July 2021

EVENTS
ALSO FESTIVAL/DEBBIE BUTTERFIELD
Creating
Event Glampsites
Tom Critchley from Caboose & Co. shares his expertise
on designing the perfect event glamping zones
HAVING SPENT the last 18 months in
national lockdown there will be a public
clamouring to fill diaries with as many
large-scale events and social occasions as
possible. The sense of anticipation for these
events to deliver a spectacle like never
before is palpable and event organisers need
to plan ahead to ensure that as an entire
sector we do what we do best and put on a
show.
With home experiences only getting
more immersive, think large 3D TV screens,
surround sound and virtual reality headsets,
it creatively forces us to up our game further
when out on site. For us at Caboose & Co.,
that means working with event organisers
to help maximise people’s enjoyment of
an event by extending the length of stay
and offering pop-up accommodation that
“GLAMPING, OVER CAMPING,
IS QUICKLY BEING DEEMED
THE ESSENTIAL WAY OF ‘HOW
TO DO A FESTIVAL’ SO SITES
NEED TO CATER FOR ALL
DESIRED COMFORT LEVELS”
is just as much of a talking point as the
entertainment itself.
Now more than ever the public wants
to embrace the opportunity to not rush
home after the final song and continue
enjoying overnight hospitality – it allows
more time to be together with friends or
family, experiencing something new and
making memories. This increase in demand
is precisely why our flat-pack glamping pod
with viewing platform, the Maverick Hard
Deck, was recently launched, catering for a
growing market of individuals to whom basic
camping has never appealed by providing an
alternative option.
Glamping, over camping, is quickly
being deemed the essential way of ‘how to
do a festival’ so sites need to cater for all
desired comfort levels. Festivals have led
the way in glamping for the last 30 years,
but it’s only recently in comparison that
non-music events have also recognised
that extending the guest experience can
be a vital additional component – for
example camping villages at The Open Golf
Championship, Badminton Horse Trials and
the Rat Race Dirty Weekend.
52 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM