Open Air Business Pre-Season
Gathering in Leicestershire! I'll see you there.
Whisk Me Away
AFTER SPENDING a week in Scotland, driving alongside glasssurfaced
lochs and through miles and miles of wild mountains, I hardly
feel like I need whisking away. Having said that, I found this place
which could definitely entice me towards an airport to get me in the
mood for Christmas (which right now, just isn’t happening). Some of
the sculptures make me think I’d wake up feeling I was in the middle
of a surreal dream, but overall, what a unique experience. Move over
Frosty the Snowman – check out Ice Hotel, Jukkasjarvi, Sweden.
Wishing you a joyful Yule and an abundant New Year in 2019.
Till next time, Kate
ICE HOTEL
Glamping has never been
so popular - More Landowners
are purchasing huts and making money
WARMER SUMMERS
More people are
Holidaying in
this country
Prices from £3,749 (+vat)
NEW MODELS
FOR 2019
We have a Hut to
suit your needs
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 41
GLAMPSITES
From Build
to Bookings
Essential tips from Quality Unearthed’s Geno Cleal
on letting your brand new glamping structure
TARGET AUDIENCE
You need to consider what type of
holiday you’re trying to create and who
you’re trying to attract. Whether you’re
catering for families, groups or couples,
each demographic has a different kind
of expectation. Again, it is important to
know who is coming and why. What type
of holiday are they looking for? Striking
a balance between catering for different
audiences and focussing your attention
can be tricky. Catering for everyone
increases your audience, but you may
end up muddying the waters. With that
in mind, it’s best to focus your marketing
efforts towards one specific holiday
type.
Just like any business, you’re trying
to create a brand, and every good brand
has an interesting theme or story to tell.
Whether you’ve used local materials,
incorporated historical features, or
if you have a particular penchant for
badgers, telling your story is important.
It adds to the richness and clarity of
your brand. It doesn’t matter if your
theme is completely wacky as long
as it offers some kind of intrigue or
appeal. Choosing the right name is
also important. A good name should
be warm and welcoming, but also
memorable and with a tie into your
theme.
SO, YOU’VE set up your glampsite
– the location is set, structure type
chosen, and you’ve pained through
the trials and tribulations of the
planning office. You’ve designed,
dug, drilled, occasionally dozed
and spent far too many late nights
deliberating over whether to include
a smart tech eco-toilet or just dig a
great big hole in the ground.
After all the drama and hard
work you’ve finally made it; your
new money-making machine is
ready. You stand there triumphantly
admiring your indubitable
masterpiece, waiting for the chaching
of coins to start piling up in
your pockets… But now what!?
How to get the money rolling in
may not seem as straightforward as
you first envisaged but luckily we’ve
been through the mill a few times,
so here are a few basic tips to get
you started. Of course, you’ll have a
few marketing options to consider,
there are a few techy bits to get your
head around, but ultimately you will
need to start creating a brand or a
theme that people can relate to.
THE MARKET
First up, market research – know your
product. What’s new, what’s trending,
what’s selling? You should at least
have a rough idea already. The term
‘glamping’ is expanding and evolving
extremely quickly. What’s cool and
what’s relevant now may not be true
in five or 10 years’ time. The discerning
public are continually looking for new
and interesting places to stay. There’s
an ever-growing variety of unique and
unusual holiday types, whether it’s a
weird or funky structure, or a wild or
crazy location.
As the market evolves it’s important
to stay one step ahead of the trends.
Study the competition, particularly
in your area. This should give you a
firm idea of what works and what
doesn’t. Is your welcome pack up to
standard? Are your basic facilities up
to scratch? Where do you price your
structure? There are so many things you
can learn and incorporate to give you a
competitive edge.
In terms of the facilities and extras
you offer, the market shows that
expectations are increasing. Customers
commonly expect a higher level of
service and a basic range of facilities.
We tend to find the more extras you offer
– fresh flowers and local produce in the
welcome hamper, or a lit fire for guests
on arrival – the more impact it will have
“THE TERM ‘GLAMPING’
IS EXPANDING AND
EVOLVING EXTREMELY
QUICKLY. WHAT’S COOL
AND WHAT’S RELEVANT
NOW MAY NOT BE TRUE
IN FIVE OR 10 YEARS’
TIME”
on your success. Glampers are looking
for a special or memorable experience,
so whatever you can do to improve this
experience will ultimately lead to more
bookings. As a general rule of thumb,
price your structure conservatively, with
the aim to push the value up as your
reputation and demand grows.
42 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
GLAMPSITES
PHOTOS
The next step is photography. This is arguably the most important factor in
the whole process. Essentially, your photos will sell your property and as
the competition increasingly hits higher standards, they must be good! The
best photography captures something more than just an inanimate object,
it captures the real essence of the experience. Night shots can also be a great
addition, with a crackling fire or twinkling stars really exemplifying what
glamping is all about.
It’s important to not misrepresent or ‘oversell’, but your first pic or ‘hero
shot’, should make you go ‘wow’. Prospective guests will often be skimming
through a bunch of thumbnails (small pictures), so you only have one shot to
draw them in. If their initial response is ‘meh’, they will browse right on by. A
great hero shot can double or even triple your click through rate (CTR), vastly
increasing the number of visitors to your page.
WEBSITES
Once your content is ready it’s time to create a
shop window and start showcasing. A good first
step would be to build a website. If you’re techsavvy
you can do this on your own, especially
with the variety of ‘do it yourself’ options
available, but make sure you have a firm idea of
the style and design you want to achieve.
It is also worth noting that over half of
holidays searched online use a mobile phone,
so make sure it’s compatible across all devices.
What’s more, make sure your website loads
within two seconds. If it’s above this threshold
it will have a negative impact on your Google
search rating. In addition, choose a booking and
calendar system that uses iCal. This will allow
you to link it together with other major calendar
systems and help automate the booking
process.
Once you have an established website, you
can start driving traffic using Google advertising
or pay per click (PPC). In a nutshell, you will bid
on keywords or search terms relevant to your
target audience, so you appear at the top of
the first Google page for that search. Effective
PPC also has an important timing element. For
example, more people book glamping holidays
on a Sunday or during bouts of good weather.
You can also tie in key holiday periods such as
Valentines or the summer holidays, which could
also improve your conversion rate.
UNIQUE SELLING POINT
This is what sets you apart from your competitors and is what makes paying
guests want to come to your glamping site. Maybe you’ve got a great location by the
sea, an outdoor bathtub with views over the valley, or perhaps you claim your land is
home to the world’s largest wood pigeon? Whatever it is, utilise your Unique Selling
Point (USP) in your marketing efforts. If you don’t have one, you need to start thinking;
what can you do to make your place unique? If you’re run of the mill, or just trying to
recreate what’s already been done, the gap in the market might already be gone.
Once you’ve perfected your theme you can start getting down to the nitty-gritty.
Considering over 80 per cent of holidays are found on the internet, you need to
start building an online presence. This is the window which connects you to your
customers and is central to your success. If you’re unable or unsure whether you can
do this yourself, get some help, there are plenty of professionals who can guide you
through.
First things first, create a written copy of your story, which you can deploy in various
forms on websites, listings, publications, and social media platforms. This is your
chance to elaborate on your theme and USP, but also an opportunity to lay out every
additional selling point you may have. Remember to address your target audience,
so visualise the type of experience they want to discover. Be romantic and expressive
without diverging from the truth and try to create a real sense of experience. Make
sure you tie in events, things to do, places of interest, restaurants, pubs, and anything
which is remotely relevant to the holiday.
It’s also vitally important from a search engine optimisation (SEO) standpoint,
because the more authoritative things you mention, the greater impact it will have
on your Google search ranking. Incorporate as many keywords or search terms as
possible, which will further enhance your SEO. What’s more, include transport links
and directions, so customers know where and how to find you.
BUILD YOUR OWN SHEPHERD HUTS
VISIT WWW.SHEPHERD-HUTS.COM
AND CLICK ON THE ‘SELF BUILD’ PAGE
BUILD TO A SIZE
THAT SUITS YOU!
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 43
GLAMPSITES
MEDIA
Social media can also be a great way to engage and generate new customers. Facebook
and Instagram, for example, are very image and video friendly so really lend themselves
towards strong visual representation. However, try and keep your standards as high as the
rest of your online brand. Just because your Facebook feed is filled with cats marooned in
slices of bread, doesn’t mean it’s OK to post any old rubbish. Try and keep your content a
little bit softer rather than taking an outright sales approach. It’s important to focus on the
experience as much as the product itself.
Photos and videos that capture the moment tend to receive a lot more engagement. Also,
try to like, share and participate in as many relevant posts as possible. This will inspire other
users and businesses to engage more with your activity and help further increase your reach.
Another strong promotional tool is, of course, the media. Many agencies work closely with
PR companies to gain online and printed exposure for their properties. However, you can
gain exposure yourself by networking and speaking to media outlets and PR companies.
They’re always on the lookout for good content, so they’ll be more than happy to hear
from you. Offering free stays to journalists is a good way of enticing them in and is almost a
prerequisite for mainstream publications. However, don’t disregard smaller or local news
outlets too, since they’re likely to have a genuine interest in your project.
AGENCIES
Even if you have a brilliant website,
you might still require additional
help, particularly if you’re starting
up. You may want to enlist the
help of a specialised glamping
agency. Agencies can help with
everything from copywriting,
photography and creating a theme,
to your marketing approach and
promotional capabilities. They
already have a dedicated shop
window for showcasing similar types
of properties, so offer an excellent
starting point for new sites.
As well as agencies you can use
large online travel agencies (OTAs)
such as Booking.com or Airbnb.
These well-established global
companies have excellent marketing
reach and a large customer base.
However, there are a couple of things
to be aware of. Firstly, you will be
required to do a lot of the work
yourself – photography, copywriting
and booking management for
example – and there can be hidden
fees or additional costs to the
customer, such as a cleaning or
service fee. The other thing to bear in
mind is that these companies have
a very large number of properties
in their portfolio, so you can get
lost in the mire of endless holiday
possibilities. It is also important to
note that one bad review can be
extremely damaging. Generally,
poorly rated properties will find
themselves stuck at the bottom of
search pages, so not only do they
receive very few visitors, they can get
trapped in a negative cycle.
44 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
FEEDBACK AND REVIEWS
Before you’re ready to let, there’s one last snippet of information
to consider; feedback and reviews. We’ve touched on the negative
potential of reviews in OTAs, so it’s of utmost importance to strike
a positive dialogue with your guests. Make sure every angle of
your guest experience has been carefully thought out before you
start. You’ll have plenty of operational processes to work out –
how will you manage changeovers? How much interaction with
guests should you offer? What information booklets or advice will
guests need to settle in?
It might be a good idea to offer a few free stays to friends or
family, just so you can formalise the process. This should stop you
from making any glaring mistakes!
Finally, if you want to get the ball rolling, why not offer
discounted stays to tempt a few early birds? Maybe you could
create a ‘like’ competition on social media to win a free holiday?
If you can excite the senses (especially with your fabulous photos
and copy!) then there’s every chance it could go viral. Once you
have a few dates in the calendar, plus a few reviews in the system,
confidence will start to grow, and fingers crossed the bookings
will start tumbling in.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Geno Cleal is a
glamping expert at
Quality Unearthed
- a specialised
glamping agency
in Pembrokeshire.
Showcasing a range
of unique and
unusual holiday
structures from
safari tents to
treehouses, Quality
Unearthed helps
develop, market and
promote glamping
sites across the UK
and France. www.
qualityunearthed.
co.uk
Innovation from
Universal Glamping
The Rural PR Academy is going fast-track!
Do you want to hit the headlines in 2019?
From January, the Rural PR Academy, specifically
designed with rural tourism businesses in mind will be
available to download all at once.
Learn about traditional, digital & social media
story-telling, plus much more!
Special offer: First 20 to enrol get the course for £99
(normally £249)
Register your interest
at www.rural-roots.co.uk
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
01269 853957
www.universalglamping.com
GLAMPSITES
GUEST COMMENT
Water Worries
In light of new European standards, Gareth Edwards dispels fears regarding the use of
wood burning hot tubs in commercial environments
LONG VALLEY YURTS
FOLLOWING A recent advice
document from the British and
Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association
(BISHTA) in August of this year
rumours have circulated claiming
that wood-fired hot tubs are no
longer suitable within a business
environment.
After reading this document
and listening to comments from
potential customers and glamping
forums online we have found that
many electric hot tub companies
have neglected to advise that this
fact was followed by an “unless X,Y
and Z is followed by the business
user”. Quite a handy omission from
the true statement when you’re
trying to promote electric/chemical
options and certainly a scare tactic
to put off potential wood-fired
customers.
Following in depth discussions
with Chris Hayes at BISHTA and
Howard Gosling at Pool & Spa
Advice we thought it only right to
put the record straight and give
you the correct information.
New European standards will
soon be available documenting
best practice for all hot tubs within
the business environment and will
state that fresh water can be used
but must be limited to a single use
before a water change. Something
that Naked Flame has always
advised.
Wood-fired hot tubs offer a
totally off-grid, chemical free,
natural experience for users, and
the good news is that the fresh
water approach is still very much
a viable option in a commercial
setting if these new standards are
followed.
If owners were to try and use
wood-fired tubs in a similar way
to electric, chemical options, and
keep water in the tubs for long
periods of time, they may well be
deemed as impractical. Their very
nature is to be an eco option that
requires no power, pumps or filters,
and the ability to be sited almost
anywhere an owner requires.
Potable water has a five hour
window of use whereas non
potable has a three hour window –
plenty of time for an evening’s use,
especially in wood-fired tubs with
super fast heat up times. Emptying,
cleaning and refilling can be
done in a short space of time and
fresh water is often a bather’s
preference. Fresh water options
also allow water to be recycled on
the land after use.
At Naked Flame, we have
developed the LuvTub, a two
person model with a low water
volume, as well as the 1.4m EcoTub
four/five person model. Both tubs
46 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
hold approximately 900 litres
when full and take just one hour
to heat. All tubs provided for
business use are constructed
from Thermowood, a heat treated
pine with no moisture content
so bacteria cannot be harboured
in it.
All businesses with hot tubs,
no matter which type, will be
required to supply a water sample
from their tub once a month
for micro-biological testing to
ensure a safe environment for
their customers. As well as this,
all electric/chemical hot tub
owners will be required to test
water twice a day and keep a
record of this. This is quite some
involvement for owners especially
when you add in chemical costs,
electricity costs and installation,
service, parts that may fail or
need regular changing (pumps
and filters) and insurance
implications when handling
chemicals on site.
Naked Flame tubs remain
easy to use for both owners and
LONG VALLEY YURTS
customers. A simple clean with
an anti-bacterial cleaner between
fills ensures a safe environment
for the user and running costs
are minimal. Plastic liners are
available on request but the
authentic Scandinavian solid
wood tubs still prove to be the
most popular with sites across
the UK and Europe, fitting into the
vision and ethos of many with an
eco friendly outlook.
Glamping at its best goes hand
in hand with nature, sustainability
and our environment, celebrating
the unrivalled beauty of our
countryside here in the UK. We
will endeavour to keep producing
products that look and feel part
of the landscape and enable our
customers to provide amazing
places for people to visit and
enjoy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gareth Edwards in
the founder of Naked
Flame Eco Tubs, a
supplier of wood-fired
hot tubs and saunas to
glampsites and holiday
parks across the UK.
A trusted supplier to
companies including
Sykes Cottages, Cool
Camping, Wigwam
Holidays and Canopy &
Stars, its product range
provides a completely
off-grid option with
some of the fastest
heat up times on
the market. www.
nakedtubs.com
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 47
GLAMPSITES
OAB
LOVES…
CONTEMPORARY
STRUCTURES
Keeping things cutting edge
WE LOVE…
The Daddy Long Legs from Anthropods
WHY?
We couldn’t help but admire the original Anthropod
structure at the Glamping Show in September so
when we found out about the 'Daddy Long Legs'
(DDL) version we just had to share! It sits 3.5m higher
than the original model meaning you can park a car
underneath - a clever space-saving
solution for landowners.
The structure comes in 5.3m or 7.2m
lengths, has a three year warranty and
is available in either an on-grid (linked
to mains electrics) or off-grid (solar
panels/LPG gas) version.
Dutch glampsite Camping Vreehorst
loves it too and takes delivery of its
first DDL in March next year.
FROM
Anthropods
07860 420763
www.anthropods.co.uk
WE LOVE…
The Pebble
WHY?
Designed by Danish architect
Kristoffer Tejlgaard in association
with John Morris from
Honeydown Domes in Devon,
this gorgeous oval structure
comprises a highly insulated
interlocking panel system made
from engineered wood. It has a
floor area of 40sqm and a curved
double-glazed plastic window
making up a quarter of the
facade for a unique connection to
daylight, nature and the night sky.
Lightweight and movable, its
design has considered everything
including disassembly and even
eventual decommission! The
designers are also investigating
bio-plastics to replace the current
petro-plastics used for the
window, making the Pebble even
more sustainable.
FROM
The Pebble
07940 400970
www.pebble.eco
WE LOVE…
The Conker from Conker Living
WHY?
Conker Living is the brainchild of Jag
Virdie, an engineer who started his
career with Rolls-Royce Bentley. Jag’s
inspiration for The Conker came from
the desire to build a treehouse for his
children but with an engineer’s mind he
wanted it to be something different, a
sphere that would hang like a conker!
The eventual design actually sits
on four legs for minimum ground
disruption, and offers 10sqm
of floor space. It takes just a
day to install and has an easily changed
exterior shell.
What’s more, due to its shape, it
doesn’t require any guttering and has
fantastic heat efficiency.
FROM
Conker Living
01270 666615
www.conkerliving.com
48 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
WE LOVE…
Classic and Classic Plus
Glamping Domes from
TruDomes
WHY?
Iconic and fun, we’ve always
loved a dome! The height of
these structures delivers a
feeling of space, and huge
panoramic windows help
guests appreciate beautiful
landscapes.
These British
made domes
start from
£3,551+vat
and come in either a 5.88m or
6.7m diameter, offering base
areas of 27sqm of 34.5sqm
respectively. Choose from six
colours (we love the blue),
add insulation, curtains,
a woodburning stove and
insulated flue, a solar air vent
and lighting.
If you need inspiration, give
the team a call – they just love to
get creative.
FROM
TruDomes
02476 326585
www.trudomes.com
WE LOVE…
The GlampLoft from
Universal Glamping
WHY?
Two things really
struck us about this
structure when we
visited it. First, it’s got
an upstairs – not many
tents have them and we loved
the adventure up the ladder into
a surprisingly spacious lofted area – big
enough for two beds.
The second feature that swung it for us was the
incorporation of Universal Glamping’s new GlampRad, a clever
infrared heating device sandwiched between the two layers of
the structure providing radiated warmth throughout.
It helped of course that inside it is beautifully furnished by
interiors expert Nikkita Palmer, attracting a lot of interest at its
trade show debut this year.
FROM
Universal Glamping
01269 853957
www.universalglamping.com
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 49
GLAMPSITES
SUPPLIER PROFILE
Saniflo
We talk to head of marketing, Ann Boardman,
about the solutions Saniflo offers the glamping
sector including owners of sites, as well as
manufacturers of accommodation
Saniflo
0208 842 0033
ann.boardman@saniflo.co.uk
www.saniflo.co.uk /
www.kinedo.co.uk
WHAT DO YOU DO?
Saniflo is best known for its range of
macerators and pumps that enable extra
facilities to be installed when gravity
drainage isn’t feasible. Waste is reduced to
a liquid form and discharged through smallbore
pipework to a soil stack or sewer.
The company also manufactures the
Kinedo range of shower cubicles, enclosures
and trays which are used by a number of
holiday accommodation providers, from
guest houses to glamping pods.
WHY DO YOU DO IT SO WELL?
Saniflo is the original inventor of the
macerator; a pump that can be installed
to take waste water away from WCs,
basins, showers and a wide range of other
appliances. As market leader, the company
has the widest range available; over 30
products that can be used in a variety of
domestic and commercial applications.
Constant investment in the range and the
introduction of new products ensure that
Saniflo offers the best choice.
Kinedo cubicles are ideal for use in
timber framed buildings. Glass or plastic
interior panels combine with a bespoke
shower tray, external doors and panels to
create a watertight shower with no need
for silicone or tiles and grout - which can be
prone to cracking when wood expands and
contracts.
PLEASE GIVE US A POTTED COMPANY
HISTORY
The Saniflo macerator was first introduced
into the UK nearly 40 years ago and has
grown to become a leading name in
the plumbing sector. Over the last four
decades the company has introduced
new and bigger macerators, kitchen
and shower pumps, as well as units that
remove condensate from boilers, aircon or
refrigeration units.
In late 2016 the first exterior sited,
underground pump, the Sanifos, was
launched, while in 2017 the biggest ever
range revision was undertaken. The new
models are quieter and offer easier access
than ever before. This on-going investment
ensures Saniflo pumps are always at the
forefront of technology.
It is a similar story with the Kinedo range.
New products, including a cut-able shower
tray, have been launched this year and we
look forward to introducing even more new
products in 2019.
DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND POSITIONING
Saniflo produces the most comprehensive
range of macerators and pumps on the
market because no two jobs are the same.
Ease of installation is a hallmark of every
Saniflo and Kinedo product, while marketleading
support comes in the form of the
unique network of over 100 approved
Saniflo engineers in the UK.
WHAT IS YOUR ‘HERO PRODUCT’
Our hero product has to be the humble
Sanivite+. For no other reason than it is our
best seller year after year. And the most
surprising fact of all is that it is not even a
macerating pump. This powerful pump is
ideally suited for kitchens or utility rooms
to discharge grey water waste. With four
inlet pipes it can be connected to sinks and
appliances such as dishwashers, washing
machines and ice makers and is sufficiently
compact to be concealed in a unit or
behind a demountable panel.
When it comes to our hero from the
Kinedo range, it has to be the Eden
cubicle. It delivers stunning design, low
level access, affordability and ease of
installation and is widely used in pods,
cabins and lodges.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
The possibilities created by using a Saniflo.
Whether it is extra bathroom or kitchen
facilities in a loft, a basement, an outdoor
building, a field, a house or a commercial
space, there is usually a Saniflo that can
handle the job. There are Saniflos on
multiple floors of the Shard building that
have been converted to consulting rooms
for doctors, units pumping away water
waste at cabin lodges in holiday parks,
units dealing with waste in towable toilet
and shower blocks, as well as numerous
household name cafes, restaurants, hotels
etc. You name it and there’s probably a
Saniflo in there somewhere.
WHY SHOULD A CUSTOMER GET IN
TOUCH?
The Saniflo technical support team is
on hand during working hours to offer
help and advice for your project. Where
necessary one of the Saniflo sales team will
attend site to scope out the requirement
and our merchant suppliers have stocks
for quick delivery. When you work with
Saniflo you have peace of mind that a
trained, experienced network of engineers
is always there for servicing, maintenance
and aftercare.
50 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
“We cannot
fault their
service…”
“After researching the market for domes,
we chose to order our domes through
TruDomes. Our main basis for this decision
was to support a UK company which
in turn meant if there were any issues we
could contact them easily. We cannot
fault their service. They have followed
our progress and assisted with any complex
questions. We plan to purchase further
domes from TruDomes.”
Claire Fahy, Proprietor
Pant y Rhedyn Guesthouse & Accommodation
TruDomes.com
“It's fabulous…
corporates love its
flexibility”
“The dome is beside our restaurant terrace
at the moment and creates a talking
point for everyone who visits. We have
had baby showers, meetings and parties
in there and have a coffee house product
launch booked this summer. The acoustics
are outstanding… it's fabulous and
funky and corporates love its flexibility.”
Ema Townsend, Head of
Marketing Heart Of England
Conference & Events Centre
“We would highly
recommend
TruDomes…”
“Our TruDomes glamping dome is great,
the aluminium frame is well engineered
and went up with no problems, Kelda
and the team are always ready to offer
help and advice and we would highly recommend
TruDomes for glamping
projects.”
Carolyn Truss
Gayton Farm
From cosy to colossal together we create beautiful,
bespoke, spaces your customers will love!
Contact us today to design
your own amazing space. Our
home-grown experts in the
field of British designed,
engineered and manufactured
geodesic domes are ready to
help businesses like yours
create beautiful, customisable,
profitable spaces that your
customers will love.
W. TruDomes.com
T. 02476 326585
E. Hello@TruDomes.com
GLAMPSITES
PRODUCT IN FOCUS
Hot Tubs & Cooking
Pidley Bottom Cottages & Shepherd’s Huts at Sidings Farm
Description: Luxury, self-catering accommodation set within a small
working farm deep in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside
Product: LuvTub and a wood fired sauna
Supplier: Naked Flame Eco-
Tubs
Telephone: 01484 766233
Website: www.nakedtubs.com
Details: The owners at Sidings
Farm were attracted by the low
water volume and fast heat up
time (one hour) of the LuvTub.
Made from solid Scandinavian
timber, hot tubs from Naked
Flame can be supplied in sizes to suit all spaces and arrive with the
customer fully built.
The site also ordered a wood-fired sauna. Bespoke layouts including
changing rooms, outdoor seating and various storage options give
each design its own personality and, with the addition of the new semi
internal wood-burning sauna heaters, there is now no need to take any
fuel into the sauna room itself. Simply load from outside eradicating
the potential for any mess inside. Electric heaters are also available if
preferred, and both are available in the classic barrel design as well as
the pod shape (pictured).
Feedback: “From the moment we contacted Naked Flame we
were impressed with the level of service, attention to detail and
communication. Throughout the order and delivery process we were
kept informed as to the build time and exact delivery date and time –
something that was important to both us and our guests.
“The build quality of both the tub and sauna are exemplary and
Naked Flames’ after-sales service means that technical questions are
answered promptly and in full. The addition of these facilities means
that our booking rates have increased and our guests have been
assured an added dimension to their stay with us – we wholeheartedly
commend Naked Flame!”
Pot A Doodle Do
Wigwams
Description: A glampsite
on a working farm on the
North Northumberland
coast with 27 Wigwams,
three canvas yurts, a
restaurant, shop, craft
studio, fishing and play
area
Product: Three 11m2
Finman BBQ Huts
Supplier: Logspan
Telephone: 01389 887205
Website: www.logspan.
com
Details: Pot A Doodle Do
Wigwams saw the benefit
of offering a warm, dry
environment where their
guests could eat. They
wished to test the waters
with one BBQ hut, with the
option of adding more if
uptake was good. It wasn’t
long before they had three
popular BBQ huts up and
running, adding another
unique selling point to
an already very popular
glamping site.
Feedback: “We saw these
BBQ huts at the Royal
Highland Show and felt
they would be a great
addition to our site for
guests when the weather
was not so great. We
received excellent advice
from Logspan regarding
installation of the huts and
the building of them.
“The quality of these
huts is superb. You can
BBQ at anytime of the year,
whatever the weather.
Lots of our guests enjoy
great nights in the BBQ
huts. They are easy to use
and with the extractor fan
fitted they are foolproof.
They are very easy to clean
and very low maintenance.
We would certainly
recommend Logspan BBQ
huts as an addition to any
site.”
52 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
PRODUCTSNAPSHOTS
South Wales Camping
Description: A camping and glamping site set in rural
South Wales with a fishing lake
Product: Deluxe hot tub with log burning stove
Supplier: Universal Glamping
Telephone: 01269 853957
Website: www.universalglamping.com
Details: The owners of the site chose this product as
they were looking for a luxury item and were attracted
by features including built in lights, bubbles, filter
and an insulated cover. It only takes on average two
hours to heat unlike electric hot tubs, which can
take double the time. It was easy to set up and sits
perfectly alongside the pod accommodation creating
a luxurious setting.
Feedback: Owner Jacqueline said: “From point of
sale, Universal Glamping was very helpful
with the description on how to install the
hot tub. It was delivered on a pallet and
was put into place by a Hiab vehicle. Once
situated all that was needed was the flue
to be assembled and a drainage pipe for
waste water. As this is a freshwater hot tub
we do not use chemicals and this has proved
very popular with our customers. It is a low
maintenance hot tub with easy cleaning and
works extremely well for me as a glamping
site owner.
“Since installation this has
boosted my bookings and increased
customer feedback.”
Electric, Wooden Barrel
Hot Tubs
Riviera Hot Tubs
01626 367038
www.riviera-hottubs.co.uk
Riviera Hot Tubs has long
been established as a leading
manufacturer of wooden
barrel hot tubs, with operating
systems to support both
domestic and commercial use.
In partnership with Classic
Glamping/Classic Cottages it
Wood Fired Ovens
Blistering
01825 714712
www.blistering.co.uk
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.
New to the line-up is the Wizard
has been supplying the outdoor
hospitality market for many
years. This year it launched a
new Acrylic range of hot tubs
and swim spas tailor-made for
the holiday rental market. The
Riviera Holiday range has been
designed to be ultra-economic
while not compromising on
quality. Backed up by the
support of a nationwide service
team it offers an affordable
high-end solution for rental
properties. Member of BISHTA.
range from Portugal. Perfect for
the glamping market, these ovens
come in two massive sizes, require
no assembly and have wheels for
manoeuvrability.
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.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 53
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EVENTS
CASE STUDY
Magical Woodland
and Christmas
Woodland
Making most of winter nights with seasonal
woodland illuminations
With a strong focus on customer experience, the team at Cheshire
Falconry’s woodland venue has ventured into ticketed events offering
magical experiences in the woods with sound, light and water features.
The Magical Woodland and Christmas Woodland events feature storylines
delivered by specialist actors and are accessible to all. We speak to owner Steve Birchall.
Describe your event and how
many people it attracts?
We hold a number of events at
Cheshire Falconry throughout
the year, the largest of which are
The Magical Woodland and The
Christmas Woodland. The Magical
Woodland ran for the second time
this year, from 20 October to 2
November, and saw an increase in
visitors from 3,000 in 2016 to 7,000.
The Christmas Woodland, which in
its fourth year has taken the idea of
visiting Santa to a whole new level,
creates theatre in the woodland,
and ticket sales have been amazing
with over 5,000 sold for this
December.
Explain a bit about your venue
and its history
Set in the centre of Cheshire in 15
acres of woodland at Blakemere
Village (a family-run attraction,
“WE
IDENTIFIED
THAT PEOPLE
WANTED
MORE OF AN
‘EXPERIENCE’
WHICH IS
WHEN WE
STARTED
LOOKING AT
CREATING
EVENTS WITH
A DIFFERENCE”
home to a unique collective of
independent shops and activities)
Cheshire Falconry is much
more than the one bird aviary it
originally opened as 22 years ago.
Employing eight full-time team
members, there are now between
60-70 birds of prey, expanding
massively with changing markets
and trends of the day and
overnight visitor market.
Five years ago we identified
the need to take the business
to another level; although the
falconry experiences were
successful, visitors were looking
to add to their experience once
on site. We identified the need to
create experience days, beginning
with Cheshire Segway. Three years
ago we bought the woodland
bordering Blakemere, which
enabled us to open Cheshire
Outdoors, a full experience
package includes archery, laser
clay shooting, bushcraft, low
ropes, cycle hire and much more.
Last year we ran our first wedding
- a back to nature experience set in
the magical woodland.
The events calendar was born
when we noticed the depleting
numbers attending the traditional
Santa’s Grotto on site. We
identified that people wanted
more of an ‘experience’ which is
when we looked at creating events
with a difference.
The market comes from far and
wide, and we have created an offer
that is attractive and possible for
four year olds to 80 year olds, and
any age group inbetween. During
the week, corporate team building
events and educational trips use
the facilities, and leisure visitors at
weekends.
This year the team was finally
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 55
EVENTS
recognised for all their hard work
and Cheshire Falconry won “Best
Small Attraction in Cheshire 2018”.
What is the event’s history?
The Christmas Woodland, now in
its fourth year, is a magical journey
to visit Santa. "A Theatre in the
Woodland", visitors meet numerous
characters who entertain them on
their journey; some have activities,
some tell stories, others lead the
way to the next instalment of the
adventure. Christmas Woodland
also incorporates an ice-skating
rink, fairground attractions and
food/craft stalls.
We work with a local Cheshire
company called Believe in Magic to
create the full event.
Obviously with a Christmas
experience we attract a large
number of families with children
under 11, surprisingly we also
attract young couples. The dwell
time is 2 and 2 1/2 hours, and
people travel up to 30 miles to visit
us.
We are flexible to our
customers' needs, allowing them
the opportunity to make the
experience their own and don’t
force the full story onto them.
Some children don’t like Santa but
can still experience the wonders
of Christmas. The experience is
set so Santa is just one part of the
enchantment.
We are aware that there is
nothing worse than paying to
attend an event then turning up
and everything else that is there
costs money. We have therefore
created two packages, one where
our young visitors can enjoy the
woodland experience and meet
Santa, the other includes unlimited
activities such as live theatre,
skating, fairground rides and craft
with Mrs Claus, as well as the
Christmas Woodland.
Our experience is also targeted
at couples so we include a gift for
adults as well as children so they
too can enjoy the fun!
Our Magical Woodland event
came from something very
different. We wanted to do
something that was unusual,
something that couldn’t be visited
in the North West. We were aware
of an event held in Perthshire called
the Enchanted Forest, which after
seven years now attracts 70,000
visitors with an economic value of
£2.2 million to the local economy.
Our vision is to make this happen in
Cheshire.
We held our first Magical
Woodland event in 2016. It was a
late decision and we didn’t invest
in marketing, in fact our main
marketing was via Facebook,
and that attracted 3,000 people.
For our 2018 event we started
planning in late 2017, bringing in
partners and looking for funding.
Our falconry teams were marketing
the event at each experience day
and we have been selling tickets
since the summer. 2018 exceeded
expectations so much we decided
to open for an additional evening
at the end of the event. We have
already set the dates for 2019 (19
October – 1 November).
The experience involved the
creation of six installations set
within naturally formed bowls in
the woodland. Each had a theme
of water, sound or light, some
were a combination and they
were all interactive. Along the
paths between each installation
entertainers or statues created
interest at every step.
How does the relationship work
with the venue you hold the event
at?
In 2013 we bought the woodland
which is used for the experience
days and events; we saw the
opportunity and took it. This is what
makes our events so unique. The
Woodland backs onto Blakemere
Village, where Cheshire Falconry
is based, this means we have full
56 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
EVENTS
access to its car parking facilities
and great signage to the venue.
How did you find applying for
permission?
We already have experiences on
site so have our licenses in place.
Noise and lighting into the night is
covered already under our wedding
agreements, as is serving food and
drink.
Working with our local authority
has been very important, we
have found them happy to work
with us and support us in our
projects as we keep an open line of
communication with them.
How have you planned the layout
of the events?
We don’t use a marquee, but have a
number of small structures around
the woodland which we perform
wedding ceremonies or bush-tucker
experiences in at other times of
the year. Made using the timber
from the wood, these are used for
the story telling elements of the
Christmas Woodland event.
For Magical Woodland we have
“ALL OUR
ACTORS
HAVE BEEN
CHOSEN
BECAUSE OF
THEIR FOCUS
ON THE CUS-
TOMER, NOT
NECESSARILY
THEIR ACT-
ING ABILITY”
constructed new structures to
deliver the entertainment. We have
a water spectacular controlled by
WII controllers where light swirls
around and water dances to music.
It took us two weeks to construct
all the structures needed.
The events utilise the full 15 acres
of woodland. We are very lucky
that natural ‘bowls’ have formed
so we are able to keep installations
hidden from sight until people walk
to them. We try to create a natural
flow using characters or animation,
but also allow visitors the option to
make their own routes.
What entertainment do you
offer?
Our policy is to use local where
possible, for everything we
deliver. We also hire people who
have the same objectives as us to
ensure the customer has the best
experience possible, which means
we have to be as flexible as needed
all the time.
To create the Christmas theatre
in the woodland we originally
worked with a theatre company
in Liverpool, but their focus was
on the acting, not flexibility and
customer engagement. We now
work with a local family run
business that is passionate about
providing an unparallelled and
personal experience. Since this
change, we have seen our visitor
numbers grow. All our actors
have been chosen because of
their focus on the customer, not
necessarily their acting ability.
They need to be attuned to the
child’s appreciation of the mystery
and what they like, but also what
will scare them. The actors are in
character from the moment they
arrive until they leave, the mystery
never stops.
For the Magical Woodland we
needed to look for partners who
were willing to support our vision
and help us to develop the event
over the coming years. We looked
for entertainers who could deliver
outdoors and in all weathers,
but most of all focussed on the
entertainment of the customer.
Because this event is selffinancing,
we need to work with
people who are willing to take
the risk with us. The artists we
contracted agreed to work with us
on a profit related pay agreement
for the first two years, meaning
they receive a share of the income
through ticket sales, and the
only way to ensure payment is to
create an outstanding experience!
We are not charging our catering
suppliers for the first two years
while we develop our audience;
we feel it is important the caterers
get something from the event and
in return will support the event
providing a quality experience.
What provisions do you make for
power, lights and sound?
Sound and light are two of the
themes for the Magical Woodland,
which is why we partnered with
Event Equipment – they have the
expertise and resources to match
our vision, which is fundamental
to the success of the event.
We do have a strong
infrastructure already in place
to provide a whimsical wedding
setting of fairy lights and soft
music within the woodland itself
and of course the wedding barn is
fully powered, so our guests can
party into the night.
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 57
EVENTS
How do you manage admissions
and visitor safety?
Our events and experiences are all
run on a ticket basis. Guests arrive
at our established reception desk
and then enter into the woodland.
Even though a lot of our offer is
within woodlands we are fully
accessible and have created
wheelchair friendly footpaths and
a safe environment for children
with special needs, who use our
facilities often. We provide an
experience that enhances all the
senses, allowing visually and
hearing-impaired visitors to enjoy
the experience as well.
How do you publicise the event?
At the end of each Birds of Prey
experience our team tells guests
about our events. A lot of our sales
come from gift vouchers which
we promote on every enquiry
and especially over the Christmas
period.
We tried something new at
Carfest this year; we did a Birds of
Prey display and had a trade stand
where we created a Christmas
display to promote our Christmas
event. We had fake snow, a sleigh
and characters.
For our Christmas Wonderland
we encourage repeat business by
changing the characters within the
story each year. We also introduce
the characters into the woodland
throughout the year so children can
begin to feel the story developing.
We feel people need to see the
brilliance of the event and therefore
video is our main marketing tool.
“THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE
WE FACE HAS
ALWAYS BEEN
GETTING THE
MESSAGE
OUT TO
THE PUBLIC
REGARDING
OUR
WOODLAND
EXPERIENCES”
We create YouTube videos, which
can be inserted in social media
and on our website, promoting the
new characters but also showing
previous years’ experiences.
What challenges have you faced?
The biggest challenge we face has
always been getting the message
out to the public regarding our
woodland experiences. We try
and make our experiences unique
for the guests to enjoy the great
outdoors. Trying to get that
message across to all markets is
a challenge, but we keep working
on it.
How have you financed the event
and how profitable is it?
Everything we do is self-financing.
As the Magical Woodland is
such as big event and required
the development of a large
infrastructure, we have sourced
a partner, Richard Warrener from
Event Equipment. We both believe
in the opportunities this event can
bring to the area and are willing
to invest our own funds, time
and equipment, understanding
that in the first two years we will
receive limited returns. We were
also successful in bidding for
and receiving £5,000 in funding
from Marketing Cheshire, via the
SLANT project to help us develop
the Magical Woodland marketing
progamme.
What other outdoor hospitality
sectors do you operate in?
We have mentioned our
experiences and falconry days, this
was the base from which we have
developed. Woodland weddings are
our new challenge growing from
this year’s base of five weddings.
What advice could you give to
someone coming into the outdoor
event industry?
Never stand still, keep coming up
with new ideas, always believe
you can do it and it will happen,
be flexible and respond to your
customer and they will reward you
in the long run!
ADDRESS BOOK
LIGHTING
Event Equipment
www.eventequipmentltd.co.uk
Stanwax Laser
www.stanwaxlaser.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT
Aqua Rhythm www.aquarhythm.co
DETAILS
Christmas Woodland
8-9, 15-16, 22-24 December 2018
www.christmaswoodland.co.uk
Magical Woodland
19 October – 1 November 2019
www.magicalwoodland.com
Blakemere Village
Northwich
Cheshire CW8 2EB
58 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
Saving
Secret Widget
Keith Burchett, founding director of the Secret Widget Festival, shares how
his event was saved by a brave decision on a last minute relocation
AFTER LEAVING Weyfest and A New Day
Festival, the two music events that had
played a significant part in my life for
the previous 14 years, I was in no rush to
become involved with (let alone start)
another festival. But things changed on a
weekend break with my partner Mary on
the Isle of Wight for a family gathering.
Mary’s granddaughter was celebrating her
24th birthday and chose to visit Calbourne
Water Mill.
When we got to the site it immediately
reminded me of the Rural Life Centre, a
working museum in Surrey that is very
dear to me and is the site which I was
responsible for introducing Weyfest to
in 2007. When I found out it had its own
campsite I started visualising a festival,
and after a meeting with the owner it was
a done deal. I formed a management team
with Mike Sands, who had run the stewards
and security teams, and Barry Cogger, who
had supplied the stages and overseen the
power supply at both the other festivals.
We spent several months visiting the site,
measuring it and planning for this new
event while hand picking the crew from
the great teams that had, and still do, work
the previous festivals. We knew it would
be a challenging site but it showed a lot of
promise.
We needed a name for the festival, not
the easiest thing to come up with by any
means. It started being known as the
Secret Widget, almost as a joke, but after a
while we decided we should go with it.
TROUBLE BREWING
After some months had passed things were
not running quite as planned, we were not
getting the deals that had been promised us
for some time from the ferry companies and
another festival that had been advertised
earlier in the year moved to the dates
we had set leading to a demand for the
infrastructure and supplies we needed to
hire. Sales from the mainland were also just
not coming our way.
We had a crisis meeting and it was
decided to look for a suitable site for the
same dates on the mainland. We had
already booked and paid deposits on most
of the bands and could not afford to lose
either if we were to save the festival, but
with less than three months to go until the
60 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
EVENTS
gates were due to open we knew we would
be up against the clock if it was going to
happen.
We put together a list of possible sites
to check out; we found two that were full
of potential although both would require
some inspiring and challenging planning.
However, one had a wedding booked so was
not available. The other was Hurtwood Park
Polo Club near Ewhurst in Surrey, not only
was the site available on our dates but it
had hosted outdoor concerts in the past and
was already licensed for such events. All we
had to do was adapt our event management
plan to the new site and, as it was under
the same council as Weyfest, we were not
an unknown quantity to them which we felt
would also help.
The site is run by Jayne and Kenney Jones
so I didn’t have to go through explaining
why a music festival would be a great event
to have at their place, after all Kenney had
played in The Small Faces, The Faces and
The Who, so would know more about it than
I did!
TWO MONTH COUNTDOWN
Now the real work began, we had just over
two months to go and had to start all over
again with the advertising, finding the
equipment we needed to hire, measuring
and mapping the site, etc. We had the bands
booked but we still had to inform them of
the change of site and check this would fit
well within their tour schedules. Most were
delighted as it meant less travelling for them
and maybe a night at home rather than in
a hotel, but we had booked a few acts from
the island which meant it was more of an
effort for them. Luckily we only lost one of
them but gained another from the island
later so the connection with the Isle of Wight
was not completely lost.
There were other island connections we
were concerned about, we had booked
some very colourful marquees from Ed’s
Tents on the island which we thought rather
“ WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE TWO PRESENTERS
CLIVE LEWIS AND TINA HYDE WHO WE HAD GOT TO KNOW STILL
SUPPORTED US AND CAME TO THE FESTIVAL TO HOST THE
TWO MAIN STAGES SO ALL WAS WELL, OR SO WE THOUGHT”
special. Luck was on our side and he was
able to supply these to the mainland. We
also had a close association with The Island
Radio that had been very good to us. We
were very fortunate that the two presenters
Clive Lewis and Tina Hyde who we had got
to know still supported us and came to the
festival to host the two main stages so all
was well, or so we thought.
We contacted mainland suppliers, some
of whom we had used before but found
many to be low on supplies as they were
booked elsewhere already. As an example,
we had all the remaining toilets and fences
that Site Event had - they pulled out all
the stops for us. We went to Shorts of
Basingstoke for wheelie bin and skip hire,
and to cut a long story short we had to
make do with less than we had originally
planned. In the end we re-planned around
what we could find, and were still sorting
things during the site build week.
We decided to have two main stages
outside and a smaller stage in the
clubhouse. It was a tight fit getting all the
acts to fit in as we had three full time stages
on the Isle of Wight and felt the clubhouse
could not operate quite the same as the
third stage we had planned. We also had an
earlier curfew but made some sense of it in
the end.
Our glamping was supplied by Roger
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 61
EVENTS
BAZ BIX
LLOYD ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Brett who we had known for some years; he
had supplied glamping tents for both the
previous festivals and was happy to help in
our new venture, including supplying tents
for members of the True Deceivers and The
Martin Barre Band who were playing sets
over the weekend.
Dave Rees, a long time friend of mine,
came on board to help us out wherever
he could. We had run A New Day Records
together as well as putting on occasional
gigs, contributing to a few Jethro Tull
Conventions and working on both the
previous festivals. He is still running A New
Day Festival as well as re-launching Blues
on the Farm this year. This was a festival
we both loved and were sad when it ended
after 25 years. Dave put the programme
together for us and will be more involved
with the Secret Widget in the future - I’m
personally pleased to be doing another
festival with him.
Coming to the mainland meant that I
was able to include a Sci-Fi Zone which
was something of a pet project of mine
and is very popular at Weyfest; it never
materialised at A New Day and was
becoming difficult to organise on the Isle of
Wight. Chris, Mark and Liz were able to step
in after talking with them at Weyfest only a
few weeks before and did a fine job bringing
alien looking things and costumes from
Doctor Who and Star Wars along - thanks
guys! Next year a bigger tent is looking likely
as several others will hopefully join them.
Advertising the event fell well short of
what we usually hope to do with around
20,000 leaflets being distributed by
ourselves and friends, mainly in the last
four weeks before the event. We missed
the deadlines for the music magazines
but managed a few local papers and an
interview on BBC Radio Surrey/Sussex.
We managed to get more of the usual
stalls we expect to see and have become
friends with over the years than we did at
first, many of them being put off coming
to the island by the costs involved in
transportation.
NO TURNING BACK
Finally, when we arrived on site at the
beginning of the week, five days before the
gates would open on our debut, our crew
started arriving and helped us get the site
prepared. A few minor changes to the layout
were done as we went along, not unusual at
a new site, but it was now going to happen.
We had our doubts at times but put them
aside and we had finally got here. The build
went well and we started to get a buzz as it
got closer to the gates opening.
The festival ran very well with some great
acts, mainly from the sixties and seventies
including Slade, Geno Washington and
the Ram Jam Band, Focus, The Swinging
Blue Jeans, Bonzo Bills, John Coghlans
Quo, The Kast Off Kinks, Chris Farlowe,
John Verity, The Jackie Lynton Band and
The Nashv00ille Teens complemented
by many newer bands such as Lucid, The
Room, Waggon Wheel, Alternative Car
Park, Dambuskers and Reggie Balmoral.
Other top performers included Robin Bibi,
Cryin’ Out Loud, Sam Kelly’s Station House,
Blues Jamm Project, Bootleg Blondie, Chris
Conway & Dan Britton, Rebecca Downes,
The Room, Ben Poole and many more.
The site looked great and there were
compliments from members of bands
playing and the audience alike. The
attendance was lower than we would have
liked but given the short amount of time we
had it was not surprising.
Friends I have spoken to at the festival
and since have said that they were quite
worried for me and didn’t think we would
pull it off, indeed there were a lot of
rumours going around about the festival
not happening, but thankfully it did and
it’s been great to see the many positive
comments on Facebook and in reviews.
With the festival going so well I was sad
to hear the news just before that Sam
Spoons, the Bonzo Bills drummer, would
be playing his last gig with the band at the
Secret Widget before retiring through ill
health. I had got to know Sam quite well
having booked him several times at both
the previous festivals over the years. I was
told that he was determined to make the gig
by fellow band members and they arranged
for many surprise guests from his previous
bands to come and join them on the last
number. Sam was very moved by this and
it made his last show very special for him.
Sadly he passed away just 20 days after
playing. I am honoured that even though
he was so ill he still insisted on playing, this
gave more justification to the work we put
into saving the festival. RIP Sam.
MORE INFO
The next Secret Widget Festival will be at
the Hurtwood Park Polo Club, Ewhurst,
Surrey, on 30 August to 1 September 2019.
More information can be found at www.
thesecretwidgetfest.uk and you can contact
Keith by email at keith@thesecretwidgetfest.uk
62 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
TVTCo Advert_Layout 1 28/08/2018 3:48pm Page 3
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parking to name but a few, with both
short and long term contracts available.
Organising any event or general on-site
communication requires total dedicated
support and at DCRS, there is always a
team on-call or on-site ready to assist you.
Call FREE: 0800 043 2688
email: sales@dcrs.co.uk
www.dcrs.co.uk
WE BOAST A COMPLETE HIRE
SERVICE INCLUDING:
Bespoke radio solutions for large,
wide area events
Digital and analogue radios, mobiles
and repeaters
Nationwide PTT digital hand portables
A full range of audio accessories
to support
Free radio licence or free programming
to your own frequencies
Delivery and collection to your
specified addresses
On-site support and out of hours
call-out, 24/7 if required
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 63
DCRS Open Air Magazine Advert.indd 1 28/11/2018 12:20
Electrical
OFFICIAL ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTOR TO THE
SHOWMAN'S SHOW 2018
Temporary Event Installations
Venue Fixed Installations
Wiring Upgrades
LED Replacement Lighting
Phone: 01233 822059
Mobile: 07837 372549 or 07715 355544
Email: helen@excellelectrical.com www.excellelectrical.com
64 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
EVENTS
GUEST COMMENT
Solving Waste Plastic
Want to turn your event’s waste plastic into something useful and profitable?
Then you need to talk to Michael Hall
OVER THE autumn I attended
two exhibitions at the NEC
and one outdoors, where
sustainability was the big
theme. So I was extremely
surprised to be greeted with
the all too familiar ‘sponsored’
plastic bag to collect all the
paper and other materials I
might be offered as I wandered
around.
Instead of declining, I
accepted the bags and decided
to ask the event organisers and
the advertisers on the bags
about the irony of using them
at the events.
As you might expect,
the answers were pretty
predictable: “They were made
from recycled materials”/“they
were recyclable”/ and “this is
a normal way of generating
revenue at events.”
But I wasn’t happy with that.
The three bags were not
only obviously made of virgin
plastic and not easy to recycle,
most exhibitors have digital
information available on their
stands and therefore no longer
rely on plastic bags to generate
revenue or to advertise their
products.
Perhaps not surprisingly,
all three sponsors were
uncomfortable at being
challenged about this.
One was annoyed. One
was dismissive. The only
consolation was that the third
seemed ashamed to admit it
hadn’t even occurred to him.
I was pleased to have made
some kind of impact on that
person but disappointed to
realise the others just didn’t
get it - or didn’t want to.
But ultimately their answers
worried me and drove me on
to look into this further. There
seems to be global, blind belief
“AFTER VISITING TWO RECYCLING CENTRES
I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THE EFFORTS BEING
MADE TO ACHIEVE A ZERO LANDFILL POLICY”
that all is well if you can say
something is ‘recycled’ but
what does that actually mean?
Many event organisers say
their recycling targets are
being met and are proud of
their achievements. But do
they know what happens next
in the chain? How much waste
is still just incinerated, buried
or baled off for someone else
to deal with?
I decided to find out.
After visiting two recycling
centres I was pleased to
see the efforts being made
to achieve a zero landfill
policy. These are large
scale operations separating
everything that arrives in
never-ending convoys.
I could imagine the event
plastic bags arriving there
mixed with all the other types
of one-off use materials. I
found a plastic bag, though
not one I was looking for, and
tracked its journey through
separation into shredding with
similar material, before ending
up as small flakes which were
bagged up.
But what was really
known about these tiny,
unremarkable flakes? What
were their chemical properties
and other additive substances
when all mixed up together?
They were of a general type
LDPE 4 but not consistent
because there was not just one
manufacturer involved - each
product type had its specific
purpose and labelling.
What would then happen
to these flakes? Perhaps they
were destined to become
plastic bags again? But
surely the cost of that would
completely cancel out the
proposition that they had been
responsibly made?
GETTY IMAGES
So here is the challenge
going forward as I see it: The
problem isn’t just to stop
so many plastic bags being
produced in the first place, it’s
also finding a better reuse for
the abundance of all waste
plastics. And this solution has
to make financial sense.
Here at Above All C6(n)
we work with brands and
companies who are frustrated
and angry that there aren’t
any real options that address
sustainability for the indoor
or outdoor structures they use
for events, accommodation
or buildings. Typically we are
asked to design a modular
building system out of waste
or recycled plastics for our
clients’ needs which solves
their dissatisfaction of plastic
waste and helps create a
new revenue stream for their
business.
If this sounds like you, tell us
what your frustrations are and
if we can help we will let you
know.
If you, the readers, would
like to know how it is possible
to correlate event-waste into
permanently useful products
that will generate new revenue
streams, I hope I will be asked
to write the next article
in this trilogy…
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Michael Hall
is chairman
of Above All
C6(n), experts in composite
materials and innovators
of turning event waste into
permanently useful products.
www.c6n.co.uk / www.aboveall.co.uk
/ 02380 972093
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 65
EVENTS
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
John Radford
Taking time out to network and learn pays dividends reports John
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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.
AFTER A really busy and successful
summer it was great to meet
up with some of our clients and
suppliers at the Showman’s Show
held at Newbury Showground
every October. This year JR Event
Services also had a stand in the
main exhibition hall for the first
time. Knowing we were going
to be at the show for the whole
two days meant we were able to
meet up with both new and old
clients and suppliers and look
at some of the newer products
and services on offer in the
industry. It’s an important date
in our diary anyway but this year
meant the whole team were busy
either manning the stand, having
meetings or exploring the other
exhibition stands.
I’ve previously written about
how important face to face
communication can be and these
kinds of events are a perfect
opportunity to talk through ideas
or requirements and actually look
at the products up close to see
if they will work for your given
project. We certainly took away
some great new contacts and
ideas. From the Enviro-cup team
with their recycled aluminium
tankards that can take custom
branding to the screens from ADI
that can make a difference to
viewing opportunities with screens
from a relatively small 12 square
metres right up to their huge
iCONIC 100 and 120SW.
The Association of Festival
Organisers (AFO) Conference in
early November was a slightly
more laid-back affair. Attracting a
large number of festival organisers
from across the UK, the conference
gave attendees a chance to listen
to others explaining best practice
and solutions, network and create
new contacts. I was invited to
run a session on site design and
spoke about many of the points I
wrote about in Open Air Business
earlier in the year. And again, it’s a
fantastic opportunity to network
and talk through projects with
like-minded colleagues as well
as a great opportunity to listen
and learn from others and take
on board their experiences so
that plans can be developed and
not suffer the same issues. One
particularly interesting session
for us was the interestingly titled
“And this is what we do with the
waste” led by Grist Environmental.
Looking at the whole waste
management chain from the
guest right through to minimising
the landfill or even avoiding
completely. A really thoughtprovoking
session, it certainly
generated quite a bit of discussion
afterwards as to where exactly our
waste goes after an event.
Attending Showman’s and AFO
Conference as well as having
our regular planned meetings
with clients and suppliers at the
end of the summer provides us
with the feedback, knowledge
and information we need to get
cracking with the following year’s
planning. The outdoor event
industry never stands still and in
order for us to deliver the best to
our clients we need to ensure we
are taking that feedback and new
information and moving forward.
TAR BARRELS AND
SPARKS IN THE PARK
Project wise, early November
saw us working on two extremely
different events. The Ottery St.
Mary Tar Barrels event takes place
on the 5 November each year and
has done so for 400 plus years. The
event sees local residents ‘run’ the
flaming tar barrels through the
town streets and attracts many
thousands of spectators. We’ve
been involved in the event safety
and event management for four
years now and have created a
fantastic team in order to provide
the event with the right skill set.
It’s a really good example of a local
tradition that has embraced new
ways of doing things but hasn’t
lost sight of its core vision.
The event clearly has a highly
defined need for a considered
approach to event safety and
crowd management and it
hasn’t happened overnight,
but through close liaison and
communication with the Police,
Fire Service, local authorities
and many other agencies the
event is now starting to see the
benefits. With a coordinated event
control system running the event
from early afternoon until gone
midnight, the need for a strong
set of relationships between all
the agencies and the event team
themselves is clear.
For the first time this year, we
66 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
EVENTS
LEFT: The Ottery St. Mary Tar Barrels event
managed to run a ‘table top’ exercise
well in advance of the event to work
through potential scenarios as a
group and to ensure we had the right
plans in place to deal with as many
eventualities as are foreseeable. The
key to these exercises is to take as
much learning away as possible and
be honest with any weaknesses so
that they can be planned out well
in advance of the event proper. For
this particular event, we developed
six scenarios including poor weather
leading to the closure of car parks
which are on local farmland, and
how the event would manage if a
significant incident took place off
the event footprint but potentially
affecting both the emergency services
present and visitors arriving and
leaving.
The outcomes were various and
complex but it allowed those involved
time and space to discuss the issues
and develop planning systems to
counter those kind of events. Once
again, the benefits of having a strong
set of relationships with various
bodies both directly and indirectly
involved with the event allows us to
examine all aspects of the planning
from traffic management to on-site
catering. The actual event went well
once again and debriefs beckon in the
near future to ensure everything is in
place for 2019.
Sparks in the Park is a new project
for us and involves circa 20,000
members of the public attending
a fireworks event in one of Cardiff
city’s recreation ground and parks.
What makes this event somewhat
more dynamic than the norm is that
the majority of guests are attending
purely for the 30 minute firework
finale and not only arrive within a
relatively small window of time but
also depart en-masse, which requires
significant planning to ensure that
the exit routes are clear, safe, well
lit and managed. With a team both
in event control and on the ground
feeding information back for rapid
decisions we can deploy staff or
assets where they are needed using
first-hand information rather than
listening to rumour or assumptions.
We are working alongside a charity
for this event with a large number
of volunteers on site which provides
us with a brilliant additional asset
to ensure that the public have a
safe and successful event. Following
this year’s event, we are already
developing plans to further enhance
and make sure that the volunteers
who kindly give their time have even
more training and information preevent.
As a starting point we plan to
look at whether key training sessions
pre-event could be instigated in order
to get volunteer team leaders better
informed and able to ‘cascade’ more
detailed information throughout
the volunteer team. Great though
printed handbooks are, they rely on
people reading and understanding
them. Face to face team building
sessions allow greater levels of
communication and engagement
which always pay dividends.
2019
As we come to the end of 2018 and look back,
we are already well into planning for a number
of events in 2019. Some of the projects are long
standing clients where we are working to not
only continue the success of the event but also
develop new ideas to keep it fresh and dynamic.
The best example for us is Sidmouth Folk Festival,
which is celebrating its 65th year in 2019, and has
a varied mix of temporary and permanent venues
on greenfield sites, town parks and in community
halls and venues.
We also have some exciting new ventures with
whole new festivals next year. Part of that planning
is getting out of the office and onto the event sites.
One of our projects is redeveloping a core element
of its visitor experience and this will involve some
significant infrastructure changes with marquees,
structures, stages and welfare facilities being
moved. Although we have the site plan in a digital
format and planned via CAD, we still visit the site
and use good old-fashioned flags and rope and pin
to see if the revised layout will actually work in the
real world. We can check walkways are adequate
and that the flow of pedestrians across the site
will work, and importantly, it also allows us to
check safety elements such as fire exit routes and
emergency vehicle access.
Although this kind of planning takes time and
resources, we find that the investment pays huge
dividends when it comes to the actual build and
installation of the project. We know what will
work and we can design out issues before the
build phase so reducing wasted time. For us the
investment in time pays off when we are on site
for the actual event and not having to amend and
alter as we go.
In summary, it really is a case of finishing one
year but already planning for the next so that we
have time to develop solutions and ideas. Taking
those days out to meet others really does pay
dividends, and putting the time and effort into
planning those projects will hopefully make life
that little bit smoother come event time in 2019.
Sidmouth
Folk Festival
EVENTS
PRODUCT IN FOCUS
Bars and Catering
Henley Royal Regatta
Description: Brand Activation
for The Berry Company at
the world’s best-known
regatta held over five days in
Oxfordshire
Product: Hire of container bar
Supplier: Bar-Go – The
Portable Bar Company
Telephone: 07971 871481
Website: www.bar-go.co.uk
Cornbury Festival
Description: “A one-of-a-kind
festival: a lovingly crafted, top
notch, very English open air
party, tailor-made for the whole
family set in the heart of the
Cotswolds”
Product: Barbecue and
woodfired ovens
Supplier: Blistering
Telephone: 01825 714712
Website: www.
blisitering.co.uk / www.
blsiteringwoodfiredovens.co.uk
Details: In the sweltering heat
of the barmy summer, Si King
and Dave Myers (aka The Hairy
Bikers) came together
with Blistering to
create a feasting
tipi tent at The
Cornbury Festival
in Oxfordshire.
It was the
first year Hugh
Philamore from
Cornbury had tried
such a tent but he needn’t
have worried. All 1,000 tickets
were sold out by Friday morning
as guests were invited in to
experience a three course
meal with all the recipes taken
from The Bikers’ most recent
Mediterranean influenced
cookbook.
Si and Dave were hands on
throughout the three days
serving the food from the
kitchen, signing books and
generally being top chaps!
After a welcoming speech
from The Bikers, the starters
were served tapas-style,
encouraging guests to pass
platers around and share
festival stories. The food was
cooked fresh in Blistering wood
fired ovens, the highlight being
the main course of wood roast
sea bream.
Feedback: Hugh Philamore,
director of Cornbury Festival,
said: “We were very lucky to
work with Si King and Dave
Myers on our first ever full
restaurant offering at
Cornbury. Tim Reeves
and Nigel Tunnicliff
from Blistering
BBQs did the most
incredible job
delivering over
1,000 delicious
meals from the
Bikers’ Mediterranean
cookbook over several
sittings during the weekend.
Our research gave them an
impressive 97% very good/
excellent approval rating on
quality, service and ambience
– a real triumph. As a company
Blistering put its heart and
soul into delivering a fantastic
experience for us. Both we and
the Bikers were truly thrilled.”
Details: The Berry Company
approached Bar-Go to deliver
its cocktail bar activation
at the Henley Royal Regatta
2018. It was the organisation’s
first such live event and it was keen to present the brand in
an appropriate way, serving cocktails using its fruit based
drinks. Bar-Go produced bespoke signage to transform the
two storey container bar into an exciting VIP entertainment
space, with a superb viewing area of the day’s rowing from
the upper deck. A TV was also installed so the crowds could
watch England’s progress in the World Cup Finals!
Feedback: “The turnaround time for our activation was
pretty quick and Paul at Bar-Go stepped straight in to help.
The bar was designed and activated perfectly, with expertise
and complete professionalism. All of the stress was taken
away by the team involved at Bar-Go and we were delighted
with the result. The event was a great success; we all
thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the bar was crucial to that.
We can’t wait for our next event working together.”
68 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
EVENTS
Jury’s Inn Employee
Awards 2018
Description: Jury’s Inn internal event to
recognise employee achievements
Product: Barlok Revolution Portable Bar
Supplier: Portable Floormaker
Telephone: 01332 814080
Website: www.portablefloormaker.co.uk
/ www.barlokbars.co.uk
Details: Portable Floormaker worked
together with UK Virtual Events of
Reading to install a centrepiece portable
LED bar in the rotunda area of the Jury’s
Inn Hinckley Island Hotel & Conference
Venue in Leicestershire.
The Barlok Revolution is just one of the
various portable bar options available
from Portable Floormaker. From 1m and
1.5m straight sections to standard and
radiussed corners to matching back bar
and the 4m diameter Revolution bar, the
Barlok range offers impressive set up and
break down times and all units are neatly
housed in purpose built wheeled flight
cases.
The hotel also own a Publok black
and white checkerboard dance floor as
well as a Florlok parquet floor, both from
Portable Floormaker. Also available is a
range of portable dance floors including
the new Multilok all weather dance floor,
staging and LED event furniture including
Letterlok products.
Feedback: The deputy general manager
who organised the event was extremely
happy with the overall aesthetics that the
bar offered and mentioned that the bar
was well received by all the guests who
thought it made an amazing statement.
It also helped with the bar service, taking
some strain away from the permanent
bars. Feedback was that he would not
hesitate to use the Barlok portable bar
system for future events.
Don’t Dream it - Hire it
• Furniture - internal & external
• Dance floors & staging
• Thermostatically controlled heating systems
• Event lighting & electrics
• Power generation
• Event management
With our extensive experience within the events industry, Event Equipment is the ideal partner to
fulfil all of your event requirements. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff can help to make your
occasion special. Our event management service can help with every aspect of your day, be it a
party or a wedding, including being there on the day to make sure it runs smoothly.
www.eventequipmentltd.co.uk
Tel: 01829 289 888
Email: sales@eventequipmentltd.co.uk
The Victorian Bandstand Stage
Introducing the latest addition to the Stages for Hire
family; our elegant, ornate and traditional Victorian
Bandstand. Offering a very different look and feel to
regular event stages, the bandstand adds a touch
of style and glamour to any festival, party, wedding,
ball or special event.
T: 0800 999 3285 / M: 0777 5597983
E: info@stagesforhire.com
W: www.stagesforhire.com
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 69
Spot light
A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry
FOR THE KIDS!
Plain Huts
07903 313922
www.plainhuts.co.uk
We love to build bespoke! We
have built large huts for big
ideas, small huts for private
reflections and now we are
super excited to bring you a very
tiny hut for those little people
who want to join in the fun!
Our 'Cubby' hut is perfect for
preschoolers with a simple but
beautifully executed design in
birch ply with strong links with
our classic designs. Features
include a round window, tall
narrow window, perfectly
formed cast iron wheels,
traditional corrugated iron roof
(edged with rubber to save those
precious heads) and simple
engraved motifs including a
beanstalk, frog and bunting.
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.
NEW MODELS FOR 2019
Cabinville Shepherd Huts
01379 687467
www.cabinvilleshepherdhuts.
co.uk
Cabinville Shepherd Huts has
launched its 2019 models which
have been designed from the
ground up to be suitable for
glamping. With four unique
models, the company has a hut
to suit your needs whether it be
for guest accommodation or as
a function space. Designed in
Norfolk, the shepherd huts are
all built on a special wheelbase
that gives them a lower total
height (now under 3m), greater
stability and the possibility for
them to be easily moved. The
new models are on show at
Bressingham (nr Diss) in Norfolk,
IP22 2AE, and a full description
can be found on the website.
WOOD-FIRED HOT TUBS AND
SAUNAS
Naked Flame Eco-Tubs
01484 766233
www.nakedtubs.com
Naked Flame Eco-Tubs has fast
become the chosen supplier
within the holiday industry
supplying wood-fired hot tubs
and saunas to both independent
and large companies across
the UK. Now a trusted supplier
to companies such as Sykes
Cottages, Cool Camping, Wigwam
Holidays and Canopy & Stars
to name but a few, the Naked
Flame product range not only
gives glamping and holiday
park site owners a completely
off-grid option but also boasts
the fastest heat up times on the
market. Hand-crafted Saunas
are available in sizes to suit and
the highest quality Scandinavian
heaters are included (Harvia &
Kota). All prices include delivery
direct from Scandinavia.
LONG VALLEY YURTS
70 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
COMMERCIAL SOFA BEDS FOR
GLAMPSITES
Mattison Contract Beds
01473 255 888
www.mattisoncontractbeds.co.uk
Mattison Contract Beds has
diversified in recent years and
its sofa bed range is testament
to this; contemporary design
with a wide range of standard
upholstery choices (or opt to
use your own). The sofa beds
are ideal to use in glamping
accommodation and hotel
rooms alike as they can be
discretely stored away until
an extra guest bed is required
– giving your accommodation
flexibility.
Having appeared at the Glamping
Show 2018, Mattison Contract
Beds has adapted its sofa beds
to a modular construction and
crafted unique corner sofa units
and bespoke options. Contact
the sales office with any enquiries
info@mattisoncontractbeds.co.uk
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.
Classified
Directory
Sewage Treatment Systems
Electric Free Biomatic Systems
For all residential, commercial
and industrial applications
01295 236101 • info@theseptictankstore.co.uk
www.theseptictankstore.co.uk
Keeping Things
Together
Probably the largest selection of textile fasteners in the UK
The GlampRAD is an innovative stand-alone radiant heater panel
developed for the glamping and park home industries as an efficient
& cost-effective alternative heating solution.
ENQUIRE NOW
www.opas.co.uk
www.glamprad.com
sales@glamprad.com
+44 (0) 1269 853957
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 71
Electrical
Classified Directory
Finman
Glamping
Cabins and
BBQ Huts
From
£3,685
UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE
01389 887205 www.logspan.com
Contemporary cedar
wood hot tubs from
£2,495 + VAT
01934 832 801
www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk
www.twilight-trees.com
Meeting the Challenges
of Mowing Head On
www.stigalawnmowers.co.uk
THE TOTAL Electrical POWER PROVIDER
Complete solution for all temporary power
requirements
Fully qualified professional staff
Generator hire
Complete design to installation service
Practical and functional lighting
Permanent electrical installations for
Phone: 01233 822059 www.excellelectrical.com
Mobile: 07837 372549 or 07715 355544
Email: helen@excellelectrical.com
TWO-WAY RADIO
SUPPORTING
YOUR EVENTS
Call FREE:
0800 043 2688
sales@dcrs.co.uk
www.dcrs.co.uk
DCRS Open Air Magazine Classified Advert.indd 1 06/12/2018 09:36
Bespoke Built Shepherd Huts
30 Year Guarantee on Steel Frame & Chassis
Finance Packages Available
IT ALL STARTS WITH TEA & CAKE
Temporary & PERMANENT
heating & air conditioning
Hire/Sale/service
Call: 01527 821848
hello@riversidesheperdhuts.co.uk
www.riversidesheperdhuts.co.uk
HANDMADE
IN BRITAIN
72 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
BEHIND THE SCENES
Hever Castle
Helen Francis goes behind the scenes this Christmas
time at Hever Castle and Gardens in Kent
YOU MIGHT be a planner or a last minute
buyer, but chances are you won’t be
thinking about Christmas more than a year
in advance!
But at Hever Castle and Gardens it takes
13 months to plan the Christmas activities
for visitors, so preparation for December
2018 started in November 2017.
It is an all hands on deck affair with
staff members from retail, maintenance,
housekeeping, visitor services, marketing
and gardening all involved.
The first thing to be decided is the
theme for the following year (before the
current Christmas event has started). In
2018 the main theme will be Christmas
stories, and the festive trail in the grounds
will be Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Event and programming assistant
Caz Church starts working on props in
January and continues working on them
throughout the year. Everything is made
in-house. All the contractors from Father
Christmas to the fairground attractions
and those who provide fake snow are
confirmed by the end of January.
With the theme to work with and the
debrief done, retail manager Ashley
Collins attends the main Christmas trade
fairs - one in Birmingham and January’s
‘Christmas World’ in Frankfurt (the largest
of its kind in the world). He looks for new
stock for the Hever shop as well as any
additions needed for the decorations in
the Castle.
“Some of the stands have over £1m
worth of decorations,” he says. “There
are 3,000 stands with 60,000 people from
around the world. Most of the companies
I use in Europe only supply three or four
organisations in the area so it is pretty
exclusive.”
When Ashley returns from the fairs he
only has a few weeks to plan what he
would like to order as he needs to confirm
his stock requirements by the end of
February for arrival from the first week of
September.
In May/June, meetings take place
with heads of departments for more
detailed planning of the event including
any additional storytellers, where any
extra food provision is needed as well as
marketing materials.
Every year, the historic attraction tries
to have one or two new things to improve
the visitor experience. In 2017 outdoor
seating and heaters were added outside
the Pavilion Restaurant to make it more
appealing. This year there will be more
lighting in the grounds.
Marketing starts by the August bank
holiday weekend and annual members
can start booking in September with non
members two weeks later.
From the end of August there are
monthly planning meetings. At the end of
September visitor services, maintenance
and retail have separate meetings to put
together a more detailed time frame of
actions needed. A calendar with a daily
countdown from 1 October is put together.
Festive items will go on sale in the shop
from the third week of September and
getting them out early does pay off as
revenue was up 20 per cent in 2017 as they
went out earlier than the previous year.
September is also the time to start
thinking about the decoration of the
BEHIND THE SCENES
Castle. As items arrive everything
is grouped together in terms of
the room it will go in and all the
lights are checked.
On average each tree has a
minimum of 200 lights on them
or candle lights. Head gardener
Neil Miller puts in the order for
trees in October for the Castle,
the bed and breakfast, grotto and
Christmas trail.
60 per cent of the trees are
from Kentish suppliers with
the rest from the UK. Each year
50-100 small Christmas trees are
planted on the estate so in about
10 years' time the site will be
more sustainable.
From October the lighting
starts to go in. In the second week
of November the trees come
in. They have to last six to eight
weeks so they are put in at the
last minute and well watered
(especially the ones near the
open fires). Some of them have
to be replaced and are done just
before Christmas.
Some of the fake snow has
to go in before certain trees are
put in. The dressing of the snow
takes about a week with three
contractors on site for three or
four days.
It takes around 10 people
two days to dress the Castle
for Christmas. In-house florist
Pamela Brise themes the flowers
around the rooms. The gardening
team is responsible for decorating
the drop-in Father Christmas
grotto, which is about a week’s
worth of work for three people.
They also restock the courtyard
shop and make wreaths to be
sold.
Extra operations staff are
drafted in every day from the
second week of November
doing jobs such as building the
grotto and putting together the
Christmas trail (which is different
every year).
A staff preview event is held
on the third Friday of November
(23 November this year) to iron
out any teething problems before
the event opens to the public the
following day.
Then the first day after the first
of January everything is taken
down and the trees are shredded
and recycled for compost.
PROFILE
Privately owned,
Hever Castle in
Kent is a romantic
double moated
13th-century castle
and the childhood
home of Anne Boleyn,
the second wife
of Henry VIII and
mother of Elizabeth
I. It offers venue hire
for weddings and
corporate events and
runs several public
events through the
year including its
popular summer
jousting tournament.
www.hevercastle.
co.uk
74 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
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