September 2021

ISSUE 45 | September 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

SPECIALIST STRUCTURES 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Celebrants 

› Low Cost Marketing 

/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

› Get on the Map 

› Sustainable Design 

EVENTS 

› Postponement 

› Grow Your Audience 

CASE STUDIES: 

WATERSIDE COUNTRY BARN • STAR FIELD CAMPING • BELIEVE CHRISTMAS

Space to relax 

Bringing comfort and luxury 

to any type of landscape. 

For more information 

Tel: 01978 254150 

Email: hello@outerspacegroup.com 

Web: outerspacegroup.com

ISSUE 45 | September 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

DETAILS OF the government’s Live Events Reinsurance 

Scheme have finally been published – a 5% premium 

(plus tax) on the total cost of an event. The £750 million 

fund protects against costs incurred should an event 

be cancelled due to Covid restrictions. A very welcome 

announcement, albeit much later than needed for many. 

Over 60% of the UK’s festivals and events were cancelled 

this year, one of which was Cheshire’s Deva Fest. Event 

founder Phil Marston shares his full thinking behind 

postponing, shedding light on the myriad considerations so 

many organisers have had to contend with this season. 

Looking ahead with renewed positivity, we’ve included a little Christmas action 

in this issue – a case study on Believe Christmas, produced by Tainted UK. I am sure 

they are not the only event organisers looking ahead to the latter part of the year 

for opportunities to bring people together and hopefully recoup some income. 

Glamping, on the other hand, is continuing its meteoric rise. More and more 

players are entering the market and I would like to point them towards the 

excellent work commissioned by the National Forest in their guide ‘Sustainable 

Design for Tourism Accommodation’. Tailored towards developments within 

the forest’s 200 mile boundary, there is much that can be applied to the wider 

glamping landscape, no matter a site’s location. 

If your glampsite or venue is near some good walking, you will be interested 

in the feature from Outdoor Active – there is a huge community of outdoor 

adventurers looking for accommodation and sustenance up and down the country. 

Add yourself to the map and get on their radar! 

UP FRONT 

5 News 

8 Product News 

12 Showman’s Show 

Preview 

15 Entrepreneur’s Chat 

– Neil Baker, Cheviot 

Brewery, Tap Room 

and Glamping 


21 Waterside Country 

Barn – a barn wedding 

venue with hand built 

glamping structures 

26 Celebrants vs. 

Registrars – Frances 

Cave explains the 

benefits of celebrants 

31 Agents – love them 

or hate them, they’re 

here to stay 

32 Shoestring 

Marketing – tips for 

low cost marketing 

wins 

34 Flooring and 

Ground Protection – 

products in action 

GLAMPSITES 

37 Star Field Camping – 

a summer glampsite 

with stunning night 

skies 

43 Bathroom Pods – 

personal bathroom 

facilities for 

glampsites 

45 Get on the Map – tap 

into an adventurous 

community 

48 Sustainable Design 

– learnings from the 

National Forest 

53 Specialist Structures 

– products in action 

58 Sustainability – 


Tally Rix 

Editor / Publisher 

Contents ISSUE 45 – SEPTEMBER 2021 

EVENTS 

61 Believe Christmas 

– creating memories 

for families in the 

North East 

66 Grow Your 

Audience – 

innovative marketing 

techniques from 

Project Simply 

69 Postponement – the 

full story from Deva 

Fest’s Phil Marston 

72 Event Structures – 


75 Visitor Management 

– products in action 

76 Spotlight 

78 Classifieds 

81 Behind the Scenes 

– Sophie Jones, 

ZooBells 

PUBLISHERS 

Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

EDITOR 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

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marney@openairbusiness.com 

ADMINISTRATOR 

Kirsty Farrow – 01892 677740 

kirsty@openairbusiness.com 

DESIGN 

James English - 

www.jamesenglishdesign.co.uk 

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SPECIALIST STRUCTURES 

FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

› Celebrants 

› Get on the Map 

› Postponement 

› Low Cost Marketing 

/ 

› Sustainable Design 

/ 

› Grow Your Audience 

CASE STUDIES: 

WATERSIDE COUNTRY BARN • STAR FIELD CAMPING • BELIEVE CHRISTMAS 

COVER PHOTO 

Turning adventures from basic to ‘boutique’, the Tucana 

double door tent is now available to buy exclusively at 

Boutique Camping. Guests can glamp grandly and pitch by 

an RV or camper van to create unbeatable home-away-fromhome 

luxury and practicality! 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

Unique

Details Released on the Live 

Events Reinsurance Scheme 

THE GOVERNMENT has published details on the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme 

announced in July. The £750 million fund protects against costs incurred should an event be 

cancelled due to government Covid restrictions. 

The scheme will cover live public events in the UK. In order to qualify, organisers must 

also have event cancellation coverage provided by a participating insurer. The premium is 

set at 5% of the total value of insured costs plus insurance premium tax and claims will be 

subject to an excess of 5% of the value of the insured costs or £1,000, whichever is higher. 

Event organisers can purchase cover up to the full cost of their event, irrespective of when 

those costs are incurred. 

Cover must be purchased at least eight weeks prior to the event taking place, although 

this will not apply for the first 12 weeks of the scheme. 

The scheme will not cover loss due to lower demand for tickets or venue capacity, and 

doesn’t cover self-isolation of staff or performers. It will cover a limited run of linked events, 

provided that the organiser specifies which event dates require cover and how much cover 

they are purchasing for each. 

Running to 30 September 2022, with a review point in Spring 2022, cover will be available 

to purchase through participating insurers. 

GETTY IMAGES 

Four Fold 

Increase in 

Glamping 

Bookings 

GLAMPING AGENCY Canopy and 

Stars has reported that forward 

bookings for 2022 were up four-fold 

on the same period in 2019, with 

many of its most popular spaces 

already booked up during peak 

2022 dates. 

Booking website Pitchup.com 

has also reported that while the 

vast majority of its bookings over 

the last week were arrivals for the 

rest of 2021, it had already taken 

thousands of bookings for UK 

destinations for 2022. 

Founder Dan Yates says that 

although he expects the lastminute 

trend to continue to 

dominate, he feels confident of 

many repeat customers booking for 

next year. “Huge numbers of Brits 

have taken their first-ever camping, 

caravan or glamping holiday over 

the last year and were delighted by 

what they found,” he said. 

GETTY IMAGES 

Corporate Events Demand Returns 

ALMOST TWO thirds of corporate event organisers are planning 

a face-to-face event before the end of the year, according to a 

report by hotel and venue group, The Celtic Collection. 

The collection’s meetings and events sentiment survey of 

266 business event organisers was carried out in conjunction 

with ICC Wales to mark the return of live events and gauge the 

industry demand for a return to face-to-face conferences and 

events. 

65 per cent of respondents said they are planning to hold a 

face-to-face event before the end of 2021. A quarter of those 

surveyed plan to hold more than 10 events in the next 12 

months, and more than half say they would not be looking for a 

hybrid element. There was a preference for organising smaller 

meetings of under 200 people, and 37 per cent are planning to 

accommodate under 50 people at their next event. 

GETTY IMAGES 


Marquees erected for pubs by Intent Productions 

Marquees for Hospitality Could Stay 

THE GOVERNMENT is reviewing the 

current relaxation on rules for marquees 

outside pubs and restaurants brought in 

under the Covid measures. 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities 

and Local Government has begun a 

consultation on whether this kind of 

outdoor hospitality should continue. 

Street markets are another area where 

the relaxation on rules may be allowed to 

continue. 

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: 

“The simple reforms we made during the 

pandemic to help hospitality businesses, 

markets and historic visitor attractions 

make use of outdoor spaces more easily, 

made a massive impact. 

“As part of our vision to transform high 

streets into thriving places to work, visit 

and live, we intend to make as many of 

these measures permanent fixtures of 

British life as possible.” 

The consultation is open until 14 

November. 

Wedding Marquee 

Plans at Edinburgh Zoo 

THE ROYAL Zoological 

Society of Scotland (RZSS) 

has unveiled plans for a new 

447m sq wedding marquee, 

complete with catering 

facilities and toilets. It is 

hoped that hosting events 

will help increase revenue for 

RZSS after the coronavirus 

pandemic. 

Ben Supple, director of 

engagement and business 

development, said: “We are continuing to improve 

and invest in Edinburgh Zoo, including the central 

area next to the lawn where we are planning to 

install a marquee and refurbish our café. 

“The marquee will increase our capacity for 

events and weddings, which are becoming more 

popular at the zoo given our unique setting and the 

chance to see so many incredible animals, all while 

supporting our charity’s vital conservation work 

here in Scotland and around the world.” 

EDINBURGH ZOO 

6 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Be Cool this 

staycation 

with utoka 

Keeping your food and drink cool for up to 5 

days, utoka coolers are designed to withstand all 

elements, even bear proof… you know, just in case! 

Not for profit members cooperative marketing rural tourism 

Promoting direct booking with owners 

Glamping; Self Catering and Bed and Breakfast 

Visit us at stand OSA710 to take advantage of our special show 

offer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.farmstay.co.uk 

02476696909 

 

ADVERTORIAL 

Got an Idea? 

Turn your wildest dreams 

into a profitable place to 

stay with comprehensive 

consultancy from 

Canopy & Stars 

Glamping and outdoor 

holidays have proven to be 

one of the biggest success 

stories in the tourism industry 

over recent years, and the trend 

shows no sign of slowing down. Canopy 

& Stars is the UK’s leading glamping 

specialist, and 2021 was the most 

successful year in the company’s 10 year 

history. With forward bookings for 2022 

up 400% on pre-pandemic levels, now is 

the perfect time to start your glamping 

development journey. 

A great space needs a vision and hard 

work, but you will also need industry 

expertise and experience, which is 

where the Canopy & Stars consultancy 

service comes in. As the longeststanding 

marketing and booking agent 

in the outdoor holiday space, we have 

years of knowledge and data to help 

you turn your wildest dreams into a 

profitable place to stay. 

Most glamping developments 

can benefit from a two to three year 

return on investment; much better 

than returns on traditional 

holiday lets. Build prices 

for permanent structures 

can range from as little 

as £20,000 to upwards 

of £200k right at the 

top end. Canopy & Stars 

reports that their top 

performing places have 

average nightly rates from 

£195-£420 per night and occupancy 

rates of between 75-95%. 

Once you join the collection, we 

become your commercial partner, with 

specialist guest experience, marketing, 

owner and business development 

teams delivering a level of personal 

service unmatched in the industry. 

From initial consultations, viability 

assessments and planning permission 

support, to advice on creating an 

experience and business modelling, 

the Canopy & Stars team can guide and 

support you every step of the way. 

CASE STUDY 

Netherby Estate, Cumbria 

We’ve worked with Robert and his family at Netherby 

since the launch of Netherby Woodland Yurt on Canopy 

& Stars in 2014. When they were looking for a follow 

up project, we toured their sheep-filled parkland and 

assessed the site’s potential. There was a perfect spot 

for a treehouse and our industry insight and market 

expertise gave them the confidence to commit to the 

build. 

Their treehouse achieves nightly rates of £170-£300 

and occupancy of over 80%. We’re now helping them 

with an exciting phase three! 

Customer Feedback: Robert Graham, Netherby Estate, 

said: “Canopy & Stars couldn’t have been more helpful 

from the beginning! They were always available to 

discuss ideas and provide us with examples of what 

guests want. They gave us very accurate financial figures 

on what similar treehouses made a year, which made 

building Netherby a bit of a no-brainer for us.” 

To find out more, go to www.canopyandstars.co.uk or 

email ideas@canopyandstars.co.uk 


PRODUCT 

Covid Event Cancellation Insurance: 

Premium set at 5.6% of Event Cost 

The government has published the rules for the Live Events Reinsurance 

Scheme: 

› Eligible Events are those generally available to the public, located in the 

UK and scheduled to take place before 30 September 2022 

› It protects against an event not being able to legally take place due to 

new government Covid-19 restrictions 

› Cover will be for costs, subject to a 5% or £1,000 excess, whichever is the 

higher 

› The premium will be 5% plus Insurance Premium Tax 

› The cover is only available where the event is also insured for standard 

event cancellation insurance 

› The scheme is to be reviewed in Spring 2022 

Event Insurance Company CoverMarque first wrote to the government 

requesting them to back this type of insurance last August, and is 

delighted that this insurance will now finally be available. “It will provide 

event organisers with the financial security to go ahead and arrange their 

events,” says managing director Nick Drew. “It is fantastic for them and for 

all of the suppliers of infrastructure and services to those events. 

“CoverMarque also arranges the insurance for hundreds of temporary 

structure hirers and mobile toilet companies, and they are so dependent 

on live events”. 

If you would like a quotation for Event Cancellation Insurance, including 

cover for Covid-19 restrictions, then please complete CoverMarque’s 

online enquiry form accessible from its website homepage, or visit the 

team at the Showman’s Show where CoverMarque hosts the Temporary 

Structures Suppliers’ Pavilion. 

01962 774421, insurance@covermarque.com, www.covermarque.com 

Classic Glamping 

Rebrands to Unique 

Hideaways 

JULY 2021 saw Classic Glamping re-brand to 

Unique Hideaways. The company had evolved in 

such a way that it was time to create a fresh image 

that would reflect its ever-growing portfolio of 

bespoke accommodation. This change in brand 

has allowed Unique Hideaways to welcome a 

wider range of accommodation types into its 

collection. 

From houseboats docked in private quays to 

romantic clifftop cabins with luxurious hot tubs, 

Unique Hideaways offers a collection of one-ofa-kind 

places to stay in hidden corners across the 

UK. 

The team at Unique Hideaways works with 

owners to learn everything about their hideaway. 

From the initial idea to the finished piece, and if 

owners need help from the very beginning, they 

are on hand to advise every step of the way. Most 

of the hideaways are positioned in the South 

West, but Unique Hideaways is now starting to 

spread its magic across Wales and is looking to 

head further afield. 

If you have your own hideaway, a plot of land 

or even a vision that you’d like to explore, then 

please get in touch. 

01736 230140, hello@uniquehideaways.com, 

www.uniquehideaways.com 

The New Duet Sauna 

THE NEW Duet two person sauna launches at The Glamping Show 2021. 

As interest in saunas continues to grow in the glamping industry, and as sites look to add that 

‘something special’ to their portfolio, the need for a smaller two person unit has become apparent. 

The new Duet now shows off a tinted glass wall at one end of the box shaped structure allowing 

users to take in whatever amazing view the owner chooses to face it towards. 

Available in both wood-fired and electric heater versions, the Duet is now available in a variety 

of external colours whilst keeping the huge 42mm thick solid wood walls – insulation and heat 

retention being a priority, as well as build quality. Different sizes are available to suit all spaces and 

the inclusion of outdoor seating is a great addition for cooling off. 

The Duet complements adult only and couples retreats, working well with the LuvTub two person 

hot tub. The vision of a totally off-grid eco spa setup can now be realised with the addition of these 

products whilst ticking all of the boxes when it comes to guests seeking out an amazing place to stay. 

01484 766233, info@nakedtubs.com, www.nakedtubs.com 


The Pizza 

Oven Plus – 

Bid Now! 

DELIVERING UNPARALLELED outdoor 

experiences by producing alluring ambiances 

and creative cook-offs, the Pizza Oven Plus’s 

ferocious 400° flames will turn up the heat and 

be the start, middle and end highlight of your 

guests' next outdoor or in-tent adventure. This 

portable stainless steel cooking appliance has 

five in one cooking capabilities, allowing you 

to stone-bake authentic 12” pizzas in three to 

four minutes, all whilst frying, grilling, baking, 

warming and fire roasting simultaneously! 

An exclusive design inspired by Boutique 

Camping’s original sell-out patented pizza 

stove, this bigger, better and bolder rendition 

is now live on the world's most famous 

reward-based crowdfunding platform, 

Kickstarter. Bid, save, camp and cook… you 

could be the next buck-saving backer to ignite 

the flame of The Pizza Oven Plus’s success – 

being one of the first ever owners and for a 

fraction of the price! 

0203 319 1315, info@boutiquecamping.com, 


Handmade Hot Tubs, 

Saunas and Pods 

NEW TO the market, Amber Hot Tubs 

handmakes a range of wood-fired hot 

tubs, saunas and wooden glamping pods. 

For hot tubs, the company offers a large 

variety of interior colours including brand 

new pearl colours, oceanic blue, silver, 

grey, gold and many more. 

Hot tubs and saunas are made 

bespoke and tailored to a customer’s 

requirements. The company delivers 

across England, Scotland and Wales and 

offers a free positioning service and 24 

month manufacturer’s warranty. 

Amber Hot Tubs has both hot tubs and 

saunas in stock and ready for immediate 

delivery. 

07737 533456, enquiries@amberhotubs. 

co.uk, www.amberhotubs.co.uk 

Largest Solar-Hybrid Generator of its Kind 

THE NEW MHM MGTP 60 SHG-5 is the 

largest solar hybrid generator of its 

type to have been built. The 60kVA 

self-charging solar-hybrid generator 

produces dependable, stable electricity 

via a sequence of solar and battery 

power. Continuous power is supported 

from a Stage V fuel-efficient engine 

that can operate from standard diesel 

or emission-free HVO (hydrotreated 

vegetable oil) fuel, provided the HVO 

supply meets with BS EN 15940:2016. 

The MGTP 60 SHG-5 features a fully adjustable roof mounted high-efficiency solar 

panel and integral long-life, lithium iron phosphate batteries. It has all the robust 

rental characteristics of a standard site generator with the exception that it runs almost 

exclusively from non-fossil initiated fuels. It is fitted with forklift pockets for safe lifting 

and a full-bunded base to retain all fluids. 

Utilising available renewable energy, the MGTP 60 SHG-5 solar hybrid battery diesel 

generator saves on fuel bills, lowers carbon emissions and cuts noise pollution while still 

delivering safe, clean power. 

01639 777009, info@mhmplant.com, www.mhmplant.com 


PRODUCT 

Qorone Goes Large 

QORONE STRUCTURES start at a 5m diameter octagon, ideal for use 

as cosy glamping units. Add four walls, and the octagon becomes 

a dodecagon, with a diameter of 8m. This size is currently used as 

The Magic Teapot, the very popular and much loved touring festival 

venue, hosting up to 120 people for music and tea around the fire. 

For the Showman’s Show in October, Qorone will be debuting 

its largest structure to date – an 18 side (octadecagon!) structure 

measuring 12m diameter, providing 112 square metres of floor 

space for an eating/meeting/greeting area. The structure itself is so 

beautiful, with hand-finished wooden walls, bellows-like canvas roof 

and the signature firebowl at the centre, that it barely needs to be 

dressed. A great alternative to a marquee for weddings and parties, be 

sure to have a look if you are at the show! 

Qorone will also furnish the octadecagon and two other Qorones 

with a range of event standard furniture. This furniture is built using 

the same production techniques as the Qorone structures and is very 

robust, built to be festival proof. Qorone uses locally grown larch 

and is involved in all stages from felling, transport and milling, to the 

creation of the final product. 

07798 902209, info@qorone.com, www.qorone.com 

High-end Container Conversions 

SteelPad offers bespoke shipping container conversions 

by master craftsmen. A one-stop-shop for container 

living, each unit is designed according to a clients’ needs, 

constructed and delivered almost anywhere. 

Comprising tough, durable Corten steel and German 

engineered bifold doors and frames, containers are fully 

insulated with many cladding options including timber, 

acrylic mirror and paint. 

High spec A energy rated equipment can include an 

electric two hob stove, air conditioning, fridge/freezer, 

microwave/convection oven and heated towel rail. 

The containers can be installed on or off-grid and need 

no foundations for minimal ground disturbance. The Steel 

Pad mantra is ‘Vision, Design, Reduced Space Living.’ 

07889 154002, info@steelpad.co.uk, www.steelpad.co.uk 

Award-winning Clean Energy 

YOU DON'T replace your caravan when it 

breaks down, so why replace your battery 

earlier than needed? Award-winning 

clean technology company Aceleron has 

launched the first serviceable, upgradable, 

and fully recyclable lithium-ion battery – 

the Essential – which will transform off-grid 

sites, making them greener than ever 

before. 

Thanks to its unique technology, you 

can not only repair and maintain your 

battery when needed but you can also 

choose to upgrade it as battery technology 

advances. Most batteries can only be 

used in one position, which is tricky 

when you’re trying to save space, but the 

Essential is built differently allowing for 

multiple orientations. With its ergonomic 

handle, making it easy to carry, and 

design optimised for easy installation, 

the Essential is a convenient and versatile 

choice. It will also power more appliances 

than a typical lead-acid battery. 

Committed to a circular economic 

model, Aceleron exists to bring 

sustainability and innovation to the world 

by revolutionising the linear economy’s 

traditional battery manufacturing methods 

with next-gen advanced storage. Anyone 

looking for a lightweight but powerful 

alternative to a lead-acid battery should 

consider the new Essential. 

0121 201 2933, info@aceleronenergy.com, 

www.aceleronenergy.com 


Portable Air Cooling, 

Fridge/Freezer and 

Power Packs 

SUZY HODGE is thrilled to be introducing the TotalCool range of 

products to the Glamping Show. The TotalCool 3000 is her flagship 

product, a British made portable air cooling unit. 

The compact evaporative air cooling device is a perfect portable 

cooling solution for so many applications in the glamping market. 

Off-grid, this unit gives powerful cooling from an amazing low 

power draw. It’s equally happy plugged into the mains for a 

wedding event or a luxury overnight camping stay for guests. 

Also new to the market is the TotalFreeze range, offering portable compressor fridge freezers with a very low power draw. You can 

choose from temperatures between -20 deg C to +20 deg C, so the unit will also keep food warm for transportation. Client facing or back 

of house, these robust units give you direct easy touch control and super insulation in any situation. 

Suzy Hodge offers two lithium-ion power packs. The handheld 155W pack features a flash light, three USB charging sockets and gives 

a 12v output. The TotalPower 500 is a 500W, 40A, 6.5kg power bank which offers so much more, with a 300W invertor with pure sine wave 

to run laptops, drones and cameras, or simply charge guest’s phones and screens off-grid with four USB ports. This power pack can also 

charge electric bikes or just run portable lights. 

A DC 12v will run the TotalCool 3000 on high for up to 45 hours or the TotalFreeze (see below) for over 15 hours. Units can be recharged 

from mains, 12v or solar power. Foldable 100W solar panels will charge the TotalPower 500 in 5.8 hours on a sunny morning. 

Shepherd Hut 

Series to Meet 

Glamping 

Growth 

THE WILLOWMEAD Group 

has launched a series of 

shepherd huts to support 

glampsite owners’ 

growth during the surge 

in staycations due to the 

pandemic. According to the 

GVR market analysis report, 

the global glamping market 

is expected to grow at a 

compound annual growth 

rate of 14.1% from 2021 to 2028 to reach USD 5.41 billion by 

2028 (3.92 billion GBP). 

The global glamping market size was estimated at USD 1.88 

billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 2.35 billion by the 

end of 2021 (1.7 billion GBP). Europe has dominated the global 

glamping market with a share of 34.8% in 2019, this is only set to 

grow looking at recent statistics. 

Set up in Bedfordshire in 2019, Willowmead is a family-run 

business intent on delivering the highest quality builds that will 

last a lifetime. With 44 years of experience building exhibition 

stands for brands including Mercedes Benz, Renault Trucks, BP, and 

Sony, they pivoted to building shepherd huts due to the pandemic 

and are hoping to partner with campsite owners to bounce back 

together after a challenging 18 months. 

01234 771588, hello@willowmeadgroup.co.uk, 

www.willowmeadgroup.co.uk 

Hydrotherapy Addition 

for Riviera Hot Tubs 

RIVIERA HOT Tubs has introduced marine grade stainless steel 

jet massage zones to its hot tubs, subtle to the eye but providing 

an unparalleled hydrotherapy experience. 

Riviera Hot Tubs has been manufacturing wooden barrel 

hot tubs for 20 years, offering a bespoke service. No product 

comes straight off a shelf and the team can build barrels or 

Japanese Ofuros to seat two to 16 people. Hot tubs use either 

an economical air source heating system or the company’s own 

55kW wood burning stove, manufactured in Kent using stainless 

steel and copper. 

Each year Riviera moves away from plastic parts with the end 

goal of providing a system using only natural materials. 

01626 367038, info@riviera-hottubs.co.uk, 

www.riviera-hottubs.co.uk 


INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

The Showman’s Show 

A must attend trade show for any event professional writes Michelle Tayton 

A VISIT to Newbury Showground for The 

Showman’s Show in October has always been 

a must for any serious event professional. 

In 2021, when the industry is desperate to 

reconnect following the pandemic, it will be 

essential, so make sure 20-21 October is in 

your diary! 

Over the last month or so we’ve seen 

outdoor events back in earnest and there is 

now a real sense that the industry is returning 

to some sort of normality. Of course, it’s 

not without its challenges; suppliers are at 

capacity, as the usual season is condensed 

into two hectic months, and event organisers 

are navigating new guidance. That said, 

there is a renewed air of optimism and 

that is reflected in exhibitor bookings and 

registrations for The Showman’s Show 2021 

as plans gather pace. 

Event director, Jeremy Lance, comments: 

“Our industry has really been through the 

mill, no organiser or supplier has come out of 

it unscathed. We know how tough it has been 

for everyone and we have been very sensitive 

to that when organising the show. However, 

we have to forge ahead and plan for the 

future and everyone I talk to is really looking 

forward to attending this year’s event. Not 

only to catch up with industry friends but it’s 

a milestone, a line in the sand as it were and 

a real sign that as an industry we’re coming 

out the other side.” 

Also making a welcome return is The 

Vision:2025 conference with the theme ‘A 

Journey to Net Zero’. Open to all attendees it 

will bring together trailblazers from the world 

of outdoor event sustainability to share 

knowledge and working practices whilst 

taking a look at new products and services 

to support organisers and suppliers tackling 

carbon impact. It will also feature a Dragon’s 

Den style competition between exhibitors 

with the lucky recipient taking home the 

accolade of the Green and Innovation 

Supplier Award. Previous winners include the 

highly successful Continest whose innovative 

foldable container technology is now present 

at events around the globe. 

Co-event director, Johnny Lance, said: “We 

are delighted to be hosting the Vision:2025 

conference again. After the enforced 

pandemic break for our industry, it is more 

important than ever that sustainability is 

central to the industry returning greener and 

tackling the climate emergency facing the 

planet. 

“Along with the challenges that delivering 

events in the Covid-era presents, it’s great 

to see that sustainability continues to be an 

important focus for many event organisers 

and suppliers as we build back better. 

Exhibitors showcasing products and services 

with strong green credentials have been 

integral to the success of the show in recent 

years and 2021 looks set to be another great 

year for innovation and sustainability.” 

SEE YOU THERE! 

The Showman’s Show takes place on 20- 

21 October at the Newbury Showground. 

Register free at 

www.showmans-directory.co.uk 

OAB’s Top Picks 

CoverMarque Temporary Structure 

Hirers Pavilion 

Location: Intersection of Avenues G & C 

www.covermarque.com 

Hosted by specialist insurance advisor 

to the events industry, CoverMarque, 

the Temporary Structure Hirers Pavilion 

is a one-stop-shop of suppliers to the 

temporary structure industry. What’s more, 

attendees can enjoy a free lunch, drink 

from the bar and tea/coffee. There’s even a 

clay shooting competition! 

Previously known as the CoverMarque 

Marquee Suppliers’ Pavilion, the name has 

been changed to incorporate all temporary 

structures including tipis, yurts, stretch, 

bell, sailcloth and tension tents, igloos, 

geodesic domes, pods and more. 

2019 was a very successful year for the 

CoverMarque pavilion, with 30 partner 

exhibitors and 1,641 visitors representing 

870 companies. 2021, is lining up to be just 

as good - see you there! 


INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

Thermobile 

Location: Avenue B, Stand 153 

www.thermobile.co.uk 

Thermobile heaters are manufactured in Holland and built to a very 

high quality. They have a minimum efficiency of 90 per cent, which 

means that 90 per cent of the fuel burned goes as useful heat into 

the heated space and only 10 per cent via the flue. This is a very high 

efficiency in comparison to other heaters on the market. 

The Thermobile ITA range is ideal for heating marquees and other 

temporary structures. It comprises small, mobile units with a 5-10m 

range for ducting and 15hr integral fuel tanks. The larger IMA units 

require a separate fuel tank and can be ducted up to 40m. 

MHM Plant 

Location: Avenue A, Stand 133 

www.mhmplant.com 

MHM is a leading supplier of solar-hybrid generators 

and lighting towers for both purchase and rehire. The 

company has developed its product range with emphasis 

on sustainability innovation including the increasing use 

of hybrid technology, LED lighting, solar power, clean fuel 

storage and emission efficient diesel engines. 

MHM undertakes to pursue the use of renewables to 

power equipment wherever and whenever possible. All MHM 

products are manufactured in a purposely built facility based 

near Milan. 

Fit Outdoor Finance 

Location: Exhibition Hall, Stand: 5 

www.fitoutdoorfinance.co.uk 

Fit Outdoor Finance says the pent-up demand for events 

presents a huge opportunity for anyone in the sector. Whether 

you need an outdoor stage set up, lighting, a marquee style 

canopy structure, sanitary and welfare units, or even an outdoor 

catering set up, they are on hand. 

Accessing finance may be tough but it is by no means 

impossible. The team at Fit Outdoor Finance has been helping 

businesses with finance for over 30 years, through several 

recessions and the banking crash! They’ve seen every unlikely 

situation and helped to successfully finance many. 

RentaDinosaur 

Location: Avenue A, Stand 125 

www.rentadinosaur.co.uk 

Create a buzz at your event, festival or party with 

Rentadinosaur’s impressive range of prehistoric monsters. 

Want a terrifying tyrannosaurus? A lumbering triceratops? 

Cute baby dinosaurs? If you’re looking for a ‘big’ headline 

attraction then Dexter the T-rex is 4m long and 2.5m high at 

full stretch, and Tiny the Triceratops is even larger… 

The biggest theatrical dinosaur show in the UK now has 25 

dinos for budgets big and small. 


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WE UNDERSTAND THE COUNTRYSIDE 


PEOPLE 

ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

One of the three directors of 

Cheviot Brewery and Glamping – a 

microbrewery, tap bar and brand 

new glampsite on the Ford & Etal 

North Northumberland 

NeilEstate, 

BAKER 

his story starts in Barcelona during 

the 2015 Spanish Grand Prix. Three 

friends – Neil Baker, Jonny Hodgson 

and Pete Nash are sitting in the tap bar of 

the Moritz brewery thinking how great it 

would be to run their own brewery. The 

difference between this and many others’ 

“pub talk” was that the trio actually did 

something about it. 

Fast forward three years and the first 

beers were being served at a function at 

Barmoor Castle, Northumberland. Cheviot 

Brewery has now been brewing for over 

three years, from a formally derelict part 

of the Ford and Etal Estate, and is now also 

home to Cheviot Tap, the onsite tap bar and 

a brand new glampsite, Cheviot Glamping. 

“Jonny and I have been friends since 

our school days and had often thought 

about doing a project together,” says Neil. 

“Pete wanted a change from his career and 

was ready to turn his sales skills to a new 

enterprise – he is now our head of sales. 

“After the grand plans in Barcelona, 

we went home to West Yorkshire and did lots of 

research. We heard on the grapevine that a local 

brewery was upgrading their kit so we bought 

their old equipment. They were really helpful and 

advised us on how the kit could be modified and 

upgraded to increase efficiency”. 

Jonny – now Cheviot’s head brewer – and Pete 

had done some work experience in a brewery and 

Pete also did an intensive course with Brewlab, a 

provider of brewing courses, training and analysis, 

where he learned about the business side of the 

industry. They knew what to do but needed to find 

a site. 

“Despite us being from West Yorkshire, we chose 

Northumberland for the brewery’s location. Jonny’s 

parents lived there so he spent a fair amount of time 

up there with his structural engineering company 

being based in both the North East and Yorkshire. 

Pete was ready for a move and was happy to 

relocate. My location doesn’t matter much as my 

role is marketing and design so I don’t need to be 

on site. I am a filmmaker, animator, illustrator and 

co-director of creative production company Electric 

Egg based in Lincolnshire”. 


PEOPLE 

THE PLAN 

The trio created a business plan that centred around 

the desire to create beers that spoke of and to 

Northumberland, using local suppliers and inspired by 

the history and landscape of the area. 

“It was important to get across that although we 

weren’t from the area, we were committed to creating 

a product that reflected where we were located and 

that was synonymous with Northumberland. The name 

Cheviot Brewery comes from the Cheviot Hills which 

span North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. 

We were keen to work with the local community and 

reach out to groups and societies such as local rugby 

and cricket clubs”. 

Jonny, Pete and Neil started looking for business 

space and contacted various landowners, eventually 

being introduced to the Ford and Etal Estate, which had 

some derelict buildings that had formerly housed the 

North Northumberland Hunt’s kennels. 

“The estate is huge and includes multiple farms, two 

villages, and tourist attractions including Etal Castle, a 

light railway and a heavy horse centre. It is a working 

estate with livestock and arable agriculture but there 

is a great tourism economy there. The estate has been 

very generous to us in terms of their support and in 

refurbishing the buildings to get them into shape for 

us to take out a lease. They had great faith in us as they 

were essentially taking a risk on three people that, 

despite track records of running businesses, had not 

“THREE YEARS 

ON AND WE ARE 

CONSIDERED AN 

ASSET TO THE 

ESTATE AND 

WE NOW WORK 

TOGETHER 

ON THE 

MANAGEMENT 

OF THE LOCAL 

PUB IN THE 

VILLAGE, THE 

BLACK BULL INN” 

worked in the industry or the area. 

“Three years on and we are considered an asset 

to the estate and we now work together on the 

management of the local pub in the village, The Black 

Bull Inn. We manage it on their behalf and both the 

pub and our fledgling glamping enterprise are under 

the care of Ellie Bain. We brought Ellie in as she has 

extensive experience in the hospitality and holiday 

park industry. She has managed pubs and bars; she’s a 

perfect addition to the team”. 

With the space secured on a 10 year lease, Jonny 

started to design the brewery. “Jonny is a structural 

engineer by trade, which proved very useful! He 

has been the architect of the whole site and, as he’s 

worked on many high profile developments and public 

infrastructure projects, he found spec’ing a brewery 

no problem! We use a partial Victorian ‘gravity drop’ 

model, which uses gravity to move the liquid around 

as much as possible. The process is very manual – we 

don’t just press buttons – and Jonny has used his skills 

to up efficiency through design and layout”. 

Everything was self-financed, or by loans from 

friends and family, and the first three beers were 

brewed back to back in 2018. “Cask ale takes around 10 

days (dependent on the beer) from brew day to pour,” 

explains Neil. “Our launch to the public was an event 

for a caravan lodge park that was opening a new event 

space at Barmoor Castle. It was tight getting everything 

ready for that but we did it!” 

A PLACE TO POUR 

It was always in the business’s vision to offer brewery 

tours and tastings, tapping into the tourist and local 

trade. During the first lockdown, the team built Cheviot 

Tap, an on-site tap bar in one of the other outbuildings 

on the site and now serves beer and pizza on Fridays, 

Saturdays and Sundays. 

“There is a sawmill one mile down the road 

processing wood from the estate. We took wood from 

there to help build the bar, the hop pergola and some 

of the furniture. We had previously run tap days with 

marquees in the yard, borrowing tables from the local 

village hall, but we soon saw the value in selling beer 

directly to the public as well as wholesale. This was 

especially clear during the height of the pandemic 

when we were losing revenue from the pubs being 


PEOPLE 

closed. Selling bottles direct to the public helped to make 

up for the loss of cask ale sales. 

“The tap bar also meant we could control standards 

as beer needs to be handled and stored correctly, also 

there’s no transport costs with the brewery being the 

other side of the yard. Cask sales to other pubs are still 

an important part of the business however, and we have 

lots of regular custom from some of the best pubs in the 

North East who know how to serve a great pint and have 

a loyal customer base, many of whom have become 

Cheviot fans.” 

The tap bar doubles as an events space. “We’ve had 

birthdays, wedding receptions and corporate bookings. 

GLAMPING IS BORN 

The second lockdown was the perfect opportunity for 

more diversification. “We always had the idea of creating 

horizontal integration within the business; having 

different revenue streams make great sense. Our site 

includes a small field which is too small for camping at 

scale, but perfect for the lower numbers and higher bednight 

rates of glamping. 

“We opened quite late in the season with six bell tents 

and two pods. The pods are fabulous and a bit more than 

what most people think of as a pod. Jonny designed 

them from used shipping containers, although you 

wouldn’t know that from looking at them. 

“They are clad in local wood from the sawmill down 


PEOPLE 

RIGHT: Jonny 

Hodgson and 

Pete Nash 

after winning 

the 2020 

Bradford 

Beer Festival 

award for 

best beer, 4% 

and under 

“THEY ARE 

CLAD IN LOCAL 

WOOD FROM 

A SAWMILL 

DOWN THE 

ROAD AND HAVE 

AN EN-SUITE 

AT THE BACK, 

LPG HEATING, 

A TWO BURNER 

STOVE AND MINI 

FRIDGE...” 

the road and have an en-suite at the back, LPG heating, 

a two burner stove and mini fridge. The pods can 

be used all year round, although we are closing the 

whole site during mid-week in November till April in 

order to install four more pods and to add some more 

accommodation options”. 

Neil reports the excitement and anticipation of 

receiving the first few bookings for the new glampsite. 

“We hadn’t done any advertising, just trailed a bit 

of PR and put things on our own website and social 

channels. When we announced the plans for Cheviot 

Glamping, we set up a mailing list and by the time we 

were ready to launch there were hundreds of people 

signed up for updates. We announced the opening date 

and bookings being open to our mailing list first and 

gave them a 24 hour period in which they could book 

first. We had a sweep stake as to how long it would 

take for the first booking to come in. Ellie said an hour, 

the rest of us were less optimistic. It actually took just 

seven minutes! We ended up with 33 bookings in the 

first 24 hours”. 

The entire Cheviot business now sustains three full 

time employees and plenty of part time staff in the 

brewery, tap bar, glampsite and pub. “At this stage all 

our profit is being reinvested into the next stages of our 

vision,” says Neil. “The potential of the glampsite alone 

is quite significant, and we have plans to scale it to 

six pods, three bell tents, two self-catering suites, and 

three single sleepers for hikers and cyclists”. 

Another tenant on the estate has recently opened 

a campsite adding to the tourists staying locally. “It’s 

great for us, more people staying locally means more 

potential patrons to the tap bar and pub” says Neil. 

“The great thing about the estate is that it is keen to 

support and nurture the economy on it; it wouldn’t put 

businesses together that didn’t gel – plus we also have 

alpaca trekking as an added extra!” 

Animals at the brewery are not an uncommon site, 

and the tap bar has become a destination venue for the 

local equestrian centre. “It’s not unusual to see a line of 

horses tied up as their riders grab a quick pint”. 

DETAILS 

Cheviot Brewery, Tap and Glamping 

Slainsfield 

Cornhill-on-Tweed 

Northumberland TD12 4TP 

www.cheviotbrewery.co.uk 


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CASE STUDY 

Waterside 

An exclusive Somerset wedding 

venue nestled in scenic tranquillity 

Country Barn 

WWW.MURRAYFREESTONE.COM 

Georgia and Alexander 

Venn’s fledgling wedding 

and events business 

comprises a beautiful barn 

and four unique glamping 

spaces, hand built by 

Alexander. Offering the 

ultimate in flexibility, the 

venue is also host to yoga 

retreats and there are plans 

for a wellness festival. We 

talk to Georgia. 

When did you start your venue business 

and what is its history? 

My husband Alexander grew up here at 

Mill House. It’s such a beautiful, secluded, 

tranquil spot and he was adamant he wanted 

a big white wedding here on the farm (cue 

Groomzilla!). So, after a beautiful proposal 

on the cliffs of Mawgan Porth in Cornwall, I 

began planning our wedding to take place the 

following year in September 2015. 

I’d been working as a sales, marketing and 

events manager for years in the hospitality 

industry, working with top chefs across 

the UK. This enabled us to have Cornwall’s 

first ever Michelin starred chef, Kevin Viner, 

provide our wedding breakfast. We had a funfilled 

wedding reception in a large marquee 

here on the farm. 

I’d enjoyed planning our wedding so 

much and the comments from all our guests 

confirmed that this gut instinct of what we 

should be doing here was right! It seemed all 

my past working history was leading up to 

doing this, and along with Alexander’s vision 

and building skills, it was the perfect mix! 

Alexander and his team at Outbuild, which 

included his brother Cameron, began building 

the barn in 2019. After a lot of hard work, 

blood, sweat and tears, we saw our planning 

permission finally granted to use our beautiful 

new barn for events in 2020. 

Our vision had become a reality and, 

after hosting a few weddings for family 

and friends, we were ready to share this 

magical space and create blissful memories 

for more couples choosing to spend their 

wedding day here at Waterside Country 

Barn. 

Tell us about your location and site 

When standing at the venue listening to 

the sounds of birdsong, the babbling river 

surrounding the venue field, and taking in 

the views of the Blackdown and Quantock 

hills, you wouldn’t believe it’s just a five 

minute drive from junction 26 of the M5! 

Especially with the local wildlife buzzing 

around, including the pair of serene swans 

that glide across the lake. 

The wedding venue site itself is very 

unique. The whole field Waterside Country 

Barn is set on is part of a parcel of land 

surrounded by the river Tone. The lake in 

the centre has an island in the middle so is 

actually an island within an island! 

From the moment I moved to the farm, 

a year after meeting Alexander, I knew that 

this parcel of land was special. Whenever I 

was feeling overwhelmed with my highpressure 

job, I would start the day walking 

around that field, which always made me 

feel better – it really is a magical place. 



WWW.MURRAYFREESTONE.COM 

Any challenges the site presents 

for a function venue? 

Weather can be a challenge, the 

gazebo by the lake is the perfect 

spot for a celebrant-led ceremony, 

but we can dress up the barn for the 

ceremony instead if needed. 

We hosted a wedding last week, 

and the forecast was thunderstorms 

– starting right at the time the 

ceremony was due to take place 

next to the lake! 30 minutes prior to 

the ceremony, there wasn’t a cloud 

in the sky. The groom and Alexander 

made the call to attempt the 

ceremony out by the lake and 

we were able to get everything 

set up at the last minute 

for the couple to have 

their dream outdoor 

ceremony. It was even 

more magical as it 

was so unexpected 

that they were going to be able to 

have it outside. 

What facilities for outdoor 

functions do you offer? 

As well as the gazebo on the decking 

overlooking the lake, we also 

have ample space for the hire of 

additional structures opposite the 

barn if required. 

The barn has been cleverly 

built with removable sides, which 

enables the whole side of the 

building alongside the lake to be 

removed for that ‘outside-indoors’ 

experience. 

We have four glamping 

accommodation units onsite, all 

built by Alexander and his team at 

Outbuild. They are Riverside Retreat, 

Lakeside Lodge, Countryside Cabin 

and Sunset Shepherds Hut – the 

perfect accommodation for the 

“ALL OF THE 

GLAMPING 

UNITS ARE 

INCREDIBLY 

POPULAR ALL 

YEAR ROUND, 

AVAILABLE 

TO BOOK 

THROUGH 

AIRBNB” 

bride and groom on the night of 

their wedding, complete with 

Mr and Mrs robes, a rose petal 

decorated bed and a bottle of cold 

bubbly to enjoy. 

All of the glamping units 

are incredibly popular all year 

round, available to book through 

Airbnb. Some have their own little 

pathways leading down to pebble 

beaches alongside the river Tone. 

Guests return time and time again 

and really enjoy the peace and 

chance to get back to nature; they 

love the little touches, like the 

complimentary marshmallows to 

toast on their own private firepit. 

What services do you offer? 

Our accommodation units can be 

booked separately or all together, 

perfect for wedding and group 

getaways prior to an event. The


bride and groom from last week’s 

wedding are planning on booking 

out the accommodation units for 

themselves and their friends to 

celebrate their wedding anniversary 

next year! 

We also run yoga retreats, with 

our last one being a stand up 

paddleboard (SUP) yoga day here 

on the lake – something that’s been 

incredibly well received. 

Waterside Country Barn is the 

perfect place to celebrate wedding 

blessings and receptions, vow 

renewals, parties, and to participate 

in wellbeing retreats and functions. 

We have two main wedding 

packages, one with and one without 

catering. Both can be flexible and 

bespoke, depending on the couple’s 

requirements. We also have the 

flexibility of couples being able to 

choose anywhere on the site to hold 

their blessing. 

We have an array of outdoor lawn 

games, including giant Jenga and 

croquet to keep guests of all ages 

occupied and we set up hay bale 

seating around a large Indian kadai 

firepit so people can keep warm 

whilst watching the amazing sunsets 

we get here. 

I offer event planning services 

and work closely with the couple or 

client and their suppliers to ensure 

everything runs smoothly. 

Describe how you researched and 

sourced your structures 

Outbuild, Alexander’s business, 

is responsible for building the 

beautiful structure that is Waterside 

Country Barn. Alexander has a real 

eye for detail and is a complete 

perfectionist. This is Al’s everyday 

“WE HAVE 

AN ARRAY OF 

OUTDOOR 

LAWN GAMES, 

INCLUDING 

GIANT 

JENGA AND 

CROQUET TO 

KEEP GUESTS 

OF ALL AGES 

OCCUPIED” 

WWW.JONPETERSPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK 

job in between getting involved in 

the set up and breakdown of events. 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

I meet with the couple or client 

several times leading up to the 

big day. I listen to their vision and 

offer any ideas they may not have 

thought about that fit in with their 

theme. I like to understand what 

makes them tick, hobbies etc. that 

can be incorporated to make their 

day as personal and memorable 

as possible. I always do my own 

research to ensure they’re getting 

the best deals and quality of service 

possible with any outside suppliers. 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We’ve been lucky so far – word of 

mouth has been our main source of 

bookings to date. We’ve invested in 

a new website this year and have set 

up social media pages. A goal this 

autumn/winter is to do some up to 

date training and utilise our online 

presence more. 

How would you describe your 

style or unique selling point? 

Versatile; we’ve had some very 

different events this year, from a 

classic white wedding to an all-out 

festival theme, and both work 

amazingly well at Waterside Country 

Barn. The space is like no other 

locally; the views, the setting and 

the packages and flexibility offered 

is totally unique. 

What challenges have you faced 

historically? 

Well… Our first official year was 

2020! So, despite the obvious (lack 

of bookings and revenue), I think 

that in some ways we were in a 

blessed position. I had just had my 

own little lockdown baby, so the 

pause on work enabled me to be a 

full time Mumma for longer. It was 

also a blessing that we only had 

three weddings to postpone – I was 

really glad as we were able to offer 

those couples a huge choice of dates 

to move to. Every cloud! 

How has Covid-19 impacted you? 

Covid-19 undoubtedly impacted 

our bookings. We have had a very 

minimal first year. Instead of feeling 

frustrated with having our hands 

tied, I used the time to perfect our 

offering and spent time building 

content for a new website. I did a 

lot of research and some online 

training. 

We had one Covid restricted 

wedding in 2020 – my sister in-law's 

Other than that, our first season 

kicked off just as the restrictions 

were lifted in July. The venue is 

super ventilated with very large 

double doors and windows, 

removable sides and a high ceiling, 

which puts people at ease in these 

strange times. 

How large is your team – any 

special people you’d like to 

mention? 

We’re primarily a husband and 

wife team and hire people in 

as and when we need them for 

events. Our families have been an 

absolute godsend in the set up and 

maintenance of the business. 

My father in-law Barry, who’s 

seen his family home where he 

grew up change so much over the 

years, has always supported the 

business plan and works tirelessly 



to keep the whole venue grounds 

looking perfect. My father Rob has 

helped with all sorts of jobs from 

varnishing windows, painting, shop 

runs, as well as being our main 

source of childcare throughout the 

pandemic! Both our mothers have 

also helped with childcare and 

my mother-in-law has got stuck in 

helping on events too! 

We work closely with local small 

businesses such as the butcher 

Tom, located two miles from us, 

who offers the tastiest hog roast 

ever! Rob at Mid Somerset Catering 

Hire goes above and beyond to 

ensure we have what we need for 

each event and Jon at Jon Peters 

Photography has worked with 

us from the beginning, capturing 

artistic shots of the venue during 

weddings, parties and yoga 

days, which have all helped with 

our marketing. Joe at Bright 

Blue Light is incredibly helpful, 

knowledgeable and transforms the 

venue into a magical space after 

dark. 

Have you worked with any 

industry bodies or consultants? 

I joined Faye Cornhill’s Wedding 

Business Club, which I’ve found to 

be a useful platform for support 

and training. I also listen to a few 

different podcasts for inspiration 

and keep up to date with latest 

wedding industry news. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

To continue to achieve the highest 

standards for our brides and 

grooms, and ensure their dreams 

are fully made into reality! Happy 

brides, grooms and guests is the 

most important goal. I’m also 

planning a wellness festival, which 

I’m very excited about, along with 

more yoga and SUP yoga retreat 

events for 2022. 

Describe your average day 

mid-season 

That’s a very difficult question to 

answer – each day is so incredibly 

different and varies hugely 

depending on the event. An average 

non-event day would include visits 

to the wholesalers, several calls 

and emails with suppliers, emails 

and calls with brides and grooms/ 

event attendees and setting up/ 

breaking down the venue ready for 

the next event. It could also include 

prepping food for an event. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

For the wedding side of the 

business, I would say it would be 

making dreams a reality and having 

played a part in creating the most 

special day of people’s lives! For 

the yoga retreats and glamping 

accommodation, I really enjoy 

seeing how relaxed and happy 

people look when they leave. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We offer glamping, which integrates 

well with weddings/events. The 

whole site is offered as a weekend 

package for couples/clients, 

allowing them to extend their 

celebrations. 

As mentioned, we offer yoga/ 

wellbeing retreats and SUP yoga 

on the lake. I’m also planning a 

wellbeing festival for next year – 

watch this space! 

What are you most proud of? 

The feedback we get, not just from 

brides and grooms and their guests, 

but also from guests of the glamping 

units and the yoga retreat days. 

Testimonials like these make my 

day: 

“Hi all, my family have just 

celebrated the wedding of my 

daughter at this wonderful venue. 

Not only is it in a beautiful setting, 

its main and mighty asset is its 

owners! Help and understanding 

in abundance. They help you make 

your dreams come true. I cannot 

praise them enough for the day they 

helped us create. Thank you from 

the bottom of my family's hearts – 

you are the best. When the occasion 

arises, we will be back. Till then I 

wish you all the success that you 

rightly deserve.” 

“A wonderful yoga retreat 

hosted by Georgia in a location 

WWW.JONPETERSPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK 

“...I WOULD 

SAY IT WOULD 

BE MAKING 

DREAMS 

A REALITY 

AND HAVING 

PLAYED A PART 

IN CREATING 

THE MOST 

SPECIAL DAY 

OF PEOPLE’S 

LIVES!” 

ADDRESS BOOK 

OUTDOOR STRUCTURES 

Outbuild – www.outbuild.co.uk 

FURNITURE 

Mid Somerset Catering Hire – www.midsomersetcateringhire.co.uk 

LIGHTING 

Bright Blue Light – www.brightbluelight.com 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Jon Peters Photography- www.jonpetersphotography.co.uk 

CATERING 

Barefoot Stone Baked Pizza – www.barefootstonebakedpizza.co.uk 

Bishops Hull Stores Butchers – 01823 337497 

ADVICE 

Wedding Business Club – www.fayecornhillcoaching.co.uk 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual – www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Waterside Country Barn, Mill House 

Bradford on Tone, Taunton, Somerset TA4 1EP 

01823 461817 / 07597 707505 

www.watersidecountrybarn.com 

that provides calm and tranquillity. 

Practising yoga with views of the 

lake and serene swans floating past 

was a magical experience, not to 

mention the amazing, delicious 

home cooked vegetarian meal – 

such a lovely day to treat my body 

and mind. I floated all the way 

home!” 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Join a group, like the Wedding 

Business Club, or partner up with 

another venue that’s not local 

to you (so they don’t see you as 

competition) and ask them for 

advice. Don’t try to do everything 

yourself, know your weaknesses 

and delegate where necessary. Be 

open to always learning and do lots 

of research, keeping ahead of new 

trends. 


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07767733044 



Celebrants 

vs. Registrars 

What a celebrant can offer that a registrar can’t. A guide for venue owners by Frances Cave 

ONLY AN independent celebrant can bring 

uniqueness, personality and real authenticity to a 

wedding ceremony. The service they provide and 

the level of professionalism they demonstrate, 

if given the opportunity, will add value to any 

wedding venue business. 

The days of identical weddings are over. The 

days of identical ceremonies should be over too. 

Innovative and forward-thinking wedding venues 

have to react to change and stay ahead of the 

curve. Personalised ceremonies are becoming the 

modern way to marry. 

In this article I shall identify the reasons why 

this is the case and why wedding venues should 

literally wise up and get personal. 

BESPOKE 

All couples want their wedding to be memorable 

and unique. Every venue is unique and special in 

its own way, offering differing levels of service, 

facilities, accommodation, location and so 

on. Most of the other elements that go into 

planning a wedding also showcase individual 

touches, be it the dress, photographer, florist 

or entertainment – it all helps make a couple’s 

wedding their own. The ceremony however is so 

often overlooked. 

Each and every couple that is shown a 

wedding venue is different. Each and every 

wedding venue is different. Each and every 

photographer and florist’s style will be different, 

in that they reflect the wishes of the couple. 

There is no reason why each and every ceremony 

should not be treated in the same way. A 

ceremony led by a registrar is not unique or 

bespoke, it will be the same formulaic, generic, 

templated script that has been churned out time 

and time again. 

A celebrant-led ceremony is unique and 

bespoke every single time with the content 

reflecting the couple’s story, their values and 

beliefs. In the modern world, with a growing 

number of mixed heritage couples, being able 

to recognise a person’s heritage and/or please a 

family member is all the more important. 

Celebrant-led ceremonies are still a relatively 



“VENUES SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE SHORTFALL OF 

KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT CELEBRANTS OFFER AND MAKE 

COUPLES AWARE OF THE EXCELLENT BESPOKE SERVICE 

THEY CAN PROVIDE” 

GETTY IMAGES 

new concept and the majority of couples are 

unaware that it is possible to have a truly 

bespoke wedding ceremony. They assume that 

if you want a civil ceremony, the registrar route 

is the only route. Forward thinking venues have 

an opportunity to actively inform couples of the 

choice available and the benefits and versatility 

of using a celebrant. 

PERSONALISED 

Couples have choice in all aspects of 

wedding planning to personalise their big 

day. Personalised ceremonies are created by 

wedding celebrants with the couple’s story at 

the heart, filled with joy, sincerity and laughter. 

Ceremonies can be drawn from a wealth of 

traditions and rituals or simply in the style and 

tone that sits comfortably with the couple’s 

approach to life. 

A celebrant will work closely with a couple 

in the lead up to their wedding day. This will 

entail an onslaught of questions to ascertain that 

simple but vital question – ‘why are you getting 

married?’ This collaboration is essential to 

achieve the authenticity of a truly personalised 

ceremony. 

It should not be an unreasonable expectation 

for modern couples to expect niche experts to 

officiate their ceremony at venues. They should 

not have to settle for an officiant allocated to 

them who is unable, due to legal restrictions, 

to offer anything as personal, creative or 

meaningful. 

Couples are able to handpick every other 

supplier so why not the person who plays such a 

central role in the day? 

Venue websites keenly promote licensed 

ceremony spaces. Personalised ceremonies 

should be given at the very least the same 

amount of copy space. In the long run they 

will add a much needed fresh and modern 

perspective to a ceremony and enable a venue to 

stand out from the competition. 

A celebrant should be a preferred supplier, 

similar to other wedding professionals. Why is it 

that although some venues do have celebrants 

on their preferred supplier list that they are not 

more actively promoted by the venues? The 

answer is because venues are rarely asked by 

their clients about celebrants. Couples often 

have never heard of them! 

Other suppliers are actively recommended 

because not only are they are considered the 

best in their field of expertise, but couples 

know they need a photographer, florist, cake 

maker etc. and venues know that a good 

recommendation and regular supplier will add 

value to the day as a whole. 

Venues should be mindful of the shortfall of 

knowledge on what celebrants offer and make 

couples aware of the excellent bespoke service 

they can provide. How difficult is it to say at a 

showround: “Have you booked your celebrant 

or registrar for your ceremony?” (which could 

prompt the question “what is a celebrant?”) 

or “have you considered a more personalised 

wedding ceremony?” 

FLEXIBILITY 

Covid aside, registration services have always 

been limited when it comes to flexibility on 

timings. Couples are not only assigned an 

officiant, who I may add, they have never met, 

but often a time slot. With, guess what, no choice 

at all. Yes, possibly an overused word in this 

article but one that is so relevant and scarce 

when it comes to wedding ceremonies. 

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Because of their hefty workload and backlog, 

which is worse than ever obviously at the 

moment, registrars are often unavailable on a 

couple’s chosen day, have limited time as well as 

being a total stranger. In this day and age, surely 

you should be able to choose who officiates at 

one of the most important milestone events in 

your life? 

Wedding celebrants on the other hand 

normally officiate only one ceremony per day. 

This means the couple have complete flexibility 

with their timings – there is no rushing. Their 

day and schedule is their own, making the entire 

process more relaxed. 

There is also flexibility when it comes to 

beliefs. And it is relevant here to point out that 

there is actually a difference between humanist 

and independent celebrant-led ceremonies. 

A humanist ceremony is non-religious so will 

not feature any religious or spiritual content, 

but an independent celebrant will completely 

tailor the ceremony to the couples’ exact 

requirements, whatever belief, no belief, mixed 

faith or spirituality as well as cultural traditions. 

An example would be possibly if the client 

wanted to sing a hymn or include a religious 

reading – there can be no religious content either 

in a registrar-led ceremony. 

Time and time again I have been told by 

wedding planners and wedding venue coordinators 

that celebrant-led ceremonies are the 

best. Most of them can recite an entire ceremony 

script as they have heard the registrar-led script 

so many times. 

Venue owners, videographers and 

photographers all say the same. Even married 

GETTY IMAGES 

“A HUMANIST CEREMONY IS NON-RELIGIOUS SO WILL NOT 

FEATURE ANY RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL CONTENT, BUT 

AN INDEPENDENT CELEBRANT WILL COMPLETELY TAILOR 

THE CEREMONY TO THE COUPLES’ EXACT REQUIREMENTS, 

WHATEVER BELIEF, NO BELIEF, MIXED FAITH OR 

SPIRITUALITY AS WELL AS CULTURAL TRADITIONS” 

VENETIA NORRINGTON BRANDING 

couples who have attended one of my 

ceremonies, or who have been made aware of 

what can be achieved, say that if they were to do 

it again, they would definitely choose to have a 

truly personalised ceremony led by a celebrant. 

Millennials and the generations that are 

following are no longer a pleasing or accepting 

society. They want to express themselves their 

way. 

Venues are missing a trick here. What are you 

waiting for? Is it because you’ve paid for your 

licenses? You can still use them but you should 

be informing, educating and promoting the 

alternative to your clients. They’ll thank you 

for it and in turn the inclusion of a remarkable 

and bespoke ceremony will add value to your 

offering. 

Everyone loves a celebrant-led ceremony. 

Come on venues, stick your necks out – 

don’t settle for the ordinary, start making 

the ceremonies held at your venue the 

extraordinary! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Frances Cave is the founder of Fanfare Ceremonies. 

An experienced celebrant, she has presented 

ceremonies in many of the west country’s most 

prestigious venues as well as beautiful gardens and 

farms across the UK. www.fanfareceremonies.co.uk 


A family run business making beautiful pods, 

shepherds huts, yurts and garden rooms. 

Cedar Tree Pods is a family-run business based 

near Wrexham in North Wales. Making 

beautiful glamping pods and bespoke builds. 

Each one of our pod designs can be 

tailored to your exact requirements, fitting 

perfectly with the needs of your business, 

family or lifestyle. 

From initial design to full realisation our 

team will work closely with you to create 

the unique space you’ve always wanted. 

Get in touch to discuss your ideas. 

info@cedartreepods.co.uk | 01978 804196 | www.cedartreepods.co.uk 


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INDUSTRY COMMENT 

Business Events 

Agents 

Love them or hate them, agents, third 

parties and intermediaries are here to 

stay, writes Andrew White 

GETTY IMAGES 

THE WORD ‘agent’ used to prompt a Marmite 

response from venues. Some owners and 

managers felt their heckles rise on the 

realisation that an agent was involved in 

a booking due to the fact that paying their 

commission was perceived as the equivalent 

of a monetary headlock! Fortunately, agents 

are now a widely accepted and important 

part of the business of events. 

Agencies and venue finders (and a whole 

myriad of new descriptors) were founded 

about 40 years ago by Peter Rand. Peter’s 

company created the agency model, 

whereby his company would find corporate 

venues for free (a seriously time-consuming 

job for the corporate) and, in return, the 

hotel or venue would pay a commission. 

The agency model was born and has 

since gathered huge pace, adapting to a 

more stringent control by procurement 

departments. 

Agents are now very much part of a 

corporate’s business process outsourcing. 

They are just as likely to be used by a 

corporate as a travel agent or a preferred 

stationery supplier, or any other area where 

cost savings and management control can 

be achieved. Add to the mix our reliance on 

the internet and agents crop up in many 

different places and under even more guises. 

Agents, third-parties and intermediaries are 

as important to venues as a direct booking, 

and commission – quite simply – must be 

a part of any venue’s budgeting. And most 

importantly rates should be ‘parity’ for a 

“AGENTS ARE JUST AS 

LIKELY TO BE USED BY A 

CORPORATE AS A TRAVEL 

AGENT OR A PREFERRED 

STATIONERY SUPPLIER, 

OR ANY OTHER AREA 

WHERE COST SAVINGS AND 

MANAGEMENT CONTROL 

CAN BE ACHIEVED” 

direct or third-party booking, i.e. the same if 

the booking came direct or via a third party. 

We are all aware how the internet has 

spawned a raft of new businesses for finding 

holidays and leisure accommodation. 

Hotels.com, Expedia and even review site 

TripAdvisor are often go-to stops when 

looking for a weekend away. The venue 

finding market has mirrored this based 

on the fact that often a corporate event 

organiser will search for a venue based on 

location. Try searching your venue and 

see how many third parties it throws up. 

Venuefinder.com, venuescanner.com etc. are 

all up there along with many competitors 

who will have invested in SEO. What you 

will also notice is the volume of third-party 

wedding sites that show up such as Hitched, 

Forbetterforworse and Guidesforbrides. 

Agents, intermediaries and third parties 

are clearly integral to venues. Add to the 

fact that caterers can often be the first point 

of call for a corporate. They too may well 

recommend a venue, as may an AV company, 

and hybrid conference organisers, a sector 

enjoying massive growth (Hopin has had the 

most stratospheric rise in popularity – the 27 

year old founder is now worth $3bn! 

If you search locally, you will find hybrid 

event organisers local to you with names 

you may recognise as formerly being venue 

finders. They have had to re-adapt their 

business models to cope with the demand 

for the huge growth in hybrid events. While 

these agents are now selling tech solutions, 

they also need a venue to host the delegates 

that are still scheduled and want to attend 

face-to-face. 

Like Marmite, and its new ways of being 

included in peanut butter, rice cakes and 

crisps, agents have adapted and are part 

and parcel of events. For a venue, the third 

party supply chain is as important as direct 

business, and if you are wondering, yes – I 

love Marmite, in all of its forms! 


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 



TOP TIPS 

from 

Vaishali Shah on 

quick, easy and low 

cost marketing 

wins 

GETTY IMAGES 

Shoestring 

MANY VENUE businesses will have made 

some level of cutback as a result of the 

pandemic, so can you stay standing out 

from the crowd with a reduced marketing 

spend? Here are some quick and low cost 

suggestions. 

Marketing 

#01 BE 

ONLINE 

Ensure that you have a 

strong online presence 

and your website is 

updated. Many venues 

have taken their 

businesses online with 

virtual showrounds and 

open days, for example. 

Instead of printed 

brochures, have a welldesigned 

online brochure 

that you can email out 

and have available to 

download from your 

website. PDF brochures of 

your venue work well and 

will save on printing costs. 

It is key to make 

sure your website and 

marketing materials 

resonate with both your 

current and potential 

customers. 

#02 STAY 

VISIBLE 

Keep showing up and posting on 

social media to keep visible and 

increase your following. Social 

media is free if you are doing it 

in-house and is a cost-effective 

marketing tool if you outsource. 

Image based platforms are 

excellent to showcase venues 

and you can talk about what you 

are working on, including new 

packages for example. 

GETTY IMAGES 



#03 COLLABORATE 

Reach out to bloggers who are continually looking for fresh content 

to feature. Collaborate with other businesses, such as your preferred 

suppliers, who have a similar target audience. You could guest blog for 

each other to build up both your following and database. You could also 

create a joint competition with a handful of businesses each donating 

something to create a coveted prize, which would then be promoted 

across the social media platforms and mailing lists of all participating 

businesses. 

#05 STAY IN 

CONTACT 

Nurture your mailing list 

and keep in touch with your 

audience via newsletters. Using 

your database/email list to send 

your contacts newsletters or 

e-shots is an inexpensive way to 

stay ‘front of mind’. Maintaining 

communication with your 

customers will remind them 

that you are still there following 

the pandemic. It will reassure 

them and could lead to repeat 

business or referrals. Digital 

marketing is a well accepted, 

low cost, high return marketing 

strategy which can be measured. 

You could share some useful 

advice such as how venues can 

create the perfect backdrop for 

a wedding or event; it helps to 

spark the imagination. Know 

your target audience well so that 

you market to the right people 

rather than trying to market to 

everyone, which is costly. 

#06 REVIEW 

YOUR 

MARKETING 

Data is key. Review your 

Google Analytics data to 

better understand your 

customer so that your 

marketing can be targeted 

correctly. Look objectively 

at where you have been 

spending your marketing 

budget and analyse the 

return you have been getting. 

Determine which activities 

have worked and those that 

have not, so you know what 

to focus on – for example, 

SEO, Facebook advertising, 

print advertising etc. 

Focus on your existing 

customers now and 

they will remember and 

reward you later. Have you 

asked your customers for 

recommendations and 

reviews? 

Can you diversify the 

business? Do you need to 

adapt and/or pivot? Examine 

your costs and expenses 

and see whether you can 

negotiate better deals with 

your suppliers and service 

providers. 

#08 EXAMINE YOUR BRANDING 

It is vital to build and maintain your brand. Your brand is so much 

more than your logo, it’s the whole experience; an overall strategy 

that encapsulates, among other aspects, your mission statement, 

company culture, customer service, tone of voice, website, messages 

on social media, visuals, as well as your logo. 

Does anything need to be amended for your target audience/ 

ideal client? A strong brand promotes recognition, helps set you 

apart from the competition, tells people about your business DNA, 

generates referrals and provides your business value. 

GETTY IMAGES 

#04 PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS 

Do you have images of your venue that need to be added to 

your website? Do you need more imagery? If you have always 

outsourced photography to a professional photographer, you 

may want to take an online course on how to take impactful, 

clear photos using your smartphone. There are many 

inexpensive photography courses online where you could 

learn a new skill or perfect an existing one – how to focus on 

the detailing of the venue, for example. 

These images can then be submitted to magazines, 

newspapers and blogs to try and secure some 

free media coverage for your 

business. 

#07 CONSUMER 

CONSCIENCE 

As a result of this pandemic, consumers are being 

more considered with their purchasing choices. Convey 

what your business stands for, whether that’s how you 

treat your staff, how you give back, how your venue is 

environmentally friendly, etc. 

Many businesses have been donating to charities and 

worthy causes during the pandemic. Communicate with 

your customers what contributions you are making and 

how you try to make a difference. They will remember 

your gestures and have a greater appreciation of your 

business ethos. 

#09 MESSAGING 

Look at your messaging. Is it positive and uplifting? Does 

it inspire hope? Inspire and motivate your audience with 

inspirational quotes, for example. 

The pandemic has made us yearn for personal, meaningful 

gestures in all aspects of life and deep gratitude towards our 

families and close friends. Lockdown will have had plenty 

of engagements and pregnancies being announced. Special 

milestone moments are also occurring, so venues may want to 

focus their messaging on love and family. 

This pandemic will thankfully not last forever so businesses 

must think ahead and be prepared. It’s important to stay the 

course with your marketing, even if budgets have been reduced, 

and continue to remain visible to your valued 

customers. 


Vaishali Shah is the founder and creative director 

of Creative ID. 020 7242 1877, info@creative-id. 

com, www.creative-id.com 



PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Flooring & 

Ground 

Protection 

Festival Themed Wedding, 

Leicestershire 

Product: Hex Road heavy duty roadway and 

the Temp-A-Path modular flooring solution 

covered with Gadsby 33m pile height 

Astroturf 

Supplier: EFS Europe, 01509 768 

252, sales@efseurope.co.uk, 

www.efseurope.co.uk 

Details: EFS Europe was delighted to help 

with a wedding with a difference and make 

the great outdoors accessible for even ladies 

in heels! The Richardson family got in touch 

with a brief to convert an arable field into a 

suitable venue for a series of giant Nordic 

tipis and 200 wedding guests. 

After the cornfield was harvested, and with 

just a week before the wedding, concerns 

were raised over the condition of the ground, 

which is when EFS stepped in! An access road 

was required to the tipis for the wedding 

guests, catering outlets, generators and toilet 

blocks. EFS installed its Hex Road, a heavy 

duty roadway ideal for instant access and car 

parking at events. 

The second part of the brief was to provide 

a safe, pedestrian friendly, aesthetically 

pleasing area in front of the tipis as a 

designated guest area. After being rolled by 

the farmer, the field was partially covered 

with 30m x 10m of Temp-A-Path to the front 

of the tipis and catering outlets. 

Following installation of the Temp-A-Path, 

the client decided they wanted the area to 

resemble an English country garden lawn; 

EFS then laid their Gadsby 33m pile height 

Astroturf on top of the Temp-A-Path for a 

stunning finish. The client then sold on the 

Astroturf after the event – perfect recycling! 

Stradey Castle, Carmarthenshire 

Product: PERFO-AK Ground Reinforcement Tiles 

Supplier: PERFO Ground Reinforcement (S2T Group), 

01992 522797, info@perfo.co.uk, www.perfo.co.uk 

Details: To increase the viability of this privately 

owned castle as a venue for weddings and events, 

as well as its use as an attractive location for filming, 

additional parking space was required. However, due to 

the sensitive historic and rural setting, a tarmac or concrete 

car park was not desirable. Instead a solution was required 

which was permeable, would blend in with the surroundings and that 

met with strict requirements of CADW, the Welsh government body responsible for 

the protection of historic sites. 

The area selected for the car park was overgrown, uneven and poorly drained, 

but the best location option due to space constraints. This area needed to be 

cleared and levelled and a sub-base prepared. Prior to installation of the selected 

PERFO-AK Anchor Tiles, a project meeting took place, with S2T Group’s expert 

advising on the most appropriate installation method. A 100mm bedding a layer 

of 5-10 mm crushed stone with added seeded soil for greening of the parking 

spaces was prepared, into which the PERFO-AK Anchor Tiles were embedded 

using appropriate compaction equipment. Finally, the surface was dressed with 

additional stone to enhance the overall appearance. 

Feedback: The car park has met with the customer’s expectations in terms of 

functionality and appearance, and blends in well with the castle and its beautiful 

surroundings. 



PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

Parquet Dance Floors 

LPM Bohemia 

01892 725489 

national@lpmbohemia.com 

www.lpmbohemia.com 

Inspired by architectural influences 

from across the globe, LPM 

Bohemia’s passion is for the creation 

of beautiful and large scale tented 

venues, pioneered by the unique and 

stunning Pavilion range of wooden 

framed canvas structures. We have 

the most comprehensive range of 

beautiful marquees and interesting 

tents. 

To complement our structures we 

stock a range of ancillary equipment 

and furnishings to complete your 

event, such as a unique black and 

white circular dance floor of a 

nautical compass design. This works 

wonderfully in our Pavilion range as 

a central focal point, around which 

guests can dine, creating a simply 

stunning effect. 

Luxury Matting and Artificial Grass 

Marquee Floors by William Armes 

01787 372988 

info@marqueefloors.co.uk 

www.marqueefloors.co.uk 

Marquee Floors by William Armes 

supplies high quality luxury matting 

to the marquee, tent and tipi hire 

sectors. DandyDura has a long-standing 

reputation as the UK’s bestselling 

polypropylene matting. It’s extremely 

durable, easy to maintain, fully reversible, 

water resistant and lightweight. 

DandyDura matting can easily be rolled 

for handling, transporting and storage. 

Available in seven colours, supplied in 

rolls, cut length pieces and bespoke 

shapes. 

Marquee Floors also supplies 

DandyCoco, a made to measure 

traditional woven unbacked coconut 

matting, made from natural fibres. This 

matting is eco-friendly, flame retardant, 

bio-degradable, extremely durable and 

has excellent insulating properties. 

Marquee Floors has also launched 

Likelawn artificial grass. Extremely 

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can be laid on any surface and is 100% 

weatherproof. Its durable backing has 

perforation holes to allow drainage and 

can be easily cleaned. Ideal for use all year 

round. Rolls and cut lengths available. 

Natural Coconut Matting 

Coir Store 

07884 303082 

andy@coirstore.co.uk 

www.coirstore.co.uk 

Eco friendly, the mats from Coir Store provide a fantastic, hard wearing flooring 

option for marquee venues and glampsites. Fully reversible with a bright golden 

appearance, Coir Store can supply rolls of matting suitable for marquees, party 

tents and any temporary event flooring requirement. It also stocks a selection of 

half moon matting diameters to suit bell tents, yurts and tipis. 

The range also extends to mats suitable for smaller structures such as gazebos 

and party tents. The mats come in a 3m width and a choice of Panama or 

Herringbone weaves and 3m or 6m lengths. 

The team personally visit the coir mills in India and guarantees its products are 

only made from premium grade Anjengo and Vycome coconut coir yarns. 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Star Field Camping 

A summer glampsite in the 

beautiful Kentish countryside 

with stunning night skies 

After a large family gathering 

planted the seed of an idea, 

country store owners David 

and Debby Clark charged their 

daughter Holly with setting up a 

campsite. The following year, after 

an inspiring visit to the Glamping 

Show, they decided to up their 

offering and now offer seasonal 

bell and safari tents. We talk to 

Debby. 

What’s your back story – your life 

before glamping? 

Star Field is part of Charity Farm which 

has been in my husband David’s family 

for three generations. He and his family 

have run the on-site country store for 

more than 40 years, supplying animal 

food and accessories to local farmers 

and small holders. We branched 

into clothing and gifts as a natural 

progression and I fully committed to 

being part of the team 10 years ago. 

What made you decide to start 

offering glamping accommodation? 

Retail has gone through a few rough 

years, and we were hit by some local 

competition offering prices that we 

could not compete with, so we looked 

at what we had and how we could 

diversify. 

After a family party, where people 

camped, we decided that our beautiful 

field was ideal for camping despite being 

on a slope, so in 2017 we challenged 

our daughter Florence, who had just 

come back from university, to set up 

a campsite under the 28 day rule. In 

2018 we wanted to do it completely 

differently so we went to the Glamping 

Show and were inspired by Mark Scott 

from Clear Sky and some of the other 

speakers to just go for it. 

How did you research the business 

before entering it? 

The Glamping Show was great for 

research. We were a bit overwhelmed 

to start with but the more speakers we 

listened to and the more suppliers we 

talked to the more our confidence grew. 

I stalked a few local sites to see how 

they had set up their price structures 

and copied some rules and regulations 

making a few amendments to fit our 

requirements. I spent several hours on 

Pinterest to get ideas too. 

Tell us about your location and site 

Our location is just outside of Cranbrook 

in the High Weald of Kent. We are in an 

AONB and on the edge of SSSI ancient 

woodland. Our skies are dark and we 

usually benefit from the best of the 

British weather. 

Our site is kept as natural as possible 

with long grass between units. We are 

close to Sissinghurst Castle, which is a 

big attraction for our glampers, as well 

as several other castles, and just 30 

minutes from the coast. We are also an 

hour away from London which means 

we do get a lot of Londoners escaping to 

the countryside. 

Our site is on a slope which can be 

tricky when it rains an awful lot for some 

of the cars (we ask guests to park off the 


GLAMPSITES 

site and only drive in for loading 

and unloading). The tents are all 

on decks built by David so our 

guests can have a glass of wine 

without it sliding down the table! 

We have running water but no 

electricity other than solar so have 

gas powered showers and compost 

loos. This generally hasn’t been a 

problem, just a matter of changing 

the gas and/or batteries. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

We started off utilising the 28 day 

rule for a campsite with portaloos 

and showers and lots of grass 

pitches. It was a big learning curve 

for us and we knew we would 

not want to do it like that again. 

Planning has always been a bit of a 

headache so we decided to go down 

the certification route. We heard 

of The Greener Camping Club on 

Facebook so we contacted them. 

Their ethos fitted so well with ours 

and they were extremely helpful. 

They came to visit us and gave us 

the go ahead. 

They do have rules, which include 

having a mix of glamping and 

camping and as much recycling as 

possible, but they fit nicely with 

us. 

How did you finance the project? 

We self-financed the project. 

Starting off with bell tents was the 

cheapest way and offered a good 

return on our investment. We have 

increased the number and this 

year bought two safari tents. We 

had always admired them and felt 

they fitted in well with our site and 

again offered a good return on 

investment. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

We now have two luxury bell 

tents which are completely kitted 

out with proper double beds 

and futons for kids, bed linen, 

rugs and tables. They have their 

own shower, loo and kitchen 

with a gas stove and all the pans, 

crockery, cutlery etc. needed for 

four people. There is a handmade 

picnic table and fire pit too. 


GLAMPSITES 

There are also two naked bell 

tents with a double bed and futons 

but no bed linen. They have their 

own loo and, from next year, their 

own shower, fire pit and picnic 

bench. 

The safari tents are a step up, 

sleeping five in proper beds with an 

internal kitchen and seating area. 

David has built bathrooms on the 

back of them making them unique 

to us. They also have fire pits and 

picnic benches. 

What occupancy levels and price 

per night do you achieve? 

We achieve at best 80% occupancy. 

Our prices for this season are £100 

per night for the luxury bell tents, 

£65 per night for the naked bell 

tents and £125 per night for the 

safari tents all, with a minimum two 

night stay. 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

We decided to focus on our clear 

skies and publicised ourselves 

on Facebook and Instagram. We 

started off using Pitch Up but 

quickly decided that Cool Camping 

was a better fit for us. This proved 

to be true as they featured us in The 

Telegraph which resulted in a lot of 

bookings. 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

Our ethos is to be family friendly 

and back to nature so that 

people can relax and enjoy the 

countryside. Our selling points 

are not necessarily unique but are 

still desirable; the clear skies, the 

beautiful area and the farm shop 

on site – our campers and glampers 

only have a two minute walk to 

get their breakfast or dinner for 

the day. Our eldest daughter Holly 

hand paints all of our signs with 

the name of the unit and a picture, 

which is pretty unique. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

We named our bell tents after 

wild flowers such as nettle and 

dandelion and have based the 

interior decorations on the colours 

of these plants. We didn’t want to 

be too twee, but we wanted them 

to reflect the British countryside. 

I made tassel bunting in the 

appropriate colours because you 

can’t have a bell tent without some 

sort of bunting! 


GLAMPSITES 

The safari tents are named after 

common birds, Robin and Wren. We 

decided to keep the colours quite 

calm and neutral as we wanted to 

create a relaxing space, not one 

that might jar with glampers’ taste. 

What challenges have you faced? 

As we do everything ourselves, 

from building the loos to emptying 

them and choosing the bed linen to 

ironing it, it is a challenge to fit it all 

in with our existing jobs of running 

the country store. We do have 

excellent staff at the shop however, 

who keep it running smoothly. The 

laundry has been overwhelming 

this year so we will be getting some 

help with changeovers next season. 

The weather has been more of a 

challenge this year and David has 

had to tow several people out after 

bursts of extremely heavy rainfall. 

How have you coped through 

Covid? 

Covid has meant that we have had 

to think more about our cleaning 

protocols. Although they were 

pretty robust we have tweaked 

them to be compliant. We have 

allowed a day between glampers, 

which has obviously affected 

our occupancy. Our season last 

year was much shorter but quite 

intense. The season this year has 

been quite long and the intensity 

hasn’t eased up. Interest has been 

immense and we have had to turn 

away lots of potential custom. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

Our plans are to try and increase 

the length of stay; generally it is 

two nights and we would like to 

increase that to three and have 

fixed changeover days. We will 

upgrade the bell tent facilities 

so that the naked bell tents have 

their own showers as well as loos. 

Rather than increasing the number 

of units we have we will be looking 

at improving the experience at Star 

Field with some communal areas, 

but these haven’t been decided on 

yet. 

Describe your average day 

mid-season 

An average day mid-season would 

see us working in the shop until 

11am when we do any changeovers 

that are needed – this can take 

four hours for the two of us. We 

then clean the communal camping 

facilities and I start on the laundry 

while David does site maintenance. 

We then head back to the shop to 

catch up on anything that needs to 

be done. 

Our check in time is between 

3pm and 8pm so we often meet and 

greet while we are on the campsite, 

or guests will check in at the shop. 

David also delivers fire kits that 

have been ordered. 

Do you enjoy the business and 

why? 

We do enjoy the business despite 

the hard work. It is very satisfying 

when people enjoy what you have 

provided for them. We love meeting 

different people and hearing their 

stories. 

What are you most proud of? 

We are most proud that we have 

personally built something that 

people enjoy and keep coming 

back to. We have a lot of returning 

glampers which is the best feeling – 

many from the beginning and some 

ADDRESS BOOK 

SAFARI TENTS 

Clear Sky – www.safaritents.net 

WATER HEATERS 

Shower King – www.showerking.uk 

who come back within the same 

season! 

Do you operate in any other 

outdoor hospitality sectors? 

We have had enquiries for weddings 

but we don’t feel our site is suitable. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Decide on your target audience 

and aim your social media activity 

towards that. Join glampsite 

owners’ Facebook groups – there is 

an awful lot of support, knowledge 

and advice in these groups. Oh, and 

don’t expect to get rich quick! 

LOO DESIGN 

Free Range Designs – www.freerangedesigns.co.uk 

BOOKING SYSTEM 

Bedful – www.bedful.com 

AGENTS 

Cool Camping – www.coolcamping.com 

EXEMPTION ORGANISATION 

The Greener Camping Club – www.greenercamping.org 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual – www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Star Field Camping, Charity Farm Countrystore 

Swattenden Lane, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3PS 

www.starfieldcamping.co.uk 



GLAMPSITES 

Trade Secrets 

Pitch Side 

Facilities 

Paul Doughty on the benefits of personal 

bathroom facilities for glampsites 

BATHROOM AND toilet facilities, whilst 

not very glamourous, often turn out to be 

one of the most important parts of any 

camping or glamping site offer. They are 

frequently neglected in the first instance in 

favour of purchasing accommodation. Pods, 

shepherds huts, bell and safari tents are 

far more glamourous and a more exciting 

purchase for site owners. Many only realise 

after the event that the accommodation 

will not sell or be able to be used effectively 

without the equivalent quality bathroom 

and toilet facilities. 

Most website reviews seen this season 

concern shower blocks and bathroom 

facilities and are inevitably not very 

complimentary. These often negative 

reviews end up being the most widely 

reported and can devastate a season of 

bookings. 

Pitch side bathroom pods offer 

personal facilities to each group or family. 

Alternatively, a lockable and numbered 

bathroom pod even a short distance away 

still means personal facilities can be offered 

to each pitch or few pitches. 

Offering a heated facility can extend your 

season and these so-called ‘super pitches’ 

will increase income by anything up to 30%. 

With the savings made on cleaning this 

means the investment can be recouped in 

three to four years. Personal bathrooms 

“OFFERING A HEATED 

FACILITY CAN EXTEND YOUR 

SEASON AND THESE SO- 

CALLED ‘SUPER PITCHES’ 

WILL INCREASE INCOME BY 

ANYTHING UP TO 30%” 

usually mean cleaning is reduced to change 

over days only as most families and groups 

tend to keep their own bathrooms clean 

during their stay thus eliminating, for the 

most part, the least favourite job on any site. 

SERVICES 

Most sites only need 10 amps per 

individual bathroom with a sewage 

connection and water supply completing 

the site requirements. Off-grid sites can 

usually heat water using bottled gas 

heaters and provide 12v lighting using a 

small solar panel setup. Sewage can be 

handled with a septic tank and water can 

be easily supplied through water tanks. 

Grey shower and sink water can be drained 

to a soakaway. Ideally a well-designed 

durable unit will last many years and 

should be able to withstand intensive 

commercial use. 

Units can be supplied complete with all 

wiring and pipework connected, so with 

only three connections a new bathroom 

offer is soon ready to go. Bathroom pods 

would normally include a toilet, shower 

and wash hand basin as standard. Higher 

specification pods may also include 

heating, inside and outside lighting, 

mirrors, shelves and an outside tap for 

cleaning boots and dogs. Optional washing 

up sinks complete the luxury pitch side 

facility 

Some pods can also be moved easily 

using a forklift and in some areas 

moveable structures do not need planning 

permission. This should be checked with 

your local planning department. In some 

areas of the country certain structural 

restrictions may be required by local 

authorities to ensure compliance with 

building regulations for portable buildings. 

A reliable manufacturer should be able 

to advise on such matters and be able 

to provide groundwork drawings for 

installation. 


Paul Doughty distributes the Campplus 

SOLO and DUO en-suite bathroom pods in 

the UK. These compact plug and play units 

offer glampers a complete shower room 

with toilet and sink. 07834 463710 / paul@ 

campplus.co.uk / www.campplus.co.uk 


Handmade Luxury Wood fired Hot 

Tubs, Wooden Saunas & Glamping 

Pods Specialists 

All our eco hot tubs are handmade, incredibly durable and 

long-lasting. We offer a big variety of interior colours 

including brand new Pearl Colours: Oceanic Blue, Silver, 

Grey, Gold and many more. 

Your hot tub or sauna can be made fully bespoke and tailored to 

your requirements. 

We provide delivery across England, Scotland and Wales. Free 

positioning service and 24 months Manufacture Warranty. 

Our high-quality hot tubs are available in 2, 4-6 or 8-10 seaters. 

Various hot tub packages and saunas in stock and ready for 

immediate delivery! 

Tel: 07737 533456; 07475 200338 

enquiries@amberhotubs.co.uk 

www.amberhotubs.co.uk 


Composting and off grid toilets, 

shower rooms, and many other 

unique products, designed for 

camping, glamping and off grid 

locations. Specialists in remote 

installations. 

Handmade in Wales with a huge 

emphasis on recycled and 

sustainable materials. 

www.reworkshopwales.co.uk 

reworkshopwales@gmail.com 

Tel: 07714 719441 

 

A twin toilet & shower block to 

satisfy your glamping bathroom needs 

bear@theseptictankstore.co.uk www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 

G 

TM 

COMPANY.COM 

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GLAMPSITES 

9 

n Ladram Bay 

Get 

on the Map 

8 

7 

6 

3 

4 

5 

Glampsites have the opportunity to tap into a 

growing community looking for outdoor adventure 

whatever the weather, writes Craig Wareham 

RED ZEPPELIN 

To maintain a sustainable source of 

income, open air accommodation 

needs to be attractive for longer 

than the summer season. Outdoor 

enthusiast Craig Wareham created an 

off-road navigation app to help others 

enjoy adventures and now he sees a 

huge opportunity for glamping sites 

and venues to widen their appeal and 

fill those off-peak slots. 

2 

1 

IMAGES OF yurts and wood-fired hot tubs 

may look desirable on Instagram, but 

for those used to long warm evenings in 

France the novelty might wear off after a 

couple of days of drizzle in Dorset. 

However, there is a significant and 

growing community that will happily take 

everything the elements can throw at 

them, and tapping into this market 

will ensure that the investment 

in outdoor living will provide 

returns over the longer term. 

One of the obstacles to enjoying 

the outdoors is accessibility. I 

created an app inspired by the 

hand-drawn sketches and details 

of routes from a series of walking guides 

produced by Alfred Wainwright in the late 

1950s. These guides made it possible for 

people to follow recommended routes, 

safe in the knowledge that they would 

have a great day out and not get lost! 

We embedded this concept into 

a smartphone app, with the routes 

recommended by a vibrant community 

and supported by mapping, photographs 

and turn-by-turn directions. The app 

is now part of Outdooractive, Europe’s 

largest digital outdoor tourism platform. It 

is popular with hikers, cyclists, mountain 

bikers and wild swimmers among others, 

and the platform is used by destinations 

across Europe to promote their attractions 

to over 11 million people with a passion for 

open air adventures. 

A GROWING COMMUNITY 

The platform also provides insights 

into consumer behaviours. A survey of 

the top 250 most popular walks on the 

Outdooractive app during lockdown 

indicated that activity had more than 

doubled, reflecting a passion for walking 

that has also been seen with the increased 

popularity of programmes such as Kate 

Humble’s Coastal Britain, Coast (which 

ran to 10 series) and Claire Balding’s 

Ramblings. 

There was a staggering 246% increase 

in downloads in the first six weeks of 

lockdown, and we have seen this trend 

continue as awareness of the benefits of 

walking – in lifting mood and increasing 

vitality and wellbeing – grows. 

This usage extends beyond the summer 

months; autumn is a peak season for 

walking, and other peak periods include 

Easter and the break between Christmas 

and New Year. The increase in pop-up 

cafes at National Trust properties and 


GLAMPSITES 

ABOVE: Derw Lodge in Anglesey 

CANOPY & STARS 

other venues is encouraging people to 

wrap up and get outside. Building on this 

knowledge, by offering a country getaway 

that is cosy and close to some bracing 

walks, glamping accommodation providers 

would be able to tempt people back in the 

colder months. 

The survey also showed that two-thirds 

of the routes were near water – be it sea, 

lakes, ponds or rivers. Other findings 

showed the importance of getting up on 

high to put problems in perspective, with 

hills or mountains the focal point in 15% of 

walks, and the value of trees with a further 

13% centred on woodlands. 

According to the survey, the average 

walk length was 2.6 miles and most 

took just over an hour (65 minutes). This 

suggests that owners could benefit from 

promoting their venues as being close 

to river trails, hill walks and woodland 

rambles. 

ACCOMMODATION FOR WALKING 

FESTIVALS 

Glampsites also have the opportunity 

to providing alternative, boutique 

accommodation for walking festivals and 

food events. Many of the walking festivals 

were forced to cancel in 2020, which was a 

great blow to the organisers (the majority 

volunteers), as well as to local businesses. 

As most don’t have the resources to ‘go 

virtual’, for 2021 we worked with a score of 

these festivals to create a presence on the 

Outdooractive website and app. This has 

enabled them to maintain their profile and 

for walkers to still visit the locations and 

enjoy self-guided routes suggested by the 

organisers. 

We have also been promoting the festivals 

to our user base of outdoor enthusiasts, 

which is getting a good response. As the 

travel bans are lifted across Europe, we 

can see more people travelling to take part 

in walking and cycling holidays and all 

these visitors need somewhere to stay for a 

number of nights. 

CREATE YOUR OWN ROUTES 

Accommodation that is memorable, with 

“IT IS ALSO 

POSSIBLE FOR 

A GLAMPSITE 

TO EMBED THE 

ROUTES ON 

THEIR OWN 

WEBSITE SO THAT 

VISITORS CAN 

SEE WHAT IS ON 

OFFER AND PLAN 

THEIR ACTIVITIES 

BEFORE THEIR 

WEEKEND AWAY” 

good walks on the doorstep, will be popular 

all year round. Keen walkers and cyclists 

have been sharing their favourite routes for 

many years now, so it is easy for owners to 

select some near to their sites – or capture 

their own favourite and secret places, simply 

by recording the route in the app while 

they walk and uploading photographs and 

descriptions. They can also add points of 

interest, such as their glampsite, and bits of 

information about themselves. These routes 

are hosted on Outdooractive and made 

accessible to the international community. 

It is also possible for a glampsite to embed 

the routes on their own website so that 

visitors can see what is on offer and plan 

their activities before their weekend away. 

This is particularly good if you have groups 

of friends or families staying – knowing if 

the routes are muddy or wheelchair friendly 

ahead of time can make a big difference to 

their enjoyment. 

WORKING WITH TOURISM 

Long-distance pathways are a distinctive 

feature of the UK and provide an attraction 

both for British and overseas visitors. Not 

many countries have the wealth of public 

footpaths and cycle routes that we enjoy in 

the UK, and these are all across the country. 

DISCOVER SUFFOLK AND SUFFOLK COAST AND HEATHS AONB 

At the end of 2021, Natural England is set to 

announce that it has secured approval for all 

sections of the England Coast Path. 

England’s 2,748 miles of coastline is one of 

the most varied and beautiful in the world, 

and many people are choosing to walk it in 

sections, something that is being supported 

and promoted by regional tourism 

authorities. 

We have worked with the South West 

Coast Path Association, North York Moors 

National Park and Visit Suffolk, among 

others, to promote self-guided circular 

walks in areas featured in the TV series, Kate 

Humble’s Coastal Britain. 

There is a strong drive to encourage 

people to get off the beaten track and 

explore beautiful countryside that is less well 

known. 

Malcolm Hodgson, national trails officer 

at the North York Moors National Park, said: 

“It’s good that more people recognise the 

beauty of North Yorkshire after seeing it on 

TV – but there’s plenty else to discover on 

this coastline. 

“By having the local routes on 

Outdooractive, we’re hoping visitors can 

discover some of our lesser-known trails, 

including hidden gems such as farm 

hideaways and other rural retreats.” 


GLAMPSITES 

TIPS FOR EXTENDING 

THE SEASON 

› Put your accommodation on the map 

Select some of your favourite publicly accessible routes 

across your property or surrounding countryside, track 

them in the app and upload them with photographs 

showing your site as a suggested place to stay. 

› Team up with local walking festivals at the start 

and end of the season 

Organisers are keen to support local businesses and 

need accommodation for their participants. This will 

provide profile and word of mouth recommendations. 

› Use keywords on your website 

If you have a blog or similar consider including phrases 

like ‘good autumn walks near xxx’ or ‘best woodland 

walk in yyy’. Write about your walk and link to the route 

on Outdooractive so that people can follow it easily. 

› Consider wellness campaigns 

Include outdoor activities within suggestions for 

feelgood weekends away, with recommendations for 

memorable places to eat with roaring fires. Make it 

easy for people to visualise to encourage them to risk a 

weekend in February. 

› Go beyond staycationners 

As the travel bans lift, the market gets bigger. Overseas 

visitors tend to go to well-known places; being a 

point of interest on the Outdooractive platform will 

encourage keen walkers and cyclists to explore less 

well-known locations. 

› Create a content calendar with seasonal 

inspiration 

Think about how your site will look through the seasons 

– autumn leaves, snowy hillsides, naturalised bulbs 

in the meadow. Take photographs throughout the 

year and promote your venue as a base for outdoor 

adventure. 

n Otterton, Budleigh Salterton. 

ELENA STEERS, EXETER. 


Craig Wareham, CEO of Outdooractive UK (www.outdooractive. 

com), developed the first app for off-road mapping and 

navigation. He wanted to make exploring the outdoors more 

accessible to those baffled by paper maps and to create a 

community for sharing adventures and recommended routes. The 

routes are available via a smartphone app to follow using GPS, and 

can easily be shared on a glampsite’s website using a widget (a bit 

of code). If you would like to contribute a walk from your location this 

will be shared with the over 11 million outdoor enthusiasts across Europe 

and the UK. 


GLAMPSITES 

CROWN & CANOPY 

CROWN & CANOPY 

Sustainable 

Design 

for Tourism 

Accommodation 

Key learnings from the National Forest’s new 

design guide for sustainable tourist accommodation 

Learnings from 

the National Forest 

SUSTAINABILITY IS made up of a 

complex and diverse set of issues, 

but the National Forest Company, in 

consultation with architects Arboreal and 

glamping consultants Crown & Canopy, 

has identified seven design principles to 

help create exemplar sustainable tourist 

accommodation. 

The design guide is a call to action to 

landowners, developers, operators and 

investors to join the National Forest – 200 

square miles of newly planted woodlands, 

farmland and ancient forests across 

central England – in creating a new wave of 

sustainable tourism accommodation. 

Here we outline the main learnings from 

the guide, which can be applied to the wider 

glamping industry to create developments 

that sit harmoniously with their landscape, 

community and guests, as well as 

contributing to countering the climate crisis. 

The design guide advises readers to see 

these ideas as a ‘menu of options’ to be 

used according to the needs of a project 

and in line with ambition and budget. 

The principles are scalable and have been 

developed to complement other technical 

sustainability standards including BREEAM 

and the Living Building Challenge. 

Download the guide at www. 

nationalforest.org for comprehensive 

explanations and examples of each of the 

principles. Below is a summary and food for 

thought. 

1 Develop in harmony with the 

forest character 

› Design to enhance forest character 

› Site buildings sensitively 

› Engage with local history and 

vernacular design 

› Bring nature into interior designs 

2 Design for Health and Wellbeing 

› Encourage active lifestyles 

› Support mental wellbeing 

› Encourage a connection with others 

› Strengthen connections with the forest 

› Ensure comfort for everyone 

› Make the forest accessible 

3 Support the forest community and 

economy 

› Create connections with your neighbours 

› Become part of a tourism network 

› Tell the National Forest story 

› Inspire guests through sustainable design 

› Host forest activity groups 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDIES 

Larkhill Tipis and Yurts, 

Ceredigion 

4 Build ethically and sustainably 

› Use low carbon construction 

› Use natural materials 

› Source materials responsibly 

› Reuse and reclaim existing materials 

› Assess your project’s life cycle 

› Design for disassembly and longevity 

› Reduce construction waste 

› Invest in professional support 

5 Promote carbon emission free holidays 

› Lower the energy use of your buildings 

› Thermal retrofit 

› Use or generate your own renewable 

electricity 

› Minimise carbon emissions for 

secondary space heating 

› Buy low carbon products 

› Encourage low carbon transport 

6 Integrate with nature 

› Understand your local environment 

› Promote space for nature 

› Plant more trees 

› Build for wildlife 

7 Manage water wisely 

› Use mains water sparingly 

› Change water use habits 

› Use rainwater for irrigation 

› Consider on-site wastewater treatment 

› Manage foul water sustainably 

› Manage rainwater equitably and 

sustainably 

LARKHILL TIPIS AND YURTS 

NFC/STUDIO ARCHETYPE LTD. 

Having lived off-grid for over 25 years, 

the owners of Larkhill Tipis and Yurts 

take sustainability seriously. Harnessing 

wind, water and solar power to generate 

electricity, they promote low carbon 

holidays in their colourful yurts and tipis. 

The site is completely organic. 

All cleaning products are ethically 

sourced and eco-friendly (as are the 

complimentary guest toiletries). No 

fertilisers (other than homemade 

compost) or insecticides are used on the 

land. There are compost toilets as well 

as flushable ones with a reed bed system 

used to naturally filter foul water from 

the septic tank. And with all food waste 

turned into compost to grow vegetables, 

recycling is made easy. 

The site is nestled beautifully within 

the forest and wildlife is well looked after. 

From woodland and hedgerow planting 

to pond creation and leaving deadwood, 

there’s plenty of space for nature to 

flourish and a flock of rare breed sheep 

help to manage the land. 

Prices from £80-£85 per night for a yurt 

for four. 

www.larkhilltipisandyurts.co.uk 


GLAMPSITES 

FOREST HOLIDAYS, UK WIDE 

Forest Holidays offers cabin holidays in 

11 locations across the UK. For 45 years it 

has worked in partnership with Forestry 

England, Forestry and Land Scotland, 

and Natural Resources Wales to provide 

authentic experiences in British forests. 

Nature is central to its business ethos. 

Forest Holidays’ revenue helps sustain 

the forests and its Conservation Fund 

supports around 30 UK wide conservation 

projects. It’s committed to improving 

the biodiversity of sites and carries out 

extensive monitoring and enhancement 

programmes with its forest rangers and 

local Wildlife Trusts. On-location education 

programmes led by trained forest rangers 

encourage guests of all ages to learn about 

the forest and wildlife around them. 

Wellbeing is also a key part of the 

experience. It’s the only holiday company 

in the UK with team members trained in 

the ancient Japanese art of shinrin-yoku 

or forest bathing. 

The timber built cabins use pile 

foundations to nestle into the forest 

environment in a low impact manner, 

while spacious outdoor decking and large 

window panels integrate the outdoor and 

indoor spaces. 

Forest Holidays is the first self-catering 

holiday company of its type to have a 

bespoke BREEAM scheme with BRE. 

Cabins are built with health and wellbeing 

in mind, with plenty of natural light and 

space, and everything is done to minimise 

impact on the forest and the wider 

environment. 

From £183 per night for a cabin for 

two people. 

www.forestholidays.co.uk 

FOREST HOLIDAYS 

STARGAZERS WAGON, HEREFORDSHIRE 

Renovated from its early circus days into a luxurious living space, Stargazers Wagon is an 

excellent example of a repurposed structure. The whole site (including two timber cabins 

and the owner’s cottage) is entirely off-grid, and the wagon is inherently low impact and 

well insulated which reduces energy use. 

The 27-foot wagon sits within a five-acre ancient wildflower meadow. It’s grazed just 

once a year to enhance biodiversity and the rest of the site is kept wild to provide plenty 

of space for nature. 

Native tree planting and hedgerow management creates habitat for small mammals 

and birds. Fruit trees provide food sources for birds as well as humans, and the log piles 

dotted around are great for reptiles and mammals. 

Solar energy powers the low wattage LED lights indoors. To minimise the impact 

on bats and other wildlife, and enhance the dark sky experience for guests, there’s no 

outdoor lighting. 

The experience of the trailer extends outside with rustic timber decking, seating and 

hot tub offering long views of the open countryside. The minimal interior is true to the 

nature of trailer living, offering a back-to-basics appeal for visitors. 

Prices from £98-£165 per night. www.herefordshirehideaways.co.uk 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOREST 

In less than 30 years, the National 

Forest has transformed a declining 

industrial Midlands landscape into 

a vibrant destination, driven by the 

simple belief that life is better with 

trees. It has created a visitor economy 

throughout its 200 square miles that 

grows and sustains local employment, 

uses local and sustainable products 

and services and provides facilities to 

enhance the wellbeing of communities 

as well as visitors. The aspiration is to 

go further, for the National Forest to 

be a land-mark sustainable tourism 

destination, responsive to the urgency 

of climate change. 

CANOPY & STARS 

Download the National Forest’s 

Sustainable Design for Tourism 

Accommodation Guide at www. 

nationalforest.org 


nick@wild-hart.co.uk 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

07971869058 

W I L D H A R T 

PLAY CABINS HOME 

Distributed by Lyon Equipment Ltd 

Tel 01539624040 

info@lyon.co.uk 

ss21 trade as quarter page.indd 1 06/07/2021 16:19:21 

Quality Glamping 

Cabins and BBQ Huts 

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 


GLAMPSITES 


Specialist Structures 

Holly Water Holidays, Devon 

Product: Bespoke two bed off-grid cabin 

Supplier: Wild Hart, 07971 869058, 

info@wild-hart@co.uk, 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

The Escape Pad, 

Gloucestershire 

Product: Design and build 

of a 40ft shipping container 

conversion 

Supplier: SteelPad, 07889 

154002, info@steelpad.co.uk, 

www.steelpad.co.uk 

Details: SteelPad was 

commissioned to create a 

glamping unit for a unique and 

breathtaking spot in the Stroud 

Valleys, and EscapePad was 

born. A 40ft shipping container 

(Steelpad 40) was converted into 

a beautiful one/two bedroom 

glamping unit. 

With magnificent views to be 

utilised on three sides, the most 

was made of the light and aspect 

with a large, fixed window at both 

ends and a 2.8m bifold opening 

onto an infinity deck. 

The nature of the site meant 

that manoeuvring the pad into 

position to make the most of 

the view was a mission but, with 

SteelPad’s ex-military container 

mover, the team was able to 

place it perfectly. 

The brief was to tie the unit 

into the natural surroundings 

so meandering wooden steps 

were built through the woods 

to lead guests to the warm 

wooden decking and BBQ area. 

The SteelPad 40’s original green 

colour was kept and, continuing 

with the natural colour scheme, 

a light birch was chosen for the 

interior. 

In this environment, SteelPad's 

mantra of ‘Reuse, Recycle, 

Reinvent’ was key. The one trip 

pad is low impact, sits on slabs, 

and has a removable waste tank 

and piped water. 

The quality fittings included 

German bifold frames and 

A-rated energy appliances, air 

conditioning with heat, Bluetooth 

speakers, a gas BBQ outside, a full 

kitchen (including dish washer), 

electric shower and heated towel 

rail... it has it all. 

Customer feedback: Owner 

Melissa said: “SteelPad were 

a delight to deal with. I had a 

specific design due to the view 

we have in the beautiful valley 

that I wanted to capture, and they 

were very accommodating with 

the project to maximise views 

and space. 

“The bathroom and kitchen are 

epic with everything you would 

need for a long stay let alone a 

short one. They really did think 

of everything to make the Escape 

Pad a first class stay, it’s better 

than most first class hotels and in 

your own chosen location.” 

Details: Wild Hart prides itself on 

developing bespoke cabins that really 

fulfil client’s wishes. With the Beehive, Iain 

and Jane Tapp from Holly Water Holidays had a 

clear idea of a cabin they wanted to build and the location they 

had in mind – and it was not the easiest place to build! 

Wild Hart created a final design that fulfilled the planning and 

building control criteria – a pre-fabricated modular construction – 

and assisted with the installation in the difficult location. 

The cabin sits on a larch round pole timber sub-frame set on 

the hillside. Larch was chosen for its durability and because it is 

a sustainable, local resource. This sub-frame not only takes up 

the undulation of the site but it gives an elevation that increases 

its presence and views across the valley. Ground screws drilled 

into the bank made an easy foundation system that is quick and 

simple; they also have a lower carbon footprint than concrete, 

and outperform it too! 

The Beehive is an off-grid cabin with a solar system for the 

electrics, LPG for the cooker and fridge, a borehole for water 

and septic tank for waste. The cabin is a remarkable two floor 

construction. Upstairs there is a generous landing with seating 

and views out through a hexagonal window and access to two 

double bedrooms with handcrafted beds and exceptional views 

out over the valley. A unique tree trunk spiral stair leads down 

to the ground level, the balustrade built by a local blacksmith. 

Downstairs there is a handcrafted kitchen, lounge with wood 

burner, and a toilet and shower. 

Throughout the cabin there are hints of honeycomb with 

hexagonal shelves and details. The two front doors open out onto 

the large, raised deck overlooking the valley. A hot tub is situated 

on a second linked deck. 

Wild Hart is able to cover all aspects of design and manufacture 

and, where necessary, collaborates with other local firms to 

create exactly what a client needs. 

Customer feedback: Jane Tapp said: “The Beehive is proving to 

be a good addition for us and guests are happy there and love the 

location.” 


GLAMPSITES 

Isle of Jura, Inner Hebrides of Scotland 

Product: Anthropod Janus 

Supplier: Anthropods, 01423 869867, 

info@anthropods.co.uk, www.anthropods.co.uk 

Greenfields & Treetops, Shropshire 

Product/service: Bespoke design and construction of two 

treehouses and liaison with local authority building control 

Supplier: Castles Carey, 01963 360226, sales@castles-carey.co.uk, 

www.castles-carey.co.uk 

Details: Having built treehouses and log cabins for over 20 years 

for private clients, Castles Carey took a stand at the 2019 Glamping 

Show, where it learned how much more revenue can be generated 

for landowners who offer cosy treehouses for holiday lettings. One 

commission came from a couple who had acquired a lovely small 

holding, deep in rural Shropshire. 

Planning permission was granted four months after Castles 

Carey’s plans were submitted for two one-bedroom treehouses – one 

in the midst of pine trees and the other with a wide sundeck on the 

edge of a wooded dell. 

The first treehouse is now ready for its final fit-out, following 

months of discussion with the local authority building control. 

Your architect needs to be aware that planning consent is not the 

end of the process; building regulations also apply for glamping 

purposes. The construction of a treehouse or cabin, energy rating, 

fire safety and the provision of sanitation and efficiency measures 

must conform to building regulations, as well as consideration 

given to disability use and fire engine access. In the case of this 

Shropshire project, Castles Carey created disability access in one 

of the treehouses, but evidence needed to be provided to the local 

authority where such access is not thought to be possible. 

Offering the most appealing of staycations requires patience and 

persistence before building can begin, but once the paperwork is 

done the rewards are plentiful for landowners and holidaymakers 

looking for adventure! 

Details: After a 350 mile trip, the first of the new Anthropod 

two compartment Janus models has been installed on an 

estate on the Isle of Jura. 

Designed as temporary accommodation for two estate 

workers, the Janus features entrances at both ends and 

contains self-contained living accommodation with a 

communal kitchen with hob, oven, fridge and sink, plus a 

shower, flushing loo and wash basin. The Janus is a specially 

modified Bleriot Plus model with double push-out sides, to 

create more living space, and features additional windows. 

The two double-bed compartment Janus can be adapted 

for glamping use and is made using the same sustainable, 

eco-friendly materials characterised by all Anthropod Bleriot 

models. 

The two compartment layout employs sliding doors and 

enables users to have their own private living and sleeping 

space but with shared cooking and washroom facilities. 

The robustness of the design and build ensures the Janus 

can withstand the extreme weather conditions that can be 

experienced in the Scottish Hebrides. 

Feedback: Rik Currie, Anthropod CEO and designer, said: 

“The Janus demonstrates the adaptability of the original 

Bleriot design and provides luxury, all-year-around 

accommodation for two to four people. The new spacious 

interior and contemporary design all add up to a unique space 

that commands high bed-night rates”. 

Customer feedback: Kerry Bottomley, owner of Greenfields and 

Treetops, said: “We are approaching the exciting time to receive 

guests in the first treehouse. Throughout the process we have 

enjoyed the enthusiasm and commitment of the team at Castles 

Carey. It was a pleasure to see our dream develop and have the 

opportunity to explore our ideas along the way. We would also 

recommend a planning agent with glamping business experience as 

this is a complex process.” 


Podiau Uwch 

Y Dyffryn, 

Denbighshire 

Product: Five 7x4m luxury 

glamping pods 

Supplier: Cedar Tree 

Pods, 01978 804196, info@ 

cedartreepods.co.uk, 

www.cedartreepods.co.uk 

Details: These stylish, 

detached, contemporary 

pods enjoy an idyllic, elevated 

location in the small village of 

Llanelidan with far reaching 

Welsh countryside views. Set 

on a working sheep farm, they 

benefit from an open-plan 

living space and walk-in shower 

providing everything you need 

for a comfortable 

glamping 

experience. 

Cedar Tree Pods 

worked with Dafydd 

Jones at Podiau 

Uwch Y Dyffryn to 

supply five of its 

new larger pods, 

which measure 7m 

long and 4m wide. 

All of the 

pods included a 

kitchenette with 

integrated fridge, microwave, 

combi oven, two zone 

induction hob, sink, cupboard 

and drawer pack. They also 

included a table and chairs for 

four people, a built in wardrobe 

and the company’s iconic 

western red cedar cladding. 

To complete the luxury feel 

of the glamping site, all of the 

pods were supplied with hot 

tubs and Cedar Tree’s hot tub 

LPG boiler setup. 

Customer feedback: Owner 

of Podiau Uwch Y Dyffryn, 

Dafydd Jones, said: “Cedar Tree 

Pods have been very easy to 

deal with from the beginning. 

Offering advice and giving ideas 

and recommendations. The 

quality of the pods is excellent 

and everything is as they 

promised. We would highly 

recommend them”. 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

The New Hypar Stretch Tent 

Tentstyle 

01403 333135 / enquiries@tentstyle.co.uk 

www.tentstyle.co.uk 

Introducing our latest product, the Hypar Stretch 

Tent. Our uniquely shaped tents provide protection 

from all elements and have been cleverly designed 

to eliminate the need for any internal poles. 

The eye-catching shape of the Hypar tent is an 

ideal addition to any outside space and is perfect 

for providing stylish shaded areas around any glampsite or venue. 

Our Hypar tents can be made to any length and installed in any location, and with a vast 

array of colours we can find something to suit your site. Delivery, installation, and full training 

can be provided enabling you to fully look after your Hypar stretch tent and allow you to move 

its location as you wish. 

Spectacular 

Conjoined Tipi 

Hearthworks, 01749 321210 

info@hearthworks.co.uk, 

www.hearthworks.co.uk 

Hearthworks launched its new conjoined tipi 

at the start of the season, with the first two 

installed at a wellbeing centre near Combe 

Martin on the North Devon coast. 

The highly skilled sewing team spent months working on the bespoke design, and the 

result was spectacular – a truly unique creation consisting of two bespoke interlinked, doubleskinned 

tipis. The structures have a porch awning, an en-suite tipi joined to a bedroom/ 

lounge tipi, with underfloor heating, electrics, wood-burning stove, and hot running water. 

These are tipis for all seasons, with the double-skin creating an insulated, cosy space that is 

the next level of camping in style! 

A Welcoming, Flexible Space 

Qorone 

07798 902209 / info@qorone.com 

www.qorone.com 

Born out of a rustic festival firepit 

and seating structure, and a 

desire to create an all-weather 

space, the design of the Qorone 

came about organically. It has 

progressed through many stages 

of development and refinement 

to become the unique glamping 

structure that it is today. Seat backs 

grew upwards to become walls, 

allowing a roof to bridge the gap to 

the flue over the fire. 

The Qorone offers a true 

‘glamping’ experience. Sleep under 

a beautiful canvas roof whilst 

enjoying all the advantages of a 

solid structure like a shepherds hut 

or cabin, with solid wooden walls 

and a woodburner at the centre. A 

circular, welcoming space with a 

great deal of flexibility, the interior 

can be furnished to suit the needs 

of your guests. 


GLAMPSITES 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

A Canvas Castle with Camper Van Compatibility 

Boutique Camping 

0203 319 1315 

info@boutiquecamping.com 


Boutique Roof Terrace Escape 

Outerspace Buildings 

01978 254150 

hello@outerspacegroup.com 

www.outerspacegroup.com 

Whether you're thinking of diversifying or extending your 

staycation offerings, it's undeniably a good time to do so. The 

pandemic has changed our need for nature, and whilst out 

exploring there's a desire to call somewhere 'home'. Personal 

space, somewhere to feel safe and cosy. Somewhere a little 

different with an added sense of luxury. 

Meet Outerspace Buildings, a manufacturer based in Wales 

that is passionate and motivated to help hotels, landowners and 

holiday destinations meet the ever changing needs of the UK 

staycation demand. 

Outerspace's buildings are created from a combination of unique 

vision and physical craftsmanship. At their heart is a team of 

passionate and motivated designers, engineers and craftsmen who 

understand entirely what customer experience is all about. 

Their unique and innovative building designs clearly challenge 

the status quo and focus on customer experience both inside 

and out. It's their attention to detail that makes their buildings so 

unique and special. 

New to Boutique Camping’s exclusive range of 

innovative tent designs is the double-doored 

rendition of the sell-out Tucana Tent. A Dutch inspired 

structure, it is infused with modern capabilities and 

a generous hint of Boutiques' renowned cutting edge 

creativity. 

With wide sheltered doorways integrated at both 

ends of its 5x4m floor space, this 285gsm canvas 

castle encourages outdoor adventurers to create 

the perfectly pitched set up. It features a stand-tall 

structure that pairs up with a camper van or trailer. 

The efficiency of having an all in one car-to-tent 

construction allows campers to indulge in homeaway-from 

home advantages, gaining extra storage, 

connected sheltered space and no more tedious, 

strenuous to-and-from loads when setting up camp. 

Complementing this unique anatomy is Boutique’s 

famously resilient arched hem and webbing strap 

duo, a feature which effectively redirects rain-pour, 

minimises trip hazards and looks epic from all angles! 

Don’t forget, Boutique Camping plants five trees 

with every tent ordered, a collaborative stepping 

stone for the company to progressively become 

completely carbon neutral. So, Tucana, or not- 

Tucana? 

Play Areas 

Cheeky Monkey Treehouses 

01403 732452 

info@cheekymonkeytreehouses.co.uk 

www.cheekymonkeytreehouses.com 

A stalwart of treehouse design, you may know Cheeky Monkey 

Treehouses for its highly sought after glamping accommodation, 

but the team is just as well known by the children who enjoy its play 

structures. Imagine the delight on the faces of families that turn up to 

your site on spying a treehouse den especially for kids. The Cheeky 

Monkey team has 22 years’ experience delivering the stuff of dreams 

for little ones and are expert in providing everything needed for an 

adventure in the trees. 

As a site owner, you’ll enjoy a personal treehouse consultation 

service, hand-drawn 3D illustrations and the highest level of 

craftsmanship and attention to detail. 


GLAMPSITES 


Sustainability 

Lacock Alpaca Glamping, 

Wiltshire 

Product: Portable composting outhouses 

Supplier: Reworkshop Off 

Grid & Camping, 07714 719441, 

reworkshopwales@gmail.com, 

www.reworkshopwales.co.uk 

Details: The site at Lacock Alpaca 

Glamping comprises four bell tents 

in a four acre field on an established 

alpaca farm. Owner David approached 

Reworkshop to supply its flagship 

portable composting outhouse, which is 

designed to be the most environmentally 

friendly and sustainable portable toilet 

solution on the market. It is also simple to 

use, portable, strong and good value for 

money. 

The design harks back to the traditional 

outback or frontier outhouses and privies. 

The look and feel is kept authentic by 

careful choice of materials, which also 

fitted Lacock’s sustainability brief. From 

the reclaimed pallet base, pallet wood 

cladding and the clever use of recycled 

plastics and polycarbonate roofing, 

Reworkshop paid careful attention to 

detail. Where virgin timber is required to 

ensure strength and reliable production, 

this is all sourced from sustainably 

managed forests. 

All of Reworkshop’s large range of 

composting toilets and shower/wash 

room structures are handmade in 

Wales by craftsmen with locally sourced 

materials wherever possible. The friendly, 

family run company is always happy to 

help when it comes to discussing options 

including bespoke orders. Reworkshop 

also specialises in off road deliveries and 

installations. 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

Eco Options for Hot Tubs 

Naked Flame Eco-Tubs 

01484 766233 

info@nakedtubs.com 

www.nakedtubs.com 

With a keen eye on all things 

eco, Naked Flame now not only 

produces beautiful hot tubs and 

saunas from fully sustainable 

sources, but is also able to offer a 

fully recyclable Polystone plastic 

liner system for all of its tubs for 

business use. Available in various 

colours, the hard wearing liner 

systems not only look great but 

they can also keep up with the 

week in, week out routine that 

glamping brings without the worry 

of damage that a fibreglass version 

can see. 

Offering peace of mind for 

owners needing the confidence 

of no down time for repairs 

during the season, original tubs 

can also be retrofitted with the 

liner systems to ensure the latest 

business user advice is followed. 

Tub construction remains exactly 

the same underneath the liner, 

keeping the huge 42mm thick 

walls and the unrivalled heat 

retaining properties. 


GLAMPSITES 

Patented Battery 

Technology 

Aceleron 

0121 201 2933 

info@aceleronenergy.com 

www.aceleronenergy.com 

Meet the Essential – a 

versatile battery suitable for 

a wide spectrum of auxiliary 

applications. Unlike other 

lithium-ion batteries, the 

Essential uses a patented 

technology that allows it 

to not only be repaired and 

maintained when needed 

but also to be upgraded as 

technologies advance. 

With this design, each 

part of the battery can be 

easily accessed for servicing 

or upgrade, giving it an 

endless lifespan – much 

kinder to the planet while 

keeping long-term costs 

down. 

It can be installed in 

three different orientations 

making it ideal for use in 

challenging locations. It 

gets better, the Essential’s 

performance reaches new 

heights, at up to 200A+ peak 

power with more capacity 

than ever before. 

Designed ergonomically 

with the user and installer in 

mind, the Essential is built 

for the circular economy 

where valuable materials 

are kept in the loop. 

Will Wind Make 

Electricity for You? 

FuturEnergy 

01789 450280 

sales@futurenergy. 

co.uk 

www.futurenergy.co.uk 

Producing off-grid 

electricity from the 

wind can be an ideal 

power source in a rural 

location, contributing to 

power requirements or 

offsetting consumption 

from the grid. 

By inputting the 

postcode where you 

would like to site a wind turbine into a wind database, it will 

advise you the average wind speed in metres/second (m/s) 

at various heights – ideally anything above 5.5m/s at 10m. At 

5.5m/s, with a clean air site, the Airforce1 wind turbine would 

produce an estimated 1100kWh per year. If the average wind 

speed is more than 5.5m/s this is all the better, increasing 

output exponentially. 

FuturEnergy has been manufacturing the Made in Britain 

Airforce1 1kW micro wind turbine for over 15 years in 

Warwickshire. The systems are available in 24V or 48V and 

supplied with the Airforce Control and anemometer. A free 

iPhone/Android app is also available for remote control. 

Luxury canvas tents designed in the UK 

lotusbelle.co.uk 



EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

Believe Christmas 

Creating fairy tale Christmas memories for families in 

the North East 

A pop-up elf village with 

Christmas surprises in giant 

tipis. Produced by the team 

at Tainted UK, we talk to 

director Ken Wallace about 

going above and beyond 

with ‘Elf and Safety’ and 

how, after a year off, the 

2021 event is predicted to 

attract 12,000 people over 

10 days. 

Describe your event and how many people 

it attracts? 

Believe Christmas is an immersive magical world 

brought to life in a theatrical production within an 

elf tipi village. It is an outdoor Christmas attraction 

taking visitors on a journey through theatrical 

performances and interactive activities. The 

experience is designed to create memories with 

loved ones to treasure for a lifetime. Joining each 

group are elf guides that lead visitors around the 

elf tipi village where actors bring fairy tales to life. 

This adventure is based in the grounds of 

Hardwick Hall Hotel in County Durham. New this 

year, considering Covid-19, the Believe Christmas 

spectacular is being planned and delivered with 

social distancing in mind, managing the amount 

of people on site at any one time. 

In December 2019, Believe Christmas attracted 

around 1,200 people per day over nine days. This 

year, we are anticipating roughly the same figure; 

1,200 per day but over a 10 day period, which 

would see the attendee figures around 12,000 for 

the event period. 

What is the event’s history and what made 

you decide to run it? 

We have been working in the events industry 

for over 15 years and, in addition to working 

alongside both private and public sector 

clients to deliver their own regional and 

national events, we also create, devise, 

manage and produce our own self-financed events 

such as Believe Christmas and other seasonal 

events. 

Every day is different and seeing families 

smiling and making memories is what makes 

Believe Christmas worth every second, plus we get 

to become elves once a year! 

How does the relationship work with 

the venue? 

Hardwick Hall Hotel (run by Ramside Estates) is 

one of the leading luxury venues in the North East. 

Set in 120 acres of parkland, the venue lies in the 

heart of the beautiful County Durham countryside. 

Believe Christmas is held in partnership with 

Ramside Estates, Metro Radio, TFM Radio and 

Greatest Hits Radio. Attending families and our 

elves absolutely love working onsite at Hardwick 

Hall Hotel as the expansive grounds and views are 

remarkable and such an amazing setting for this 

traditional family Christmas adventure. 

How did you find applying for 

permission to run the event? 

We work closely with 

the health and safety 

department at Durham 

County Council, Public 

Health England, our own 

insurers, and an appointed 

health and safety organisation 


EVENTS 

to ensure that the relevant licenses and 

permissions are put in place. 

When we attempted to deliver this 

event in 2020, we worked side by side 

with the same suppliers and departments 

to ensure that attending families would 

be as safe as possible during the Covid-19 

pandemic. Unfortunately, due to UK 

government restrictions and national 

lockdowns, we were forced to postpone 

this event until 2021. Due to our extensive 

health and safety procedures we were 

awarded the AA Covid Compliant Award. 

Although social distancing and 

elements to Covid-19 have changed in the 

UK within 2021, we will still be adopting 

a huge number of elements from those 

health and safety procedures and will 

ensure our families remain safe. 

How have you planned the layout of 

the event? 

Luckily as our event is based within 

the extensive grounds of Hardwick 

Hall Hotel, we work with the venue to 

establish what space is required on an 

event by event basis. As we have the 

flexibility to build the event around 

specification and needs, every Believe 

Christmas event site layout is slightly 

different. As this is a traditional outdoor 

Christmas event we 

contract a regional tipi supplier 

to deliver our elf village. 

How did you research and 

source your infrastructure? 

We have been within the events 

industry for over 15 years and 

have worked with many 

suppliers for both regional 

and national events. We 

tend to be very loyal 

to suppliers that are 

based locally and 

have worked 

closely with 

them to 

build this event into a much loved North 

East Christmas attraction. 

What entertainment do you offer? 

Believe Christmas is one big, huge 

outdoor Christmas pantomime where 

every year there are different characters 

(actors) employed to surprise the 

attending families. Some other Christmas 

attractions tend to stick to the same 

format and activities but as we have loyal 

families that attend every year, we like to 

keep things fresh and exciting. 

Again, we like to use local talent and 

work with regional organisations that 

manage actors’ careers. We also work 

very closely with educational bodies 

to allow up and coming talent to be 

involved and kick start creative careers. 

What provisions do you make 

for power, lights and sound? 

To be honest with you we 


EVENTS 

morning that they must look out for their 

designated Christmas group name elf. 

This elf stands underneath a Christmas 

flag displaying the chosen group name 

picture and leads them around for the 

duration of the experience. This elf has 

been trained in ‘Elf & Safety’ and reports 

back to the Elf Booking Hut on a regular 

basis to ensure safety is at its highest. 

Our appointed health and safety 

organisation works closely with us in the 

planning of this event and corresponds 

with all other departments to gain a 

mutual ‘elf and safety’ sign off prior to 

the event start date. 

absolutely adore the supplier we work 

with on an annual basis. Andy and his 

team at Alrose Productions (based in 

the North East) know exactly what we 

need and most of the time have already 

envisaged every element before we 

approach them with our plans. 

They work tirelessly to make sure that 

the ‘magic’ is created and fulfilled for 

the attending families. I think it helps 

that Andy and his team have families of 

their own, so they know how special it 

is to see that glint in both children’s and 

adults’ eyes. 

How do you manage admissions and 

visitor safety? 

Well, Elf Sparkle is head elf and makes 

sure that all her elves are running around 

busy and that customer satisfaction 

remains high. All our attending families 

know that when they arrive on site in the 

What measures you have undertaken 

specifically for Covid-19? 

Our team closely monitors the evolving 

situation regarding Covid-19 and, 

following the most recent guidance 

from Public Health England and the UK 

government, we feel confident that we 

can safely welcome visitors to Believe 

Christmas this winter. 

In order to adhere to government 

directives, we have appointed a health 

and safety advisor to oversee risk 

assessments, standards of practice and 

equipment to ensure we are operating 

safely to protect staff and visitors alike. 

Aspects that may be required to be in 

place include: 

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EVENTS 

› Limited capacity – we may be required 

to restrict and control the flow of people 

throughout the experience and to allow 

for social distancing. 

› Rebuilding – Believe Christmas is 

well placed to do this as each event is 

designed and rebuilt from scratch every 

year. We thoroughly assess all structures 

within the production and rebuild and 

redesign where necessary to provide 

appropriate space for all our guests 

throughout the experience. 

› Hygiene – we may be required to 

introduce enhanced cleaning measures 

throughout the production, to disinfect 

high-frequency touch points such as 

tables and chairs, service counters and 

work benches. We will install hand 

sanitiser dispensers throughout the 

experience for guest use. All areas 

including portable toilets will be cleaned 

regularly by both staff and appointed 

suppliers. 

What ground protection do you use for 

cars and footfall? 

Believe is an outdoor event and has 

a series of slight bumps and slopes 

however we do put down rubber matting 

walkways etc across as many areas as 

possible to make sure it is as pushchair 

and wheelchair friendly as we can 

possibly make it. 

How do you publicise the event? 

We are partnered with Ramside Estates, 

Metro Radio, TFM Radio and Greatest 

Hits Radio so we gain a huge amount of 

advertising and publicity. We ‘believe’ 

that radio advertising and social media 

are key, and therefore we partner with 

Bauer Media (which owns the stations) as 

many families tune into local radio whilst 

on the school runs and they are our 

intended audience. We also make use 

of established North East bloggers that 

have a huge presence as their opinions 

matter to us and reach the masses. 

What challenges have you faced? 

Every year is a major challenge. From 

“WELL, ELF 

SPARKLE IS 

HEAD ELF 

AND MAKES 

SURE THAT 

ALL HER ELVES 

ARE RUNNING 

AROUND BUSY 

AND THAT 

CUSTOMER 

SATISFACTION 

REMAINS 

HIGH” 

getting the website live, going on sale, 

ticket sales, the planning of the event, 

research/finding both elf and actor 

costumes, gaining quotes, appointing 

suppliers, the site build, the mud, 

the rain, the snow and the long hours 

that go into making this event a huge 

success. But every uphill challenge is 

worth it when you see children skipping 

away with their families holding their 

present from Santa. Every challenge 

is worth it when you know that you 

have helped make a child’s or family’s 

Christmas magical. 

How have you financed the event and 

how profitable is it? 

Believe Christmas is a fully self-financed 

event based on ticket sales. Without 

the tickets selling there would not be 

an event. Every event is as good as 

the last one so if you don’t make it 

magical people won’t come, plus it’s 

not all about money! The event can be 

profitable but from these profits we 

reinvest into other events and future 

Believe Christmas events. 

What are your plans for next year? 

Oh, 2022 is going to be a very exciting 

year for Tainted and the Believe 

Christmas attraction. Due to the success 

of past Believe Christmas events we will 

be launching other magical seasonal 

events such as Believe Easter etc. 

What advice could you give to 

someone coming into the industry? 

Where do we start? There are so many 

things to take onboard: be organised, 

expect the worst to happen (as it 

usually does at some point), have 

weatherproof clothing and shoes, find 

suppliers that are loyal and you trust, 

‘believe’ in yourself, double check 

every detail (like Santa) and, most 

importantly, love what you do as it 

makes those long hours worth it in 

the end! 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

The Tipi People – 

www.thetipipeople.co.uk 

STAGES, AV, POWER 

Alrose Productions – 

www.alroseproductions.co.uk 

FLOORING & GROUND 

PROTECTION 

Teesdale Event & Site Services – 

www.rentatoilet.co.uk 

TOILETS 

Teesdale Event & Site Services – 

www.rentatoilet.co.uk 

BARRIERS 

Speedy Services – 

www.speedyservices.com 

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS 

Safe and Sure Fire Protection – 

www.safeandsurefire.com 

WRISTBANDS 

Wristbands Plus – 

www.wristbandsplus.co.uk 

REINDEER 

Rent a Reindeer – 

www.rentareindeer.co.uk 

CLEANSING TEAM 

NTH Solutions – 

www.nthsolutions.co.uk 

ACTORS/STAFF 

NE14TV – www.ne14.tv 

INSURANCE 

Hiscox – www.hiscox.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Believe Christmas 

4-23 December 2021 

Hardwick Hall Hotel 

Sedgefield 

County Durham TS21 2EH 

www.believe-uk.com 


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EVENTS 

GETTY IMAGES 

Grow your Audience 

Christian Hill, from branding and digital agency Project Simply, shares advice 

on increasing your festival’s audience using innovative marketing techniques 

WE KNOW your marketing budgets are 

stretched, and with the increasingly 

competitive nature of the festival landscape, 

it’s more important than ever to spend those 

budgets in the most effective way. Here are 

some tips to extend your reach and engage 

with your audience – your current and future 

festivalgoers. We’ll look at ways to target the 

hardcore festival fans who will share your 

content, help build an online community and 

upgrade their tickets to VIP status. 

Using tried and tested social channels to 

engage with and wow your audience is a 

given, but if you want to go the extra mile, 

innovate and stand out from the crowd, have 

a think about doing the following: 

Livestream your festival 

1 Livestreaming your event gives users 

unique and memorable access to the festival 

experience you are offering. 

There’s some interesting stats around this 

one. Research from Digitell showed that 30% 

of fans who watched a festival on livestream 

then attended the festival in person the 

following year. It makes sense to market the 

opportunity to watch the festival live across 

social channels and to all subscribed but non 

attending users, once tickets have sold out, 

maximising initial marketing spend. 

Kendal Calling teamed up with Twitch 

to livestream their festival playlist with a 

staggering 418,000 views of their channel. 

This won’t be unique users but if the 30% 

rule applies then they went some way to 

getting a sell-out event the following year. 

Combine the livestream access with some 

data capture and you’ve got a burgeoning 

super fan list and lots of potential attendees 

next year. 

Additional benefits of livestreaming 

include: 

› Maintaining participation with your 

existing audience not able to attend the 

current event 

› Interacting and engaging with your 

audience in real time 

› Increasing reach to a wider audience with 

a relatively low budget spend 

› Livestreaming from VIP viewing areas, 

pushing the value of VIP tickets 

› Generating content for other marketing 

opportunities across platforms. 

Get artists to promote for you 

2 If your festival is focused on music it goes 

without saying that your line-up should be 

engaging with their fans on social media in 

line with your own marketing efforts. 

No artist wants to play to an empty field. 

Consider creative tools that encourage fans 

to see their favourite artists at your event: 

› A unique location 

› A sunset in the background 

› Similar artists to discover 

› An exclusive new track or cover to be 

performed only at the festival 

› Meet and greet competition 

› Make it distinct and unique – a reason for 

fans to be in front of that particular stage. 

Encourage performers to embed ticketing 

on their sites. See who is bringing their own 

crowd and gain useful data on who is worth 

booking again. 

Leverage Facebook Messenger to boost 

3 ticket sales 

According to MailChimp, the average email 

open rate for the music industry is 23%, with 

a click-through rate of under 3%. We think 

you can do better than that. 

By pulling your fans into the Facebook 

Messenger platform you escape the perils 

of email comms, fraught with non-delivery, 

spam filters and the dreaded promotions tab. 

With Facebook Messenger you can engage 

in a more conversational way, and when you 

do send messages they pop up on the user’s 

homescreen; winner. 

The possibilities for preference-based 

marketing, merchandising and incentivebased 

social sharing are huge, including: 

› Incentivisation – we have created an 

in-built affiliate system in a Facebook 

Messenger bot, which is the perfect place 

for requesting social spread via fans for 

incentive-based outcomes i.e sell tickets/ 

generate sign ups 

› 100% visibility of comms – with email and 

Facebook organic reach, the % of people 

actually reached is low (between 4-30%). 

With our solution all messages appear on 

the user’s mobile phone homescreen, with 

100% delivery 

› Personalisation – you have the ability to 

gather rich interest data on attendees 

quickly and easily (i.e who are you most 

looking forward to seeing at the festival?). 


By doing this you can then engage 

based on their interests with relevant 

content/offers 

› Merchandising – by gathering interest 

data you can merchandise and cross 

sell pre , during and post event 

› Spin off gigs – if you know what 

people like, where they live, and can 

message them with 100% delivery 

whenever you want, you can create 

a multitude of smaller spin off gigs 

with little to no extra marketing 

spend. Welcome to the profit centre! 

People often need little incentive 

to use Facebook, but they do require 

that something extra to share content. 

Consider low cost incentives such as 

special offers, early bird access or news, 

to show appreciation to your audience 

and encourage fans buy in. 

Ensure third parties deliver 

4 Now you have your own marketing 

as well as your artists pushing the 

message, it’s now time to lean on your 

third parties to help spread the word. 

Work with a ticketing provider that 

has a sophisticated marketing program 

that includes pushing out targeted 

messages to its database of users. 

With kickbacks and commission in 

play, your ticketing provider is already 

incentivised to promote your event. 

Ensure your partners are 100% mobile 

optimised and use affiliate codes to 

ensure proper tracking. 

Eventbrite found that the most 

common sites fans visit after ticketing 

pages are Google Images and YouTube. 

Your audience wants to see visuals of 

the event and listen to artists who are 

performing before they commit. Supply 

these assets and embedded links to 

your third party sites to encourage 

additional time on the ticketing sites 

and quicker conversions. 

MORE INFO 

Christian Hill is the co-founder of Project Simply, a branding and 

digital agency that helps music, festival and lifestyle clients 

engage audiences using a bespoke web platform. He also 

spearheaded the Festival Insights report, an annual global study 

of the habits, opinion and successes of festival marketing teams. 

Download the Marketing and Digital Festival Insights Report at 

http://projectsimply.com/assets/Festival-Insights-Reportv8.pdf 

Further exploit video 

5 Engage people through the 

power of video, specifically 

using YouTube to build a 

fanbase. 

Belgium’s Tomorrowland used 

this platform brilliantly, garnering 38 

million views and over 250,000 likes 

on their promo video release. Granted, 

it was a humdinger at 32 minutes 

long but don’t let that put you off, just 

create something that will appeal to 

your audience and get sharing it. 

Hardcore festival fans are now more 

likely to share videos of the events they 

attend than pictures. Create multiple 

opportunities for your audience to do 

this at the event and make sure you 

have the tools in place to capture what 

is being shared: 

› Festival hashtags – promoted on 

stage graphics, food vans etc. and 

promotional materials around Wi-Fi 

access points and charging stations 

when users are focused on their 

phones 

› Share fan content in real time 

(referring back to their social 

handles so they feel a sense of 

recognition), encouraging them to 

share and capture more footage 

› SnapChat geofilters – make it really 

easy for festivalgoers to boast about 

where they are 

› Re-use livestream content. 

Content from livestreaming doesn’t 

have to be lost after the moment has 

passed. Save and share the content 

to attendees after the event. Help 

them relive the moment and share 

it with their friends, encourage them 

to tag themselves to show they were 

there. Make sure you also provide 

your live content to the artists 

featured so they can share it with 

their fans too. 

Festival 

Websites for All 

An introduction to a new CMS website 

framework that can help deliver 

successful festival website experiences 

for events of all scales 

At Project Simply, we have been working with 

events and festivals globally including Parklife, 

Field Day, Winterville, Y Not, and Truck, to create 

branding, websites and digital experiences. In 

2019, we launched the Marketing and Digital 

Festival Insights Report, talking directly to 146 

events. 

The research found that festivals need to be 

wary of an over reliance on social media and 

get a better handle on self-controlled marketing 

channels, including apps and chatbots. 

Some of the key stats to come out of the report 

were: 

› 63% of festival organisers only use basic data 

and user tracking 

› 30% of festival organisers found that print and 

paid media don’t work 

› Almost 75% of small festivals feel they are too 

heavily reliant on social media 

› 92% of festival organisers believe a good 

digital experience is key to success 

› Social media influencers are not a good use of 

festival marketing budgets 

Some findings of the insights highlighted 

issues with using third parties for design and 

website creation and management. As a website 

is the cornerstone of most marketing efforts, the 

key sales vehicle for tickets and the shareable 

asset that helps grow social audience, it is 

important that it works for an event. 

Frustrated that we couldn’t help smaller 

festivals and events with our current design 

process, we decided to create Plot, a festival 

and venue-specific website design system that 

creates powerful and successful websites in a 

few days. Our Plot sites now address the major 

issues, keeping price points low with no ongoing 

costs, admin is made specifically for festival 

teams and event lifecycles and there is no time 

lag as changes can be made instantly. 

Inside Plot we’ve built some great functionality 

including pre-registration pages, line-up 

releases, thank you pages, a schedule manager, 

notification system, social media hook up, 

ticketing, landing pages and site launch controls. 

You can see more at www.builtwithplot.com 


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EVENTS 

2021 Postponement - 

The Full Story 

DEVA FEST 

Deva Fest’s founder Phil Marston reveals the full thinking behind his event’s 

postponement this year – a common story, with nearly 60% of other festivals in the 

same position 

IT’S TIME to a draw a line under 

something I get asked it all the time: ‘Why 

didn’t you put Deva Fest on in 2021 when 

other festivals are going ahead?’ 

I’ll try to answer as honestly as I can. It’s 

a fairly lengthy read… 

When the team took the decision to 

postpone this year’s Deva Fest back 

in June, the government had not yet 

confirmed that Covid restrictions would be 

lifted in time for August or that events like 

ours could go ahead this summer. They 

hadn’t confirmed what Covid measures 

(if any) we were expected to take to keep 

attendees safe. Covid rates were rising and 

festivalgoers were starting to tell us they 

felt unsafe heading back into crowds so 

soon after (during?) the pandemic. 

It left us in an awful position – carry on 

planning and take a huge financial and 

reputational risk in the hope that Boris 

and friends would throw us a bone, that 

numbers of cases would drop, and the 

delayed “Freedom Day” would happen? 

“WE NOW KNOW THAT WE 

COULD HAVE SOLDIERED ON 

WITH THE 2021 SHOW AND 

RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED 

JUST IN TIME FOR THE EVENT 

TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD” 

Or protect the future of the event by 

accepting that there were just too many 

factors out of our control, not least our 

visitors’ safety. 

I won’t lie – it was devastating to have to 

make that call. We had an amazing 2019 

and so many people were buzzing about 

our event. We’d sold the best part of 90% 

of our tickets, and the others would have 

flown out judging by the amount of people 

hovering over the ticket basket (yeah, we 

can see!). 

We now know that we could have 

soldiered on with the 2021 show and 

restrictions were lifted just in time for the 

event to be able to go ahead. 

But that’s not the full story. 

Firstly, we had to read the room. So 

many were telling us they didn’t feel safe 

heading into crowds so quickly. This is 

supposed to be about fun, family, good 

times and great entertainment – not 

feeling nervous that attending could make 

you ill. 

Then there is the “Pingdemic” which 

is playing havoc with the economy. With 

folk everywhere getting pinged to isolate 

by the NHS app we just couldn’t take the 

risk that we would have enough people to 

safely operate the event, and you can see 

the effect that staff shortages are having 

on everything from hospitality to transport 

and retail. 

One of our headliners (Sophie Ellis- 

Bextor) was isolating as her children 

had tested positive, and our reoccurring 


EVENTS 

n Headliner Sophie 

Ellis-Bextor was 

isolating as her children 

had tested positive 

“SOCIALLY DISTANCED FESTIVALS ARE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE AS YOU CAN’T HAVE 

NEARLY AS MANY GUESTS ON SITE, AND THAT HAS TO BE PASSED ON TO THE CUSTOMER. 

SOME SOCIALLY DISTANCED FESTIVALS ARE CHARGING TWICE WHAT WE WERE FOR A FEW 

HOURS OF TRIBUTE ACTS” 

nightmare was that the team would all 

get pinged and we’d end up with no stage, 

or no big top, or no shuttle buses, or no 

headliners… you get the idea. 

And there was the small matter of 

whether we could believe that “Freedom 

Day” would happen in July, having been 

postponed in June (which is when we 

postponed). As it happens, they did grant 

it, which seemed a bit odd given that cases 

were still increasing, but hey, what do I 

know?! I should mention something about 

“the science” here, but I’m not a scientist, 

and I will bow to their judgement. 

AND YET OTHER FESTIVALS HAVE 

MANAGED TO GO AHEAD? 

Latitude, Carfest, Tramlines etc. went 

ahead. These are all much larger, 

established events than ours, with more 

illustrious backgrounds and much deeper 

pockets. All three events had artists pull 

out at short notice (“ping”), but the loss 

of a major artist was probably felt less for 

them given the size of the line ups. 

Two of these events were allowed to 

go ahead under the Government’s Events 

Research Programme (ERP) – in other 

words they were being allowed to go on 

by BoJo & Co in order that we could learn 

how to safely attend mass events in the 

Covid era regardless of any restrictions in 

place at the time. Euro 2020 (not in 2020), 

Wimbledon and the Formula 1 were also 

allowed to do the same thing. 

Only the results of the ERP weren’t 

published. 

There had been a test festival in 

Liverpool along with a nightclub test and 

some other events way back in May under 

the ERP. We know now that showing a 

negative test or proof of full vaccination 

meant very little chance of being infected. 

But when we postponed back in June that 

report was being suppressed, and it took 

Andrew Lloyd-Webber along with various 

others threatening legal action to force it’s 

publication. 

OTHER FESTIVALS ARE TAKING PLACE 

THIS SUMMER WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING 

IN PLACE. WHY COULDN’T WE DO THAT? 

The answer to this is fairly simple – we 

don’t have space. 

We never planned for Deva Fest to be 

socially distanced – to retrofit it would 

mean having far less people on site in 

order that we could create “pods”. Throw 

in that folk haven’t bought tickets in those 

“pod” groups (what with not being asked 

to) and that we would have had to refund 

everyone we didn’t have space for – you 

can see it would be a non-starter for us. 

Socially distanced festivals are 

expensive to operate as you can’t have 

nearly as many guests on site, and that has 

to be passed on to the customer. Some 

socially distanced festivals are charging 

twice what we were for a few hours of 

tribute acts. 

WAS THERE ANY GOVERNMENT 

SUPPORT? 

I don’t want to make any of this political. 

I will leave it to those more qualified to 

debate the government’s Covid response, 

and some solutions such as furlough and 

business rates relief have been a genuine 

life saver for certain sectors. 

What I would say that the guidance and 

support on offer for festivals has been 

pitiful. 

Other European governments have 

underwritten Covid events insurance to 

allow festivals to continue planning with 

confidence. Around 60% of UK festivals 

have cancelled this summer, and many, 

including ours, have cited the lack of 

such insurance as one of the reasons. The 

UK government has finally announced 

an insurance scheme, and whilst it is 

welcome, it comes too late for us and 

many 2021 events, plus the cost and small 

print look fairly eye watering. We will, 

however, find a way for the scheme to 

work for us to put the 2022 event on. 

We were invited to apply to round one 

of the Culture Recovery Fund but received 

a border line insulting rejection letter, 

and were then excluded by a rule change 

from applying to rounds two or three. We 

benefitted from a VAT reduction, which 


EVENTS 

will have been and gone by the time we 

can hold our event again, and we are now 

paying back a Bounce Back Loan when we 

haven’t been allowed to ‘bounce back’. 

So those were the reasons why there is 

no Deva Fest 2021 – socially distanced or 

otherwise. We do feel we have been dealt 

a bit of a bum hand, but there has been 

a pandemic and our thoughts are with 

those who have suffered at the hands of 

this awful virus. 

We sold for 2021 in the knowledge that 

this could happen, which is why we gave 

a Covid guarantee on tickets. I’m proud 

to say that we delivered on that and have 

refunded every single ticket holder who 

asked for their money back – refunding a 

six figure sum. We hope that festivalgoers 

appreciate that we did the right thing, 

and remember it when looking at summer 

2022 plans. 

We remain 100% committed to Deva 

Fest 2022. We have kept all of our major 

artists from 2021 and have some amazing 

plans to announce in the coming months. 

Tickets went back on sale on Friday 13 

August (!) at midday, which was the time 

that we would have opened in 2021. We 

can’t wait to see everyone back in the 

fields next summer. 


Phil Marston is the founder and managing partner of Deva Fest, Cheshire’s 

family music, food and lifestyle festival. The event will return to Chester Lakes 

on 12-14 August 2022 with headline sets from Symphonic Ibiza, Sophie Ellis 

Bextor and Scouting for Girls. www.devafest.co.uk 

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EVENTS 


Structures 

Gone Wild with Bear 

Grylls, Devon 

Product: Tipi and yurt accommodation – 

over 100 units 

Supplier: Hearthworks, 01749 321210, 

info@hearthworks.co.uk, www. 

hearthworks.co.uk 

Details: When Gone Wild with Bear 

Grylls decided to hold their first ever 

festival this year over the August Bank 

Holiday weekend, they needed someone 

with a proven track record in festival 

accommodation, so they teamed up with 

Hearthworks Tipis and Yurts. 

The event proved extraordinarily 

popular. Somewhere between a large 

music festival and an activity camp, Gone 

Wild was the perfect size for a great family 

holiday. A large and varied programme of 

activities and workshops for people of all 

ages hit the spot, including axe throwing, 

archery, yoga, kayaking, 

skateboarding, and even 

“Be Military Fit” workouts. 

For something a little more 

relaxing, there were talks 

from world adventurers. 

In the evenings, the main 

stage kicked into action, 

and there was even a 

family rave. 

Hearthworks worked 

hard with the event 

to ensure all the 

accommodation needs were met. A 

wide variety of tents were required to 

cover everything from easy overnight 

accommodation for performers and 

workshop leaders, to more luxurious 

requirements for sponsors as well as the 

various options available to the public. 

Gone Wild is all about joining in, with 

everyone feeling welcome regardless of 

their outdoor confidence. This meant 

that public units needed particular 

consideration, so set packages were 

carefully put together ranging all the way 

from the simple “Explorer” option to units 

that included beds and bedding and even 

an electrical power socket. 

Feedback: Nichole, Hearthworks’ office 

manager, said: “Quite a few of our events 

were cancelled this year due to Covid 

restrictions. It has been a tough season for 

many businesses in the festival industry, 

so we were delighted that Gone Wild so 

confidently went ahead. It ended up being 

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to be going back next year. Hearthworks 

had over 100 structures at the event, with 

our tipi and yurt accommodation supplied 

with electricity, beds and furnishings. It 

meant that even people who wouldn't 

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experience this fantastic new event.” 

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Associated with bespoke quality for over 30 

years, Bond is a leader in British design and 

manufacturing with a full design and supply 

service available from its Gloucestershire 

factory. 

In recent years Bond has focused on the 

technical side of its design and production 

capabilities adding further technology to 

both its design and manufacturing processes, 

supporting its ability to work closely with 

clients to create unique structures offering their 

locations or events that all important exclusive 

image and brand identity required to stand out 

from the crowd. 

All Bond’s structures are made in the UK of 

the highest quality using structural engineers 

where necessary. It only makes to order, 

offering a personalised, client-led design 

service and using only high performance 

outdoor technical fabrics and a variety of frame 

types. 

The team is proud of its reputation in the 

industry, thriving on long-lasting relationships 

with clients – they also enjoy a challenge! 


EVENTS 

Syon Park, London 

Product: Two stretch tents 

Supplier: Tentickle Stretch 

Tents, 07826 843099, info@ 

tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk, 

www.tentickle-stretchtents. 

co.uk 

Details: Syon is one of the last 

great houses of London, and 

has been in the family of the 

present owners for more than 

400 years. Profoundly historic, 

the house holds a wealth of 

art within its grand classical 

interiors, while the park 

and gardens feel like deep 

countryside despite being just 

nine miles from Charing Cross. 

Tentickle was delighted 

to be able to help an event 

organiser who had been 

tasked with putting on a large 

event with only one week to 

go. The client wanted two 

stretch tents to cover different 

areas of Syon Park. Tentickle 

conducted a site visit the 

following day and coordinated 

with the event organiser for 

the perfect size and set up. 

On installation day, the 

crew erected two large tents 

in a matter of hours. They 

were perfectly positioned to 

maximise the stunning views 

of the estate and offered a 

suitably elegant cover for 

guests with their sleek, white 

sails set against the earthy, 

warm tones of the grandiose 

building. 

The revellers partied the 

night away and the following 

morning our crew arrived 

to collect the stretch tents. 

The vans were off site within 

a few hours and the site 

was returned to its original 

condition. 

Customer feedback: 

Director Sophie Amor said: “I 

cannot recommend Tentickle 

enough – really easy to 

work with, flexible and 

professional and great prices. 

Jorg – a pleasure once again 

to work with you”. 


Reconnecting the outdoor 

event industry this October 

20th & 21st October | Newbury Showground 

Register to visit: 

showmans-directory.co.uk

EVENTS 


Visitor 

Management 

Outlaw Half Distance 

Triathlon, Nottinghamshire 

Product: MOTOTRBO digital radio system 

– MOTOTRBO DP4400 hand portables and 

WAVE PTX POC hand portables 

Supplier: DCRS, 0800 043 2688, sales@dcrs. 

co.uk, www.dcrs.co.uk 

Details: DCRS provided a MOTOTRBO digital 

radio system for the Outlaw Half Distance 

Triathlon, organised by OSB Events. Taking 

place at the National water sports centre in 

Nottingham, the triathlon consisted of a 1.2 

mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile 

run. 

The package comprised two repeaters 

supplying four channels, 115 MOTOTRBO 

DP4400 hand portables, eight WAVE PTX POC 

hand portables and technical personnel on 

site. 

The DP4000e Series offers high 

performance integrated voice and data, and 

advanced features for efficient operation. 

These next-generation radios deliver 

complete connectivity – Bluetooth audio lets 

you communicate without wires and there 

is support for trunking options and legacy 

analogue radio capabilities for flexibility and 

adaptability. 

The WAVE PTX allows for group 

communication to also include those 

who rely on smartphones and broadband 

devices as well as two-way radios. WAVE 

PTX is a network independent multimedia 

communication subscription service that 

instantly connects a team at the push of a 

button. Perfect for triathlon course marshals 

and back up services, the WAVE PTX POC 

provides secure wide area communications. 

DCRS offers unique, customised solutions 

specific to a customer’s needs, that go 

beyond just a product and service but 

include technology and support. 

Customer feedback: Operations manager 

Alan Heap said: “The service we receive 

from DCRS is always first rate and we have 

now used them for several years, having 

previously tried several other less reliable 

radio suppliers. Their prices are always 

competitive and, added to the excellent 

service with planning, booking and on-site 

support during the weekend events, this 

always makes them our go to company that 

we would heartily recommend”. 

SERVICE 

SNAPSHOT 

Trusted Barrier Supplier 

Mojo Barriers 

01708 687440 

unitedkingdom@mojorental.com 

www.mojorental.com 

Mojo Barriers is the original 

international supplier of aluminium 

stage barrier systems, providing an 

extensive range of products and 

services to live events including 

festivals, tours, corporate events, 

sporting and cultural occasions. 

The favourite among event 

organisers looking for a safe, 

sustainable and cost effective 

system, Mojo Barriers’ continual 

investment in research and 

development has resulted in the 

creation of its proprietary event 

barriers and related products, 

which are adaptable, reliable and 

proven to improve safety. 

Skilled at working closely with 

clients to design and build bespoke 

event barrier configurations and 

layouts, Mojo Barriers has been the 

trusted global stage barrier supplier 

for over 20 years. 

Event Safety Consultants 

Crowd Safety 

02380 010918 

info@crowdsafety.org 

www.crowdsafety.org 

We are a professional crowd 

management and event 

safety consultancy, assisting 

event organisers in safety 

planning. Our consultants 

are professionally qualified 

and have a wealth of 

experience to provide cost 

effective practical solutions 

including: event safety 

management plans, event 

specific risk assessments, 

fire risk assessments and 

fire management plans. 

Our consultants have 

extensive experience 

of cultural crowd 

considerations, and are 

well versed with CDM 

for UK based projects. 

Each is selected based on 

their proven experience, 

examined knowledge, 

communication skills 

and the ability to deliver 

the project. Crowd Safety 

consultants are recognised 

experts in their fields 

who are acknowledged 

contributors for the Purple 

Guide. 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

BEN CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY 

SHEPHERD HUT SURPRISES AT 

THE GLAMPING SHOW 

Blackdown Shepherd Huts 

01460 929774 

info@blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

www.blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Market leading shepherd hut makers 

Blackdown are recognised globally, 

however they design, craft, and 

display their high-end luxury living 

spaces in Somerset; exhibiting the 

high quality of build and interiors 

that Blackdown Shepherd Huts are 

renowned for. Duly inspired, many 

buyers add their own unique touches 

to their bespoke hut, delighting 

their guests and earning an excellent 

return on investment. This year at 

The Glamping Show, Blackdown 

will be showcasing new designs of 

their signature double shepherd hut, 

The Blackdown Brace Hut, and their 

Modular Turnkey Hut. With a few 

more surprises up their sleeves to 

come, you can see it all first at stand 

OSA 140. 

BOOKING AGENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE 

CONSULTANCY SERVICE 

Canopy & Stars 

0117 204 7830 

ideas@canopyandstars.co.uk 

www.canopyandstars.co.uk 

Right now is a great time to start your 

journey in the growing glamping industry. 

As the UK’s leading glamping specialist, 

Canopy & Stars are the team to help you 

turn your wildest ideas into a place to stay. 

We have over 10 years’ experience as a 

dedicated glamping booking agent and are 

the only company to offer a comprehensive 

consultancy service. Creating a great 

glamping space is an exciting, rewarding 

and complex process. 

There’s a lot to consider, from tailoring 

your experience for the right guests, 

to planning applications, funding and 

choosing the right people to help with 

infrastructure and build. To make it 

work you need a great idea and a lot of 

determination, but what helps more than 

anything is expert advice. Get in touch with 

our friendly team to chat about the ways 

we can help you make your dream a reality. 

TINY FOR THE HOT SPOT 

The Log Company 

01748 889303 

kirami@thelogcompany.com 

www.thelogcompany.com 

The much-anticipated Kirami Tiny 

is the smallest hot tub model in 

our range and benefits from a low 

maintenance LDPE plastic interior, 

attractive Thermowood exterior and 

efficient MICU external heater. The 

Tiny package includes everything you 

need for a wonderful wood fired hot 

tub experience. 

Its small size and super low water 

capacity makes the Tiny perfect for 

couples or situations where water 

use must be kept to a minimum. 

This package comes with a premium 

insulated cover, which maintains heat 

and aids water heating time. 

Pop in and see us at one of our 

showrooms or contact us for more 

information. 

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. 


UNIQUE ECO BUILDINGS FOR 

WOW FACTOR 

Outerspace Buildings 

01978 254150 

hello@outerspacegroup.com 

www.outerspacegroup.com 

Outerspace Buildings is a 

manufacturer based in Wales, 

passionate and motivated to 

help hotels, landowners and 

holiday destinations meet the 

ever changing needs of the UK 

staycation demand. 

The team of passionate and 

motivated designers, engineers 

and craftsmen understand entirely 

what customer experience is all 

about. Their unique and innovative 

designs challenge the status quo 

and focus on customer experience 

both inside and out. 

Flexible build solutions include 

self-build kits. 

ALL YOU NEED FOR OUTDOOR 

CINEMA 

Skylight Cinema 

01872 303737 

info@skylightcinema.co.uk 

www.skylightcinema.co.uk 

As one of the leading providers of 

outdoor cinema, Skylight supplied 

equipment for over 250 events last 

year alone. Providing everything 

needed to put on a hassle free 

outdoor 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. 

A NEW LOOK AT OUTDOOR 

COOKING 

Carn Kitchens 

07786 273901 

sam@carn.scot 

www.carn.scot 

Cooking outside on a glamping 

holiday is here to stay, and Carn 

Kitchens build modular outdoor 

kitchens that will last the distance. 

Handmade with industrial pipe 

fittings and laser cut, bespoke 

parts to look the business and stay 

functional from season to season. 

Enclosed natural fire giving 

succulent flavours as oven or grill, 

complements the integral seating 

and lamp. Safe, secure and quick to 

install. Get in touch to discuss your 

bespoke design. 

VISIT REBRANDED ARCOTHERM AT 

SHOWMAN’S SHOW 

Biemmedue 

0345 6004499 

sales@biemmedueuk.com 

www.biemmedue.co.uk 

Portable heating specialists 

Arcotherm will be in attendance at 

the Showman’s Show on the 20 and 

21 October with a new look. 

Having rebranded to Biemmedue 

UK on 1 September, our new 

branding will be on display for the 

first time at this year’s show – come 

and see us on stand 112, Avenue A. 

As well as our trusted EC, GE and 

Jumbo ranges, we will be displaying 

a new 40kW electric model, the EKT 

– ideal for those wanting to lower 

their carbon footprint. 


Classified Directory 

Finman 

Glamping 

Cabins and 

BBQ Huts 

From 

£4,992 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 www.logspan.com 

d Your Own 

pherd Huts 

Sewage Treatment 

Sales 

Installation 

 

 

TEAM 

SEPTIC 

01295 236 101 

sales@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

Call 01262 470475 or visit 

www.shepherd-huts.com 

www.gardenman.co.uk | 0333 2008 333 

01453 767171 



Wood fired hot tubs and saunas available to buy 


• 

UNIQUE 

AIRBEAM 

DESIGN 

• 

• Creating exclusive & innovative tent designs since 2010 • 

3m, 4m & 5m 

Advertise your glampsite 

on the UK's leading luxury 

camping website. 

www.goglamping.com 

TWO-WAY RADIO 

SUPPORTING 

YOUR EVENTS 

Call FREE: 

0800 043 2688 

sales@dcrs.co.uk 

www.dcrs.co.uk 

DCRS Open Air Magazine Classified Advert.indd 1 06/12/2018 09:36 

Bringing comfort 

and luxury to 

any type of 

landscape. 

outerspacegroup.com 

TIMBER INTENT LTD 

01297 444416 • mail@timberintent.co.uk • www.timberintent.co.uk 

tensile fabric structures • standard and bespoke 

architecture • design • planning 


10 & 11 NOV 21 

NEC, BIRMINGHAM 

RUNNING 

ALONGSIDE: 

DIVERSIFY YOUR LAND 

HARVEST YOUR REWARDS 

1,000 

EXHIBITORS 

500 

SPEAKERS 

18,000 

VISITORS 

REGISTER FOR FREE TICKETS FARMBUSINESSSHOW.CO.UK | #FARMBIZ

PEOPLE 

Behind the Scenes with… 

Sophie Jones 

A team leader at event glamping supplier ZooBells, 

Sophie Jones takes us behind the scenes building festival 

glamping villages, which can amount to 500 bell tents! 

SUMMER 2021 is my third season with Zoo 

Events Group. I started in 2018 as build 

crew and have since worked my way up the 

ranks to team leader. Within my role, I work 

closely with our project managers and build 

managers onsite to ensure the operation 

runs smoothly as well as supporting the 

office based team at our yard in Stockton, 

Warminster. 

My average day in the field starts at 

around 7.30am when I head to the kitchen 

tent for breakfast. We have some great 

chefs with ZooBells, who not only cater for 

various dietary requirements but also keep 

the team well fed and healthy! 

After breakfast we gather the crew for a 

morning briefing to run through the tasks 

for the day, role allocations, important kit 

deliveries and any safety requirements. 

Crew camp is usually a short walk from 

where we’re building the boutique camping 

area unless we are camping in the same 

field. As team leader I always remind the 

crew to bring their sun cream and raincoats 

as you never know what the Great British 

weather has in store. I always encourage 

everyone to take plenty of snacks and tunes 

to keep us going. 

Once at the build site, we split into 

groups and get to work. We could be 

working on a job that has 50 tents or 500 

tents, so every event is different. On the 

larger jobs there will be more than one 

team leader and we split the crew between 

us to work in designated areas. 

Part of my role is to ‘lay out the lines’. We 

measure the field very precisely to ensure 

there are equal gaps between the tents, 

that the fire lanes are correct and that we 

maximise use of space. Most clients like 

nice, neat rows of tents, but others prefer 

small clusters or even to spell out words, so 

they look awesome in a drone photo! 


PEOPLE 

Our first couple of days will usually be 

spent putting the tents up. We train our 

crew to put the structures up in a precise 

way – we don’t want any leaks or sagginess! 

As a team leader I work closely with the 

crew, ensuring the tents are all going up 

correctly, the guy ropes are tight and the 

groundsheet is stretched out properly. I’m 

always there to provide a helping hand. 

After the tents are up, we’re hard at 

work getting all the interiors in. ZooBells 

offers different levels of luxury which vary 

between jobs depending on the clients’ 

preferences. Some like a range of packages 

to suit different budgets, so we might 

have up to five different styles of interior 

at one event and it’s vital they’re allocated 

correctly. 

Every tent will have a minimum of a 

carpet, entrance mat and central table 

with lantern. Once these are in, the build 

manager and team leader will plot a 

diagram of the site, labelling each tent with 

its interior package. There’s a lot of walking 

back and forth to get everything in place 

and it’s important to keep team spirits up 

and motivate everyone to keep going. We 

encourage the crew to have fun at work! 

Getting the interior furnishings into 

the tents can take a few days. It’s vital I 

continually check the right kit is in each 

tent, making sure everything is arranged 

perfectly and that the beds are made 

beautifully and ready for our guests to sleep 

in style. 

At around 1pm we head back to camp 

for a delicious lunch made by our crew 

chef. Featuring anything from sandwiches 

to soup, frittatas to risotto, there’s always 

plenty to eat. After eating, the crew then 

spend the rest of their break chilling out and 

recharging before heading back to work. 

We tend to work until 6pm then head 

back to camp. As a team leader, I check 

around the site to make sure all the tents are 

“YOU’LL OFTEN FIND ME SAT ROUND THE 

CAMPFIRE LISTENING TO MUSIC, PLAYING 

CARDS OR HAVING A GAME OF FRISBEE” 

zipped up, there’s nothing left outside, and 

that all the kit in the storage area is covered 

by tarpaulin if necessary. Then it’s time for 

a catch-up with the other managers and 

team leaders. We discuss how the build is 

going, whether we’re on target and the plan 

for the following day. Communication is 

so important – we all need to know what is 

happening and what the priorities are. The 

last task of the day is to fill out everyone’s 

timesheets for that day and sign off the chef 

food hygiene paperwork. 

Then at last it’s time for dinner and some 

quality time with the crew. You’ll often 

find me sat round the campfire listening to 

music, playing cards or having a game of 

frisbee. I also love getting the crew together 

for little trips out in the evening to a nearby 

beach or local pub. We cover events all over 

the UK so we get to see some great places 

along the way! 

DURING THE FESTIVAL… 

At many of the events we offer reception 

services and I ensure all crew are trained 

and ready to give our customers the best 

service possible, with a smooth and easy 

check in. I also allocate shifts to the crew, 

deal with any queries, maintain the check 

in database and delegate concierge and 

maintenance tasks. I absolutely love leading 

reception; it’s a great opportunity to get to 

know customers and oversee our boutique 

site! 

Once all the hard work is done, it’s time 

for the best part of the job… the festival! We 

generally get free entry to the event and it’s 

great to experience so many in one summer! 

It’s hard to pick a favourite, but one that 

really stands out for me is Boomtown. It’s 

one of the most diverse festivals on the 

scene with such a wide variety of music and 

immersive experiences. You feel like you’ve 

entered a dream like town in a different 

world and the atmosphere is incredible! 

82 82 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Master makers of discerning spaces ... 

Come and see us at The Glamping Show, stand number OSA 140 

blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

info@blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk | 01460 929774 

Shrubbery Farm | Catherine Wheel | Ilminster | Somerset | 

Huts for home | Huts for business | Huts to build yourself

HEATER 

MARQUEE 

PACKAGES. 

THE NEW 

NAME FOR 

Arcotherm 

The portable heating specialists 

CHOOSE FROM ONE OF 

OUR PACKAGES: 

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AT BIEMMEDUE UK WE OFFER 

A RANGE OF MARQUEE 

PACKAGES TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS. 

ORDER ONLINE OR CONTACT US: 

01773 836 999 

sales@arcotherm.co.uk 

arcotherm.co.uk

September 2021

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