February 2021

ISSUE 40 | February 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

SUPPLIER 

SHOWCASE 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Delegation 

› Start-up Venues 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

› Instagram 1 

› Small Space Design 

EVENTS 

› Placemaking 

› Covid Insurance 

CASE STUDIES: 

HOUCHINS • THE PADDOCK RAMSBOTTOM • FRINGE BY THE SEA

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astreeauk.co.uk 

01884 254 013 

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by Evo Lifestyle Products


WELCOME 

ISSUE 40; it’s quite a landmark in the history of Open Air Business, 

and we’ve seen a lot of change over the past five years. Looking back 

to those early issues in 2016, it’s incredible to see how the market has 

evolved. Weddings have continued to get more intimate and venue 

choice more important than ever, with open air and rustic events 

now mainstream. Business bookers too are gravitating to out of town 

spaces, especially as fresh air and low footfall appeal in the light of 

Covid. 

Staycations are through the roof, although pre-pandemic glamping 

had already established itself as a hospitality mainstay. This sector has evolved so rapidly it’s 

hard to think back to a time when it wasn’t part of the tourism landscape. On pages 41-43, 

academic Greg Watt analyses the evolution of glamping and discusses the effect of the wider 

hospitality industry appropriating the concept. 

Design innovation in the market is something to behold. It’s a very exciting time to be 

considering a development – the world really is your oyster; check out our supplier showcase 

for some inspiring creations. Architect Mark Waghorn offers sage advice on designing your 

small space – crucial when mud and wellies are likely to feature in its day-to-day use! 

In contrast to the staycation boom, festivals and events of all kinds have been decimated. 

Those that have survived Covid are starting to come back online but are vulnerable to any 

change in the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown. I believe the industry is unanimous in its plea for 

the government to commit to underwrite cancellation costs of events, like it has for film and 

television. Read more on the news pages and in Tim Thornhill’s comment piece on page 63. 

So, the next milestone is issue 50. I wonder what the outlook will be then? I make that just 

over 12 months to turn things around; we at Open Air Business know you can do it and we are 

here to support you in any way we can. 

UPFRONT 

4 News 

9 Product News 

12 Entrepreneur’s Chat 

– Kerry Woodhead, 

Pinewood Park 


17 Houchins – style and 

elegance with a postmodern 

twist 

22 Starting a Venue – 

words of wisdom from 

Kelly Chandler 

24 Learn to Let Go – the 

art of delegation with 

Caroline Cooper 

29 Freelance and 

Flexible – it’s time to 

capitalise on a talent 

mountain 

31 Supplier Showcase – 

venue suppliers strut 

their stuff 

GLAMPSITES 

35 Paddock Camping 

– a relaxed seasonal 

glampsite in the West 

Pennine Moors 

41 Little Spaces Big 

Decisions – advice 

from architect Mark 

Wagthorn 

44 Instagram 1 – social 

media expert Lisa 

Bullen shares her 

knowledge 

46 Evolution and 

Appropriation – 

Greg Watt digs deep 

into the history of 

glamping 

50 Supplier Showcase 

– glamping suppliers 

strut their stuff 

EVENTS 

55 Fringe by the Sea – a 

10 day multi-arts 

Tally Rix 

Editor / Publisher 

Contents ISSUE #40 FEBRUARY 2021 

festival in North 

Berwick 

60 Making Places – how 

events celebrate 

and strengthen 

communities 

63 Underwriting Covid 

Risk – the post-Covid 

insurance landscape 

64 Get Organised – 

making the most of 

this year’s squeezed 

events season 

67 Supplier Showcase – 

event suppliers strut 

their stuff 

68 Spotlight 

70 Classifieds 

73 Behind the Scenes – 

Ashley Mullins, 

Jersey Zoo 

PUBLISHERS 

Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

EDITOR 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

Find more expert advice online: 

www.openairbusiness.com 

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ONLINE 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Marney Whyte - 01892 677743 

marney@openairbusiness.com 

Kelly Edwards – 01892 677721 

kelly@openairbusiness.com 

ADMINISTRATOR 

Kirsty Farrow – 01892 677740 

kirsty@openairbusiness.com 

DESIGN 

James English - 

www.jamesenglishdesign.co.uk 

PUBLISHED BY 

Coffee Shop Media Ltd 

www.coffeeshopmedia.com 

Milroy House, Sayers Lane, 

Tenterden, TN30 6BW 

01580 848555 

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FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 




› Start-up Venues › Small Space Design › Covid Insurance 

CASE STUDIES: 

HOUCHINS • THE PADDOCK RAMSBOTTOM • FRINGE BY THE SEA 

BUSINESS 

SUPPLIER 

SHOWCASE 

COVER PHOTO 

Kicking off 2021 in true glamping spirit, The Nova Air Dome is 

Boutique Camping’s newest exclusive design to launch. Pole 

free and pumped up in just 10 minutes, this canvas abode is 

an all-round, pitch-perfect match for any outdoor business! 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

Event Industry Calls 

for Governmentbacked 

Insurance 

SOME OF the UK’s most legendary 

performers are among those calling on 

the government to commit to underwrite 

cancellation costs of events and enable 

the restart of the live entertainment sector. 

Alongside industry experts and trade 

associations, Jools Holland, Depeche Mode, 

Johnny Marr, Sir Cliff Richard, Robert Plant, 

Roger Daltrey, Amy McDonald, The Chemical 

Brothers, Frank Turner and Judas Priest have 

all added their names to the chorus of voices 

calling for a government-backed scheme. 

The news comes as results from a new 

YouGov survey show that half of the UK 

population want to go to a live event this 

summer, and 75 per cent believe live events 

are critical to British culture. Whilst recent 

news of mass ticket purchasing following 

the roadmap announcement is positive, it is 

even more critical for a government-backed 

insurance scheme to be in place to safeguard 

the industry. 

Industry experts say that Britain’s live 

music and events industry can get back to 

work tomorrow without the government 

spending one pound – as long as it pledges 

to meet costs arising from any future 

cancellations caused by Covid. By making 

this promise, HM Treasury can bridge the gap 

for Covid cancellation insurance and support 

the UK’s live entertainment industries. 

Tim Thornhill, director of Tysers 

Entertainment and Sport Division, and live 

entertainment insurance industry veterans 

Bob Taylor and John Silcock, are working 

closely with live music industry umbrella 

organisation LIVE and insurance industry 

colleagues to urge the government to work 

with the industry to find a solution. 

Tim Thornhill commented: “The 

government has successfully created a 

scheme that has enabled the film and 

television industries to get back to work. 

Now they need to do the same for the 

live events industry. But the window of 

opportunity for this summer will slam shut 

very shortly. The government needs to act 

now.” 

Greg Parmley, CEO of LIVE, adds: 

“Governments in Germany, Austria, Norway, 

the Netherlands and elsewhere are already 

backing schemes to allow production 

companies and their staff to plan for a safe 

return to live events. The UK rollout of the 

vaccine is cause for optimism in creating 

events that are safe but the industry will be 

significantly hampered without Covid event 

cancellation insurance.” 

GETTY IMAGES 

New Quirky 

Wedding Venue 

DALTON PUMPING Station, near Murton in County 

Durham, has been granted approval to be turned into 

an unusual wedding venue. 

The grade II-listed structure designed by Thomas 

Hawksley dates back to the 1870s and comprises 

a Venetian Gothic engine house and attached 

ancillary buildings. The pump house will be used for 

ceremonies and receptions will be held in the boiler 

room, with a capacity for 200 covers. 

Single-storey extensions will provide additional 

kitchen facilities and toilets while internal alterations 

include a mezzanine floor and underfloor heating. 

The planned venue will also incorporate a bridal shop 

and commercial offices. 

DALTON PUMPING STATION 

New Events Licence for Cricket Club 

LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY Cricket 

Club has been granted a new 

premises licence and could attract 

up to 19,999 people for two large 

scale events a year. The club says 

the move unlocks its potential to 

be “Leicester’s premium outdoor 

venue”. 

CEO Sean Jarvis said: “This new 

licence gives us greater flexibility 

when working with artists and 

promoters to organise large-scale 

events at the Uptonsteel County 

Ground. 

“Having already attracted the likes 

of Sir Elton John previously, we are 

really looking forward to securing 

other big-name artists to our events 

calendar. 

“Our team have already been in 

discussions with event organisers to 

prepare to schedule a programme of 

first-class events for people who live 

in and around the region to enjoy.” 

LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

23 Timber Lodges 

for Stokesley 

PLANS FOR a leisure development comprising 

23 lodges and four glamping pods have been 

submitted for six acres of farmland at Tame 

Bridge in Stokesly, Yorkshire. 

Backed by the local hospitality sector, 

supporters say it would help the area bounce 

back from the pandemic and meet booming 

demand for staycations close to the North York 

Moors National Park. 

Planning documents submitted to Hambleton 

District Council state the applicants are aiming 

to manage the site in partnership with a 

national holiday park operator and the cabins 

would be leased for holiday purposes. 

Supporters said while the holiday park would 

be “visually unique”, the area was lacking in 

luxury lodges with too many ‘old style’ caravans. 

HDC PLANNING PORTAL 

5 on the Farm Festival 

CHANNEL 5 will host a new festival of rural life over the August Bank Holiday 

at Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley, where the channel’s show ‘This Week on the 

Farm’ is filmed. 

More than 10,000 visitors are expected to attend the three-day ‘5 on the 

Farm Festival’. 

Channel 5 has appointed a number of Yorkshire businesses to support the 

event, including Hot Metal printers (Barnsley), Titan Risk Management (Leeds), 

Awesome Merchandise (Leeds) and Wrapped Agency (York) for creative 

comms. 

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason said: “It's fantastic 

that the festival will be taking place in South Yorkshire. With many brilliant 

businesses from the county being involved, this will be a welcome boost for 

the local economy and will showcase this great part of Yorkshire far and wide.” 

Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis added: “Cannon Hall Farm is a 

fantastic community asset and a major event like this is an integral part of our 

visitor economy and cultural offer here in Barnsley.” 

Glamping Plans for Iscoyd Park 

THE GRADE II* listed Iscoyd Park wedding 

venue has entered plans to site 10 bells tents 

and yurts within its walled garden, with 

further proposals for a shepherd’s hut and 

the conversion of an old pigeon house into a 

ceremony room. 

The plans have been put forward to make 

the 18th century property safe to hold 

weddings during the coronavirus pandemic, 

according to consultants acting on behalf of 

the venue’s owner Philip Godsal. 

In application documents submitted to 

Wrexham Council, it was noted: “The proposal 

is to convert the pigeon house into a ceremony 

room to allow for the option of a more Covid 

secure location. 

“The proposal will also allow the applicant 

to offer a greater diversity of accommodation, 

including that which will be outside and 

therefore more Covid secure.” 

ISCOYD PARK 


South Coast 

Events Forum 

THE SOUTH Coast events 

community has pulled 

together to create the South 

Coast Events Forum (SCEF). 

From award-winning event 

organisers to industry-leading 

event suppliers, the forum brings together 

event professionals from across the 

South Coast with a combined aim to reemerge 

from the coronavirus pandemic 

with a more unified, collaborative and 

sustainable offer. 

The not-for-profit forum will be led by 

a newly-formed steering group consisting 

of nine experienced professionals from 

across the events industry including chair 

Craig Mathie, MD of Bournemouth 7s 

Festival. 

Full of excitement about the new group, 

he commented: “It is an absolute privilege 

to have been joined in this concept by so 

many excellent industry professionals. In 

these most challenging times, I have been 

blown away by the spirit of collaboration 

and the positive approach of our 

members, and the fantastic steering group 

who will represent them. 

“We are full of admiration for 

everything that has been achieved by the 

national organisations who represent 

our industry to government and help 

to drive standards across the industry. 

Groups such as ours will help us to engage 

with local decision makers, to influence 

regional strategy and share best practice 

with those we work with most regularly.” 

Membership is free for both organisers 

and suppliers. To join or for more 

information visit 

www.southcoasteventsforum.com 

Bath Half Marathon Receives 

A Greener Run Award 

BATH HALF Marathon has become the 

first run in the world to receive the AGF 

Run Award for its actions towards creating 

greener mass participation events. 

Race director Andrew Taylor, of Running 

High Events, said: “We are delighted to 

receive this award as recognition of our 

work to minimise the environmental 

impact of the event. We are particularly 

proud to have been the first event in our 

sector to receive it. We would like to thank 

our event partners, particularly Wessex 

Water for working with us to replace 

bottled with mains drinking water, and MJ 

Church who have provided event waste 

management services for a number of 

years. We’d also like to thank the assessors 

for their sterling work. 

“We found the AGF assessment process 

and report to be a challenging and robust 

examination of our event processes, 

providing very helpful and informed thirdparty 

insights and validation of our work, 

highlighting areas of improvement for 

future years.” 

Participants in the AGF awards, a 

leading kite mark of sustainable and 

regenerative events, undergo a detailed 

evidence-based assessment throughout 

the whole event process including selfassessment, 

independent site visits, and 

post event proof and analysis. Bath Half 

went the extra mile with AGF, including a 

detailed CO2 analysis and sustainability 

report of the event’s operations and 

impacts. 

NEW DATES FOR EPS 

THE EVENT Production Show will be held at Farnborough International on the 26-27 

May. In a statement, organisers said: “After various conversations with our official 

partners, exhibitors, and many industry heavyweights, we are confident that the 

sector is going to move ahead this year and the Event Production Show will be there 

to help. 

“With an amazing line-up of speakers, great engagement, support from the 

industry and a flexibility never before afforded to the Event Production Show, 2021 

will be the kick start to get this ‘show’ back on the road.” 

BATH HALF 


THE POD BODS 

NATURE DWELLINGS | OUTDOOR LIVING | HOSPITALITY SOLUTIONS 

GUEST 

HOME OFFICE 

THE POD BODS 

CHALET 

HOSPITALITY 

Visit: thepodbods.com | Call: 01924 677002 | Mail: Info:@thepodbods.com

ISSUE 38 | October/November 2020 | www.openairbusiness.com 

ISSUE 35 | March 2020 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

BUSINESS 

ISSUE 39 | January 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

ISSUE 33 | January 2020 | www.openairbusiness.com 


BUSINESS 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

> Legalities 

> Biophilic Design 

> Seasonal USPs 

> Bespoke Structures 

> Wedding Insights 

> Professional Services 

CASE STUDIES: HEATON HOUSE FARM • BROOK MEADOW • DOGFEST 


OAB Gathering 2020 – Don’t miss our very own conference this March! 

Alfresco Dining 

› Promoting Events 

› Market Research › Testing Times 

› Contingency Plans › Booking Channels › Necessary Change 

CASE STUDIES: 

SKIPBRIDGE COUNTRY WEDDINGS • TRECOMBE LAKES • WEEKEND AT THE ASYLUM 

> Events Report 

> Changing Diets 

> Marquees 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDIES: 


› Venue Searches 

› Customer Excellence 

EVENTS 

STAYCATION 

INVESTMENT 

GLAMPSITES 

› Tree Advice 

/ / 

› Glamping Show 

CASE STUDIES: 


› Changing Habits 

› Industry Taskforce 

CHILLI BARN • MAD DOGS & VINTAGE VANS • HEVER CRAFT AND DESIGN FAIR 

EVENTS 

› Event Glamping 

› Coping with Covid 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

› Casual Excellence 

› Planning Exemptions 

EVENTS 

THE ORCHARD AT MUNSLEY • HOLLY WATER HOLIDAYS • LANTERNS AT CHESTER ZOO 

Customer 

First 

› 2021 Predictions 

› Marketing Post-Covid 




› Start-up Venues › Small Space Design 

CASE STUDIES: 

HOUCHINS • THE PADDOCK RAMSBOTTOM • FRINGE BY THE SEA 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

BUSINESS 

EVENTS 


› Covid Insurance 


SUPPLIER 

SHOWCASE 

BUSINESS 

Spread the Word 

Open Air Business is now £36 per year 

If you know someone who would benefit 

from a print subscription, please let them know! 

With big thanks, 

The Open Air Business Team 

www.openairbusiness.com/subscribe

PRODUCT 

The Nova Air Dome 

BOUTIQUE CAMPING has launched its very first air-structured canvas 

creation. The pole free Nova Air Dome simply plugs in and pumps up in 

just 10 minutes. 

Novas include large windows with external flaps for redirecting 

rainpour and guy-rope free webbing straps. 

Starting at 3m, the only tent of its size to comfortably accommodate 

a double mattress due to the obstruction-free internal living space, 

the range also includes a 4m and 5m model with a sleeping capacity of 

eight+. 

Airy in both name and nature, the Nova Air Dome is made from a 

lightweight polycotton canvas, which at 200gsm has a lighter load and 

quicker drying time, without compromising on the breathable and 

insulating qualities. Boutique Camping’s range of canvas tents are 

treated with a water, UV and rot repelling agent, so you can achieve 

longevity no matter where you set up camp. 0203 319 1315 / info@ 

boutiquecamping.com / www.boutiquecamping.com 

Busier than Ever 

POWERPACK SUPPLIER Portable Power 

Technology (PPT) has reported its busiest year yet 

with glamping and camping sites extending and 

upgrading accommodation for what we all hope will 

be a boom for the industry after such a difficult year. 

PPT has been contacted by many sites 

looking to add user-friendly power to 'pop up' 

accommodations. The requirements can be as 

simple as powering lights and supplying phone 

charging capabilities up to powering fridges and 

TVs. Many opt for an all-in-one solution with PPT’s 

ever-expanding range of powerpacks. 

Powerpacks offer a lightweight solution 

ranging from 1.5kg to 27kg depending on a site’s 

requirements and include a lithium battery, 

inverter, charger, USB ports and solar controller to 

add a solar panel to. PPT prides itself not only on 

quality and customer support but also how user 

friendly its products are – you don't need to be an 

electrician to understand the power you are offering 

your guests! 

Enquiries are also increasing for custom solutions 

for the more power-hungry sites or those with 

unique power needs. PPT’s engineers are always 

available to discuss bespoke requirements, offering 

tried and tested solutions to fit both needs and 

budget. 01474 761051 / sales@portablepowertech. 

com / www.portablepowertech.com 

Spectacular Outdoor 

Hospitality Solutions 

WITH US all eagerly waiting for the lockdown to end, The Pod Bods have 

spent winter creating some truly spectacular outdoor solutions. Their 

new range includes outdoor kitchens, guest huts and huts for use as small 

business premises. 

With expertise in outdoor trading, the team has provided glamping 

sites with shepherd and 23’ chalet huts, all of which have been kitted out 

with bespoke designs to suit customers’ needs. 

With a wealth of experience in the commercial sector, the Pod Bods can 

advise on how you can maximise sales by utilising your outdoor trading 

spaces. Particularly successful are the Hospitality Huts for venues and 

pubs – ideal for the hospitality trade as we come out of lockdown. 

01924 677002 / info@thepodbods.com / www.thepodbods.com 


PRODUCT 

The Castan 

Range Launched 

MARK WAGHORN Design has launched a new model in its 

Castan range of glamping units. The Castan Cabin, which 

provides self-contained accommodation for couples or 

families, uses the same highly insulated core design as its 

Castan Tree Houses, while being sited at ground level. Like 

the tree house design, a circular timber screen encloses 

the Castan Cabin, providing useful and attractive spaces 

on all four sides. These include an entrance porch with 

space for boots and coats, a utility store, a veranda off the 

main living space providing access to the deck, and an 

outdoor shower which would perfectly complement an 

adjacent hot tub. 

Mark Waghorn Design offers a full architectural and 

planning consultancy service. The company, which 

is headed by an experienced architect, can advise on 

choice of unit and also develops bespoke designs to meet 

specific requirements. 01558 822009 / info@mwd.wales 

www.mwd.wales 

View a Qorone’s Welcoming 

Warmth in Somerset 

QORONES ALREADY look appealing and inviting from the outside, but 

to really experience the tardis effect created by the outward leaning 

walls, and the wow factor of the beautiful bellows-like canvas roof, you 

need to step inside. Now you can do just that! Joseph and Lucy have 

their show Qorone available for viewing near Glastonbury in Somerset. 

They’ll be delighted to welcome interested parties to come and sample 

the warmth of the Qorone, have a cup of tea, and find out more about 

the unique structure. You can even stay the night and experience a 

morning coffee brewed on the centrepiece eight-sided woodburning 

stove. 

Not far from the M5, and situated above the Somerset Levels with 

far reaching views across to Glastonbury Tor, this Qorone is in the 

perfect place to show itself off beautifully. The safety of any visitors is 

paramount, and current Covid guidance will be followed throughout 

any visit. 07798 902209 / info@qorone.com 

www.qorone.com 

Keeping 

Hospitality Open 

ASTREEA IGLOOS are keeping hospitality open across Europe 

and can do the same here in the UK. Streets are lined with 

outdoor domes allowing businesses to extend their opening 

hours because of increased dining space where guests are still 

sheltered from the elements. The company takes great pride 

in being able to support one of the industries most affected by 

the pandemic. 

Here in the UK, with lockdown restrictions planned to 

ease for hospitality from 12 April, the weatherproof bubbles 

provide cover for guests when outdoor dining, giving 

customers an alternative option last minute when the weather 

turns. 

Designed and built in an aerospace factory, Astreea Igloos 

have a robust construction and a two year guarantee. They 

can be bolted down or simply weighted to keep them in place. 

Extending your business outside this year will be key. Give 

guests options to use outside space whatever the weather. 

01884 254013 / info@astreeauk.co.uk / www.astreeauk.co.uk 


Exclusive UK Launch 

GLAMPING INNOVATIONS has recently launched two new exclusive 

products into the UK. 

With its unique oval shape, the DOF Panorama Tent works in any 

landscape and offers luxury and comfort. The glamping tent is in line 

with the company’s philosophy of creating special spaces by combining 

design and functionality. The curved wooden structure gives it a beautiful 

natural look inside and guests can experience the surroundings as a 

real panorama with an astonishing wide view through the many large 

windows. In addition to natural light, the panoramic roof offers a magical 

view of the night sky. With this tent you can choose to go off the beaten 

track because the space offers many possibilities. 

Available in four sizes, all with 

high wind resistance and Serge 

Ferrari canvas, the DOF Panorama 

offers a year round accommodation 

option and can include a kitchen 

and sanitary facilities. 

Coming soon, Glamping 

Innovations is excited to 

also announce the launch of 

Arcade. Please see Glamping 

Supplier Showcase, pages 

50-52. 03333 447566 / sara@ 

glampinginnovations.co.uk 

www.glampinginnovations.co.uk 


ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

KERRY 

WOODHEAD 

After losing a 

business built 

up over 15 years, 

and many more 

battles along the 

way, Kerry and 

husband Dave 

have created a 

thriving business 

out of a failing 

caravan park 

When Kerry and Dave 

Woodhead lost their 

Kwick Save fruit 

and veg franchise in 

Scarborough, they 

had just four weeks to 

rearrange their whole 

life. “We had been in the 

trade for 15 years and had been running a really 

successful business with 12 employees when Kwick 

Save decided to run the fruit and veg themselves. 

We lost our business without any compensation. 

“We had to sell our forever home that Dave had 

finished renovating two years previously and had 

to decide quickly what to do next.” 

Having not enjoyed the corporate element of 

their previous business Kerry and Dave decided to 

try something completely different. “We were fed 

up of wearing a uniform and being told what we 

could or couldn’t do so we put our heads together 

and thought, what makes people happy? (Other 

than their weekly fruit and veg shop!). Family 

holidays are very important to us and we thought 

what better business to be in than to create great 

memories for others.” 

The couple found an underperforming caravan 

park on the edge of Scarborough. “The seven acre 

site was licensed with the Caravan Club but wasn’t 

being run to its full potential. There was an elderly 

couple living there and a bungalow on site. We 

went to our accountant and he said we needed 

straitjackets as we were putting everything from 

the sale of our house into it and every other penny 

we had. But the site had something magical about 

it and we truly believed we could make our vision 

work.” 


PEOPLE 

“WE NOW HAVE 21 GLAMPING UNITS AND 20 CAMPING AND 

CARAVANNING PITCHES. WE HAVE 140 PEOPLE ON SITE WHEN 

WE’RE AT CAPACITY.” 

So strong was their belief, Kerry and Dave had 

already planted 1,000 laurel trees on the site 

before the sale had gone through. “We had made 

friends with the couple selling the property by 

then and had been told we would need to screen 

the place if we wanted to do any development as 

it’s quite exposed. We couldn’t afford £10,000 for 

mature hedging so put in young plants knowing 

it would take a few years before we were ready to 

start work.” 

Pinewood Park, as it is now known, opened in 

2006. “We changed to the Camping and Caravan 

Club and created a camping field with 14 hook 

ups.” Today Pinewood also offers glamping in tipis 

and a variety of quirky timber structures as well as 

weddings and corporate events in a rustic barn. 

“We now have 21 glamping units and 20 

camping and caravanning pitches. We have 140 

people on site when we’re at capacity.” 

Covid set Pinewood back, as it did the 

hospitality industry universally, but ever positive, 

Kerry and Dave made the absolute most of every 

piece of land to claw back income in the months 

they could open. “We were 100 per cent full once 

we were allowed to open and hope 2021 will follow 

suit.” 

PLANNING NIGHTMARES 

There were many times along the way that Kerry 

reports wanting to give up. “We have both had 

wobbles,” she says, “but we have pulled each other 

through.” 

If anything could have made the couple throw in 

the towel it was the battle with the local planning 

officer. “The plan from the beginning was to have 

log cabins,” says Kerry. “At the time we first opened 

there were only about seven glamping sites in the 

whole country so it wasn’t really on our radar at 

the start. But the local planning officer gave us an 

outright ‘no’ to our log cabin dreams. He said we 

would never have them on the site. 

“This was just the start though. He was so 

against our site and our plans he even sent the 

enforcement officer down when Dave decided 

to reclaim an old sign from the arcade on 

Scarborough seafront where he worked. He had 

got his hands on a large sign that said ‘Everyone 

Welcome’. The planners came to site and said the 

sign needed to come down as everyone was not 

welcome – only those who were Caravan Club 

members! He overlooked the fact that people can 

join when they get here…” 

The problems went on for eight years. “We 

believe now that there was some history regarding 

the site that meant this particular planner had an 

issue with it.” 

TIPI TROUBLES 

The couple’s glamping operation started with 

canvas tipis. “We wanted to support local wherever 

we could and found a guy nearby who was making 

tipis. We ordered four but within a month they had 

all rotted so we had to start again. 

“Next we found Tipi Village in Wales, who supply 

Glastonbury. We managed to get the tipis up but 

didn’t secure them properly. That first night a mini 

tornedo arrived and ripped them apart! In the end 

we sent them back, got them repaired and put 

them up correctly. 

“They were very authentic with smoke flaps and 

a fire in the middle. At the time we were marketing 

to environmentalists but soon realised the demand 

from families, who of course wanted more comfort 

and convenience. 

“We have always been customer-led so found a 

new style of tipi from Soul Pad, purchased 12 and 

started marketing to families. We are expert at 

putting them up now – it takes us eight minutes!” 

Kerry and Dave replace their canvas structures 

every year. “We sell them off to schools and local 

scout groups at the end of each season. I liken it 

to a hotel giving rooms a coat of paint each year. 


PEOPLE 

We must have bought over 100 tipis now and spent 

about £80,000. We replace all the coir flooring too. 

“There are only two tipis at Pinewood now 

as we have followed the demand for all season 

structures.” 

WEDDINGS AND EVENTS 

Kerry and Dave hadn’t planned to open as a 

wedding venue but in 2010 a couple approached 

them to hire the whole site for their celebration. “It 

was taking place in April and they said not to worry 

as they had a marquee. Well, this marquee arrived 

in a little box that said do not use in wind or rain! It 

was basically a pop-up gazebo. We were so stressed 

about that event but it ended up being the best 

April on record and everything went brilliantly.” 

To avoid any more undue worry, in July that year 

Dave decided to renovate an old storage barn. “We 

recycled and upcycled all the wood we could get 

our hands on, even my sister’s cupboard doors! 

Dave would saw all the wood when any guests were 

out then quietly screw it all in when they were back. 

“While we love Dolly Parton, none of us are really 

country and western fans but the barn took on a 

life of its own and we started collecting western 

memorabilia. It is a wonderful space and when it 

was finished we had a huge family party, but it’s not 

right for weddings and will be getting an overhaul 

to bring it into line with what people want.” 

Pinewood has the common issue of quiet midweeks. 

“We do attract corporate clients but we 

have struggled with schools. We spent a fortune 

on an email that was meant to reach every school 

but got very little out of it – it’s hard to reach the 

right person. But we have come to thinking that if 

mid-week isn’t to be then we’ll just use the time 

for constant site improvement – it’s important to 

keep adding and evolving to stay ahead of the huge 

amount of competition we now have. You can’t 

stand still.” 

BACARDI 

Kerry and Dave put many of their good ideas down 

to Bacardi. “We don’t drink a lot but when we do 

we have a Bacardi. This is often the time we have 

a good brainstorm and come up with loads of mad 

ideas. In the morning we scrub out the terrible ones 

and run with the good ones. If someone asks us, 

‘how did you think of that?’ we say it came from a 

bottle of Bacardi! Some regular guests even turn up 

with a bottle to see what we’ll think up next!” 

Dave builds everything himself, some structures 

from scratch and some that arrive in kit form. “He’s 

great at reusing old materials. When we replaced all 

the decks with concrete made to look like wood, he 

used the timber for some of the glamping cabins. 

People spend ages trying to make new wood look 

old, we used a pressure washer and up it went!” 

Log cabins are still very much in the plan. “We will 

get our cabins but in the meantime we are offering 

quirky timber units. If they aren’t quirky in nature 

then we make them quirky – there’s nothing normal 

about us, and it works as guests come back again 


PEOPLE 

“WE HAVE SO MANY REPEAT CUSTOMERS 

WHO HAVE BECOME FRIENDS, AND IT’S 

JUST WONDERFUL SEEING FAMILIES 

GROW UP. WE HAVE ONE GUEST WHO 

FIRST CAME HERE AS A CHILD – HE NOW 

BRINGS HIS OWN CHILD!” 

and again to try them all.” 

Apart from Bacardi, the couple’s inspiration 

comes from two places: “Travel experiences from 

holidays we’ve been on and our own imaginations. 

“We have also attended all the Glamping Shows 

and have kept every issue of Open Air Business 

since it started. We have contacted a lot of the 

suppliers who advertise and it’s great to read about 

others facing the same challenges we have, and 

know you’re not alone.” 

KNOCKING DOWN THE HOUSE 

On if Pinewood provides a decent income, Kerry 

says: “We’ve got to the point where we can now 

build the dream house we wanted all those years 

ago. We have planning for a large eco house and 

have demolished the bungalow – we have been 

glamping ourselves for two months now! Yes, 

Pinewood is definitely profitable; we wouldn’t have 

knocked down our house if it wasn’t! 

“We are really proud of what we have achieved 

here and we have doubled the value of the 

property which feels great. What makes us really 

happy though is the people we have through the 

gate. We have so many repeat customers who have 

become friends, and it’s just wonderful seeing 

families grow up. We have one guest who first came 

here as a child – he now brings his own child! 

“It’s been an adventure and we’ve come out on 

top, but it’s certainly aged us!” 

DETAILS 

Pinewood Park 

Racecourse Road 

Scarborough, YO12 5TG 

01723 367278 

www.pinewoodpark.co.uk 

01228 577 385 / 07881 921 339 

www.loghomesfinland.co.uk 

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CASE STUDY 

Houchins 

A flexible Essex events venue with 

huge spaces in converted farm buildings 

Not satisfied with just one events venue, couple 

Adam and Anna Dixon-Smith took their learnings from their Suffolk site 

and renovated a family farm in Essex to cater for the London market. 

Houchins is a celebration of style and elegance combined with a 

quirky post-modern twist. We talk to team member Fi Pardoe. 

When did you start your venue 

business and what is its history? 

It all started with Dove Barn in 

Suffolk. This wedding venue was 

opened in 2002 and was where 

Adam and Anna Dixon-Smith raised 

their four boys and learnt all about 

the wedding business. Dove Barn 

is adjoining their current home, 

Castlings Hall, and was set up with 

a 25 per cent EU grant. 

Having absorbed all this 

learning, the couple turned their 

attention to Houchins Farm in 

Essex, replicating and improving 

things for the Essex/London 

market. 

The farm had previously been 

let out before Adam and Anna 

transformed it into an events 

venue in 2014. The Dixon-Smith 

family have farmed at Houchins 

since 1952. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

There is very easy access to 

Houchins, just off the A120 between 

Coggeshall and Marks Tey. The 

venue sits in its own 450 acres 

of arable farmland, so although 

accessible it is set well with its 

own surroundings and you feel as 

though you are in the middle of 

nowhere. 

On site is an historic grade 2* 

listed farm house which has been 

beautifully furnished for couples 

and their guests. The conversion 

of the farm buildings into a venue 

“THERE IS 

AN ELEGANT 

TRADITIONAL 

MARQUEE 

SURROUNDED 

BY THE 

LANDSCAPED 

WEDDING 

GARDENS FOR 

OUTDOOR 

SUMMER 

CEREMONIES” 

has been sympathetically done in a 

modern, industrial style – there is a 

huge space for indoor ceremonies 

and the wedding breakfast with 

an enormous open fireplace and 

mezzanine gallery. 

What facilities do you offer? 

There is an elegant traditional 

marquee surrounded by the 

landscaped wedding gardens for 

outdoor summer ceremonies. It 

is attached to the wedding loggia 

where the couple say their vows. 

The marquee is taken down every 

winter for maintenance and 

cleaning. 

A woodland area behind the 

moat is perfect for a more relaxed, 

rustic unlicensed ceremony. 

Overlooking the wedding garden is 

the large paved terrace for reception 

drinks which leads into the bar 

area and onto The Granary double 

story wedding breakfast dining 

room. Adjoining this room is the 

Foundry which is used for winter 

ceremonies and then transforms 

into a dance barn for the evening's 

entertainment. 

For corporate events we do 

business meetings either in the 

main barn, with theatre style 



seating for up to 120, or breakfast 

table meetings for up to 140 with 

three break out rooms. Boardroom 

style meetings for up to 12 people 

take place in the house. We provide 

all the usual tables, chairs and 

catering if required from buffet, 

coffee/teas etc. through to fine 

dining. 

In the winter months we do 

Christmas parties where the barn 

is decorated, laid up and a set 

meal provided; also included are 

staff, bar and DJ. We have had a 

few celebrity clients through but 

couldn't possibly reveal who! 

What services do you offer? 

Every couple who gets married at 

Houchins is guided through the 

whole planning process by one of 

our wedding planners. We offer 

guided tours to couples and their 

families, a first planning meeting, 

and our wedding planning 

system Moposa which helps with 

invitations and seating plans 

as well as a host of other useful 

applications. 

A few weeks before the wedding 

we have the final planning 

meeting where every last detail 

is agreed and every minute of the 

day planned. In addition to all of 

the above we offer advice on local 

suppliers and have three fabulous 

caterers to choose from, 

offering every style of cuisine


How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

Each and every couple has a very 

different vision of their day and one 

of the most important parts of our 

job is to listen to what they would 

like and do our best to make that 

happen. This is all made possible by a 

dedicated team who are experienced 

and passionate about weddings. 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We have a varied marketing 

programme which includes open days 

and wedding fairs, editorial in local 

wedding magazines, PPC, Facebook 

advertising, social media marketing 

and using the many wedding portals 

that are available. 

How would you describe your style 

or unique selling point? 

We like to think of Houchins as 

‘heritage made modern’ – a unique, 

historic, listed farmhouse for couples 

and their guests to set the scene 

paired with a modern, beautifully 

designed venue that caters for every 

style and taste. 

What challenges have you faced 

historically? 

A highly competitive market – there 

are many excellent venues nearby. 

And the usual planning issues! 

How has Covid-19 

impacted you? 

Covid-19 has impacted us hugely; 

we had to move over 80 weddings 

from 2020. We have focused on 

being flexible and fair to clients 

but are having to have tough 

conversations with nervous brides 

now because we cannot have 

another blank year. The fixed costs 

of the business are too high 

How large is your team – any 

special people you’d like to 

mention? 

The Houchins team is relatively 

small but each member is an 

integral part of our success. To be 

honest we all deserve a mention 

starting with Wayne the general 

manager, Taylor and Jay our 

wonderful wedding planners, Lisa 

in accounts, Andy who manages 

the grounds, myself in marketing, 

and Andrew who runs the farm 

around us, making it all run 

smoothly on wedding days. 

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With Tithe Barn Shepherd Huts original parts. 

Call 01262 470475 or 

Visit www.shepherd-huts.com 

and click on the ‘self build’ page 



Tell us about your local suppliers 

We use Infotex in Woodbridge for all 

our website needs and Indigoross 

in Sudbury for all our printing. Our 

three caterers do a wonderful job 

and deserve a mention – Bouquet 

Garni, Limberry and Splinters – 

and then there is a whole host of 

wonderful local suppliers who we 

rely on from flowers to stationery, 

music to evening food caterers and 

many more. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

We are really hoping that we can 

get back to holding normal sized 

weddings as soon as possible, and 

once that starts we would just like to 

accommodate all of our wonderful 

couples and give them the best day 

possible. 

Describe your average day midseason 

The great thing about being a venue 

is that every day is different. We are 

either doing show rounds, working 

on the venue or house, in the office 

talking to couples or conducting a 

wedding, which is obviously the best 

day of all. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

People, ideas, different ways of doing 

the same thing, and making couples 

happy. 

As mentioned above we love the 

fact that every day is different and 

every couple has their own unique 

vision of their wedding day. No two 

weddings are the same and we work 

with an array of professionals who 

are so good at what they do. The best 

part of it all though is when we hear 

back from our couples about how 

much they enjoyed their day, how 

much fun their guests had and how 

they would like to do it all again! 

“WE LOVE THE 

FACT THAT 

EVERY DAY IS 

DIFFERENT 

AND EVERY 

COUPLE HAS 

THEIR OWN 

UNIQUE 

VISION 

OF THEIR 

WEDDING 

DAY” 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

At our sister venue Dove Barn we 

hold occasional art exhibitions or 

dining clubs and talks, often to raise 

money for charity. 

We would definitely consider 

glamping and are looking at the 

opportunities. 

What are you most proud of? 

Two things: the team and how 

they have managed to maintain 

their enthusiasm and passion for 

weddings during lockdown, and 

turning a corrugated 1950s style 

tractor shed into an awardingwinning 

funky, post-modern, unique 

venue. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

You do really need to enjoy working 

with people and love weddings and 

events. It's not just a job but more of 

a passion and a way of life. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEE 

Weatherill Brothers 

www.weatherillbrothers.co.uk 

LIGHTING 

Various, including Pooky Lighting 

www.pooky.com 

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP 

Terra Therma 

www.terratherma.co.uk 

DIRECTORIES 

www.bridebook.co.uk 

www.cocoweddingvenues.co.uk 

www.hitched.co.uk 

Same Sex Weddings 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Houchins Farm 

Coggeshall 

Colchester 

Essex CO6 1RT 

01376 561448 

www.houchins.co.uk 


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Venue 

Ventures 

Kelly Chandler outlines key consideration before 

starting a wedding venue 

YOU MAY have already taken great leaps 

to diversify your income streams as a 

landowner. You’ve perhaps created a 

glamping site on your land or converted 

cottages into self-catering holiday homes, 

but how do you start a wedding venue? And 

what do you need to consider first? 

You may have been approached to use 

your land or buildings for the wedding of a 

friend. Or perhaps you’ve just hosted your 

own family wedding which has opened your 

eyes to the wedding world. 

But you want to know – do you have 

what it takes to host weddings on a bigger 

scale? Do you have the raw ingredients of a 

successful and profitable venue? 

SOMEWHERE SPECIAL 

First up – there’s no ‘one size fits all’ in the 

wedding market. The wedding sector is an 

incredibly diverse, vibrant and trend-led 

industry. It is also one where the emotional 

stakes are high. 

This means that there’s good opportunity 

to do well by starting a wedding venue on 

your land, especially if you have something 

special. But, you do have to have something 

“out of the ordinary” as the days of identical 

weddings are over. Couples have choice 

and range absolutely at their fingertips in 

terms of what’s out there and there have 

never been so many venues on the wedding 

market. 

The number of couples marrying is slightly 

declining each year and the volume of 

venues opening for weddings has exploded. 

So, competition is fierce and character very 

important. 

You need to have the hallmarks of 

somewhere special or be able to invest in 

creating something special. Whilst that’s 

open to interpretation, always be thinking 

of beautiful views, attractive intimate 

settings, peaceful locations and interesting 

landscapes. Water and lake settings are 

often a winner as are views, hillside locations 

and interesting heritage buildings and 

courtyards. 

Ultimately, a field as a field is not enough. 

You need to stand out and have something 

remarkable and appealing in order to 

successfully turn your space into a venue. 

Always be thinking – would you want 

to celebrate a very special occasion in the 

proposed location or would the noise from 

local traffic be off-putting, for example? 

Would working farm activity be an issue? 

Former industrial buildings aren’t 

immediately a no-no and there is many 

a successful farm that’s diversified into 

weddings using more modern farm 

buildings. However, you’ve got to work 

harder on developing those unique selling 

points, investing in interesting internal 

features that create an appealing party 

space and creating a story that stands out! 

PROPERTY FEATURES AND LOGISTICS 

Moving onto the specifics… you don’t have 

to have a permanent built structure to host 

weddings and lots of rural entrepreneurs 

do start as a temporary structure kind of 

location. 

Installing a seasonal giant tipi for example 

(with relevant permissions) and testing the 

market demand and the business model 

before investing in renovation projects, such 

as a wedding barn refurbishment, is a great 

idea. Bear in mind though that the more you 

can provide, the greater your value. 

WHAT COUPLES SPEND ON 

Wedding couples value and spend on ‘All in 

One’ locations. Places where they can get 

married, have their drinks, wedding meal, 

evening party and often accommodation 

overnight for a number of their guests. 

Privacy and exclusivity of that venue is a 

virtual pre-requisite rather than a luxury in 

today’s market. 

A licence for civil ceremonies is not 

essential to host wedding celebrations. 

However, with 67 per cent of the wedding 

market opting for a civil ceremony, it’s a 

sizeable chunk not to be ignored. 

MULTIPLE PLACES/SPACES 

Wedding days usually run to a good 

few hours so having alternative spaces 

for different parts of a day is a key 

consideration. Aside from the ceremony 

itself, you need to think about approximately 

100 people standing up to have drinks. The 

largest space required being to sit and eat 

the wedding breakfast, with an area for an 

evening party. 

Often spaces are reused throughout the 

day and a minimum of two undercover 

spaces are recommended. Aim to make 

an appealing wedding offering, that’s 

weatherproof, allowing for guest movement 

and turnaround. 

ACCOMMODATION ON-SITE 

26 per cent of couples in 2019 reported that 

their wedding lasted for two days or more 



Expert Eyes 

If you’d like to turn your farm into a 

wedding venue or have expert eyes 

on your potential wedding offer and 

whether it has legs, take a look at Kelly’s 

Prepare to Shine consulting service. 

Created just for landowners and rural 

entrepreneurs making early steps into 

the wedding sector. 

Visit www.kellychandlerconsulting. 

co.uk/prepare-to-shine for more. 

GETTY IMAGES 

(according to the Bridebook UK Wedding 

Market Report 2019). The weekend away 

wedding or mid-week break wedding has 

been and continues to be on the up (midweek 

weddings are likely to be plentiful this 

year due to all the 2020 postponements). 

Offering accommodation for a portion of the 

wedding party is a big plus and reason to 

be selected, and ultimately increases your 

value. 

While something is better than nothing, 

your optimum accommodation capacity 

would be around the 20-50 guests mark. 

Clearly, if you have glamping or cottages onsite 

already, then so much the better. 

IT’S NOT A SIDE HUSTLE! 

Weddings are often seen as a great and 

easy way to make good returns from 

land or buildings and it can be a lucrative 

business with good per day/per weekend 

rates, but (and this is important) it requires 

commitment, a team, energy and long term 

investment of both money and time. 

It’s a people business that is about 

dealing directly with customers, customers 

seeking something special and near perfect. 

You’ll either need to seek out, sell and 

then liaise with those customers and help 

them plan the details of their celebration 

yourself or outsource to paid experts – 

event management specialists, caterers, 

marketing, digital, web/social media experts 

and more. How might this impact on your 

other business activities? Do you have the 

time and resources? This needs a lot of 

consideration before launching into creating 

a wedding venue. 

You’ll also need to think carefully about 

the risk of hiring your land for private events 

directly to individuals – relevant insurances 

and health & safety requirements are 

absolutely key. 

THE REALITY OF THE WEDDING INDUSTRY 

Weddings, by nature, are detailed and 

considered. No longer does a typical urban 

30-year-old planning their wedding want an 

“off the shelf” wedding package. 

They want choice every step of the way 

and for their wedding to show personality. 

They want to put their stamp on your land or 

GETTY IMAGES 

venue, often needing support to create that 

day. It is not a quick return kind of business. 

Weddings book typically one to two 

years ahead, and bear in mind that phased 

payments are usual. It is a long term 

business model with patience required on 

cash flow. 

It’s also not a repeat booking business 

model. There are no repeat contracts here. 

You can certainly work to guarantee strong 

recommendations from wedding customers 

but not a booking the following year! So, 

constant and effective marketing machinery 

is key. 

PLANNING AND PERMISSIONS 

Finally, one of the biggest areas of challenge 

can be planning permission and premises 

licences. Often access issues and particularly 

noise issues, with objection from local 

neighbours, are integral to whether and how 

you move forward. 

Seeking out support from experts early 

on to help you on your journey is vitally 

important, helping you avoid mistakes and 

progress your business plans effectively. 

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 with a unique 

grasp of both modern bridal expectations and 

a venue’s commercial needs. 

www.kellychandlerconsulting.co.uk 



Learn to 

Let Go 

The art of delegation with Caroline Cooper 

DO YOU ever find yourself doing 

something that you feel isn’t the best use 

of your time, that someone else in your 

team ought to be doing? 

I’m not just referring to doing routine 

administrative or mundane tasks. 

There’s many a time that the things you 

do to respond to customers’ needs and 

expectations could also be done just as 

well (or even better) by others. 

When you own the business, or have 

high stakes in it, it can sometimes be 

difficult to let others get on with things. 

I often hear managers and owners talk 

about how hands on they like to be and it 

is understandable. A good leader should 

be prepared to muck in and roll their 

sleeves up when absolutely necessary, but 

this should be the exception rather than 

the norm. 

Another worry is when you have an 

excellent relationship with a customer; 

it’s easy to feel guilty or obliged to that 

customer to look after them yourself, to 

give them a personal service. And you’re 

potentially worried they won’t feel as 

valued if you delegate some aspects of the 

customer relationship to your team. But 

in doing so you could actually be diluting 

your efforts and giving a poorer customer 

experience. What happens when you’re 

on holiday, tied up with other projects, or 

when two or more customers all need you 

at the same time? 

You can’t do everything! You need to put 

your trust in others and delegate some of 

that responsibility. But what if you’re not 

confident anyone in the team is up to it? 

There’s a difference between delegation 

and abdication. If you were teaching your 

child to swim you wouldn’t just dump 

them in at the deep end and let them get 

on with it. You’d show them, coach them, 

support them until they were ready to go it 

GETTY IMAGES 

“THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DELEGATION AND 

ABDICATION. IF YOU WERE TEACHING YOUR CHILD TO SWIM 

YOU WOULDN’T JUST DUMP THEM IN AT THE DEEP END AND 

LET THEM GET ON WITH IT” 

alone. And even then you’d be watching at 

the poolside until you could see they were 

safe. The skill is knowing when to let go, 

and put your trust in someone else to get 

on with things, leaving you to focus on the 

more strategic aspects of the business. 

FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS 

If you struggle to let go, focus on what’s to 

be gained. A key benefit of delegation is 

freeing up your time for future oriented, 

strategic tasks. In addition, consider these 

benefits: 

› More efficient use of your budget; it costs 

less for team members rather than you 

to perform the same task 

› Your business attracts top performers 

who seek out and enjoy challenges; 

conversely discourages poor performers 

who don’t want to be challenged 

› Work won’t come to a halt when you’re 

away from the business 

› Promotes teamwork and generates new 

ideas. As others get involved in more 

tasks, they have a better understanding 

of the overall business, and how things 

can be improved. 

Ah, but… I hear some say. There are 

always many barriers to the idea of 

delegating. But when you get it right, it can 

make the world of difference. 



Seven Step Plan 

1 

WHAT TASKS? 

Make a shopping list of all the things you do, and all the things that 

will need doing when you reopen. Admit you can’t do everything. 

There’s a saying “Only do what only you can do”. So, decide what tasks 

don’t fall into that category and what you could let go of. 

If the job and the decision-making involved is sufficiently routine, 

delegate it if one of your team can do it better, quicker, more cheaply, or 

if it will help to develop them. 

Consider which tasks need to be completed on a regular basis (rather 

than as a one off), or at least if the process is something that can be 

repeated over time. This ensures that the time invested will pay off, and 

that the person who takes on the task has an opportunity to practise and 

perfect it. 

It’s far better to delegate a whole task rather than bits in isolation. This 

makes it much easier for you to hand over responsibility as well as being 

more satisfying for the individual. 

You can't delegate everything at once, so consider which would give 

you or your team the greatest return e.g. best development opportunity, 

save the most time, best improvement in standards etc. 

2 

DECIDE WHO IS BEST SUITED 

When selecting a person for the task 

it may not necessarily be the one 

with the best skills or the most time. There 

may be good reason for delegating to a 

less than perfect candidate to develop 

their skills in areas where they are weak, 

or where they have shown an interest 

as part of their career progression. What 

they lack in experience and skill, they may 

more than make up for in potential and 

motivation. 

Take your time; if you have been under 

delegating – or you are dealing with 

less experienced employees – transfer 

responsibility gradually. 

3 

WHY IT’S NEEDED 

Set a clear and 

simple objective 

for the task, and why 

you think that your team 

member is the best 

person for the task. It 

should build confidence, 

develop and stretch, 

not break the person 

or be considered 

an ‘offload’. Discuss 

the assignment and, 

importantly, how 

the task fits into the 

big picture, why it’s 

important for the 

business. 

4 

WHAT, NOT HOW 

Provide guidance but, 

unless there are safety 

or legal implications, you may 

not need to spell out ‘how to’ 

do the task. Give your team 

member all the necessary 

facts, possible approaches, 

expected results, but allow 

them the opportunity to 

take ownership. 

Remember, 

they may 

have a better 

way of doing it. 

5 

WHERE AND WHEN 

Establish controls: 

budget, deadline, when 

and how review will take place. 

Bear in mind the standards 

you expect from somebody 

completing the task the first 

time may be different to those 

you might expect if you were 

doing it personally. Check 

for understanding of what’s 

expected, and if there are any 

questions. 

6 

LET THEM GET ON WITH IT 

Delegate, then trust your team 

member(s) to get on with it. 

Make yourself available, particularly 

at critical times, but let them decide 

whether, and whenever, they need 

your help and guidance. 

Publicise that the task has been 

delegated – recognition is all part 

of the motivational mix and the 

challenge to succeed. 

7 

EVALUATE AND FEEDBACK 

Encourage self-evaluation; if you’ve briefed someone well 

they should be able to work out for themselves how they’ve 

done, and in many cases they are harder on themselves than 

you are. 

Remember, you are not looking for perfection and you cannot expect 

them to complete the task in the same time or to the same standard as you might 

do yourself. 

Ask yourself, has the task been to done in order to achieve its objective? 

Recognise what’s gone well and give praise for a job well done, then discuss what 

could be done to improve or make it even better next time around. 

Limit feedback to something manageable – two to three key points; remember 

the purpose of feedback is to build on performance and improve, so it needs to be 

motivational. Identify any lessons you’ve learned about delegating too! 



Recognise these excuses? 

Longer term 

Handing over responsibility for 

a task is often a gradual process. 

Once someone has completed the 

task for the first time, continue 

to monitor progress so you can 

be confident at a later date that 

you can trust them to take full 

ownership. 

PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT 

Build confidence over time; 

you can’t expect someone to 

be introduced to something 

on Thursday afternoon and 

perform it perfectly for the first 

time on Friday morning when 

you’re not even there to offer 

support. Introduce new areas of 

responsibility gradually so people 

have an opportunity to refine 

and perfect as they go as well as 

building confidence (theirs and 

yours) in their ability. 

NIP IT IN THE BUD 

Keep an eye on progress. It may 

take a while for people to get the 

hang of it and if they find a way 

that feels more natural for them 

and still gets the same result then 

that’s fine. But, if there is a best 

way, and they are struggling with 

adapting their approach, step in 

and give them guidance before 

they embed any bad habits. 

PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED 

There will always be things that 

don’t go according to plan. The 

last thing you want when this 

happens is for your team member 

to panic! Let them know what can 

go wrong and how to handle such 

situations so they’ll be confident 

to deal with them smoothly. 

OWNERSHIP 

The sooner you can give 

individuals ownership over a task 

the quicker they’ll develop a sense 

of pride and ownership. Trust your 

team to make decisions to do 

what’s best in a given situation. 

If they truly understand the 

objectives of the task it shouldn’t 

be too difficult for them to work 

out the best way to achieve it. 

BREAK THE HABIT 

If people have been used to 

you making decisions and 

maintaining control, it may 

seem uncomfortable to have 

things passed to them. Back 

off gradually, rather than just 

throwing them in at the deep end. 

This gives both you and them 

peace of mind. 

You’ll still get asked for 

guidance and for decisions. When 

this happens, rather than simply 

answering or showing them what 

to do, bounce it back to them and 

ask for their views. It may feel 

uncomfortable to begin with, but 

you’ll both soon get used to it. 

SYSTEMS 

Establish systems and your 

way of doing things, so there’s 

consistency irrespective of who 

carries out that task. This doesn’t 

mean you don’t allow some 

creativity and flexibility amongst 

the team, but just having simple 

checklists can make the world of 

difference so nothing gets missed 

or forgotten that can impact 

others’ experience. 

So next time you hear yourself 

saying: “It takes too much time 

to explain, it's quicker to do it 

myself," think of any time you 

spend getting people up to speed 

on tasks as an investment. 

GETTY IMAGES 

“My customer trusts me and expects to deal with me” 

They expect to always deal with you because that’s what 

you’ve always given them. If they are never given the 

chance to speak to your team that will never change. Set 

expectations early on with your customers so they know 

who is the best person to speak to when. Introduce your 

customers to your team so they know who they’re dealing 

with and build trust (and their expectations) early on. 

“It takes too much time to explain, I can do it quicker” 

In the short-term yes, but in the longer term if you delegate 

you are saving time to attend to more important things 

to add value for your customer. Having simple systems in 

place for routine queries means you might only have to 

invest the time once. 

“They aren’t yet capable” 

And never will be unless you start incorporating delegation 

and trust into your people development plans. 

“They won’t do it as well as me” 

Maybe, but are you being too much of a perfectionist? 

Does the task need such a degree of excellence? If not, 

maybe someone can deal with the task adequately in less 

time so the customer isn’t kept waiting. 

“I enjoy these tasks – losing them would make my job 

less interesting” 

In the longer term improvement in staff morale and 

performance will make your job easier and just as 

enjoyable. Conversely simply discarding and offloading 

work you don’t want to do is an easy way to demotivate 

people! 

“If someone else does it I’ll lose control and respect” 

You’ll lose more control and more respect by not devoting 

enough time to managing the whole business effectively 

because you are too wrapped up in the detail. 

“They aren’t yet qualified, authorised or licenced to do 

that” 

Everyone has to start somewhere so get them involved 

and leave time for you to approve or endorse their efforts 

before it gets signed off. None of us would ever pass 

our driving test if we weren’t able to actually get out on 

the road and drive; it just needs plenty of practise and 

handholding along the way until ready. 

If any of this feels familiar, maybe you’re missing out on 

opportunities to delegate more, develop your team and 

free up more of your valuable time. 


Caroline is the founder of Naturally Loyal, and has over 30 years' training 

and development experience in hospitality. Recognising that managers in 

hospitality often get promoted into positions without much training, her key 

focus is on developing newly promoted and junior managers to lead and engage 

their teams effectively. Download her free ‘A-Z of Managing People’ at www. 

naturallyloyal.com/oaba2z 


Beautifully Designed Eco Glamping Structures 

INTRODUCING THE ECO BOX - Available as a 25m 2 , 35m 2 or 52m 2 structure, 

Smart Eco Glamping’s unique one bed roomed Eco Box is superbly designed for 

glamping sites, fishing lakes, hotels and other accommodation venues 

requiring added luxury space. 

01430 644 449 / 07572 999 979 / sales@smartecoglamping.co.uk 

www.smartecoglamping.co.uk 


YOUR LAND 

YOUR CHOICE 

Let us transform your space into a flourishing venue 

PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE 

www.tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk 

0121 740 1385 or 07826 843 099 

Stretch Tents, furniture, lighting, heating, flooring - short and long term hire - purchase 

@TentickleUK 

@Tentickle_UK 

TentickleUK 



INDUSTRY COMMENT 

Business Events 

Freelance and Flexible 

With events coming back online, it’s time to capitalise 

on the talent mountain seeking new roles 

AUTUMN IT seems is the optimal time for 

business events to be back on the agenda. 

With employees vaccinated and back in 

a new regime of work, corporates will 

be looking to rebuild their market share, 

reward their teams and thank their clients. 

Engaging and exchanging is what 

events are all about. While digital has 

been the go-to way of organisations 

communicating, face-to-face will be back 

like a flash and it’s up to each venue to 

show their credentials on the new big ticks 

for winning event business: sanitisation 

and sustainability. 

But, with meeting and event spaces 

darkened and gathering dust across the 

nation, who is going to manage and run 

the events when they arrive on property? 

Research by Meeting Allstars highlights 

there’s already been a mass exodus of 

meetings and events planners. It’s hardly 

surprising after 12-18 months of being 

furloughed, forgotten and frustrated at the 

lack of government support for our sector. 

Meeting Allstars’ research mirrors the 

broader situation within the hospitality 

sector with recruitment stagnant, 

many businesses being propped up by 

furlough, headcount minimised to meet 

the limited demand levels and lack of 

clarity on when events can return. Add in 

our current low consumer confidence and, 

with businesses stalled since lockdown, 

it’s not surprising that: 

• 21 per cent of employees are furloughed 

either in a part-time or full-time capacity 

• up to one third of event personnel have 

been made redundant 

• 40 per cent of the sector are 

looking for roles outside the 

events industry underlining a major 

migration of talent. 

SEEKING NEW ROLES 

Those currently working and those 

awaiting to come back off furlough 

are anticipating big change in their 

roles in the coming months and 

foresee significant additions to their job 

descriptions when they are fully back. 

Respondents anticipate that their current 

positions will be merged meaning they will 

be given additional responsibilities. 

The big people exit from the 

sector could increase the recovery period 

of live events through the reduction of the 

sector specialism – just at the time when 

we should be gearing up for the boon in 

live events and face-to-face marketing. 

Now is the time to start planning for the 

return of corporate events and now is the 

time to capitalise on the talent mountain 

that’s seeking a new role. 

Even with the vaccine rollout it’s unlikely 

we will go back to the office full-time and 

future proofing the team means a hybrid 

model for the workplace, and hospitality 

businesses too. 

As Covid underlined to us all in 

our sector, no one wants to risk 

hiring full-time employees to 

meet work that may cancel at a moment’s 

notice. A freelance and flexible workforce 

is a trend that will grow throughout 2021 

and beyond and will help businesses 

acquire an agile, on-demand workforce 

which can help with their wider business 

goals without affecting their cash flow. 

To flex your headcount and win business 

events, check out Meeting Allstars and 

Delegate Wranglers. 

More Information 

Meeting Allstars 

www.meetingallstars.com 

The Delegate Wranglers 

www.thedelegatewranglers.com 


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 

GETTY IMAGES



Supplier 

Showcase 

Suppliers to the industry strut their stuff 

CHARLOTTE WINSHIP CONSULTING 

07493 350303 

charlotte@charlottewinship.com 

www.charlottewinship.com 

EXQUISITE BESPOKE 

COMMERCIAL HUTS 

The Pod Bods 

01924 677 002 

info@thepodbods.com 

www.thepodbods.com 

The Pod Bods have years of 

experience in fulfilling clients’ 

unique requirements, both in the 

domestic and hospitality sectors. 

The design team ensures the 

most creative and commercially 

viable solutions and comprises 

metal workers, craftsmen and 

interior designers that come 

together to deliver unique builds 

to individual specifications. 

The team’s expertise extends to 

all matters around local authority 

compliance, giving peace of mind 

and helping customers enjoy their 

build. 

The range includes the Guest 

Hut, the luxurious Chalet Hut, 

outdoor kitchens, workspaces 

and the popular Hospitality Huts, 

ideal for pubs and venues for 

food and drink as we come out of 

lockdown. Commercially adapted 

to suit any operation, these small 

to medium sized huts can be 

adapted to accommodate a retail 

bar as well as a fully equipped 

professional kitchen. Ideal for 

additional garden point of sale, 

these huts can free up busy 

internal trade areas and maximise 

sales direct to customers 

outdoors. 

Charlotte Winship has over 20 years' experience 

transforming good wedding and event 

venues into great venues. She tripled the 

venue hire income at Kensington Palace 

in three years, doubled event bookings at 

Upton Barn in one year, and successfully 

managed the change of Government 

House Sydney from museum venue 

to museum venue and Vice Regal 

residence. 

How did she do this? With strategic 

and effective sales and marketing 

campaigns, putting the customer first 

(being responsive to their needs and 

providing clear communication), 

identifying and acting on opportunities, 

and by building a strong and supportive 

team and initiating efficient processes. 

If you need help reaching your 

ideal customers, maximising sales 

opportunities, increasing profitability, 

establishing an effective team 

or streamlining your venue 

operations then Charlotte would 

love to hear from you. Her 

vision is to use her expertise 

to support you in your 

success. 

STRETCH TENT SERVICES FOR YOUR VENUE 

MyTent (Intent Productions) 

0208 947 2465 

www.mytentuk.com 

www.intentproductions.com 

MyTent is a service created by stretch tent provider Intent 

Productions. Intent uses stretch tents to provide flexible cover for 

clients, be it a custom cut canopy designed for a specific space/ 

pub garden, or a regular stretch tent rigged in a field to make a 

focal point for a glamping site. The team designs and supplies the 

stretch tent and then provides on-going management under the 

MyTent Management service. This includes installation of the tent 

followed by removal when your season ends, with cleaning and 

storage. 

Intent has lots of stretch tents to hire too. If your vision includes 

a stretch tent then get in touch. Intent covers the south of England. 



SHOWCASE YOUR SPACE WITH 3D TOURS 

Striking Places 

0800 298 2119 

hello@strikingplaces.com 

www.strikingplaces.com 

Stand out as 

a venue or 

accommodation 

provider and make 

an online search 

easy, showcasing 

your destination 

with an interactive 

virtual tour. 

Assure guests 

that your space 

is perfect for their event or that a staycation in your 

accommodation will make their precious summer break as 

brilliant as flying off abroad. 3D virtual tours give peace of 

mind and offer you the chance to show off your space and 

how it goes above and beyond for customer experience. 

Allow clients 

to explore from 

the comfort 

of their own 

homes before 

booking 

confidently with 

you. Call Jo for 

an affordable 

quote and 

Covid-sensitive 

payment 

options. 

STRETCH TENTS FOR HIRE OR SALE 

Tentickle Stretch Tents 

07826 843099 

info@tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk 

www.tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk 

Weddings are back and it is Tentickle’s pleasure to be able 

to offer stretch tents to complement your venue. Its range is 

available to purchase or for short/long-term let and can be 

installed in almost any location, creating desirable spaces for 

wedding couples and their guests to celebrate. 

Tentickle has a variety of sizes and colours in stock. Your 

guests will enjoy the flexibility a stretch tent provides, 

blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor events. The 

professional team provides advice and expertise to help you 

design the right solution for your venue, and head engineer, 

Jorg, is looking forward to assisting you. 

BESPOKE LOG BUILDINGS 

Log Homes Finland 

01228 577 385 / 07881 921 339 

darryl@loghomesfinland.co.uk 


Log Homes Finland designs, supplies and constructs 

bespoke log buildings to meet individual customer 

requirements. A long established family business 

with a growing reputation for quality, Log Homes 

Finland covers the whole of the UK supplying 

mobile log homes, log houses, luxury camping 

cabins and buildings suitable for a wide variety of 

uses. Bespoke building design is a speciality with a 

very flexible approach and competitive pricing. 

Buildings are constructed from slow grown 

Finnish pine logs, shipped directly from Finnish 

factories to customers throughout the UK. Logs 

range from 88mm up to 270mm in laminated logs, 

and 300mm to 500mm in hand scribed logs to build 

homes full of natural character. 

Distance is no object, with previous projects 

taking the team to the Highlands and Islands of 

Scotland, and all over England and Wales. 



EXTRA SPACE WITH GARDEN STUDIOS 

Heart Pods 

01676 540333 

info@heartpods.uk 

www.heartpods.uk 

Coventry based Heart Pods has just launched its 

latest range in Garden Studios. These high quality 

flexible spaces can be installed and ready to use very 

quickly. Available in three sizes and specifications, 

they are a contemporary design with floor to ceiling 

windows/doors and are fully lined and insulated. 

Whether your venue needs additional office 

space, a gym, playroom or somewhere for guests 

to escape and relax, the Garden Studios are a great 

alternative to an extension. They are just under 2.5m 

high and, in most cases, do not require planning 

permission. Garden Studios are a great addition 

to the pods and shepherd huts already on offer at 

Heart Pods. 

LOG CABINS & MOBILE HOMES INCLUDING SELF-BUILD 

Timberspecs UK 

01580 211800 

office@ecofriendlycabins.com 

www.ecofriendlycabins.com 

Timberspecs UK produces quality timber log cabins and mobile homes 

supplied anywhere in Europe. All buildings are well insulated, double glazed 

and have a range of roof cladding options including felt shingles, tiles and slate. 

The team of professional craftsmen design and build single or double storey 

structures to a customers’ own designs in any size or shape. All buildings are 

pre-constructed at the factory to ensure elements fit perfectly and arrive on 

site with a team of specialist installers. 

The log cabins can be built in any of a wide range of solid log options. 

The round log options give a very traditional log-cabin look and still meet all 

current building regulations. 

Timberspecs UK also provides a range of budget cabins to a set design with 

nine configurations to choose from. They are easy to self-build within 5-6 hours 

with minimal basic tools and can even be linked together. 

NO HASSLE POP-UP GLAMPSITES 

Kymani Getaways 

07713 910917 

marketing@kymanigetaways.com 

www.kymanigetaways.com 

Kymani Getaways offers pop-up glampsites for 

groups, parties and corporate events. Facilities 

include 6m bell tents with double beds and 

proper mattresses, lighting, furniture, woodburning 

stoves and powerpacks. 

The team is always on the hunt for beautiful 

new sites to bring together groups of people. 

Kymani also offers landowners the opportunity 

to add revenue to their existing operation 

without any of the hassle of running a site. 

Sites are completely self-sufficient and an 

onsite team will take care of guests, resulting is 

no additional work for you. 

Site infrastructure includes a festival-style 

double hat tipi housing a long banquet table, 

bar, projector, screen and PA system, and fire 

pit with seating. A concierge app allows guests 

to pre-pay for any add-ons. 


A portable twin toilet & shower block to 

satisfy your glamping bathroom needs 

bear@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

The Paddock, 

Ramsbottom 

A relaxed seasonal glampsite nestled 

in a valley of the West Pennine Moors 

After a 12 month planning battle Charlotte Hanley’s glampsite now opens 

for six months of the year in a variety of structures on her family’s working 

farm. Expanding season on season, she also offers exclusive use of the site for 

weddings and is about to launch corporate days to fill mid-weeks in the low 

season. We talk to Charlotte. 

What’s your back story – your life 

before glamping? 

I have lived on the farm for over 

20 years. My background is 

predominantly in sales. My mum 

Carol had a part time job in accounts 

and my step dad Andrew is a 

stonemason. 

What made you decide to start 

offering glamping accommodation? 

We were approached by our local 

music festival, Head for the Hills, 

which was starting out at our local 

cricket club. It is a weekend festival 

and they wanted to offer camping 

accommodation for the guests. The 

cricket club put our name forward 

as an idea as my mum Carol is the 

secretary and they knew we were just 

a short walk away. We got a couple of 

portaloos and a gazebo set up to use 

as a cafe, and we were away. 

We had a great weekend talking 

to everyone and said we would see 

them all again next year. The phone 

kept ringing asking if we could 

accommodate people for a camping 

weekend, so really the rest is history. 

We went along to the Glamping 

Show and purchased two yurts and 

a bell tent. 

Within the first season we had 

to purchase another two bell tents 

as we couldn't keep up with the 

demand. After the first season we 

purchased our first Landpods and 

upgraded our basic bell tents to 

the Nomadic style bell tents, giving 

more room and more of a glamping 

feel. We now have four yurts, a safari 

tent and two sets of Landpods. 

How did you research the business 

before entering it? 

We went to various sites for 

weekends and did lots of online 

research. We were already keen 

campers so we knew what 

we would like to offer and 

hopefully we have achieved 

that. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

We are located on our farm, 

just a 15 minute walk to former mill 

town Ramsbottom which is filled 

with beautiful eateries, bars and 

little shops. We have lots of history, 

so great for walkers exploring the 

trails and we have a good sculpture 

trail along with the Rossendale 

shoe trail. We are nestled in a valley 

in the moors which offer over 120 

mountain bike trails, so you can 

have great fun. 

We are also just off the M66 

motorway, which is ideal for people 

to get to from Manchester. The 

only downside to our site is that 

if the weather is bad you can hear 

the traffic from the motorway. 

Unfortunately there isn't much we 

can do about that, it is what it is. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

We had a challenge with the 

planning; it took us around 12 

months from start to finish. We used 

our 28 days within this period to 


GLAMPSITES 

host our annual festival camping 

and we set up the first of our 

glamping units for our photoshoot 

and got our images for the website 

and marketing materials. We 

compromised on the number of 

pitches we were allowed and had 

to say no to campervans, which 

is still an issue as people book a 

pitch and then turn up in a VW van. 

Unfortunately we can't allow these 

on site, it’s such a shame. 

How did you finance the project? 

We started with a £15,000 budget, 

which we financed ourselves. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer? 

We are seasonal, just due to the 

fact that we use the field for the 

farm animals over winter and we 

are ready for a rest come October. 

At the moment we use BCT for our 

yurts and safari tent, and Landpods. 

We could use the accommodation 

over winter as we have log burners 

installed in all the units apart from 

the Landpods. 

What occupancy levels and price 

per night do you achieve? 

We charge a minimum of £185 for 

two nights’ accommodation midweek. 

Our occupancy for last year 

for the three months we were open 

on average was 87 per 

cent – it was a very busy 

three months. 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

We worked with a local business 

and came up with the branding. 

We had a couple of family wedding 

receptions at The Paddock in some 

tipis, everyone around would 

comment on how wonderful they 

were are started referring to us as 

“the place that had the tipis” so the 

tipi in the logo has originated from 

that. 

We have been very privileged to 

be published in the Cool Camping 

guide a couple of times. They 

usually include us in the newspaper 

articles, which has then meant we 

have been picked up by other local 

newspapers and magazines. We 

use all the social media platforms, 

lots of #s to spread the word and 

we have just started with LinkedIn. 

Our main and best publicity is of 


GLAMPSITES 

course word of mouth and returning 

customers; we have families who 

have been staying with us since 

we first opened our gates, which is 

lovely. 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

Our selling point is that we are close 

to Ramsbottom town centre. We 

are right next to the East Lancashire 

Railway, which is fabulous for train 

enthusiasts and children, lots of 

walks and trails to explore and just 

20 minutes from Manchester city 

centre. The majority of our guests 

come from within a 40 minute 

radius. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

Each of our glamping units are a 

little bit different. I usually start with 

the name, for example the safari 

tent has a jungle theme and we have 

a yurt that is called Jasmine, so that 

has a morrocan vibe going on. My 

“IT IS 

IMPORTANT 

THOUGH – 

IF PEOPLE 

DON'T DO THE 

CLEANING 

WE COULD 

HAVE A 

POSITIVE 

COVID TEST 

AND BE 

FORCED TO 

CLOSE” 

daughter thought of the name after 

she had watched Aladdin on loop for 

two weeks! 

In general if I see some nice 

bedding while out shopping I’ll 

pick up a few sets and then get the 

accessories to go with it for the 

season. 

What challenges have you faced? 

The weather, you just never know 

what you're going to get. The rain 

soon turns the pretty field into a 

mud bath and this results in mud in 

places it shouldn't ever be. 

Disrespectful guests, partying 

all night with no thought of the 

people around them. We have an 

emergency number that can be 

called at any time of the night and 

we will get the situation sorted out 

straight away, however the guests 

that have been disturbed don't 

like to call you, but then will call 

when they have returned home to 

complain. On the other hand we 

have had the phone ringing all night 

just because some other people 

were talking in their tent! 

How have you coped through 

Covid-19? 

We have coped. Once we had got 

our head around everything and 

had done our first Covid changeover, 

it was fine. We have hand sanitising 

stations everywhere, you can't 

really go anywhere without hand 

sanitising. As we are only a small 

site we have just four toilets and two 

showers, so it would be impossible 

for us to have a member of staff 

stood outside 24 hours a day. We 

have cleaning products inside and 

outside the showers and toilets and 

a sign asking people to clean before 

and after they use them, which has 

generally been adhered to, plus 

anyone that doesn't do the cleaning 

always gets reported, which is quite 

funny. It is important though – if 

people don't do the cleaning we 

could have a positive covid test and 

be forced to close. 

Perfect your outdoor 

lounge space 

www.HUNTEROUTDOORS.co.uk 


GLAMPSITES 

We have also removed the soft 

furnishings from our units, which 

is a shame, however it was more 

to clean and if the weather wasn't 

good it then meant that cushions 

would stay damp from cleaning. 

As we were unsure how the season 

would go, we wanted to remove 

anything that we couldn't be certain 

had been properly cleaned. We also 

asked guests to bring their own 

bedding; everyone was fine with 

that and we are continuing with this 

for the 2021 season. 

We have found a great way of 

cleaning the cushions now with a 

Covid-reg spray, so I'm hoping to 

get those back this year – they make 

it feel more like glamping in my 

opinion. 


season? 

While we have been closed we have 

been looking at how we can expand 

our brand and are jumping feet first 

into the corporate world, offering 

days and stays. As we are so close to 

Manchester we have a huge market 

right on our doorstep. We had a 

couple of days last year and we are 

just in the setting up stage now, but 

hoping these will fill up any midweek, 

low season days. 

We have also been looking at 

opening other sites, keeping them 

small like ours. We believe we have 

a good few years of knowledge 

under our belts, tried and tested 

products, we know what works and 

what doesn't so lets see how it goes. 

These things take time so maybe 

in the next couple of years we shall 

have a couple more little Paddocks 

popping up. 

Describe your average day midseason 

Our day starts around 6am. First 

of all we pop up the lane and do 

a toilet/shower block clean and 

check the rubbish situation, then 

head back to the farm to feed the 

horses and tend to the sheep etc. 

The daily arrival sheets just need 

to be checked again to make sure 

nothing has changed from the night 

before when the sheets have been 

printed off. If anyone has requested 

BBQ packs as an extra this will have 

been ordered already from the 

local butchers and farm shop to be 

delivered. We then have time for a 

sit down and a cup of tea and make 

a plan of action for any maintenance 

“THE MAD 

RUSH CHANGE- 

OVER COM- 

MENCES… WE 

HAVE FOUR 

HOURS TO DO 

THE CHANGE- 

OVER, CUT THE 

GRASS IF IT’S 

NEEDED AND 

BE READY FOR 

OUR NEXT SET 

OF GUESTS TO 

ARRIVE” 

jobs that might need to be done eg. 

is the grass being cut that day etc. 

Checkout time is 11am. We 

will have the cleaning trailer fully 

stocked and ready to go. Toilets 

and showers are cleaned by us 

everytime we go to the site, so that's 

always the first job – it could be 

every hour or every couple of hours; 

it really depends on how many 

people we have on site. 

The mad rush changeover 

commences… we have four hours 

to do the changeover, cut the grass 

if it’s needed and be ready for our 

next set of guests to arrive. We pray 

for sunshine on changeover days, 

this makes everything much easier. 

We air all the glamping units and 

make sure everyone has the extras 

required. 

As we operate a contactless check 

in, we have all the information ready 

for each guest on arrival and tend to 

be on site all afternoon to make sure 

everyone is happy. 

What are you most proud of? 

We are most proud of the fact that 

our guests return year after year. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We hire out the whole site to people 

for birthdays, wedding receptions 

and general gatherings. The 

wedding receptions we do have 

are the more relaxed type – a few 

gazebos, straw bales and acoustic 

music, followed by a big BBQ. They 

go down the best as they have all 

the glamping units and also the 

tent pitches for anyone camping. 

Couples decorate the site beautifully 

with lights and bunting, it really 

does look nice. 

We have also started with 

corporate events. They generally 

hire out the site and only use it for 

the day, so no changeovers really 

required as such. We have a local 

forest school leader who will come 

in and does all sorts of activities 

with the groups. 



industry? 

Ask for help. There are so many 

groups on Facebook that if you 

need to know anything at all 

there's lots of free help and advice. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

TENTS 

BCT www.bctshop.co.uk 

Landpods www.landpod.co.uk 

SHOWERS/TOILETS 

Manchester Cabins 

www.manchestercabins.co.uk 

BOOKINGS 

Bedful www.bedful.com 

INSURACNE 

NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk 

WOODBURNING STOVES 

Welsh Dragon Fuels and Stoves 

www.welshdragonstoves.co.uk 

DETAILS 

The Paddock 

Kays Cottage 

Leaches Road 

Shuttleworth 

Lancashire BL0 0ND 

01706 489486 

www.paddockcamping.com 


Fact! Great social media will grow 

your revenue! 

Too busy to tackle it? Not sure what to post? But you know 

you need to do it! 

Take my online course and learn “How you can use social 

media to grow your campsite or glamping business” 

“A comprehensive course ...always tailored with campsite/ 

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“Terrific value for money” Birds and Bees campsite, Suffolk 

“I highly recommend your course” Brooklands Caravan 

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As co-founder of a successful campsite, my course is 

pitched perfectly for your site! 

Visit www.socialmediasussex.com/courses 

for more info. 

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GLAMPSITES 

Little Spaces 

BIG 

Decisions 

Architect Mark Waghorn discusses how to analyse 

a structure’s suitability for your glampsite 


GLAMPSITES 

egardless of if you are planning to 

start a new venture in glamping, 

or if you are an experienced site 

owner, I am sure that you have 

spent endless hours asking 

yourself and others numerous 

questions about the type of 

structures and designs that are 

available. But have you been 

asking the right questions? Here’s 

one I imagine you haven’t asked before: what’s the 

difference between an object and a thing? 

Believe it or not, some philosophers have devoted 

considerable time and effort debating the difference 

between objects and things. They have looked into 

the origins of each word, written extensively and given 

talks on the subject. So, what are objects and things, 

and what is the difference between them? According to 

the anthropologist Tim Ingold, objects are externally 

bounded entities, that are distinct, separate and 

easily separable from their immediate environment. 

In contrast, things are deeply connected to the world 

around them. 

The word ‘thing’ was originally used to signify both a 

gathering of people and a place where such gatherings 

occurred, and Ingold, and the philosopher Heidegger 

before him, maintain that its historic meaning has 

evolved to a more general sense of coming together. As 

Ingold would have it, “the thing is a ‘going on’, or better, 

a place where several goings on become entwined”. 

‘THINGNESS’ 

So, how does this relate to the world of glamping? If 

you’re buying a glamping pod, then I would argue that 

it is starting life as an object. It will have been built to a 

standardised design and transported either in parts or as 

a whole unit and installed in its new home at your site. 

The fact that it will have been conceived as an object will 

have helped facilitate this first stage of its life. But once 

it is installed you will be wanting it to have very different 

characteristics. Unlike a touring caravan, you are not 

going to continue demanding it to be a moveable object. 

Instead, you want it to integrate with its surroundings, 

and then became a natural home from home for the 

visitors who come to spend their holidays in it. In 

essence, you are asking it to become more of a thing. 

You might not be convinced by this object/thing 

comparison, which is absolutely fine. After all, in 

everyday life, most of us use both words pretty much 

interchangeably. I’m only using this comparison to help 

illustrate some of the issues with the design of small 

spaces, so please hear me out. 

The problem I have with the way small spaces are 

often perceived is a similar issue that I believe is evident 

in the way buildings are appreciated in the modern age 

too. And that is they are too often viewed as objects 

and judged by the way they look in photographs. Don’t 

get me wrong, I’m not saying the way a glamping unit 

looks from the outside isn’t important, of course it is, 

but I would argue that the designs that achieve real, 

lasting beauty are the ones that have been conceived to 

function beautifully, to be inhabited. It is the interaction 

of the space with its surroundings and with its occupants 

that creates the richness that is so important, that 

brings it alive. This character is what some of these 

philosophers I’ve mentioned would call ‘thingness’. 

Whatever you want to call it, I believe that it is this 

aspect of a design that is worth looking for to be able 

to anticipate how it is going to cope with the transition 

from a website or the pages of a glossy magazine and 

manage to meet the demands real people place on it in 

the real world. 

MUDDY WELLIES 

Let me start with an example to illustrate my point: 

muddy wellies. I live in rural Wales so muddy wellies are 

very much a part of my life. They are also a likely feature 

of a lot of people’s glamping holidays in the UK. You’d 

certainly be very lucky, or otherwise unadventurous, 

to not get some pretty mucky footwear whilst on a 

glamping holiday here in Carmarthenshire, so I’d say 

that they are a pretty good place to start to question 


GLAMPSITES 

whether that gorgeous looking pod, shepherd’s hut or 

other glamping structure is really going to fit the bill for 

your site. By asking these questions, we are looking at 

the products that are out there more as things, and less 

as objects. Things can handle getting dirty, lived in and 

worn, because the fact they are being lived in enriches 

them in a way that objects can’t handle. 

It is not always easy to find out how well a product 

is suited to being a ‘thing’. Ideally, you would have the 

opportunity to actually stay in one and observe how 

it enriches or restricts your life. Of course, this is rarely 

possible, so instead you will need to imagine how it 

would be from the information that is available to 

you. A photo or rendered visual might tell you how it 

looks from a particular angle, but its looks can actually 

distract you from considering all the practical questions 

of how it may be occupied. A floor plan will certainly be 

helpful, providing more information, communicating 

how the furniture, fittings and spaces relate to each 

other. You may even have the opportunity to actually 

look round one at a show, but this still requires 

imagination to take it out of this artificial setting and 

consider how it would perform in the context of your 

own site. 

No matter how much information about a product 

is available, the trick is to set your own terms on how 

to interrogate it, to actively ask questions that are 

important to you and relevant to your setting. For 

example, if long country walks are a key part of the 

experience you are offering, then the dirty wellies 

question really will be critical. Try to visualise the 

process of returning from a walk. Is there a boot room or 

covered area to remove boots and coats, where would 

they then be kept and how does the visitor then come 

into the living space? Of course, this is only one of a 

multitude of considerations, so you will then need to 

“NO MATTER 

HOW MUCH 

INFORMATION 

ABOUT A 

PRODUCT IS 

AVAILABLE, 

THE TRICK IS 

TO SET YOUR 

OWN TERMS 

ON HOW TO 

INTERROGATE 

IT, TO 

ACTIVELY ASK 

QUESTIONS 

THAT ARE 

IMPORTANT 

TO YOU AND 

RELEVANT TO 

YOUR SETTING” 


Mark Waghorn is 

an architect and 

designer based in 

Wales who specialises 

in small and modular 

sustainable design. His 

designs are inspired 

by the natural world, 

focusing as much 

on functionality as 

on aesthetics. He 

uses materials and 

resources sustainably 

to create high quality 

structures that are 

beautiful and practical. 

01558 822009 / info@ 

mwd.wales 

www.mwd.wales 

keep going, imagining what might happen next. Perhaps 

your guest wants to pour themself a drink and go out 

onto the deck to sit and enjoy the view. Has the designer 

provided another access to the deck, or will you need to 

use the same entrance that you came in by and have to 

go past the dirty boots and coats again? 

A designer of a glamping unit needs to anticipate ways 

that the occupants might want to inhabit a small space, 

whilst accepting that they cannot predict every possible 

demand that is going to be made of it. However, you 

as the site owner will be able to fill in some of the gaps. 

Maybe you are next to the beach, in which case your 

guests will have wetsuits and swimming costumes that 

they will want to rinse and hang to dry. Maybe you are 

looking for a unit with a log burner, so there will need 

to be covered space to store logs outside and a way 

to easily bring them in ready to burn. You can test the 

designs of the units that you are considering to see how 

well they cater for your particular requirements. 

In small spaces, just as much ‘living’ goes on as in 

larger spaces. For holiday accommodation, you could 

say that more living goes on, at least more varied types 

of activity than normally happen at home. Clever 

design is therefore essential to allow all this to happen 

in the space available, and the external space around 

the glamping unit will need to provide for much of the 

functionality that cannot be accommodated inside. 

LET YOUR IMAGINATION LOOSE 

As an architectural student, one of the first things I was 

taught was to connect the photographs and plans of 

projects published in architectural magazines in order 

to develop a three-dimensional understanding of the 

building in question. This is something most people 

can manage, but it still requires a conscious effort to 

step beyond a simple appreciation of the photographs. 

Depending on the complexity of the design, and the 

number of photos, this can sometimes be done without 

the help of a floor plan, but if a plan is available I would 

always recommend referring back to it to try to work out 

where each photo or view is taken from. 

Once you have gained a three-dimensional 

understanding of the space, then you are ready to 

explore it in your imagination and test it in different 

scenarios, as in the examples above. To step beyond 

the visual and have a good feel for whether the product 

suits your needs, I urge you to really let your imagination 

loose. Don’t just rely on the visuals the supplier is 

offering you, but ask questions such as: how does this 

take advantage of the view I may have? Will the interior 

be warm or cool, and what control does the guest have 

over temperature? Will they have a sense of connection 

to the natural world or will they be detached from it? 

What sounds will they hear? Will it be a pleasure to stay 

in all year round, or in all weathers? Will people enjoy 

staying there in February, for example? 

The number of questions you might ask is practically 

infinite, so there is no point trying to cover all bases. 

But I would argue that any amount of imagining, of 

trying to visualise the experience in different conditions 

is worthwhile. By stepping beyond the merely visual, 

and occupying the spaces in your mind, you will 

have a greater understanding of different structures’ 

characteristics and be better equipped to compare them 

on terms that are important to you. 


GLAMPSITES 

Part 1 

In the first of a regular series on social media marketing, our specialist 

Lisa Bullen explains why Instagram is so perfect for marketing your glampsite 

THE RISE of Instagram is phenomenal. 

In a social media landscape dominated 

by Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and 

Facebook Messenger, Instagram offers you 

the opportunity to showcase a product 

or service in a visual setting, enhanced by 

quirky and sometimes amusing filters, all 

for free. You can also include your business 

location so that users can easily search your 

actual site address. 

All hail the fast moving, user friendly 

Instagram. Allowing you to connect with 

your camping and glamping customers 

in real time to answer questions about 

availability, pricing and location, its ever 

expanding placements include, the Grid, 

Stories, Guides and newly launched Reels. 

It’s so much more than a place to post 

pictures of your breakfast bagel or pretty 

cocktails. And chances are that your 

teenagers have long left Instagram in search 

of other online places to hang out in. 

Instagram has over 30 million users in 

the UK, and 48% are aged between 25-44*, 

representing a key camping and glamping 

audience. With 36% of 18-34 year olds only 

searching holiday destinations on social 

media**, Instagram has the potential to 

put you in front of a lot of the right kind of 

people. 

Glampers and campers want to escape 

to places that offer them something quirky 

or different; a weekend away to experience 

a new location in a new setting, an 

opportunity to be inspired by quirky design 

in an untamed setting. 

No more stuffy hotel rooms fighting with 

the thermostat that is pre-set to boiling 

and breakfast marmalade in pre-packed 

rectangles, glampers want local authentic 

produce with facilities that ensure a 

comfortable stay. They want the background 

story to be about where they are staying and 

their hosts are part of the story. Storytelling 

is a crucial component of a camp/glamp 

brand. 

How much more interesting is it for 

visitors to know that your shepherds 

hut/pod/cabin was designed locally to 

specifically complement your habitat or 

landscape? Or that behind the scenes you 

carry out local conservation work and your 

efforts have seen an increase in a hitherto 

rare species? Or perhaps your site’s apple 

trees are the foundations of your fledgling 

cider business? It’s hard to beat these 

behind the scenes peeks into your business, 


GLAMPSITES 

and this represents what many glampers are 

looking for. 

Glossy brochures and shiny hero pictures 

aren’t needed here. What glampers want is 

an honest, warts and all portrayal of what 

it’s really like. And what you’re like too. 

Instagram is perfectly placed to deliver this. 

Think about a mixture of great location 

shots, inspiring would-be customers who 

can see themselves in your photos/videos, 

alongside real behind the scenes pictures of 

what your site is like. Use Instagram to post 

the painting of the signs, the installation of 

the new washing facilities and the sowing of 

the wild flower meadow. 

Make sure to include this real life content, 

not just ‘over filtered’ content that people 

may not relate to. Consider Instagram as an 

opportunity to build and share the story of 

your site. This will be interesting for your new 

and returning customers and will help build 

a connection with your offering. At the Secret 

Campsite we have had onsite marriage 

proposals, a baby’s first steps and all manner 

of other triumphs that have a place in the 

holiday memory album. 

Portraying your site and the people that 

run it is what social media, and Instagram in 

particular, does best. 

But how will it drive bookings? By creating 

a fun, interesting and relevant Instagram 

presence, and by engaging with your 

audience and building relationships online, 

you will build up a following. You can direct 

people to your website to book via your 

permitted one clickable link, or direct them 

to your latest blog or newsletter etc. 

And will it take ages? No, social media 

needn’t take ages. With a plan, a good bank 

of photo images plus the inclination to 

always have your camera/phone in your back 

pocket it’s pretty simple to get smart with 

Instagram. And you don't have to post about 

your breakfast either! 


Lisa Bullen is director of 

Social Media Sussex and 

author of online course 

“How you can use social 

media to grow your campsite 

or glamping business”. Lisa 

and her husband Tim founded The 

Secret Campsite in 2012. 

www.socialmediasussex.com 

Coming up… 

Next month we’ll look at how 

to create your own social media 

strategy on Instagram. 

REFERENCES 

*https://www.statista.com/statistics/1018012/ 

instagram-users-united-kingdom/ 

**https://crowdriff.com/resources/blog/travelstatistics 

01453 767171 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 

British Design & Manufacture of Unique Canvas Safari Tents & Bespoke Structures 

From our Gloucestershire factory Bond have served the British outdoor hospitality industry for over 30 years. With an emphasis on 

client-led design, high performance technical fabrics, traditional British workmanship and structurally engineered frames meeting 

British & European codes, Bond offer an unrivalled custom design process to create unique, beautiful structures. From high luxury 

glamping locations to exclusive outdoor event experiences, we can offer full CAD design support, exceptional quality and a personal 

service to create the vision and identity your venue requires. Call us to discuss your own project. 


Evolution or 

Appropriation? 

Greg Watt digs deep into the history and evolution of glamping accommodation 

and asks whether permanent structures can ever be considered legitimate 

A DISTINGUISHING feature of glamping 

during its evolution, since 2005, has been 

the nomadic or non-permanent nature of 

its shelter abodes. While a chasm exists 

between camping and glamping, they both 

possess the ephemeral nature afforded by 

impermanence. It is that “in the moment” 

aspect that makes each special, bestowing 

an individuality to the trip away that cannot 

be replicated. 

The aura engendered by shelter 

constructions cemented in history amplifies 

a closeness to the outdoors and a unique 

adventure into the wild. So, is the movement 

towards solidly built shelter abodes 

constructed from permanent materials 

dismantling the essence of glamping? Is it 

an evolution, or an appropriation by other 

hospitality/tourism players looking to bring 

the glamping experience into their own 

offerings? 

This article discusses traditional glamping 

accommodation in the form of nomadic 

shelter abodes, along with more recent 

inclusions of permanently constructed rigid 

"IS IT AN EVOLUTION, 

OR AN APPROPRIATION 

BY OTHER HOSPITALITY/ 

TOURISM PLAYERS LOOKING 

TO BRING THE GLAMPING 

EXPERIENCE INTO THEIR 

OWN OFFERINGS?" 

structures. Examples of the former include 

tepees, yurts, safari tents, wigwams, and 

Scandinavian lavvu and kata. Examples 

of the latter include treehouses, glamping 

pods, cabins, shepherds huts, gypsy 

wagons, hobbit holes, tiny homes and 

caravans. Herein, domes are considered a 

special case, as they could be regarded as a 

contemporary take on Inuit igloos, thereby 

possessing cultural roots, while also being of 

semi-permanent construction. 

THE QUINTESSENTIAL GLAMPING ABODE 

Accommodation within the glamping 

space has traditionally been associated 

with shelter abodes. These have usually 

included safari tents, tepees, yurts and more 

recently dome structures imbued with igloo 

imagery. Each form embodies powerful 

representations from the past, where human 

societies existed in equilibrium with nature 

or sought to discover more about it through 

exploration. Consequently, shelter abodes 

have a deep historical or ethnic connection 

(or both). 

The safari tent stakes its claim through 

its practicality of design and association 

with the age of discovery from the 15th to 

the 17th centuries. More recently, the visual 

symbolism embodied within African safaris 

has struck the imagination of tourists who 

seek more authentic travel experiences. The 

consumption of the glamping experience 

projects a feeling of exploration, of being 

one of the first to see and live within areas 

of the wild. In many ways, it is the projection 

of an alternative reality, if only for a moment. 


GLAMPSITES 

Other shelter abodes take the concept of 

living in alternative realities a step further. 

Tepees are potent symbols of the Native 

American civilisation, viewed by many as 

living in harmony with nature long before 

the appearance of Europeans. Similarly, 

the yurts of the nomadic inhabitants of the 

steppes of central Asia project uncluttered 

imagery. Here, decisions about almost 

everything are based on the good fortune or 

challenges nature brings. The Inuit people 

of the northern polar region take living 

in difficult environments to the extreme 

and igloos symbolise human resilience 

and resourcefulness. In a similar fashion, 

modern-day domes find themselves in 

colder climes. Without exception, where 

shelter abodes are present, glampers receive 

a visual projection of living and interacting 

with nature at a profoundly personal and 

intimate level. There is a perception of 

negotiating with the elements on equal 

terms and not taking the environment for 

granted. This is contrasted with the largely 

urbanised living in modern societies. 

PERMANENT RIGID STRUCTURES 

It is unclear when rigid structures, 

constructed from permanent materials, 

were first advanced as bonafide glamping 

accommodations. While campers and 

glampers often appear at odds over the 

concept regarding authentic outdoor 

experiences, there is an unwritten assertion 

that such experiences always come wrapped 

up in canvas. Sleeping in anything other 

than a shelter abode is simply... something 

else. 

Permanent rigid structures have 

made a significant impact on glamping 

accommodation. In the past, permanent 

constructions were generally found at 

GETTY IMAGES 

popular holiday destinations, consisting of 

rudimentary holiday homes afforded basic 

amenities. Technological developments in 

construction, coupled with a greater societal 

acceptance of small spaces, have seen a 

profusion of small rigid structures that are 

adaptable to remote locations. Pods, microlodges, 

cabins, treehouses, and tiny-homes 

are now appearing in remote areas, offering 

home comfort in an “off-grid” situation. 

Fixed accommodation, whether that be 

statics [permanently fixed in one place], 

lodges, pods etc. has enjoyed tremendous 

innovation in recent years, with central 

heating, double glazing and hot tubs now 

commonplace. (Open Air Business & Yates 

D., 2018) 

A significant advantage possessed by 

rigid structures concerns the ease and 

amenability of insulating and connecting 

services. This makes them “less dependent 

on the weather and a year-round season a 

reality” (Open Air Business & Yates D., 2018) 

PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION AND THE 

‘EXPERIENCE’ 

Experiencing a glamping space that has 

been constructed from a permanent rigid 

structure has an essence that is separate to 

and distinct from nomadic shelter abodes. 

Differences are both tangible and intangible, 

resulting from pre-perceived opinions 

of individuals, along with the sensory 

appreciation acquired during the glamping 

experience. Construction in permanent 

materials: 

• Changes the nature and perception 

of glamping space – While taken 

for granted today, the development 

and use of permanent materials in 

construction signify two aspects of 

societal development. Firstly, it represents 

mastery over nature and the creation 

of a way of living independent of the 

natural environment, replacing it with 

an alternate environment created by 

humankind. Secondly, it has rooted 

people into particular localities, so that 

perspectives that were in prevalent 

nomadic societies have diminished. 

Attitudes towards living in harmony 

with, and preserving the natural world 

have weakened become secondary to 

considerations around living in urban 

space. 

• Deadens the sensory perception of 

the outdoors – Glamping is a sensory 

experience. The noise of the wind 

whistling through nearby trees, the sound 

of a babbling brook, or owls in the night 

are essential elements of a stay outdoors. 

The shades of light and darkness moving 

across the glamping abode throughout 

the day and night. The smell of sea air, 

pine forests and nearby campfires. These 

are among the various sensory stimuli 

that are picked up and collated during 

a stay in a shelter abode. In contrast, 

solid construction blocks out or muffles 

sensory stimuli, and the sounds, visions, 

and smells of the wilderness are mostly 

absent. Instead of being a part of the 

outdoors, consumers are shielded and 

isolated from it. Further, permanent 

construction’s solidity enables interior 

spaces and décor to mirror attributes 

expected in urban residences. 

It is reasoned that bringing this world of 

permanence into the wild changes the 

experience and can transition it into one 

generally associated with conventional 

hospitality. There are significant differences 

between a glamping space compared to 

that of a “hotel located in the wild”, even 

when situated near each other. The former 

involves connecting with nature and living 

life on its terms (with comfort). At the same 

time, the latter merely surrounds the hotel, 

along with all its regular services, with a 

scenic backdrop. Glampers seek something 

different from their “normal”, while hotel 

guests seek things that are the same. The 

effective distance and intimacy between the 

consumer and the natural world are vastly 

different for each situation. 

SHADES OF GREY 

The use of permanent construction methods 

for glamping accommodation raises whether 

they are legitimate manifestations of 

glamping spaces. In many ways, the answer 

will determine whether or not glamping 

retains its distinction from other forms 

of tourism, or whether it is appropriated 

by other hospitality forms. Context is an 

important consideration, and the answer is 

not black or white. Rather, glamping spaces 

manifest themselves in many shades of grey. 

The shades of grey are endless. A purist 

interpretation of glamping sees glamping 

spaces consisting of shelter abodes 

sparsely situated within reasonably remote 

places, idyllically set, and surrounded by 

beautiful landscapes. However, does a 

glamping space cease to be a glamping 

space if glamping accommodations are 

situated close together, not situated in 

the wilderness, nor possessing beautiful 

surroundings? Does placing shelter abodes 

on top of high-rise buildings (as launched 

by Marriot’s Gwen Hotel in Chicago) 

comprise urbanised glamping, or is it 

something else? Further, can a permanently 

constructed lodge located in spectacular 

remote countryside constitute glamping or 

merely a traditional holiday lodge placed in 

wilderness surroundings? 


GLAMPSITES 

GETTY IMAGES 

WHAT GLAMPERS WANT 

Research carried out by Arizton Advisory and 

Intelligence (2019), concerning glamping in 

the United States, breaks down glamping 

accommodation into six types. Traditional 

safari tents, yurts, and tepees for the first 

three, while cabins, tree houses and others 

round out the remainder. The former consist 

of customary shelter abodes, while the latter 

consist of more recently introduced rigid 

structures. In its report, Arizton denotes 

cabins as mainly consisting of “converted 

caravans” taken as similar to the airstream 

carriages used by Autocamp (2019), 

providing a mid-range glamping comfort. 

The acceptance of cabins in the United 

States is exemplified by a study presented 

at a recent Glamping Summit where “about 

60% of participants said that staying in a 

cabin in nature can be considered glamping 

(Thomas, n.d.). Similarly, a comprehensive 

survey sponsored by Kampgrounds of 

America carried out in 2019 highlighted 

the dominance of consumer’s preference 

for permanent rigid structure glamping 

accommodations over shelter abodes in the 

United States*: 

• When asked what type of accommodation 

best fit their definition of glamping, 64% 

of travellers said cabins, followed by tree 

houses (58%) and tiny homes (55%) 

• When asked what type of accommodation 

they would seek for their own personal 

glamping experience, travellers again 

selected cabins most frequently at 42%. 

(Cairn Consulting Group, 2019). 

In comparison, shelter abodes as a group 

were only selected as a preferred glamping 

accommodation by 20% of respondents 

(safari tents – 7%, yurts – 10%, and tepees 

– 3%). In both Arizton Reports (US and 

Europe), shelter abodes, particularly 

safari tents, are regarded as “ultra-luxury” 

accommodation due to their “versatility 

and lower degree of permanency”. While 

“PERMANENT 

ACCOMMODATIONS SET IN 

THE WILDERNESS, OR IN 

BREATHTAKING LOCATIONS 

ARE LIKELY TO BE PERCEIVED 

AS GLAMPING SPACES” 

yurts are considered less desirable in the 

US, modern styles and exotic features are 

being developed, boosting their appeal. In 

the European study (Arizton Advisory and 

Intelligence, 2020), plastic, taken as referring 

to geometric domes and positive pressure 

bubble domes also have been included. 

This, with other reports, would suggest that 

glamping accommodation in the European 

context is more eclectic and varied than in 

North America. 

Differences between the US and Europe 

suggest that glamping accommodations are 

regionally specific and country nuanced. In 

the UK, research carried out by International 

Glamping Business in conjunction with 

Crown and Canopy (Rusbridge & Curtis- 

Raleigh, 2019) indicate that cabins, lodges 

and treehouses (combined) only amount to 

8.0% of glamping accommodation. Instead, 

glamping pods, shepherds huts and bell 

tents, together made up roughly two-thirds 

of glamping accommodations, with yurts 

slightly less predominant. 

More importantly, while the proportion 

of shelter abode constructions compared 

to permanent rigid-structures is similar to 

the US experience, particular makeups are 

considerably different. Here, bell tents and 

yurts comprise around 37% of glamping 

accommodations, while glamping pods and 

shepherds huts comprise 45%. Aggregated, 

all other glamping accommodations 

constitute only 18% of constructions but 

are generally of permanent construction. 

GETTY IMAGES 

This points to the same approximate 60/40 

split between permanent/shelter abode 

constructions presently existing in North 

America. 

This is in line with statistics compiles 

by pitchup.com, a glamping OTA which 

provides specialist glamping listings across 

40 countries. In the year up to November 

2017, “camping pods and lodges made up 

nearly 60% of glamping bookings” through 

the Pitchup portal (Open Air Business & Yates 

D., 2018). 

A FINAL WORD (OPINION) 

It is simply not possible to determine 

what constitutes authentic glamping 

accommodation in isolation from other 

factors within the glamping space. Glamping 

space itself, consists of three parts; the 

glamping accommodations; the immediate 

setting, atmosphere, facilities, amenities 

and adjunct activities provided by the 

glamping site; along with the surrounding 

environment, landscapes and topography of 

the adjacent area. 

Whether a promoted glamping space is 

actually a glamping space depends on the 

combinations of these three elements and 

whether they are empathetically woven 

together to provide a Gestalt offering. 


GLAMPSITES 

Depending on context, each component is 

able to consist of a spectrum of acceptable 

manifestations. Consequently, placed in the 

right situation, permanently constructed 

rigid structures are able to fulfil the 

perceived notion of glamping. Permanent 

accommodations set in the wilderness, 

or in breathtaking locations are likely to 

be perceived as glamping spaces. By the 

same reasoning, shelter abodes that carry 

an astounding aura of nomadic existence 

established in “urban” situations may 

also be viewed favourably. However, it is 

questionable whether simple bell tents, 

placed on the rooftop of multi-storeyed 

hotels, or on the top decks of cruise liners, 

could ever be perceived as glamping spaces. 

The future lies in the understanding and 

finesse of project developers entering the 

market. While glamping was the exclusive 

domain of glamping entrepreneurs, it is 

now “witnessing the entry of players from 

the hospitality industry in a bid to seek high 

returns on investments” (Arizton Advisory 

and Intelligence, 2020). Accordingly, 

there is likely to be a movement away 

from nomadic shelter abodes towards 

the hospitality industry’s more familiar 

permanent construction. There is a danger 

that glamping accommodation, and indeed, 

glamping spaces, will become subsumed 

by the greater hospitality industry offering 

Disneyfication instead of authentic 

experiences. If this becomes the norm, then 

glamping spaces will be appropriated and 

cease to hold any relevancy. 

*Note: A weakness of the study surrounds the 

selection of participants for the survey. A random 

sample of 3,554 United States and 500 Canadian 

households were used in Cairn Consulting Group’s 

Study. Being randomised, the study includes 

participants that may or may not go to the outdoors. 

Further, the participant group’s knowledge regarding 

the outdoors is likely to be variable. It would be 

expected that such a sample would conservatively 

choose accommodation most closely resembling 

what they are accustomed to. On the other hand, 

glampers and people most likely to go glamping 

will be a select group with particular perspectives 

that may not align with such a sample. Knowledge 

concerning the outdoors will likely be more 

significant and expectations regarding a glamping 

experience different. Therefore, survey results are 

also likely to be different. 

REFERENCES: Arizton Advisory and Intelligence. (2019). Glamping Market in the US - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024. Retrieved June, 2019, from https://www.arizton.com/marketreports/united-states-glamping-market/snapshots 

• Arizton Advisory and Intelligence. (2020). Glamping Market in the Europe - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025. Retrieved June, 2019, 

from https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/europe-glamping-market • Autocamp. (2019). Autocamp-Adventure Simplified. Retrieved July, 2019, from https://autocamp.com/locations/ • 

Cairn Consulting Group. (2019). The 2019 KOA North American Camping Report: Kampingground of North America. Retrieved from https://koa.com/north-american-camping-report/ • Open Air 

Business, & Yates D. (2018, January). Glamping Trends. Open Air. Retrieved from https://openairbusiness.com/glamping-trends/ • Rusbridge, W., & Curtis-Raleigh, S. (2019). The Great British 

Glampsite Report 2019. International Glamping Business, Nov/Dec 2019(18), 9-13 • Thomas, E. (n.d.). The Rise Of Glamping: Market Evolution & Trends. America Outdoors, 2021(Jan). Retrieved 

from https://www.americaoutdoors.org/rise-of-glamping-market-evolution-trends/ 


GLAMPSITES 

Showcase 

Suppliers to the industry strut their stuff 

EARNING MONEY WHILE THEY SLEEP! 

Wigwam Holidays 

0131 450 7126 

hello@wigwamholidays.com 

www.wigwamholidays.com/ 

franchise 

WOOD BURNING PIZZA 

STOVE 

Boutique Camping 

0203 319 1315 

info@boutiquecamping.com 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

Introducing the newest 

addition to Boutique 

Camping’s wood burning 

stove collection. This pizza 

stove’s unique design not 

only acts as a heat solution 

in almost any environment 

but offers multiple cooking 

abilities too. 

Fuelled by wood, charcoal 

or fire lighters, and reaching 

heats of 400°, the upper oven 

cooks perfect 12” pizzas in just 

four minutes using a non-stick 

cordierite stone 

Lightweight and portable, 

the stove can be used outside 

and inside tents (with a stove 

hole installation) making it 

extremely versatile. Designed 

for simultaneous cooking, the 

stove top is perfect for frying, 

the grills to warm or toast, 

and the naked flame to roast 

marshmallows! 

When Nick Gilmour's 

father died, he and his 

wife Airin made the 

decision to take over 

the family deer farm in 

Fife, Scotland. It was 

a steep learning curve 

for the couple but they 

loved working on the 

land and enjoyed being 

outside. As many will be all 

too aware however, farming 

is not always the best business for 

those seeking a comfortable and secure 

financial return. Looking at ways to diversify their income, they 

soon decided glamping was a sector that suited both their love of 

the outdoors and their beautiful site. 

Though the glamping market has been growing at a substantial 

pace for some time, Nick and Airin knew that to really get the 

most from the enterprise, while still having enough time to work 

on the farm, they would have to partner with an established and 

experienced brand that could offer them a franchise with proven 

success. They found Wigwam Holidays at an agricultural show 

and knew immediately it was just what they were looking for – a 

business with 30 years’ experience in the industry and a core 

purpose in line with their own – to provide great holidays in the 

great outdoors. And the fact that Nick and Airin have just had their 

busiest summer yet and now ‘earn money while they sleep’ is an 

added bonus. 

COMMERCIAL CANVAS CLEANING AND REPAIR 

The Canvas Cleaning Company 

07855 229568 

polly@wildhareevents.com 

www.thecanvascleaningcompany.co.uk 

The Canvas Cleaning Company is a commercial laundry in 

Somerset specialising in repairing, washing and waterproofing 

canvas structures. The team has developed a system with 

a qualified chemist. Cutting-edge technology and specially 

formulated products give outstanding results with a waterproofing 

agent that offers unbeatable protection. Machines have individually 

designed programmes to get the very best results for each and every item 

and a seamstress with over 30 years’ experience carries out repairs. 

A subsidiary of boutique camping hire company Wild Hare Events, the 

largest supplier of Lotus Belle tents in the UK, the team understands the 

importance of beautifully clean, professionally waterproofed tents. 

BEFORE 

AFTER 


GLAMPSITES 

MADE FOR TRADE TENTS 

Life Under Canvas 

07968 783325 

hello@lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

With 2021 set to be the year of the staycation, demand for 

outdoor accommodation is at an all-time high. 

If you are in the camping or glamping business, Life 

Under Canvas Made for Trade tents are perfect for pop-up 

campsites, events, weddings and festivals. An ideal solution 

for anyone looking for rental or professional use, tents have 

fire retardancy to BS7837 plus extra features to provide you 

with a tough hardwearing glamping structure. 

The Trade Tents have been exclusively designed by and 

manufactured for Life Under Canvas. Made from 320gsm 

100 per cent cotton canvas, they have a reinforced four layer 

top, further reinforcement above the door pole, poles with 

secured stoppers, all rebar pegs, a white section on label, an 

extra large bag with reinforced handles and a set of spares 

with every tent. 

Contact the friendly customer service team to discuss 

discounts for bulk purchases. 

WILL WIND WORK FOR YOU? 

FuturEnergy 

01789 450280 

sales@futurenergy.co.uk 

www.futurenergy.co.uk 

The wind can be an ideal source of energy for a glampsite 

in a rural location or at an outdoor event as a power 

supply. At 5.5m/s with a clean air site, the Airforce1 wind 

turbine could produce an estimated 1100kw per year, so if 

the average wind speed is more than 5.5m/s this is all the 

better. 

FuturEnergy's Made in Britain units are manufactured 

using stainless steel for the parts that are exposed to salt air 

to protect against corrosion at seaside locations. The tower 

kits have screw in anchors, so no concrete required, and 

they can be a temporary structure. 

For those not so sunny days and through the winter 

months, wind can work with solar as a hybrid system 

using the Airforce1 to help redress the balance and power 

requirement. Will the Airforce be with you?! 

A FULL SPECTRUM OF WASTE HANDLING SOLUTIONS 

Glampsan 

0800 999 6010 

info@glampsan.com 

www.glampsan.com 

There are lots of different toilet, sink and washing 

facilities you can offer guests on a glamping site. But 

which is the best for you and your customers? 

Glampsan supplies an “evolution” of toilet and 

waste handling solutions. At one end of the spectrum, 

choose from composting, separating and low volume 

flush toilets. Once you have a toilet solution in place, 

you may need waste collection tanks – above or below 

ground – to capture grey and black water for later 

removal by a waste collection company. Alternatively, 

you might need a sewage lifting station or pump to 

move waste across your site. And finally, at the top end 

of the range, you might consider a sewage treatment 

plant. 

So, whether you’re a start-up company or looking to 

upgrade your waste facilities, Glampsan has a solution. 


GLAMPSITES 

EXPANDING POD OFFERS LUXURY AND EXCELLENT ROI 

The Green Pod Company 

01962 777362 

info@thegreenpodcompany.co.uk 

www.thegreenpodcompany.co.uk 

The Green Pod Company is a specialist in the conversion 

and fabrication of glamping pods and bespoke engineering 

projects. The team’s goal is to create a product for the 

glamping market which offers not only an excellent return on 

investment, but a luxurious space for guests to enjoy. 

The expanding pod has become extremely popular over the 

last 12 months, not just for the glamping sector but recently as 

BSL Class 2 laboratories for the NHS to fight Covid on the front 

line. The base pod, whether a laboratory or a glamping pod, is 

built to an extremely high standard, giving you a product which 

you can trust in whatever the weather or location. 

The Green Pod Company offers the market a product which 

is going to stand the test of time and provide a valuable, 

movable commodity which can easily be re-located, and set up 

in less than two hours. 

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NEW PRODUCT, COMING SOON! 

Glamping Innovations 

07515 653823 / 03333 447566 

hello@glampinginnovations.co.uk 

www.glampinginnovations.co.uk 

With its contemporary form, the DOF 

Arcade brings innovation to the world of 

glamping. The design is developed with 

high quality architecture and seamlessly 

connects to the contemporary needs of 

the modern glamping guest. It owes its 

dynamic shape to the special roof, which 

makes it surprisingly pleasant to look 

at. An exceptional eye-catcher on every 

glamping site. 

The special terrace roof, which partly 

covers the terrace, ensures guests can stay 

outside, sheltered on a hot summer’s day 

as well as late at night. The extra large 

terrace itself offers enough room for a 

whole family to enjoy. 

Focused on the outdoors through the 

enormous living space on the raised 

wooden terrace, it is perfectly balanced 

with a luxurious interior featuring a 

comfortable bathroom and well-equipped 

kitchen. Options include a cosy woodburning 

stove installed on the terrace. 

With a steel frame, the Arcade is 

extremely strong and its round shape 

delivers a high wind and snow load 

capacity. The roof is made of 660 grams 

fire retardant M2 certified PVC and the 

inner tent of high quality Ten Cate canvas 

(KA-46). 

With a total of 65m2, the Arcade provides 

plenty of accommodation for two to six 

people. 


There has never been a better 

time to invest with the UK’s 

#1 Glamping franchise 

Book a discovery call today 

www.wigwamholidays.com/franchise 

Quality Glamping 

Cabins and BBQ Huts 

Life Under Canvas Made for Trade tents 

are perfect for pop up campsites, events, 

weddings and festivals 

Introducing the Leaf 

Glamping Pod range 

Our fantastic range includes traditional, contemporary, double 

storey and low profile designs to sleep or host a range of guests. 

“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 

Contact our friendly customer 

service team to discuss 

discounts for bulk purchases 

on 07968 783 325 or email 

hello@lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

lifeundercanvas.co.uk 


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W: ellievisionav.co.uk | T: 07790 132298 | E: info@ellievisionav.co.uk 

Welcome to our bubble… 

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Festivals • Weddings • Parties • Corporate Events 

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54 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 

TentStyle Mag QRT Page AD1.indd 1 29/03/2018 14:03

EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

Fringe by 

the Sea 

A 10 day multi-arts festival at the 

seaside town of North Berwick 

Running from 6-15 August, this year’s Fringe by the Sea is breaking out 

of its usual town centre venues into open sided marquees and 

stretch tents to allow for social distancing. Bringing £1.5m of economic benefit to 

East Lothian, the event is an important community asset. We talk to festival director Rory Steel. 

Describe your event and how 

many people it attracts? 

Fringe by the Sea is a multi-arts 

festival with community at its 

heart across 10 days in early 

August. It attracts up to 20,000 

visitors to 160+ events. 

Explain a bit about your venue 

and its history 

Taking place in the East Lothian 

town of North Berwick, the festival 

has been hosted across a number 

of event spaces in the town from 

church halls to community centres 

and even a chip shop. However, 

the main auditoriums have been 

"OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE’VE SEEN 

JUST WHAT A VITAL CONTRIBUTION 

COMMUNITIES PLAY IN PUBLIC HEALTH 

AND WELLBEING. OUR INTENTION THIS 

YEAR IS TO CELEBRATE THE STRENGTH 

OF THE EAST LOTHIAN COMMUNITY" 

two spiegeltents in the harbour 

area of the town. 

What is the event’s history and 

what made you decide to run it? 

It was started in 2008 by three 

residents who felt there was 

no need for locals to travel into 

Edinburgh to see quality artistic 

performances when they could 

have it on their own doorstep. The 

current management team took 

over the running of the festival in 

2018, since when we’ve doubled 

its size through a more diverse 

programme, but still very much 

with community at the heart. 

Over the past year, we’ve seen 

just what a vital contribution 

communities play in public health 

and wellbeing. Our intention this 

year is to celebrate the strength 

of the East Lothian community, 

invite others in and create new 

opportunities for people to 

connect as well as bring exciting 

new talent and established names 

to the region. With the festival 

bringing £1.5m of economic 

benefit to East Lothian, we hope 

to provide a welcome boost as we 

recover from the pandemic. 


EVENTS 

How does the relationship work 

with the venues spaces? 

This year we are moving to new 

spaces, erecting open sided 

structures to ensure audiences 

are covered from the worst of any 

weather that might be thrown 

at us while meeting anticipated 

social distancing and other Covidpreventative 

measures. Many 

of these spaces are operated by 

the council or other local not-forprofit 

organisations who are very 

supportive of our endeavours to 

host an event in 2021. 

How did you find applying for 

permissions? 

East Lothian Council has been 

very supportive in our efforts to 

stage an event and we are in close 

correspondence with its Safety 

Advisory Group. Our final licencing 

application will be submitted 

in May, by which time we ought 

to have a clearer picture on 

guidelines for events in August. In 

any event, we will be submitting 

a number of contingencies and 

working closely with the council to 

ensure a safe event that members 

of the public can have confidence 

in attending.

EVENTS 

How have you planned the 

layout? 

We are using a mix of stretch tents 

and sideless clear span marquees. 

One stage will have an open air 

audience. 

How did you research and source 

your infrastructure? 

We are using local suppliers, with 

whom we have longstanding 

relationships. 

What entertainment do you offer 

and how did you choose and 

source it? 

All acts are carefully curated by the 

festival management team. This 

year headliners include Basement 

Jaxx, Peat & Diesel, Candi Staton, 

Janey Godley and The Poozies. 

We also have a strong community 

interest programme. 

In 2021, we will be 

commissioning a number of artists 

and arts organisations to work 

with community groups in creating 

a final piece for showcasing at the 

event around the theme of ‘open 

arms, open spaces, open minds’. 

So we are actually commissioning 

pieces of work as well as providing 

a platform for established artists. 

Further to live events, a number 

of key performances will be made 

available through webcasting. 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

There will be a careful crowd 

management system in place, but 

as we are planning for individual 


EVENTS 

events with a capacity of 200–500 

people (depending upon what 

maximum capacities will be by 

August) it’s a very manageable 

number. Our ticketing agent, 

Citizen Tickets, has been a 

fantastic partner and we will be 

working closely with them on preevent 

communications to ticket 

holders. 

Please detail the measures 

you have taken specifically for 

Covid-19 

We are planning for events up to 

500 (current guidelines are 200), 

signage, sanitation stations etc, 

etc. 

How do you publicise the event? 

Our master partner DC Thomson 

Media has a fantastic presence in 

Scotland. We also work closely 

with The List and East Lothian 

Courier. Social media buy, outdoor 

and other targeted print is also 

part of the mix. 

How have you financed the 

event? 

We are a not-for-profit 

organisation and have received 

significant grants from the North 

Berwick Trust, another master 

partner, and Event Scotland. We 

have reached our sponsorship 

targets through a mix of national 

and local brands including 

Belhaven Brewery (Scotland’s 

oldest!), SSE Renewables and the 

Marine Hotel & Lawn, our official 

hotel partner. 

“WE ARE A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGAN- 

ISATION AND HAVE RECEIVED SIG- 

NIFICANT GRANTS FROM THE NORTH 

BERWICK TRUST, ANOTHER MASTER 

PARTNER, AND EVENT SCOTLAND” 


year? 

We will take a lot of learnings from 

this year and if all goes to plan 

would like to build on them by 

continuing to use the new spaces 

we have mapped out. 



outdoor event industry? 

Have your eyes open, plan 

everything to the nth degree and 

pray to the sun gods. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

Myreton 

www.myretonmarquees.co.uk 

Stretchtent Scotland 

www.stretchtentsscotland.com 

SOUND 

DM Audio www.dmaudio.co.uk 

TICKETING 

Citizen www.citizenticket.co.uk 

MERCHANT TERMINALS 

AIB www.aibms.com 

DETAILS 

Fringe by the Sea 

North Berwick 

East Lothian 

Scotland 

www.fringebythesea.com 


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EVENTS 

Making Places 

We Are Placemaking’s Louisa Bass explains how events 

celebrate and strengthen communities 

OVER THE past year we have experienced 

many significant changes to the way 

in which we have had to adapt to our 

new environment. Part of that shift has 

included the sacrifice of the vast majority 

of events in 2020 with a major knock on 

effect to the hospitality sector. 

Following the government’s latest 

roadmap we are now at a pivotal point. 

We are able to start looking ahead to how 

we bring people back together across 

the country; a perfect time to focus 

on events and the important role they 

play in strengthening and celebrating 

communities and, in doing so, ‘making’ 

places. 

‘Celebration’ is a key word in itself, 

evoking thoughts around the social 

nature of humanity and our need for 

collaboration and social interaction. We 

come together to celebrate all sorts of 

moments in time, be it the launch of a new 

“CELEBRATION IS A KEY 

WORD IN ITSELF, EVOKING 

THOUGHTS AROUND 

THE SOCIAL NATURE OF 

HUMANITY AND OUR NEED 

FOR COLLABORATION AND 

SOCIAL INTERACTION.” 

development, a Christmas celebration, an 

arts festival or a food market. These events 

create ample opportunities for not only 

local food and beverage operators (F&B) 

and retailers but also for local community 

engagement and interaction, which then 

has a positive knock on effect to local 

economy, general wellbeing and localism. 

We refer to the ‘Village Green’ 

when discussing events in the public 

realm where we create a platform for 

stakeholder engagement, making 

events relevant and representative to 

the local community in which they sit. 

In our work in placemaking events, we 

reach out to multiple organisations 

including artists/arts organisations, F&B 

operators, local retailers, musicians 

and schools. An example of this, was a 

project we developed and produced with 

Peabody Trust when we supported them 

in delivering their first Light Festival in 

Thamesmead. The key aim was to make 

it an engaging community event. We 

worked with Peabody to involve local 

schools, performers and artists. We 

curated light installations from our roster 

mixed with a light installation delivered 

by the local school, ‘Dear Disco Ball’ by 

the local winning artist Nathalie Coste, 

local F&B traders, and storytelling in the 

woods. This was a great example of a place 


EVENTS 

strengthened through a celebration of the 

local community. Stakeholder engagement 

is a key driving factor to ensure that events 

are relevant, unique and also of interest to 

the resident community. 

RAISING LOCAL PROFILE 

A key driver to holding events is the 

impact on local business and there are 

various ways in which they can be of 

benefit. Firstly, the opportunities provided 

directly by the events themselves. An 

example of this being road closure events 

where local retailers are brought out of 

their stores into the public realm, able to 

broaden their reach and celebrate the local 

business community. This also provides a 

fantastic opportunity for wider tourism to 

drive interest and show off local heritage 

and identity. Each place is unique with a 

different story to tell and events provide a 

fantastic platform to raise local profile. 

At We Are Placemaking, we always 

aim to design and deliver experiences 

that are accessible to all, extend dwell 

time and increase engagement. This is 

particularly relevant as we look to the 

future of retail and the necessary changes 

being made to the high street as we have 

previously experienced it. We believe 

that creative experiences need to aim 

higher than the traditional ‘surprise and 

delight’ moments to more curated and 

considered programmes that deliver a 

wider experience. 

WELLBEING 

Aside from the community representation 

and economic benefit, another 

consideration is wellbeing and creating 

spaces and places that the whole 

community can enjoy. We have heard a 

great deal this year about the impact on 

national mental health of not being able 

to come together and enjoy experiences. 

This could be anything from an annual 

fireworks display, a music festival, to an art 

trail; all of these events have an impact. 

As event organisers, we are looking 

forward to the next phase where we are 

able to play an essential role in generating 

these forms of collaboration and bringing 

communities back together in the public 

realm and in festival fields, stronger 

than ever before and with even more of 

an appreciation of what events bring to 

communities nationwide. 

TOM CHAPLIN 


Louisa Bass is account 

director for We Are 

Placemaking, a specialist 

creative placemaking 

agency powered by over 

16 years’ worth of award 

winning event production 

experience through sister agency, 

The Fair. We Are Placemaking 

works alongside public and private sector 

organisations within the property, retail and 

public realm, animating spaces through live 

experiences. The agency delivers world class 

experiences for customers and communities, 

supporting clients from the initial planning 

stages through to feasibility, event concepts 

and programming to production and 

measurement. 

www.weareplacemaking.co.uk 


The Biggest and the Best 

- NATIONWIDE - 

Specialists in the hire of outdoor cinema 

equipment. Packages from £795+vat 

07739 710272 | info@skylightcinema.co.uk 

www.skylightcinema.co.uk

EVENTS 

GUEST COMMENT 

Underwriting Covid Risk 

What is the future for events insurance post Covid? asks Tysers’ Tim Thornhill 

THE FIRST week of March saw the 

Chancellor announce further support to 

some businesses within the cultural sectors 

and a further £300m is welcome, along 

with the announcement of the extension of 

the government furlough scheme and 

continuation of VAT at 5%. However, 

there are many other businesses 

within the ecosystem who will not benefit 

as much, unless a government backed 

insurance scheme is in place. If there is no 

insurance, events are unlikely to be held 

and there will be huge disappointment for 

attendees and the industry. The earlier 

promoters and organisers can plan, the safer 

the events will be. 

We want to be optimistic about the 

reopening of venues and restart of events, 

however, there must be insurance available, 

particularly while Covid-19 continues to have 

a catastrophic impact on the events industry 

worldwide. 

Understandably, the commercial 

insurance market has been unable to offer 

cover for Covid related risks in relation 

to event cancellation due to the size and 

uncertainty of the pandemic. Currently, due 

to their global nature, some risks are better 

suited for governments to offer protection 

against. This is not surprising given that 

insurance losses in 2020 were in excess of 

$8bn, with more losses still to follow. 

Because of these losses, event operators 

and attendees are finding themselves in 

the difficult position of being expected to 

re-organise and book without any protection 

against further lockdown possibilities. 

The insurance industry too is faced with 

a problem – how can we help businesses 

mitigate risk and plan for the future as we 

would usually do? 

MARKET RESET 

As an example of how an insurer can usually 

step in, if your car is stolen, insurance will 

help you get a replacement, or if you’re 

setting up a new business and your premises 

goes up in flames, insurance will protect 

you. However, when it comes to Covid cover 

for event organisers looking to reopen their 

gates this year, there is market failure. 

Insurers currently have no incentive to 

underwrite Covid risks for event organisers, 

and why would they? They have already 

incurred huge losses from events that had 

to cancel as a result of the pandemic. And 

the losses of 2020 follow those of 2019, 

when awful weather led to a huge number of 

contingency insurance claims specifically for 

event cancellation. 

We are currently in the process of a 

reset of the insurance market in relation to 

communicable disease. As the uncertainty 

of the pandemic eases many within the 

live events sector are encouraging our 

government to step in to help, by temporarily 

underwriting the Covid risks for events when 

it is safe for them to go ahead and ensure the 

events industry can get back on its feet. 

Eventually, as we have seen with 

terrorism insurance, we anticipate that the 

commercial insurance market will come 

back and underwrite the risks again. But, at 

the moment, event organisers, production 

companies, freelancers and all others in 

the supply chain are in a state of hiatus. 

While tickets may be purchased, money 

is not flowing through the supply chain as 

it would normally be, contracts are being 

renegotiated and there is stress on many 

areas of these businesses, both financial and 

emotional. 

In 2020 Tysers facilitated the settlement of 

hundreds of millions in claims as a result of 

our unique non-appearance insurance policy. 

We continue to work with the insurance 

market to ensure that products are fit for 

the future as the uncertainty diminishes 

but, without doubt, there will be future 

challenges. We have been fortunate to have 

had great support from our clients and 

insurers whilst we navigated through this 

terrible period for our events industries. 


Tim Thornhill is a director at 

Tysers which arranges cover 

for some of the biggest events 

in the calendar worldwide 

and insures some of the most 

prestigious international artists. 

Tysers’ reputation and experience 

gives peace of mind and ensures you are 

suitably protected but should the worst 

happen, the in-house team will support 

the efficient management and satisfactory 

settlement of a claim. 

Tysers is an established Lloyd’s broker, trading 

for more than 200 years and offering specialist 

solutions and expert advice on insurance and 

risk management. 0203 915 0000 

www.tysers.com 

GETTY IMAGES 


EVENTS 

GUEST COMMENT 

Get Organised 

Tom Chennells’ advice on making the most out 

of this year’s squeezed events season 

FOLLOWING THE government’s outline of 

the roadmap out of lockdown, it’s safe to 

say the events industry has been given a 

much-needed confidence boost. Having 

been essentially in hibernation for the 

last 12 months, there’s a huge appetite 

to make summer 2021 the mother of all 

summers. 

As the events season is going to be 

squeezed this year, it’s important to 

remember that, despite everyone’s 

eagerness to return to work, there is 

a finite level of resources within the 

outdoor events industry and getting 

organised early will ensure your event 

runs without a hitch or delay. Having four 

or five big festivals rescheduled into the 

same weekend stretches everything from 

infrastructure and production equipment 

to crew and transport availability. Early 

communication with suppliers will be 

key to ensuring your event can run to the 

levels you (and your guests) expect. 

FLEXIBILITY 

The key to events in 2021 will most 

“THEY ARE ALSO, 

OPTIMISTICALLY, MAKING 

SECONDARY SITE PLANS 

TO PIVOT THEIR EVENTS 

FROM DRIVE-INS TO SEATED 

STYLE OUTDOOR CINEMAS 

SHOULD RESTRICTIONS 

ALLOW” 

definitely be flexibility. With restrictions 

changing quickly and guidance being 

released with short notice, it’s important 

to communicate your plans early with 

suppliers this summer, while ensuring you 

can scale back or forward with minimal 

disruption and expense. 

A great example of this is drive-incinemas. 

Many of our clients are pressing 

ahead with their drive-in style events this 

summer and using the 2020 guidance as 

a ‘worst-case’ benchmark for any Covid 

restrictions post 21 June. They are also, 

optimistically, making secondary site 

plans to pivot their events from driveins 

to seated style outdoor cinemas 

should restrictions allow. The format of 

this particular type of event lends itself 

really nicely to allow for this although it’s 

important to remember to discuss these 

options with your production company 

well in advance to ensure there are no lastminute 

surprises should you wish to flip 

your event from one thing to another. 

SWEAT YOUR ASSETS 

There is already a huge demand on 

outdoor LED screens this summer with 

such a variety of sporting events taking 

place between June and September. 

Thinking about how to utilise your 

assets may increase your event income. 

If you’re hiring a screen for evening 

cinema screenings, think about providing 

opportunities for the community to view 

sports events in the day. This can provide 

a secondary event format at limited 

additional cost to your operation. 

With the 2021 event landscape so 

unpredictable, now’s the time to scenario 


EVENTS 

plan. What may seem a simple change, 

such as increasing visitor numbers, 

will impact the production equipment 

required to ensure your guests get the best 

experience, and this could impact your 

budget if you’ve not discussed this already 

with your production team. 

ILLUMINATED TRAILS 

Illuminated trails are another example 

of outdoor events that will be in high 

demand this year. 2020 showed that, even 

with tight Covid restrictions in place, these 

types of events can prove successful. The 

ability to control crowd flows, implement 

Track and Trace and visitor numbers with 

ease makes this event type incredibly 

manageable. Thankfully, the likelihood 

of Covid restrictions being in place this 

winter is low, and many event promoters, 

local authorities and private venues are 

already planning their winter walks to 

ensure maximum time for promotion and 

ticket sales. 

Our advice here is two-fold. First, 

contact and confirm early! As with 

staging production, there are only so 

many lighting units available and we’re 

anticipating a record year for illuminations 

this winter. Don’t underestimate the 

time it takes to create such events either. 

From route planning and infrastructure to 

community involvement and fabrication, 

even a small 1km trail can take months 

to design, plan and implement. For new 

events relying on ticket sales to finance 

the installation, we’d suggest planning two 

routes; one smaller route as a minimum 

to contract and a second longer route to 

expand into if ticket sales allow. 

Our second piece of advice here is to be 

open and transparent with your budget 

or cost expectations. The possibilities are 

endless when it comes to illumination, 

light art and design. Working to a set 

budget allows both sides to know what 

the expectations are and what can be 

achieved. There is little point spending 

weeks designing something that doesn’t 

fit the budget. 

Many event production companies, 

YES included, will be open to discussions 

around contract terms and Covid 

risks. Having these conversations early 

gives you the tools to press on in your 

organising, whilst knowing that everyone 

is on the same page and understands 

the consequences and timeline of what 

might happen if things change. Flexibility 

and understanding on both sides of the 

client/contractor coin will mean no sudden 

surprises should things have to change. 


Tom Chennells is managing director of 

YES. With a team of 15 crew, YES offers a 

full spectrum of event production services 

covering pretty much any type of event 

you can think of, including staging, light, 

sound, power, video and rigging services. 

YES is the one-stop-shop for your next 

project or event delivering everything from 

concept to creation. info@yesevents.co.uk 

/ www.yesevents.co.uk / social media @ 

YESEventsUK 


In Partnership with 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Register now www.eventproductionshow.co.uk 

>> FIRST PHYSICAL EVENT BEFORE NEXT 

YEAR’S LIVE EVENT SEASON 

>> ESSENTIAL NETWORKING 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW BUSINESS 

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TO UNITING THE LIVE EVENT INDUSTRY 

We’ll be working to government guidelines but we are resetting the stage in every eventuality – 

so take a stand to make a stand, with us. Contact Joanne Knowles jknowles@mashmedia.net or on 07561567689 

ORGANISED BY 

EVENT PARTNERS 

CREATIVE PARTNER 

rglondon.co.uk

EVENTS 

Supplier 

Showcase 

A chance for our industry’s wonderful suppliers to strut their stuff 

BRITISH MANUFACTURE & BESPOKE DESIGN 

Bond Fabrications 

01453 767171 



Bond loves a challenge and in 30 years serving the outdoor hospitality 

industry it has enjoyed many! The team appreciates how important it is to 

create unique venues for exciting experiences and that overall ambience 

and aesthetic are key. Using a variety of frame styles, high performance 

technical materials, collaboration with structural engineers and an eye for 

detail, Bond offers a personalised CAD supported design service to create 

the perfect structure. 

All structures are designed and manufactured in its Gloucestershire 

factory. From brightly coloured imaginative tents to stylish, boutiqueluxury 

safari tents with hidden steel frames, client-led design is at the 

forefront of Bond’s service. For the wedding industry, music festival or 

glamping market, it is a leader in British design and manufacture of tents 

with both individual style and outstanding structural integrity. 

STRETCH TENTS FOR 

EVERY OCCASION 

TentStyle 

01403 333135 

enquiries@tentstyle.co.uk 

www.tentstyle.co.uk 

There are few products on 

the market that can compete 

with the sheer versatility, 

beauty and functionality of a 

stretch tent. Either bespoke 

manufactured to fit specific 

sites at event venues or 

simply supplied in standard 

sizing, TentStyle’s stretch 

tents are now commonplace 

at weddings, festivals and 

corporate events across the 

South East and beyond. 

Stretch tents are excellent 

as semi-permanent structures 

if you’re looking to hold 

frequent events on the same 

site, yet equally suited for 

pop-up one day events due 

to the short build times. The 

fabric is extremely durable 

and can last up to 100- 

120 event hires, ensuring 

a significant return on 

investment throughout a 

tent’s lifespan. 

If hiring from TentStyle, this 

is generally offered across the 

South East and sometimes 

further afield. When 

purchasing, the TentStyle 

team can assist with design, 

installation and rigging 

training or even fully manage 

your tent on your behalf. 

ALL YOU NEED FOR DRIVE-IN CINEMA 

Skylight Cinema 

01872 303737 

info@skylightcinema.co.uk 

www.skylightcinema.co.uk 

As one of the leading providers of drive-in cinema, Skylight 

supplied equipment for over 250 events last year alone. 

Providing everything needed to put on a hassle free drivein 

cinema event, turn key packages include: a 10m wide 

inflatable screen, a powerful 10K projector, Bluetooth 

speakers for each vehicle (saving a lot of time and money!), 

a projectionist and technician, and support and advice. The 

price for a mid-week event is £1,495, and £1,895 at weekends. 

You organise the event and sell the tickets, then Skylight 

turns up with the screen, projector, sound system and 

technician to operate everything. 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

BRITISH MANUFACTURE & 

BESPOKE DESIGN 

Bond Fabrications 

01453 767171 



Whether our clients are looking 

for beautiful luxury glamping 

accommodation or a unique outdoor 

event structure, we are passionate 

about creating, high quality, 

British-made beautiful canvas 

structures. Using a variety of frame 

styles, high performance technical 

materials and collaboration with 

structural engineers we can offer a 

personalised CAD supported design 

service for all manner and sizes of 

structures. With an emphasis on 

client-led design and 30 years of 

experience manufacturing bespoke 

tents at our Gloucestershire factory, 

we proudly offer a traditional design 

and supply service throughout the 

outdoor hospitality industry. 

TRIPOD OCTO 

Barry Feldman Woodworks Designs 

07707 173969 

contact@woodworksdesigns.co.uk 

www.woodworksdesigns.co.uk 

Tripod Octo is from a range of 

individually designed unique pods 

for use as tiny houses, glamping 

pods, garden offices and summer 

houses. Each is created to fit a 

client’s individual needs and to fit 

into the specific environment they 

are intended for. 

We believe good design is the 

attention to every detail of the 

finished product. Our contemporary 

designs are based on geometric 

shapes and solids that make 

interesting spaces, and their 

proportions sit well in natural 

surroundings. 

Modular in construction, pods can fit 

together to make larger dwellings. 

Materials include locally sourced 

chestnut cladding. 

LOG CABINS & MOBILE HOMES 

Timberspecs UK 

01580 211800 

office@ecofriendlycabins.com 

www.ecofriendlycabins.com 

Timberspecs UK produces quality 

timber log cabins and mobile homes 

supplied anywhere in Europe. All 

buildings are well insulated, double 

glazed and have a range of roof 

cladding options including felt 

shingles, tiles and slate. 

The team of professional craftsmen 

design and build single or double 

storey structures to customers’ 

own designs. All buildings are preconstructed 

at the factory to ensure 

elements fit perfectly and arrive 

on site with a team of specialist 

installers. 

The log cabins can be built in any of 

a wide range of solid log options with 

budget, self-build options available. 

TREEHOUSE GLAMPING FOR ALL 

Cheeky Monkey Treehouses 

01403 732452 

www.cheekymonkeytreehouses.com 

Our team has over 15 years’ 

combined experience in designing 

and building treehouses of all 

shapes and sizes. From simple 

elevated cabins to a complex 

maze of rope bridges and tree top 

hideaways. Whether it is a single 

structure as a luxury escape for 

two, or a field of individually built 

family glamping pods, we provide 

a personal treehouse consultation 

service with you at your proposed 

treehouse site, where ideas 

can be gathered, shared and 

implemented. Hand-drawn, 

illustrated and three-dimensional 

drawings are then created to suit 

your needs and those of your 

desired end user. 


BESPOKE LOG BUILDINGS 

Log Homes Finland 

01228 577 385 / 07881 921 339 

darryl@loghomesfinland.co.uk 


Buildings are constructed from slow 

grown Finnish pine logs, shipped 

directly from Finnish factories to 

customers throughout the UK. 

Logs range from 88mm-270mm in 

laminated logs and 300mm-500mm 

in hand scribed logs for natural 

character. 

The extensive range of designs 

include mobile log homes, log 

houses and garages, commercial 

use buildings such as cafes, home 

offices, bespoke holiday lets, and 

mini log cabins designed specifically 

for the luxury glamping market. 

Log Homes Finland aims to supply 

log buildings of quality that provide 

a sound investment due to the 

longevity and low maintenance that 

Finnish timber is renowned for. 

SELF-INSTALL GROUND SCREW 

FOUNDATION SYSTEM 

The Ground Screw Centre 

024 76 108109 

www.groundscrewcentre.co.uk 

enquiries@groundscrewcentre.co.uk 

An easier and more environmentally 

friendly alternative to concrete 

bases, the Self Install Ground Screw 

Foundation System from the Ground 

Screw Centre features bespoke fitting 

brackets for either joist or SIPs panel 

bases. 

All the ground screws on our website 

can be self-installed by hand with 

easy to use tools. You’ll find fitting 

guidelines and tips supplied online 

along with a video demonstrating 

how quick and simple the process is 

from start to finish. 

The website also features a unique 

calculator which makes it easy to 

ensure you order the correct number 

of screws and required fitting 

brackets for your project. 

TIMBER FRAME CABINS THAT 

DON’T COST THE EARTH 

Frame & Log Cabin Co 

01472 852704 

www.frameandlogcabins.co.uk 

info@frameandlog.co.uk 

Frame & Log Cabin Co 

design, supply and build high 

specification timber frame 

cabins and structures for a wide 

variety of uses including holiday 

buildings of all shapes and sizes, 

residential, B&B, offices, cafes 

and outbuildings. Our services 

provide the benefits of a bespoke 

build with the simplicity of an off 

the shelf solution. We are a small 

family business and, together 

with carefully chosen partners 

and suppliers, aim to deliver 

sustainable, energy efficient, long 

term value for customers, without 

costing the earth. 

LEADING SUPPLIER OF 

ROADWAYS AND MORE! 

GT Trax 

01487 823344 

info@gttrax.co.uk 

www.gttrax.co.uk 

Established in early 2005, 

GT Trax is one of the UK’s 

leading suppliers of temporary 

roadways, walkways, flooring, 

seating, fencing and structures. 

It offers a complete delivery, 

install, uplift and collection 

service, with fully trained and 

experienced site personnel. 

The range encompasses heavy 

duty trackway and hardwearing 

non-slip walkways, alongside 

picket and Heras fencing. It 

also has a line-up of single and 

double StarShades, along with 

the unique MegaSol. 

So, for your next event, get in 

touch with the GT Trax hire desk 

and see how our equipment can 

enhance your visitor experience. 


Classified Directory 

1KW MICRO WIND TURBINE SYSTEM 

Providing alternative energy where 

grid connection is not an option. 

Finman 

Glamping 

Cabins and 

BBQ Huts 

From 

£4,992 

T 01789 450280 • www.futurenergy.co.uk 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 www.logspan.com 

01453 767171 



Sewage Treatment 

Sales 

Installation 

TEAM 

SEPTIC 

01295 236 101 

sales@theseptictankstore.co.uk 


UK COMPANY SUPPLYING LOG HOMES FROM LAPLAND 

Bespoke Log Buildings 

Wood fired hot tubs and saunas available to buy 

Call 01262 470475 or visit 

www.shepherd-huts.com 

01228 577 385 / 07881 921 339 


01278 238390 

Don’t pack your guests in 

like sardines, Event Profs! 

With nearly 60 years’ experience 

and more than 30,000 pieces of 

kit there ain’t nothing fishy about 

our event furniture hire advice! 

hire happy 

www.europainternational.com/oa 

01654 700030 

07956 878157 

www.topcatbigtops.co.uk 

Colourful 

BIG TOP STYLE MARQUEES 

MANUFACTURE 

FOR SALE OR TO HIRE 

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 

The largest supplier of 

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www.wildhareevents.com 


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PEOPLE 

Behind the Scenes with… 

Ashley Mullins 

Ashley Mullins heads up hospitality at Jersey Zoo 

which is headquarters of global charity, Durrell Wildlife 

Conservation Trust. He is a hotelier by training but 

passionate about conservation 

NATALIE MEYER 

NATALIE MEYER 

DURRELL WILDLIFE Camp is not your 

average glamping site. It is an integral 

part of Jersey Zoo, 32 acres of lush rolling 

valleys, streams, waterfalls and mature 

trees in the most beautiful, green part of 

Jersey’s most rural parish. We aim to offer 

something truly unique, and our guests 

find themselves immersed in nature, 

surrounded by the sights and sounds of 

some of the world’s rarest animals. 

Launched in 2013, the camp quickly 

become a standout in the glamping world 

by winning the prestigious AA inaugural 

Glampsite of the Year award, which 

attracted over 1,000 entries from across 

the UK. 

The concept of the wildlife camp 

bridges traditional comforts of a hotel 

with a wilder, immersive experience. 

The camp houses 12 pods which feature 

fully equipped bathrooms, kitchens and 

wood burners to create a warm and cosy 

atmosphere. Each pod has its own private 

outside area and we pride ourselves on 

outstanding customer service. 

I started working at Durrell in 2013 

and was integral to the development 

and launch of the glamping site. In 2014 

I took over the management of the 

Durrell Hostel and by the end of 2016 had 

moved into my present position as head 

of hospitality. Today my responsibilities 

include looking after the two onsite 

restaurants – Café Firefly and Café Dodo. 

The hostel is important to Durrell’s 

mission of saving species from extinction. 

It is the base for the Conservation Training 

Academy where international students 

come from across the world. Durrell’s 

training is a core part of the charity’s work, 

which aims to enable the next generation 

of conservation leaders to deliver more 

effective conservation. 

A TYPICAL DAY 

As head of hospitality, I oversee the 

management of a large multi-site 

operation. My daily journey starts 

NATALIE MEYER 


PEOPLE 

NATALIE MEYER 

NATALIE MEYER 

NATALIE MEYER 

with our reservations, front office and 

housekeeping, and I always keep my eye 

on the customer journey. 

The day starts before I arrive on property. 

I wake up and read emails to catch up on 

what happened overnight. The great thing 

for our guests is that the camp can operate 

24/7 and offers a unique experience. Where 

in today’s stressed life will you be woken 

by the chorus call of lemurs? Or where, 

while having that first cup of coffee in the 

morning, can you watch these amazing 

animals sunning themselves in the trees 

close by your own personal deck? 

Once on site, I check in with each 

area, discuss ongoing items and propose 

challenges for the day. By 10am all 

departments have met to communicate 

their itineraries, after which, it is an 

assortment; property-improvement 

and repair projects, assisting with 

teammate mentoring, picking up guest 

bicycles, shipping packages, reviewing 

financials, sorting reservations, arranging 

appointments. Everything is fair game, 

which is what is exciting about my job — 

the opportunity to wear many hats and see 

the big picture. 

I interact with guests daily, engaging 

with them as I walk through the camp. 

Sometimes I am met with numerous 

questions, other times it is just a smile. A 

unique experience for our campers is our 

dusk tour where campers get the zoo to 

themselves after closing to the public. Our 

guests get to meet our amazing keepers 

and conservationists to find out how 

Durrell is re-wilding our world. 

CUSTOMER EXCELLENCE 

Everyone wants to feel special and 

appreciated. What better way than with 

personalised stays? We gather information 

prior to arrival through communication 

and use that to customise the guest 

experience. Great service is all about 

anticipating needs. Every team member on 

property influences the guest experience, 

either directly or indirectly, this is what 

keeps people coming back time and time 

again. 

The truth behind our hospitality is 

consistency. We are in the business of 

making people happy and enriching 

customer experience, and we hope in turn 

they may be inspired by Durrell's work 

protecting some of the most precious 

wildlife on Earth. 

GREEN INITIATIVES 

The Dodo and Firefly Cafés at Jersey 

Zoo use mostly local produce with 

many vegetarian and vegan options 

available. There is no plastic used 

in packaging, and soft drinks are in 

cans, which are recycled for ‘Cans 

for Corridors’. This project sees 

Durrell planting corridors of trees 

in devastated forest areas to allow 

wildlife to once again flourish. 

Takeaway packaging is recyclable 

and/or made from vegetables and can 

be composted. There is no palm oil in 

any food or products sold. 

DETAILS 

Durrell Wildlife Camp 

Jersey Zoo, La Profonde Rue Trinity 

Jersey JE3 5BP 

01534 860097 

www.durrell.org 


GLAMPING 

INNOVATIONS 

The “go to” company for unique 

and innovative products. 

Discover what’s new, visit: glampinginnovations.co.uk 

Mobile: 07515 653823 | Office: 03333 447566 | E:mail hello@glampinginnovations.co.uk

February 2021

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