February 2022

ISSUE 48 | February 2022 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

BIOPHILIC 

DESIGN 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Film Shoots 

› Interior Products 

EVENTS 

› Sponsorship 

› Community 

Indemnity Pledges 

GLAMPSITES 

› Safe, Clean & Legal 

› Roundhouse Build 

CASE STUDIES: 

FOREST LODGE WEDDINGS • HUSH HUSH GLAMPING • RED ROOSTER FESTIVAL

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ISSUE 48 | February 2022 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

WE ARE soon heading off to the Event Production Show and 

International Confex, delighted to be back amongst event 

organisers and the business event crowd. The outlook is positive 

for both sectors with live events back on track and festivals in 

particular raring to go and make up for lost time. In this issue 

we have information on the appetite for event sponsorship and 

an alternative promoters can take to mitigate against any future 

Covid related cancellations. Rather than paying big premiums 

for the Live Event Reinsurance Scheme, Ticketsellers’ Mo Jones 

introduces the concept of a community indemnity pledge – if it’s 

good enough for Shambala, then… 

I enjoyed Andrew White’s contribution this issue – he’s obviously been having a bit of 

a Netflix binge and asks, following a number of series glamourising too good to be true 

lifestyles, what the ‘perfect’ conference venue might look like? The picture he paints is 

very alluring; please someone build it, or tell me about it if it’s already out there! A big 

consideration of this perfect space is nature in design – biophilia. And as if it were planned 

(it wasn’t…) Charlotte Winship gives an overview. 

You can’t get more ‘of nature’ than Kate Symonds’ straw bale and “smooshed” clay 

roundhouse. A glamping structure comprising local, natural and beautiful materials hand 

built by her family and a group of Workaway volunteers. It is a truly gorgeous space and 

one I want to stay in. 

Thank you to Keri Maundrell, owner at Wellington Barn, our Entrepreneur’s Chat 

candidate. Sad for her, but lucky for us, storm Eunice put pay to her skiing holiday in order 

that she could talk to us. Thank you universe; you do work in strange ways (P.S. She did 

manage to hit the slopes a day later). 

Tally Rix 

Editor / Publisher 

PUBLISHERS 

Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

EDITOR 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Marney Whyte - 01892 677743 

marney@openairbusiness.com 

David Hobden - 01892 677741 

david@openairbusiness.com 

ADMINISTRATOR 

Kirsty Farrow – 01892 677740 

kirsty@openairbusiness.com 

DESIGN 

James English - 

www.jamesenglishdesign.co.uk 

PUBLISHED BY 

Coffee Shop Media Ltd 

www.coffeeshopmedia.com 

Milroy House, Sayers Lane, 

Tenterden, TN30 6BW 

01580 848555 

Contents ISSUE 48 – FEBRUARY 2022 

UP FRONT 

4 News 

7 Product News 

11 Entrepreneur’s Chat 

– Keri Maundrell, 

Wellington Barn 


17 Forest Lodge 

Weddings – a horse 

friendly venue in the 

woods 

22 Biophilic Design – 

bringing the outside 

in for the benefit of 

all 

27 Netflix ‘Perfect’ – 

Andrew White on the 

must haves 

28 Film Shoots – how 

to market to location 

scouts 

30 Interiors and 

Furniture – products 

in action 

GLAMPSITES 

35 Hush Hush 

Glamping – working 

three jobs to get a 

farm diversification 

off the ground 

40 Safe, Clean, Legal - 

Quality in Tourism's 

accreditation is more 

relevant than ever 

45 Making a 

Roundhouse – an 

eco-structure made 

with love 

48 Landscapes and 

Exteriors – products 

in action 

EVENTS 

50 Red Rooster Festival 

– American southern 

roots festival 

attracting 6,000 

people 

55 Sponsorship – how 

to attract and retain 

sponsors 

58 Community 

Indemnity Pledge 

– an alternative to 

Covid insurance 

60 Event Glamping – 

products in action 

62 Spotlight 

63 Classifieds 

65 Behind the Scenes 

– Steve Butcher, 

Chilfest 

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BIOPHILIC 

DESIGN 


› Film Shoots 

› Interior Products 

CASE STUDIES: 

FOREST LODGE WEDDINGS • HUSH HUSH GLAMPING • RED ROOSTER FESTIVAL 

EVENTS 

› Sponsorship 

› Community 

Indemnity Pledges 

GLAMPSITES 

› Safe, Clean & Legal 

› Roundhouse Build 

COVER PHOTO 

Inside of one of Timeless Composites innovative new 

structures, a luxury hosting pod. Adaptable, sustainably built 

and ideal for any outdoor event looking to create a wow 

factor for guests. 

07980 651578, piers@timelesscomposites.com, 

www.timelesscomposites.com 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

Tripadvisor 

Passes One 

Billion Reviews 

Tripadvisor announced on 1 February 

that its community had enabled an 

historic internet milestone: 1 billion 

reviews and opinions. 

Founded 22 years ago by current 

president and CEO Stephen Kaufer, 

Langley Steinert, Nick Shanny and Tom 

Palka, reaching this landmark comes 

just several years after announcing it 

had reached half a billion reviews and 

opinions, in 2017. New research shows 

that today the platform remains the 

most important review destination 

online for millions of consumers and 

businesses. 

“We are so grateful for the 

contributions that the Tripadvisor 

community has made over these last 

22 years,” says Kaufer. “Trusted reviews 

and opinions from travellers are the 

heart and soul of the platform and 

help make everyone a better traveller, 

enabling millions of businesses to 

flourish and drive trillions of dollars in 

economic value across the globe.” 

To mark the occasion, Tripadvisor 

released new research titled The Power 

of Reviews. This analysis about review 

content showed how long-form reviews 

influence booking decisions. It is also 

launching Write a Review Day on 3 

May, and every first Tuesday of May 

thereafter. 

UKHospitality 

on Living with 

Covid Plan 

UKHOSPITALITY HAS 

responded to the 

government’s Living with 

Covid plan with a statement 

from CEO Kate Nicholls, who 

said: “It is heartening to hear 

that we are now moving to 

trading based on the safety 

measures that businesses 

have put in place and we 

hope that this will ignite 

consumer confidence in our 

sector and beyond. 

“The hospitality industry 

has proved that its venues 

are safe for staff and 

consumers and that, when 

allowed to trade without 

restrictions, it can be a 

major driver of economic 

growth and recovery. We are 

pleased to see that much of 

our five point plan for living 

with Covid has been taken 

forward by government. 

Sustainability 

Accreditation for 

Corporate Events 

GREEN TOURISM and the Meetings 

Industry Association (mia) have secured 

an exclusive five-year partnership to 

drive standards for sustainable business 

meetings and events. The partnership will 

help mia members secure Green Tourism’s 

accreditation, which has a strict threepillar 

sustainability criteria. 

Independent assessors will examine 

members’ adoption of the criteria, 

which will be integrated into the mia’s 

AIM Secure accreditation, ranging from 

energy, water and waste through to 

“Hospitality was hit first, 

longest and hardest by this 

pandemic, however, and 

with costs rising across 

the board and a VAT rise 

due this April – just as the 

cost of living crisis is set 

to bite – businesses in the 

sector still need support. 

At the very least, we need 

the government to commit 

to keeping VAT at 12.5% 

beyond April in order for the 

industry to be able to play 

its full role in the UK’s social 

and economic recovery.” 

Key measures from 

UKHospitality’s five point 

plan included consistency 

in regulations across the 

UK, an appeal to trust 

businesses to look after 

their staff and customers, 

planning for international 

travel to avoid a return 

to decisions that prevent 

in-bound tourism, the 

ability to ramp up health 

infrastructure, and clear 

communication as the 

pandemic highlighted 

how public messaging 

directly impacts consumer 

confidence. 

catering, procurement and travel, as 

well as awareness, communication and 

community involvement. 

Kerrin MacPhie, chief executive of the 

mia, said: “We are moving into a new era 

of business meetings and events. Covid-19 

has been a catalyst in focusing the industry 

on what is important, and sustainability 

will play a vital role in supporting the 

sector’s road to recovery.” 

MIA 

CAMC Expand Glamping Offering 

PROPOSALS HAVE been submitted for a mixture of 12 glamping pods and three safari 

tents at Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) owned Lady Margaret’s Park Caravan 

Club Site. 

CAMC is currently looking to improve its facilities across the UK. In a planning 

statement entered with Wrexham Council they said: “The CAMC wishes to diversify 

and enhance the facilities at the site in order to meet both the high standards its 

membership requires and also ensure increased compliance with disability and other 

regulations.” 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Steve Heap 

Recognised 

as Industry 

Legend 

STEVE HEAP, general 

secretary of The 

Association of Festival 

Organisers (AFO), has 

received the Industry 

Legend Award at the 2022 

Event Production Awards. 

With over 55 years of 

experience in the festival 

and events industry, Steve 

is also the director of Mrs 

Casey Music, chairman of 

the Events Industry Forum 

(EIF) and a contributor to 

The Purple Guide dealing 

with health, safety and 

welfare at music and other 

live events. He was also 

the director of Towersey 

Festival for 45 years until 

August 2019. 

Alongside his work with 

the EIF and AFO, he is also a 

supporter of Creative Lives, 

LIVE, and Vision 2025. 

In presenting Steve the 

award at the ceremony in 

London, Festival Insights’ 

Andy Lenthall said: “It’s 

hard to pin a label on him 

so let’s just settle on two 

words – Industry Legend.” 

Glamping Expansion at Suffolk Farm 

WHITEHOUSE FARM, near 

Wetherden in Suffolk, has submitted 

plans to expand its holiday 

accommodation with 10 lodges, six 

glamping pods, four shepherd huts 

and 10 camping pitches. The plan 

also includes a newly-created lake 

for activities including canoeing, 

swimming and paddle boarding, and 

a ‘trim trail’ which will run around 

the site. 

Rob Hasselder, owner of 

Whitehouse Farm, said: “The overall 

plan is to expand the existing 

holiday cottage business with the appeal of glamping and staycations that we’ve got at the 

moment. I don’t want it to feel like a holiday park, I want everything to have its own private, 

almost secluded, spot.” 

JONATHAN JT TAYLOR, ANISEED PHOTO 

UK Farm Holidays 

Popularity Surge 

FARM STAY UK, the market leader 

in UK farm holidays, has reported a 

sharp increase in bookings for 2022 as 

Brits and visitors to the UK continue to 

value the space, close access to nature 

and independence holidays in the 

countryside offer. 

A year-on-year comparison of traffic 

to the booking platform’s website 

in 2020 and 2021 showed a jump of 

190.18% over the Christmas and New 

Year period, with 53,519 unique users 

between 25 December 2021 and 16 

January 2022. Compared to the 18,468 

visitors across the same date range 

in 2020/2021, numbers have almost 

tripled. 

Google Analytics evaluation also 

showed that the number of new visitors 

to the website was up by 194.47%, and 

page views by 150.29%. 

Kay Barriball, chairman of Farm 

Stay UK, said: “As a not-for-profit 

cooperative of rural properties across 

the UK, we’ve definitely seen an 

increase in people looking for short 

breaks in the countryside, wanting 

to book directly with their hosts and 

generally connect with food and 

farming.” 

ROB HASSELDER/WHITEHOUSE FARM 

MAC CABINS LIMITED 

Modular • Artisan • Contemporary 

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Join the leading 

conference for a 

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Early bird tickets now available: 

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London 

29 April 2022 

Royal Garden Hotel 

Kensington High Street, W8 4PT

PRODUCT 

Beautifully Handcrafted Shepherd Huts 

WHITE DOVE Shepherds Huts is a new 

player to the market, founded by Paul 

Cunningham. A family business in 

the centre of Lancashire, White Dove 

has been born from Paul’s successful 

joinery manufacturing business which 

he has been running for over 20 years. 

Joined by sons Sean and Martin who 

have joinery and steel manufacturing 

expertise, the team creates truly bespoke 

huts from the chassis up. 

“People come to us with ideas and 

plans and we do are very best to turn 

them into their dream hut,” says Paul. 

“Internally, we can manufacture bespoke 

furniture in our fully equipped joiner’s 

workshop to a very high standard.” 

Huts are hand built traditionally from 

locally sourced materials within five 

to six weeks, and feature C24 grade 

structural timber, full insulation and 

double glazed sealed windows and 

doors. The roofing system comprises 

curved corrugated galvanised 0.7mm 

steel with Dripstop (condensation 

controlled fleece) and a 200 micron 

resistant top coat. 

07976 616253, info@ 

whitedoveshepherdhuts.co.uk, 

www.whitedoveshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Cube Modular Launches 

Sustainable Event Hotel 

NEW FOR the 2022 events and festivals season, 

Cube has launched the state-of-the-art and 

sustainable Event Hotel. The 20 bedroom hotel 

is constructed using market-leading and awardwinning 

Continest foldable containers, buildings 

which can be rapidly deployed to create multiroom 

accommodation structures. 

The eco-friendly pop-up modular hotel is 

suitable for any large scale event, making it ideal 

for organisers looking for on-site accommodation 

to reduce their travel and transport costs. The 

entire structure, consisting of 20 bedrooms with 

ensuite facilities, is transported on just two trucks, 

leading to an 80% saving in carbon fuel emissions 

compared to fixed framed portable buildings. 

The insulated buildings can be jointed and 

stacked to form a two-storey structure where 

space is at a premium, and is supplied with air 

conditioning where required. 

The Event Hotel is the latest addition to Cube’s 

sleeping accommodation range, which also 

features Snoozy luxury glamping pods. 

01905 955814, theteam@cubemodular.co.uk, 

www.cubemodular.co.uk 

Pushing the Boundaries of Luxury 

TIMELESS COMPOSITES is launching three products 

this year including a 30m2 fully mobile and adaptable 

event pod. This pod pushes the boundaries of 

luxury hosting spaces, complete with copper seat, 

underfloor heating and air conditioning. Its second 

product is a trailer which demands attention and will 

serve as the design centrepiece of any high quality 

outdoors event. 

The innovative, curvaceous forms have to be seen 

to fully understand their impact which aspires to 

leave a lasting impression. 

Both the trailer and the event pod are built using 

sustainable products found predominantly in the 

marine industry including recycled PET (plastic 

bottles) and bio resins. 

Within the next few months, Timeless Composites 

will also be unveiling a glamping and garden 

structure. 

07980 651578, 

piers@timelesscomposites.com, 

www.timelesscomposites.com 


PRODUCT 

New Matting for 

Tents and Structures 

EVENT SHED has launched a new matting product, created 

specifically for glamping tents and structures. The PapaFlex 

outdoor matting is currently used throughout the world 

at larger tented events and, after many requests, the 

company has now developed mats which are just perfect 

for glamping tents and different sized structures. 

Not only do the mats look great with a natural weave, 

but they are fire retardant, made from synthetic fibres 

(therefore easy to wash, clean and maintain), and are stain, 

rot and UV resistant, meaning they’ll last for years! Available 

in standard and bespoke sizes. 

07776 056650, hello@eventshed.co.uk, 

www.eventshed.co.uk 

Unique Glamping 

Business for Sale 

FEATURED ON George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces in 2014, Bedroam 

is a truly unique glamping concept. Inspired by Japanese sleeping 

pods, Bedroam has evolved into a flourishing and established 

glamping business with 18 individual luxury sleeping pods, two 

fully equipped contemporary style bathrooms and a large multifunctional 

awning ideal for socialising in. 

After many adventures providing luxury mobile accommodation 

around the country, owner Ollie is looking to find someone to 

acquire this unique opportunity. Bedroam can enhance any 

established glamping site as well as provide accommodation 

solutions for weddings, parties or festivals. 

Take a look at Bedroam’s website and social media pages to 

find out more and learn about the potential the business provides. 

Please note, Bedroam’s current woodland site is not for sale. 

07870 174477, enquiries@bedroam.co.uk, www.bedroam.co.uk 

On Cloud Nine! 

FOR THE second year running Silent Noize Events are bringing their 

legendary silent disco back to the Cloud Nine Glamping Festival in 

Dorset. Twice a week on a Thursday and Saturday evening, the team at 

Silent Noize put on a three channel silent disco party providing a truly 

unforgettable experience for festivalgoers. 

Music provided by a live DJ spans everything from classic party hits 

to dance, rock and current chart. With three channels of music there’s 

something for every age and taste offering fantastic entertainment for 

the whole family. 

Event director Gaby Williams said: “The Silent Disco is a staple for 

family entertainment at Cloud Nine, and comes included in the price 

of each booking. It encompasses our core values; being together as a 

family and enjoying a moment of silliness in a field. It’s a chance for 

guests of all ages to let loose and dance like nobody is watching (or 

listening in this case!). The atmosphere across the site is fantastic on 

silent disco evenings and everyone leaves not only with a massive 

smile, but memories made.” 

Set in the beautiful Dorset countryside, Cloud Nine runs from 22 July- 

19 August offering guests the ultimate family escape. 

0203 727 5382, info@silentnoizeevents.com, www.silentnoizeevents.com 


Beautifully Hand Crafted 

Shepherd Huts 

Little moments making tomorrow’s 

precious memories 

Create your ideal space with a bespoke Shepherd Hut 

from White Dove Shepherd Huts. We have various 

styles and designs of huts for sale, all bespoke and 

catering for individual needs and tastes. 

We can cater for both residential and commercial 

premises, glampsites, venues, bars, restaurants and 

hotels. The beauty of White Dove Shepherd Huts is 

their uniqueness, which makes them a talking point 

for any space, creating a beautiful, magical escape. 

We can also help with interior design and bespoke 

furniture pieces to give your huts their own 

individuality and character. 

07976 616253 

info@whitedoveshepherdhuts.co.uk 

www.whitedoveshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Stunning tents for 

stunning events! 

Step away from the traditional marquee with 

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PEOPLE 

ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

Keri 

Maundrell 

We talk to Keri Maundrell about the development of her family’s Wellington 

Barn and how she kept things together through her busiest season yet 


PEOPLE 

You know the barn up in that field? That looks a good place to have 

a party!” And that’s how it started for the Maundrell family at their 

Wiltshire farm 20 years ago. 

Keri, the sixth generation to live in the farmhouse, her children the 

seventh, explains: “Someone in the village approached my dad. They 

wanted a party with a loud band and our open sided barn was perfect as 

it’s in the middle of acres of farmland, well away from any neighbours. It 

was at the event that someone said what a fantastic site it would be for a 

venue, and we went from there!” 

The 400 acre Manor Farm is now entirely arable, the barn left over from 

its livestock days. The family applied for rural development grants and 

between Keri’s father Pat and her younger brother, the venue took shape. 

“I was working as a TV producer in Bristol at the time,” she says. “Apart 

from some bed and breakfast mum had been doing, we didn’t have any 

experience in hospitality! It was a bit ‘finger in the air’ from a business 

point of view too as rural venues of this type didn’t exist – you either 

got married in a hotel or a marquee. There were no other barn venues 

to compare but we did know we had an incredibly special location that 

people would love.” 

The design of the new space preserves the original 18th Century 

barn and adds to it with a modern half-glazed extension giving a total 

2,712 feet of floor space. The Old Barn accommodates 100 people for 

ceremonies, 70 people for seated dining or up to 150 people reception 

style. The new part holds 180 people seated or 300 for a standing buffet. 

After returning to the family farm in 2013 Keri quickly realised that 

the business needed a rethink. “Bookings were falling and prices were 

going up. It became apparent that the arrangement we had in place 

with external contractors was not working. It was really nice to take the 

management on but the paperwork was torture.” 

Keri uses trips to other venues in training her team. “We’ll go and see 

other venues that are relatable to ours and look at what they offer, how 

they conduct showrounds, structure packages and so on and discuss 

what we feel is successful. It’s important to experience hospitality and I 

look for inspiration everywhere I go. Entering wedding awards is another 

great opportunity to learn and network within the industry.” 

LEE MAXWELL 

AUTHENTIC HUTS 

A big change that Keri undertook was the addition of accommodation 

to Wellington Barn’s offering. “I realised that we had a fair number of 

viewings that weren’t converting as there was nowhere for guests to stay. 

People want the rural converted barn in the middle of a field but also 

want a hotel nearby, which is obviously not the case here.” 

In 2016, Keri took delivery of three shepherd huts from Blackdown 

Shepherd Huts. “I went along to the Glamping Show to check out 

the options. I felt that the huts from Blackdown were more authentic 

than some. I remember as a child camping in the barn and there was 

a genuine shepherds hut in the field. It wasn’t glamourous at all but I 

vividly remember the light was a copper pendant that hung from twisted 

chord – I guess it also acted as a heat lamp for lambs. Blackdown had the 

exact same chord detail and that sold it for me. Their huts incorporate 

tiny details like the old fashioned round light switches, and their quality 

is superb. 

“I went back to the show last year and saw some lovely huts from 

Ashwood Shepherd Huts too. I keep thinking about their show hut as I 

have the perfect place for it!” 

STEWART MCPHERSON 

HYGGEE HOUSE 

New for 2022 is Keri’s grand design, Hyggee House which sleeps up to 10. 

“It has always been my dream to build an eco-house but planning was 

always going to be tricky at the barn site. Half a mile away is a reservoir 

that used to be home to a trout hatchery. There was an old 1970s house 

there that the fisherman lived in until he died. He left it to a friend but 

they didn’t qualify to live in it as it has an agricultural restriction attached 

so my dad bought it and the Hyggee House now stands in place there.” 


PEOPLE 

Keri wanted a quick and efficient build method. “A traditional 

build could take up to two years. I wanted something quicker so 

that I wasn’t borrowing money a long time before the house started 

earning. I looked at the German prefabricated Huf Haus structures 

but wanted something less glassy and got quite far down the road 

with Weber Haus. Unfortunately they were reticent to put a number 

on a piece of paper – perhaps because we were approaching Brexit. 

Luckily the UK architect that worked with them told me about timber 

frame company MBC Timber Frame UK in Gloucestershire, right down 

the road from us! They have been brilliant.” 

Keri oversaw and project managed the entire build herself with an 

experienced project manager employed on a “handholding basis”. 

The finished Hyggee House is essentially a passive house structure, 

being super insulated and airtight, so energy performance is 

outstanding. “It also went up in just three weeks!” 

Keri reports that if it hadn’t been for the pandemic and the knock 

on effect on business, she would be at the end of paying back the 

loans her parents put in at the beginning. “It has been so frustrating. 

We are still running weddings from last year and 2020 and missed out 

on the busiest part of the booking period in January/February 2021. 

We had an influx of enquiries but weren’t able to open for viewings. 

Then when June came around and we could open, it didn’t really give 

couples enough time to plan for 2022.” 

CORPORATE 

Wellington Barn attracts corporate business too. “Although corporate 

also died a death over the last two years. The majority of our 

corporate event income comes from Christmas parties and I am 

hoping that will come back this year. We are having lots of enquiries 

for family fun days etc. as companies look at how to reintegrate teams 

after working remotely for so long, but bookers are a little behind the 

curve on how it works, wanting a summer Saturday – obviously we 

don’t have too many of those available! 

“I’ve tried lots of different things to get our name out locally, most 

recently a Christmas market. I hired in the chalet style huts and called 

around all the Christmas events to attract traders. I pulled it together 

in just four weeks! We had 1,500 people through the doors over 

three weekends – it didn’t make money but was a great PR exercise, 

bringing a lot of people to us at a time when we would otherwise 

have been closed. We also set up a café and served Sunday lunches 

with over 120 covers through the Autumn 2020 when we were 

allowed to be open as a restaurant but not for weddings and events.” 

Wellington Barn employs three staff members. “We lost two of the 

team in Covid; I had to make redundancies which was horrendous. 

We have been so lucky with the wonderful people we have but Covid 

really made me assess staffing. I made a big change by bringing in a 

catering company, which is now based at our venue and caters all our 

ROB TARREN PHOTOGRAPHY 

“A TRADITIONAL 

BUILD COULD 

TAKE UP TO 

TWO YEARS 

AND I WANTED 

SOMETHING 

QUICKER 

SO I WASN’T 

BORROWING 

MONEY A LONG 

TIME BEFORE THE 

HOUSE STARTED 

EARNING” 

DGS PHOTOGRAPHY 

LITTLE PHOTO COMPANY 

To view the full range of high quality, 

durable and sustainable products, 

visit: www.glasdon.com 


PEOPLE 

LEE MAXWELL 

events. Having a sole in-house caterer means we need one less staff 

member on the books and we share overheads. I put out a tender 

to several of the caterers on our preferred suppliers list and Nick 

Collins from Cleverchefs took it.” 

The pandemic period was challenging for the team, and it seems 

not all customers appreciated the hard work going on behind the 

scenes. “We had 25 weddings in August 2021 – five a week for five 

weeks. We are far from a sausage factory venue but we were so 

backed up and brides determined to get married that month were 

prepared to take any day of the week. 

“We were exhausted and there was concern surrounding more 

possible lockdowns that Autumn, not to mention the worry of what 

happens if any of us got Covid! The last thing a couple that has had 

their wedding postponed three times wants is me calling them up to 

say we were all in isolation! 

“We had a few unpleasant people last year and even staff in tears. 

I think some customers got so fed up with postponements, the 

rules changing and not knowing whether they were allowed 15 or 

30 people inside, six at a table, dancing/no dancing etc. They were 

demanding, short tempered and sometimes just downright rude – it 

was a big lesson for me.” 

Keri called on her experience aged 24 working for Crystal Holidays 

at a ski chalet. “Week after week, we would welcome 20 people and 

there was no benchmark for managing their expectations – 20 could 

love it and another 20 could hate every minute! I learned quickly 

to always say sorry, even if it isn’t your fault! Saying sorry diffuses 

a situation and that makes things easier to solve. It is something I 

needed to help my younger part time event staff with as they often 

believe saying sorry is the same as saying ‘it’s my fault, sue me’. 

They are frightened to say it. 

“You’ll always get one or two nasty people in a season but nine 

out of 10 are a delight. I take huge comfort from the letters and 

emails sent by those who take the time to thank us and tell us how 

we made their day fantastic. 

“In the past months or so, there has definitely been a rise 

in confidence and the back log of weddings are finally coming 

through. We have taken 20 bookings in February alone which is very 

reassuring that recovery is just around the corner, and we must be 

doing something right! Hyggee House is absolutely the new jewel in 

our crown and couples cannot wait to come and stay there.” 

Hyggee House is also available for holiday lets and short stays. 

Should anyone fancy a long weekend in Wiltshire just get in touch! 

DETAILS 

LEE MAXWELL 

Wellington Barn 

Manor Farm, Calstone 

Calne, SN11 8PY 

www.wellingtonbarn.co.uk 


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2022 

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Purchase Stylish Products, for Event Professionals 

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CASE STUDY 

Forest Lodge 

Weddings 

An immersive woodland venue where horses are welcome 

We talk to Amie Price of 

Firefly Tipis, who manages 

Forest Lodge Weddings on 

behalf of site owners Hannah 

and Jeff Hibbs. The small 

team worked hard to keep 

couples’ dreams on track 

through Covid and are now 

looking ahead to how they 

can bring more woodland 

wonder to nature lovers this 

season and beyond. 

When did you start your venue 

business and what is its history? 

Forest Lodge Weddings started in 

2018 when the best friend of Little 

Lodge Farm owners, Hannah and 

Jeff Hibbs, asked to get married 

in their woodlands. It was from 

the success of this wedding that 

Forest Lodge Weddings was born 

in collaboration with us at Firefly 

Tipis. 

Little Lodge Farm already offers 

holiday accommodation and 

equestrian breaks and the venue 

side of the business is an excellent 

diversification. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

Set in a secluded private woodland 

“WE OFFER 

RUSTIC, 

BOHEMIAN 

AND CLASSIC 

WEDDINGS 

– THEY CAN 

ALL BENEFIT 

FROM THIS 

MAGICAL AND 

MYSTICAL 

SETTING IN 

THE FOREST” 

at Little Lodge Farm in the heart 

of Thetford Forest, the Forest 

Lodge site is surrounded by nature. 

Covered by a canopy of trees, it 

is our aim to realise woodland 

wedding dreams for couples looking 

to embrace the great outdoors. 

We offer rustic, bohemian and 

classic weddings – they can all 

benefit from this magical and 

mystical setting in the forest. We 

are also horse and dog friendly so 

couples can bring their beloved 

animal along to the ceremony or 

make their entrance atop a horse! 

The main challenge with 

being an outdoor venue is the 

good old British weather, so our 

wedding season runs from May to 

September. 



What facilities for outdoor 

functions do you offer? 

The natural woodland canopy is 

perfect for outdoor ceremonies. 

We also offer a giant Nordic 

tipi along with rustic props and 

furniture, on-site camping and 

lodges (subject to availability), 

exclusive use of a mobile horsebox 

bar and luxury toilet hire. There is 

also the facility to stable a horse 

before and after the ceremony. 

What services do you offer? 

We are licensed to hold legal 

ceremonies and offer bespoke 

wedding packages which include 

wedding planning and an onsite 

wedding coordinator. 

Describe how you researched and 

sourced your structures 

All of the structures needed to gain 

the ceremony licence were researched 

and granted with the help of the local 

council. The tipis offer something 

different to the traditional white 

marquee and they fit in perfectly with 

the woodland venue and theme. 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

We work very closely with all our 

customers and help them with 

everything we can from start to finish. 

Our team takes away the stress and 

strain of organising a wedding with 

over 12 years’ experience in the 

industry. 



“WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE 

WERE ABLE TO HELP SO MANY 

REARRANGE THEIR WEDDINGS 

AND KEPT IN CONSTANT 

CONTACT WITH COUPLES, 

SUPPLIERS AND STAFF TO 

ENSURE THAT ALL NEEDS 

WERE MET DURING THIS TIME” 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We publicise ourselves through 

our website and have Facebook 

and Instagram accounts. We have 

had some excellent coverage in 

local press and are planning print 

advertising in wedding magazines 

and to attend some wedding 

shows. 

How would you describe your 

style or unique selling point? 

We are a completely unique rustic 

outdoor woodland wedding 

venue. 

How did the pandemic impact 

you? 

Covid has had a huge impact on 

us. We lost thousand of pounds 

worth of business in 2020-21 with 

the country being in lockdown 

and then with the restrictions 

put in place. It meant that many 

weddings couldn’t take place and 

had to be postponed. We worked 

with all of our customers to 

rearrange wedding dates not once 

but twice on some occasions. 

It was such a difficult time 

for many couples that had to 

make the decision on whether 

to go ahead with a wedding with 

restrictions on guest numbers or 

to postpone or cancel completely. 

We were lucky that we were able 

to help so many rearrange their 

weddings and kept in constant 

contact with couples, suppliers 

and staff to ensure that all needs 

were met during this time. 

How large is your team? 

We are a very small but close team 

and work with some fabulous local 

suppliers. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

Our plan is to spread the love for 

the great outdoors and have our 

wedding business thrive, with the 

possibility of offering more on-site 

accommodation. 

Describe your average day midseason 

Early to rise and late to finish, 

on your feet most of the day 

coordinating the wedding couple, 

guests and suppliers. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

The days may be long and hard at 

times, but it’s such a joy to see a 

wedding couple finally have the 

day they have dreamed of with all 

their friends and family around 

them. 



What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We work closely with the owners of 

Little Lodge Farm who offer lodge 

stays, camping and are hosting a 

music festival this year. 

What are you most proud of? 

What we have achieved with a 

small piece of beautiful woodland. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

It’s hard work, long hours and 

there are many working weekends 

during the wedding season, so 

make the most of your time off. 

But it is very rewarding! 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

Firefly Tipis www.firefly-tipis.co.uk 

GENERATOR 

Stuart Power 

www.stuartgroup.ltd.uk/power 

TOILETS 

Hillstock Services 

www.hillstockservices.co.uk 

GLAMPING 

Norfolk Bell Tent Hire 

www.norfolkbelltenthire.co.uk 

BAR 

Wonky Donkey Mobile Bar 

www.wonkydonkeybar.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Forest Lodge Weddings 

Stanton Downham 

Brandon 

Suffolk 

IP27 0TX 

www.forestlodgeweddings.co.uk

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ELMORE COURT/JACOB MALINSKI 

Biophilic 

Design 

Charlotte Winship on how to 

incorporate the trend for biophilia 

into hospitality and events 

BIOPHILIA IS a term used to 

describe our instinctive human 

attraction to the living world. 

The term was first used by Erich 

Fromm in the 1960s to describe “a 

psychological orientation of being 

attracted to all that is alive and 

vital.” 

Since the industrial revolution 

and mass migration to urban 

centres, our connection with nature 

has gradually diminished. This 

man-made existence fights against 

our biophilic tendencies rooted in 

human biology and could explain 

why so many seek to escape their 

urban lives for the sanctuary of the 

countryside or coast. 

Our need to embrace nature and 

the associated benefits have been 

discussed widely. In 2021, a report 

by the Mental Health Foundation 

surmised that: “Our relationship 

with nature – how much we notice, 

think about and appreciate our 

natural surroundings – is a critical 

factor in supporting good mental 

health and preventing distress.” 

Throughout human history we 

have had a predisposition to nature, 

bringing plants into our homes, 

displaying landscape paintings and 

drawings of the natural world and 

coveting ownership of green spaces. 

Artists and designers have drawn 

on nature for inspiration for many 

thousands of years and there have 

been widespread campaigns since 



TIPI SPACES 

ELMORE COURT/STEVEN ROONEY 

the nineteenth century 

for the need for green spaces 

in urban landscapes for health 

reasons. 

As the biophilic design movement 

has gathered momentum 

architects around the world have 

developed structures and interiors 

incorporating natural elements that 

bring their inhabitants closer to 

nature in their life and work. Natural 

lighting and ventilation, living 

walls, roof gardens and organic 

materials often feature in modern 

architectural design. The simple 

inclusion of a garden and windows 

in a design scheme can enable 

inhabitants to access daylight, 

helping our circadian rhythms to 

“VENUES THAT CAN OFFER A DIRECT 

CONNECTION TO NATURE ARE IN HIGH 

DEMAND. DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR 

GARDEN OR WOODLAND CEREMONY 

SPACES, NATURAL VISTAS, PROXIMITY 

TO WATER AND ANY NEAR-BY WILDLIFE” 

ELMORE COURT/ROB TARREN PHOTOGRAPHY 

function. Consideration of airflow 

and temperature and incorporating 

water and plant life into interior 

design can all positively influence 

feelings of comfort and relaxation 

while reducing stress and fatigue, 

promoting healing and encouraging 

focus, creativity and concentration. 

BIOPHILIC WEDDINGS AND 

EVENTS 

For many couples an outdoor 

wedding is their dream. A warm 

summer’s day within a verdant 

garden surrounded by fragrant 

flowers, a woodland setting 

immersed in bird song and tree 

creatures, or on a beach with sand 

between your toes listening to the 

waves lapping the shore. A multisensory 

experience of natural views, 

scents, textures and sounds. 

Venues that can offer a direct 

connection to nature are in high 

demand. Draw attention to your 

garden or woodland ceremony 

spaces, natural vistas, proximity to 

water and any nearby wildlife. 

Indoor or more urban venues can 

also create a connection with nature 

using the natural textures of stone 

and wood in their interior design 

and furnishings combined with 

plenty of natural light, good air flow 

and thermal balance. Wildflowers, 

foliage, potted trees, rustic furniture, 

reclaimed wood, natural fabrics, fire 

and candlelight all add to indoor 

biophilic ambience. 

Wellbeing events are also 

becoming more popular than ever. 

Organisers will be looking for venues 

that ideally offer the benefits of 

outdoor spaces and connection with 

nature. Outdoor yoga workshops, 

mindfulness retreats and wellness 

festivals will actively incorporate 

aspects of biophilia to their 

programmes. 

Opportunities for venues exist 

with companies wanting to unite 

their workforce again after lockdown 

and homeworking. Bookers are 

looking for inspiring spaces and 

activities that will rejuvenate their 

team and outdoor pursuits that offer 

them the opportunity to bond in 

nature are highly coveted. 

BIOPHILIC VENUES 

Temporary canvas structures such 

as marquees, tipis and yurts all offer 

a biophilic advantage. A portable 

venue that can be erected in any 

outdoor space offers direct contact 

with nature and the opportunity 

and freedom to create a totally 

immersive natural experience. 

Tipi Spaces hires ivory-white 

tipis and tents for weddings and 

events in the West Country. Director, 

Shane Martin, says: “The idea for 

creating outdoor wedding venues 

was born out of our own love for 

outdoor adventures, gatherings and 

celebrations. We have lots of happy 

memories of spending time with 

family and friends outdoors, playing 

music, telling stories and sharing 

a meal around a fire and beneath 

a starlit sky. Uniting all these 

experiences has been the element 

of a space in nature and freedom 

beyond the confines of the indoors.” 



ELMORE COURT/STU JOTHAM PHOTOGRAPHY 

ELMORE COURT/JACOB MALINSKI 

Permanent venues can also offer 

a deep connection with nature. 

The Gillyflower at Elmore Court is a 

“future-rustic” dinner and dancing 

venue that has been designed with 

biophilic principles at its heart. 

Features include walls made from 

rammed earth, timber sustainably 

sourced directly from their own 

woodlands, floor to ceiling windows 

that frame the countryside views 

and a meadow roof that blends 

the building with the surrounding 

nature. 

In-Spira, a timber building 

manufacturer in East Sussex, uses 

biophilic and organic principles 

in the design of its structures. 

Its original design is based on 

Fibonacci’s sequence which is 

used to describe certain shapes in 

nature such as shells, sunflowers 

and galaxies. Chief designer, Brian 

Martin, says: “We have created 

curved walls that wrap around 

to create a cocoon and provide 

a feeling of security. The timber 

interior and exterior blend into the 

natural environment providing 

a visual, tactile and olfactory 

connection with nature. The room 

captures natural light from the 

roof-light above and the windows 

framing the views outside. Biophilic 

design allows us to create spaces 

that take cues from nature, natural 

forms and environments and instil 

these qualities in the room itself. 

This promotes wellbeing on a 

number of metrics leading to better 

focus and creativity.” 

BIOPHILIC ACCOMMODATION 

Camping and glamping 

accommodation offers guests the 

opportunity to connect with nature 

and detach from the artificial world. 

There have been some extraordinary 

and inspired biophilic design 

developments in the past few years 

from hanging tree pods to floating 

cabins and earth burrows. 

Secret Water at Hippersons 

Boatyard.in Suffolk offers the first 

luxury floating glamping pods in the 

UK for a unique biophilic experience. 

They provide direct access to the 

Southern Broads for you to immerse 

yourself in river life. 

The Glamping Burrows at The 

Quiet Site in the Lake District are 

large underground living spaces 

with views over the Ullswater Valley. 

Energy efficient, secure and virtually 

invisible, they offer true sustainable 

accommodation for the most 

discerning eco-hobbits. 

The Tree Tent at Pennard Hill 

Farm in Somerset is a suspended 

spherical structure strung between 

two trees overlooking the Mendip 

Hills, enabling you to truly get 

amongst the birds in this beautiful 

woodland setting. 

BIOPHILIA AND SUSTAINABILITY 

The best thing about the biophilia 

trend is that it goes hand-in-hand 

with sustainability. By adding more 

nature to our lives, we reduce 

our reliance on our man-made 

lifestyle. By embracing the natural 

world and enabling more human 

connection with nature we are 

creating opportunities for people 

to be inspired to help preserve the 

natural world whilst supporting 

their own wellbeing. As E.O Wilson 

proclaimed, “Nature holds the key to 

our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive 

and even spiritual satisfaction.” 

TIPS FOR VENUES 

› Create and draw attention to 

garden or woodland ceremony 

spaces, natural vistas, proximity to 

water and any near-by wildlife 

› Inside, provide plenty of natural light, 

good air flow and thermal balance 

› Show a connection to nature by adding stone and 

wood to your interior design material palette 

› Rustic furniture, reclaimed wood and natural fabrics 

give authenticity to a biophilic design 

› Use botanical prints for wallpapers and soft 

furnishings, and colour schemes that echo the 

natural world 

› Add real nature with wildflowers, foliage and potted 

trees 

› Fire and candlelight add to indoor biophilic 

ambience 

› Incorporate natural scents and soundscapes for a 

multi-sensory experience 

› Promote your local produce and sing about your 

sustainability 

› Think about offering outdoor yoga, mindfulness 

retreats and encourage wellness festivals to use your 

spaces 

› If you offer accommodation, think about adding 

some ‘back-to-nature’ structures 

› To attract corporate bookings from companies 

wanting to reconnect and rejuvenate their teams 

after the pandemic think about how to provide 

opportunities for people to bond in nature. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Charlotte Winship has over 20 years’ 

experience transforming good wedding and 

events venues into great ones. She is an 

expert in helping venues reach their ideal 

customers, maximise sales opportunities, 

increase profitability, establish effective teams 

and streamline venue operations. 07493 350303 / 

charlotte@charlottewinship.com / 

www.charlottewinship.com 

IN-SPIRA 


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INDUSTRY COMMENT 

Business Events 

Netflix ‘Perfect’ 

Andrew White outlines the elements a ‘too-good-to-be-true’ venue would boast about 

GETTY IMAGES 

NETFLIX’S TINDER Swindler and Inventing 

Anna have highlighted an absurd, yet harsh 

reality, of being sucked into online scams. 

The programmes suggest that travelling 

by private planes, arriving on a chartered 

boat, and living a 5* lifestyle makes us better 

human beings. It got me thinking; what 

would the definitive ‘con’ference space 

look like if it was to feature on Netflix in the 

blurred lines between real-time and online 

– what would this aspirational, must-book 

space have? 

For sure we’d see a big focus on 

sustainability; what the space was made 

of, how it was constructed, the furnishings 

and décor, even down to the service teams 

uniforms. We’d also see how nature is 

ingrained into the spaces with elements 

such as natural lighting and ventilation and 

green walls which are all proven to help 

reduce stress, improve general wellbeing 

and reduce carbon footprint. 

A deeper delve into sustainability is 

‘localism’ and the use of hyper-local 

suppliers, artisans and growers. Our 

space will see the workforce drawn from 

the neighbouring communities and the 

involvement of local community projects 

to support the spaces. Neighbourhood 

grown ingredients, food projects that 

give employment to the less privileged, 

a conscience around reduction and 

environmental impact, and managing food 

waste and repurposing items are all big 

components of localism and sustainability. 

The board room is now the ‘bored room’. 

Ditch any notion of formal seating in favour 

of agile working spaces backed by boutique 

hospitality service levels. In the last 24 

months we’ve all proven we can make 

decisions around the kitchen table; we now 

want our business environment to mirror 

our home life. Any new design would benefit 

from turning to airport lounges and private 

members’ clubs who have nailed business 

informality. 

Tech will have the biggest impact across 

the space. As the hospitality industry 

struggles to find staff, automation and 

robots will increasingly fill a gap. We’re 

getting used to checking into our hotel room 

via our phone, we’ve enjoyed looking at and 

realising the benefits of robot vacuums in 

lobby spaces, now get set for robot luggage 

delivery and even robots in food and 

beverage service. This isn’t science fiction, 

it’s out of a need to provide higher service 

levels with a diminishing workforce. Tech 

will also be ingrained in any event space 

as we’ve proven that hybrid events are as 

effective as the former all company face-toface 

meeting. 

Food and drink are now a national 

obsession and we’re all hooked on 

provenance and local producers and the 

arena has stepped up to the mark postpandemic 

as we’ve all learned how to cook 

and how to shop locally. Better quality food 

is a requisite and consideration also needs 

to be given to our new ask for foods that can 

have an impact on our stamina, strength 

and immunity to fight off viruses and other 

health deficiencies. We are also tracking and 

monitoring our activity through wearable 

apps which means that dishes must be 

labelled and dietary and nutritional values 

easy to decipher. 

None of these considerations are too 

far removed from where we are or where 

we’re heading. We’re now in the business 

of creating events where up to 50% of the 

attendees are digital natives. They expect 

an outstanding online experience and if 

they need to be face-to-face, it needs to be 

exceptional; a hybrid experience as good 

online as it is in the conference room. 

If you think vacuum robots are a fad 

and fictitious nonsense, have a look at the 

metaverse and what this could mean for 

events and conferences. You may want to 

consider what your metaverse conference 

venue will look like! 


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 



TRADE SECRETS 

Lights, Camera, Action! 

Olivia Riddiford on how to promote your venue as a filming location 

VENUES NEED to utilise their space as 

much as possible. There may be gaps in 

the diary that need filling with bookings 

other than events (especially as you 

near them) so have you considered 

getting yourself out there to TV and film 

production companies? Literally any venue 

or space can be used as a filming location 

(depending on the script being used of 

course!). It might seem a little alien to 

you but it’s another great way to not only 

provide additional revenue but can work 

wonders for your PR! Here are my top tips 

on preparing your venue for the small (or 

big) screen! 

DO I HAVE THE RIGHT KIND OF 

PROPERTY? 

Anything goes when it comes to filming. 

You might be required for a photoshoot, TV 

show, advert or feature film and your first 

thoughts should be: 

› Can a crew fit inside the property 

comfortably? 

› Is good lighting available? 

› Is there plentiful parking for large trucks, 

buses and other vehicles? 

› Are the dates completely free with no 

crossover from other events? 

› Are you happy with many people on 

site? 

GET YOURSELF LISTED 

Once you know you’re happy with the 

above, then you need to get yourself out 

there. One of the first considerations a 

production company will have is where the 

filming will take place. Here’s where you 

come in. A location scout either working 

for the production company or employed 

through an agency will likely be the 

person searching for you. They will search 

organically for a property suitable or use 

a directory site. Some of the most popular 

are: 

› www.locationworks.com 

› www.airspacelocations.co.uk 


“ALL FILM PROJECTS 

WILL HAVE A BUDGET 

FOR THE VENUE, SO GO 

AHEAD AND ASK. DO NOTE 

THAT AGENCIES WILL 

TAKE A COMMISSION OF 

THE OVERALL BOOKING 

FOR THEIR FINDING AND 

CONTRACT FEES, SO MAKE 

SURE THIS IS COVERED TOO” 

› www.field-studies-council.org 

› www.film-locations.co.uk 

› www.ukfilmlocation.com 

› www.kays.co.uk 

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CHARGE? 

You’ll need to price location enquiries 

on an individual basis subject to the 

requirements of the job. You know your 

daily costs, which obviously need to be 

covered, but pricing above this will be 

relative to the type of filming proposed. If 

it’s a three hour photoshoot it’s going to 

be considerably less than a full-blown, 100 

crew feature film that requires the use of 

your venue for five weeks. It needs to be 

worth it for you and your business. 

All film projects will have a budget for 

the venue, so go ahead and ask. Do note 

that agencies will take a commission of 

the overall booking for their finding and 

contract fees, so make sure this is covered 

too. 

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE CHOSEN? 

Hooray if that’s the case! It could be a long 

wait until actual filming takes place or it 

could be really last minute. A ‘recce’ will be 

done by the production team to plan ahead 

and study the facilities in more detail. The 

production company or agency will usually 

draw up a legally binding contract that you 

will need to read carefully before signing. A 

date will be set for shooting and voila you 

have a filming contract in place! 

PROMOTION 

It’s a newsworthy story for the media (and 

your social channels) that (insert name 

of film/tv show) is filming at your venue. 

People love this sort of news to read, which 

can of course lead to future bookings. 

However, you must check your contract as 

often you’ll have to sign a non-disclosure 

agreement (NDA) which means you will not 

be able to shout about the fact you have 

been chosen as a location at the time. You 

should however be able to do so once the 

programme/film has been aired. 

SOMERLEY HOUSE 

CASE STUDY 

One of our member venues at Host 

Venues, Somerley House, has had 

huge success as a filming location. 

They have been lucky enough to have 

Netflix hits ‘The Crown’ and ‘Bridgerton’ 

film at their stately home in Hampshire. 

Alex Dollin-Webster, weddings manager, 

appeared on Channel 4 lifestyle show 

‘Steph’s Packed Lunch’ speaking about 

her involvement with these two huge 

historical dramas. Alex says: “We had an 

increase of 900% worth of website hits 

after appearing on the show with many 

enquires and two bookings from the 

appearance”. 

WHY PROMOTE AS A FILMING 

LOCATION? 

› Fill those gaps in the diary 

› Make additional revenue with less effort 

› Generate fantastic PR 

› Exposure can lead to more event 

bookings 

› Shoots can be great fun! 


Olivia Riddiford is the 

founder of Host Venue 

Consultancy and its 

sister multi-award 

winning planning 

company Host Weddings 

& Events. Olivia became one 

of the UK’s youngest general 

managers at the age of 22, setting up an 

exclusive use wedding venue near Bristol, 

bringing the business more than £8million 

revenue within five years. 

With over 10 years’ experience working 

within venues, Olivia fully understands 

the bridal buying process and operational 

logistics in both large and small wedding 

venues. Along with her skill set in planning 

weddings and selling them, she has the 

perfect tools to mentor others to achieve top 

results. www.hostvenueconsultancy.co.uk 

SOMERLEY HOUSE 



PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Interiors & Furniture 

Event Shed produced 2,500 square metres of 

matting for Stunning Tents with only a few 

weeks’ notice, ensuring the timely delivery 

of many events for their clients. 

The PapaFlex matting has grown in 

popularity over the past five years, replacing 

other types of less practical flooring such 

as carpet and coir. Its functional nature 

means it is fast becoming the global 

leader for tent flooring, with sales in the 

UK, Europe, America, Australia and New 

Zealand. Not only is it functional, but it 

looks great, meaning that the hard-wearing 

PapaFlex matting can be seen at every event 

from large scale festivals, like Wilderness, 

Glastonbury, Download and Hyde Park 

Winter Wonderland, right through to the 

most luxurious and intimate weddings. 

Event Shed has recently developed its offer 

and now provides matting for glamping 

tents too. 

Stunning Tents, Nationwide 

Product: PapaFlex tent matting 

Supplier: Event Shed, 077760 56650, hello@ 

eventshed.co.uk, www.eventshed.co.uk 

Details: The Event Shed team has over 15 

years’ experience in the events industry 

understanding the DNA of the market 

and exactly the type of products event 

professionals require. After spending years 

developing PapaFlex, its most popular event 

matting, it was delighted to provide it to 

Stunning Tents, the UK’s leading supplier of 

Tentipi giant Nordic tipis and an exclusive 

Sperry Tents partner. 

Supplying large tents to events up and 

down the country, Stunning Tents used the 

matting at numerous high-end weddings 

and events throughout summer 2021. 

“Working with Stunning Tents has been 

the dream,” said Richard Monaghan, cofounder 

of Event Shed. “They have a clear 

vision for how their event flooring needs 

to look and we’re delighted to be able to 

deliver on that vision. Timing is critical and 

we work hard in a tough market to ensure 

delivery and short lead times. To see our 

product at such high-profile events has been 

wonderful!” 

Working to tight lead times in 2021, after 

the uncertainty of Covid restrictions and the 

affect on weddings and large-scale events, 

“THE PAPAFLEX 

MATTING HAS GROWN 

IN POPULARITY OVER 

THE PAST FIVE YEARS, 

REPLACING OTHER TYPES 

OF LESS PRACTICAL 

FLOORING SUCH AS 

CARPET AND COIR” 

Feedback: Co-founder and director of 

Stunning Tents, Tom Bucknell, said: “We 

work in such a fast-paced industry and 

delivery is key. Having worked with the 

Event Shed team for many years, they 

never fail to deliver. The PapaFlex matting 

is important to us for its functionality, but 

it also looks great and clients love it. We 

work with high net worth individuals and 

therefore everything we provide has to be 

of the utmost quality. Event Shed always 

understands this.” 



The Golden Hinde, 

London 

Product: Saniflo Sanicubic 

Supplier: Saniflo, 020 8842 0033, 

www.saniflo.co.uk 

Details: A highly-acclaimed piece 

of British heritage, a replica of the 

famous ship the Golden Hinde – 

known for circumventing the globe 

during the 16th century under the 

command of British explorer Sir 

Francis Drake – is now a stunning 

floating museum and events’ venue 

near London Bridge. 

The ship remains faithful to its 

original design while catering for the 

modern world in providing exclusive 

and memorable educational and 

hospitality services. 

After a re-vamp during the 

Covid-19 lockdown, the floating 

museum provides catering on board 

for weddings and events and boasts 

facilities for overnight stays, thanks 

to the installation of new WC 

cubicles, basins and even a new 

kitchen area in the galley with a 

dishwasher, sink and icemaker. 

Getting the Golden Hinde to 

a standard high enough to host 

exclusive events also involved 

lowering the floor in the hold 

to improve head height and 

fitting bench seating around the 

perimeter of the ship. To complete 

the look and ensure an authentic 

experience, all interior wood was 

sandblasted to take it back to 

its original colour and specialist 

lighting was installed to create a 

delightful atmosphere. 

The new hatches have improved 

ventilation and air flow for customer 

comfort and a Saniflo Sanicubic was 

fitted in order to provide the new 

improved bathrooms and kitchen, 

which can now operate with piping 

hot water – making the entire 

project possible without mains 

drainage. 

“TO COMPLETE THE LOOK AND 

ENSURE AN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE, 

ALL INTERIOR WOOD WAS 

SANDBLASTED TO TAKE IT BACK TO ITS 

ORIGINAL COLOUR AND SPECIALIST 

LIGHTING WAS INSTALLED TO CREATE 

A DELIGHTFUL ATMOSPHERE” 



PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

Hotel Collection Mattresses 

Mattressman 

0800 5677 625 

tradesales@mattressman.co.uk 

www.mattressman.co.uk/contract 

Introducing mattresses from the British Bed Company’s 

Contract Hotel Collection, exclusive to Mattressman. 

Featuring a variety of options that incorporate supportive 

pocket springs, hypoallergenic fibres, breathable cotton 

or insulating wool fillings, as well as a variety of mattress 

firmnesses, you can be sure to find something for every 

kind of sleeper in the Hotel Collection. 

Mattresses are available in all standard sizes and are 

congruent with Source 5 fire regulations. The British Bed 

Company has created zip and 

link options too, so you can 

transform a large bed into 

two singles with ease. 

Mattressman’s trade 

team will be happy to 

help you find the ideal 

mattresses for your 

establishment and 

can offer speedy next 

working day delivery. 

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 hardwearing yet soft underfoot, Likelawn 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. 

Creative Furniture 

Creative Structures 

+31 (0)76 2100 401 

sales@creativestructures.nl 

www.creativestructuresworldwide.com 

CORE Wheel-Inn Kit 

CORE Bar and Event Hire 

0845 299 6499 

sales@core-barandeventhire.com 

www.core-barandeventhire.com 

The CORE 'Wheel-Inn Cellar-in-a-box’ kit is a mobile fully featured 

cellar set up that allows you to dispense kegged beers and ciders 

whenever and wherever needed – in minutes! 

Easily integrated into CORE's modular bar solution, it means 

you can have a professional bar set up for any event irrespective of 

location. The CORE 'Wheel-Inn Cellar-in-a-box’ kit can dispense up 

to three different drinks and ensures that professionally dispensed, 

ice cold beverages can be served so you are not limited to only 

bottled drinks. The kit 

is ideal for any situation 

where you need to serve 

kegged beers and ciders 

in a temporary location 

without the need for 

expert installation 

crews. Kits are available 

to purchase or rent by 

contacting the friendly 

CORE team. 

Creative Furniture from Creative Structures is more 

than just furniture. The unique click system offers quick 

installation by one or two people with a classy and solid 

result, and the inventive transport box makes it ideal as 

a temporary or semi-permanent furniture solution. 

Including Lounge Boxes, Bar Boxes, Table Boxes and 

High Seats Boxes, the range is unique in its compact 

transport packaging and click together system (meaning 

no tools or screws required for installation). Available 

in natural impregnated, white or grey pinewood, the 

weatherproof cushions are also available in different 

colours with custom printed panels and printed/ 

embroidered cushions an option. 


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Quality Glamping 

Cabins and BBQ Huts 

CALIFORNIAN GRILLS 

OUR RANGE OF SANTA MARIA BARBECUES 

The beauty of the Santa Maria 

Grill is that the grilling grate can 

be raised or lowered by a hand 

crank mechanism to control the 

temperature whilst cooking. 

These steel barbecues are modular, 

giving you a variety of different 

ways to enjoy an outdoor fire. 

Bespoke racks and standalone grills 

can be made specifically for the 

catering and hospitality sector 

including outdoor built-in kitchens. 

Visit our website 

www.californiangrills.com 

Finman 

Sleeper Cabin 

For all year round bookings, upgrade your bell tent or 

yurt to a Finman Sleeper cabin. Available in 4m, 5m and 

6m diameters. They are assembled on site so perfect 

for hard to reach locations. 

EN-SUITE AVAILABLE • OFF-GRID OR ECO OPTIONS 

BESPOKE SOLUTIONS • FULLY INSULATED AND HEATING OPTIONS 

Phone 01732 321242 01389 887205 info@logspan.com www.logspan.com 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Hush Hush 

Glamping 

When Alice Pond and Kevin 

Jones decided to live together 

at Kevin’s family farm, they 

turned to glamping as a 

diversification strategy. We 

talk to Alice about working 

three jobs to pay for the 

start-up costs, hand to mouth 

survival through the pandemic 

and the couple’s pride in what 

they’ve achieved through grim 

determination. 

A two pod adults only escape with alpacas 

What’s your back story – your life before 

glamping? 

In 1949, my husband Kevin’s grandfather 

bought a farm in the mid-Wales Radnor Valley, 

and it soon became the family’s sole business 

venture. Kevin is a sixth generation farmer 

and also runs his own contracting business 

offering precision drilling fodder beet and 

swedes and hedge trimming. 

Despite not coming from a farming 

background, I have always been fascinated 

by animals. I went to Hartpury College to 

complete a Level 3 Extended Diploma in 

Animal Management and secured a job as an 

owl centre manager at a local farm park. Kevin 

and I met during this time. I decided to leave 

my job and we discussed at length our next 

steps. 

I was very aware that the animal job 

opportunities were lacking in the area so we 

were faced with two choices; relocate to find 

work I was passionate about (but Kevin would 

have to leave the farm) or move in with Kevin’s 

parents to be at the farm (but there would be 

no opportunity for me to follow my passion 

and the financial prospects for Kevin were 

bleak). 

We decided to move to the farm with the 

intention of beginning a diversification project 

that would allow us to support ourselves 

whilst being able to both pursue our passions. 

We wanted to create a glamping offering and 

an alpaca business but we needed funds until 

our project was fledged. I changed vocation 

to become a project manager at the local 

council and we both worked weekends at a 

local chicken shed, packing eggs. I also began 

working as a virtual assistant (VA) in the 

evenings. 

In Autumn 2020, I left ‘employment’ and set 

up my own web design and VA business, Wise 

Birdy, that I could operate from home whilst 

overseeing the glamping and alpacas. 

What made you decide to start offering 

glamping accommodation? 

As you know from our stories, the farm and 

the agricultural contracting business were 

unable to financially support the whole 

family (a sad reality of most farms nowadays 


GLAMPSITES 

which causes younger generations 

to relocate and opt out of farming 

leaving behind older generations 

that struggle with the workload). We 

wanted to be a part of the farm but 

knew diversification would be the 

only means to achieve that. 

We researched our options, from 

grape vines to bike tracks to horse 

livery, before settling on glamping 

and alpacas. We opened our first 

pod, Hare’s Form, in July 2019 and 

our second pod, Huacaya’s Cush, in 

April 2021. 

How did you research the 

business before entering it? 

We did a lot of Googling! We 

researched suppliers and drafted 

in help from our local McCartneys 

branch to assist with the planning 

application. We didn’t find a lot of 

the information easy to come by, 

which has led us to create our own 

‘Glamping Business Start Up Guide’ 

to make the process easier for other 

prospective glamping business 

owners. 

Tell us about your site and any 

challenges its location presents 

Nestled underneath the Radnor 

Forest in Mid Wales at 1,300ft above 

sea level, overlooking the three 

counties of Powys, Herefordshire 

and Shropshire, in the company 

of inquisitive alpacas and woolly 

sheep, Hush Hush Glamping’s 

setting is in a rather special spot. 

Local walking trails can be accessed 

on foot right from the pods, 

making it a great base to explore 

the countryside. Surrounded by 

hundreds upon hundreds of acres 

of farmland, Hush Hush Glamping 

offers such a peaceful, distractionfree 

and idyllic setting to unwind in. 

Based in a dark sky area, guests are 

often blown away by the sparkle in 

the skies at night-time. 

A challenge we have faced that 

causes an ongoing issue is the 

access road, as neither the local 

council nor Forestry Commission 

will take ownership or responsibility 

which has resulted in it falling into 

disrepair. This is a regular complaint 

in these rural areas from other 

residents and business owners, as 

a lot of roads have been removed 

from local council lists and left to go 

to ruin. 

How did you tackle planning? 

We drafted help from our local 

McCartneys agent. However, it 

was a painfully slow process that 

took nine months with various 

delays (not for serious reasons, 

but because our local council 


GLAMPSITES 

“WE DO OUR BRANDING OURSELVES 

AS I RUN WISE BIRDY AND HAVE THE 

KNOWLEDGE TO DO SO” 

is notorious for being slow in 

processing and communicating 

between departments). After eight 

and a half months of waiting, I 

wrote a strongly worded email to 

the head of planning expressing 

our disappointment and frustration 

copying in local councillors and 

two weeks later we were granted 

planning permission. 

How did you finance the project? 

We borrowed approximately 50% 

of the money required and each 

worked multiple jobs to fund the 

rest to get our first pod up and 

running. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

We chose pods as they can be kept 

warm year round, withstand the 

wind and rain we experience here 

and look attractive at the same 

time. We are open all year except for 

January when the weather is less 

than desirable here and there is risk 

of guests being stranded in snow. 

What occupancy levels and price 

per night do you achieve? 

Hare’s Form hits around 80% 

occupancy with an average price 

per night of £93 (depending upon 

season and weekday/weekend 

nights). Huacaya’s Cush hits around 

60% occupancy with an average 

price per night of £172. Both rates 

have of course been impacted by 

Covid. 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

We do our branding ourselves 

as I run Wise Birdy and have the 

knowledge to do so. We use the 

services of a copywriter to assist 

with marketing content and SEO 

work on our website and advertise 

with particular agencies. We have 

strong marketing and social media 

strategies in place to continually 

improve our online exposure. 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

We are an adults-only glamping 

site that caters for those who want 

to escape into nature without 

compromising on home comforts. 

Our main selling points are the 

view, the alpacas and being adultsonly. 

How did you choose your 

interior decoration? 

Kevin was tasked with the 

groundworks and I was left in 

charge of interior decoration! In 

both cases with our pods, the 

initial internal furnishings were 

directed a lot by budget, as funds 

were tight. However, we gave 

Hare’s Form a glow-up in 2021 

when we had the time and spare 

funds to do so and intend to do 

the same this year for Huacaya’s 

Cush. The items chosen are of 

good enough quality to withstand 

constant use but also have an 

aesthetic value too. 

• Super hygienic LDPE interior lining for quick handovers. 

• Durable and classic Thermowood 

exterior complements the glamping setting. 

• Choice of Internal or External wood fired heaters. 

• Two sizes available 4 person / 8 person. 

Snowford Hill, Southam CV47 9QE t 01926 504067 

e sales@glamptubs.com www.glamptubs.com 


GLAMPSITES 

hospitality sectors, but we do run 

an alpaca business, which works 

wonderfully with the glamping 

pods, as guests enjoy seeing alpacas 

appearing right outside the pods. 

What challenges have you faced? 

Covid of course! That is a sure 

answer for anyone who has been 

in the hospitality industry over 

the past couple of years. We had 

only been open with our first pod 

for eight months when the first 

lockdown happened. It was an 

incredibly difficult couple of years 

as we had laid money out to get the 

business on its feet and we then 

faced outgoing bills with no income. 

Thankfully, over 75% of guests were 

happy to reschedule their stays 

so we did not need to refund their 

deposits. Even then, at times, we 

weren’t sure how we were going 

to afford to eat, but we made it 

through day by day, week by week. 

Initially, we also faced delays with 

the building of our first pod as the 

contractor kept delaying which led 

to us cancelling our first guests. We 

chose a different supplier for our 

second pod and were much happier 

with the level of care shown and 

timelines were kept in check. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

For the upcoming 2022 season, 

we are planning on a glow-up for 

our larger pod, Huacaya’s Cush, 

to create an Instagram-worthy 

outdoor seating area underneath 

the glass pergola and interiors to 

lust over. 

Describe your average day midseason 

We typically leave our guests to 

self-check in and do not see the 

“IT IS ALSO 

WONDERFUL 

TO SHARE 

SUCH A 

SPECIAL 

LOCATION 

WITH OUR 

GUESTS. 

SEEING 

THE LOVELY 

REVIEWS IS 

THE BEST 

THING!” 

majority of them as they enjoy 

their glamping break in total peace. 

However, there is still much work to 

do besides guest interaction as we 

take care of enquiries, keep our social 

media up to date, work on marketing 

strategies, ensure changeovers 

are completed and keep on top of 

maintenance jobs. We also look after 

our alpaca herd and Kevin works on 

the farm whilst I work as a VA and 

web designer. 

Do you enjoy the business? 

We both enjoy the business as it 

has provided us with a future at the 

farm and allows us to have a flexible 

working pattern. It is also wonderful 

to share such a special location with 

our guests. Seeing the lovely reviews 

is the best thing! 

What are you most proud of? 

In honesty, everything we have 

achieved! Considering neither 

of us had previous experience in 

accommodation letting and our 

minimal budget, as well as a global 

pandemic that halted travel for 

months on end, we managed to pull 

off something short of a miracle in 

getting the business to where it is 

now and couldn’t be more pleased 

with ourselves for persevering – the 

incredibly long days, tears and empty 

bank accounts were worth it! And we 

are so pleased with the responses we 

have received from our guests. 

What other outdoor hospitality 

sectors do you operate in? 

We do not operate in any other 



industry? 

Do your research so you know 

your niche/USP and make 

that a prominent part of your 

marketing strategy. Consider your 

target audience and build the 

accommodation to suit – you don’t 

need to cater for everyone, but you 

do need to cater well for your target 

audience. Enjoy the process! 

DETAILS 

PODS 

Modulog (Hare’s Form) 

www.modulog.co.uk 

Arch Leisure (Huacaya’s Cush) 

www.podfactory.co.uk 

BOOKINGS SYSTEM 

Bookalet www.bookalet.co.uk 

DIRECTORY SITES 

Cool Stays www.coolstays.com 

Go Glamping www.goglamping.net 

Host Unusual 

www.hostunusual.com 

The Wanderlist 

www.thewanderlist.uk 

BRANDING & PR 

Wise Birdy www.wisebirdy.co.uk 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Hush Hush Glamping 

Fostings Farm 

Kinnerton 

Presteigne 

Powys LD8 2PF 

www.hushhushglamping.co.uk 


Do ‘wild’ in style. 

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Kocoon a simple way to transform any 

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Designed by the experts at 

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COMING 

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n Movers and shakers 

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n Architecture and design 

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ISSUE ONE 

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GLAMPSITES 

Safe, Clean & Legal 

GETTY IMAGES 

Post pandemic, Quality in Tourism’s Safe, Clean & Legal certification is more relevant than ever 

CONSUMERS OFTEN assume that any 

property they stay in is safe and compliant. 

In reality, this may not be the case, 

particularly with the boom of the internet 

and the rise of glamping. Our assessors 

are the enforcers of legal standards for the 

industry, ensuring that businesses have the 

correct documentation and checks in place, 

from fire safety to food safety, confirming 

that the accommodation meets or exceeds 

minimum standards. 

Our checks are annual, robust and 

objective, rather than personal opinion. It’s 

this impartiality that makes the scheme so 

strong. 

What’s more, in the post-pandemic world 

of travel, nearly 80% of potential guests 

expect any accommodation provider that 

they book with to have an independent 

accreditation of their standards, and 64% 

expect the accreditation to include an 

independent inspection. That makes Safe, 

“THE ACCREDITATION WORKS FOR ANY BUSINESS LOOKING 

TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO STANDARDS, 

REASSURING POTENTIAL GUESTS THAT YOU HAVE 

APPROPRIATE STANDARDS AND THAT THEY HAVE BEEN 

INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY” 

Clean & Legal more relevant than ever to the 

industry. 

Who is Safe, Clean & Legal suitable for? 

The accreditation is suitable for hospitality 

operators and accommodation providers, 

who want to provide guests with 

reassurance of standards, but for whom 

quality (star) ratings may not be relevant 

or applicable. The accreditation works 

for any business looking to demonstrate 

their commitment to standards, reassuring 

potential guests that you have appropriate 

standards and that they have been 

inspected by an independent third party. 

The scheme has been reviewed by 

Cornwall Council under Quality in Tourism’s 

Primary Authority partnership. This means 

that for local authorities across the country 

there is a system in place where properties 

that are advertising on shared economy 

platforms such as Airbnb or HomeAway can 

apply to be assessed under the Safe, Clean & 

Legal scheme. Accreditation will help to give 

confidence in the policies and procedures 

under which those accommodation 

providers are operating, with the aim of 

raising levels of compliance within that area. 


GLAMPSITES 

For Destination Management 

Organisations (DOMs) who are helping to 

promote properties to visitors, they can 

encourage the property owner to undertake 

a Safe, Clean & Legal scheme assessment 

to help ultimately protect the consumer. 

Our ultimate aim is to provide consumers 

with a badge of confidence to look for when 

booking accommodation for an overnight 

stay; whether that’s glamping, B&B, a hotel 

or self-catering establishment. 

We have been working with partners 

such as the Short Term Accommodation 

Association (STAA) to raise the profile and 

importance of independent verification 

within the industry. We have written a 

white paper regarding the safety standards 

in the sharing economy, outlining what 

consumers think along with a proposed 

solution. 

MORE INFORMATION 

Quality in Tourism’s Safe, 

Clean & Legal accreditation 

costs from £125 to 

£2,000+VAT, depending on 

business size. You will be 

asked to upload your fire 

risk assessment and public liability insurance 

certification alongside your application in order 

to qualify for a visit. Once the certification has 

been uploaded, an assessor will arrange to visit 

in order to accredit your property. To apply call 

0845 300 6996 or visit www.qualityintourism.com 

What do we look for in an assessment? 

Safe, Clean & Legal inspects everything 

that a hospitality or accommodation 

operator needs to do to be compliant 

with regulation, committed to quality 

standards and of course safe and clean. 

It has been running since 2018, but 

has been updated to reflect additional 

requirements and standards for travel in 

the post-Covid era. 

Safety & legal requirements 

› Compliance with the Regulatory Reform 

(Fire Safety) Order October 2005 

› Health and safety assessment of the 

property 

› Public liability insurance 

› Home and contents insurance 

› Compliance with food safety and 

hygiene regulations 

› Compliance with regulations 

surrounding allergies and food labelling 

› Licenses for serving alcohol to the 

public and special events (where 

relevant) 

› Planning regulations adhered to 

› Data Protection Act 1998 

› General Data Protection Regulation 

(GDPR) 2018 

› Equality Act 2010 

› Consumer Protection from Unfair 

Trading Regulations 2008 

› TV licence 

› Other licences where relevant 

- Performing Rights Society, 

Phonographic Performance and Motion 

Picture Licensing Company 

Furniture, Facilities and Equipment 

› Equipment should comply with British 

Safety Standards 

› Handrails fitted to staircases 

› Garden ponds fenced off 

Cleanliness and hygiene 

› All areas should be cleaned and 

checked thoroughly between lets – 

guests don't want reminders of other 

guests! 

› Broken or damaged items should be 

replaced 

Communication with guests 

› All advertising and pre-booking 

information should explicitly cover 

what is included in the price 

› Full details of sleeping arrangements 

and bathrooms available should be 

provided in all communications 

› Any in-house policies must be 

communicated at the time of booking 

› Guests should be informed, prior to 

booking, of any additional charges 

or facilities available including 

cancellation terms, housekeeping and/ 

or breakage deposits 

Evaluation and report 

› Safe, Clean and Legal is a pass or fail 

scheme, based against a full list of 

criteria. Our assessors will offer advice 

on best practice or improvements 

where relevant. 

GETTY IMAGES 


Bear Habitats 

• Sewage Treatment Systems • 

• Sales • Installation • 

sales@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

01295 236 101 

www.theseptictankstore.co.uk 

 

A portable twin toilet & shower block to 

satisfy your glamping bathroom needs 

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

S2T GRASS 

REINFORCEMENT 

PERFO 

interlocking tiles - effective 

protection for soft ground 

Ideal for the reinforcement of 

parking areas, access tracks, 

pitches etc. at: 

- camping & glamping sites 

- open air event venues 

- country & leisure parks 

Tel. 01992 522797 

www.perfo.co.uk 

The Bell Tent Shop is a well-established online tent shop 

located in Warwickshire. We offer free shipping across the 

UK. From 100% cotton canvas, fireproof & fire-retardant 

eco-friendly, sustainable bell tents to luxurious camping 

equipment, we have it all! 

OUR TENTS ARE PERFECT FOR 

PROFESSIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL USE 

please visit us at www.thebelltentshop.co.uk 

e: thebelltentshop@gmail.com t: 07834768348 


Join our dynamic portfolio of 

unique glamping structures 

Visit www.qualityunearthed.co.uk 

or call 01348 830922 

THE ULTIMATE MUD SOLUTION 

INSTANT HARDSTANDING, ANYWHERE 

100% RECYCLED, PLAYGROUND 

CERTIFIED MATERIAL 

PROTECTS THE GROUND, LETTING 

VEGETATION GROW THROUGH, FOR 

A TOTALLY NATURAL LOOK 

TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, CAN BE 

REPOSITIONED AGAIN AND AGAIN 

CREATE SOLID PATHWAYS, GATEWAYS, 

YARDS OR LOAFING AREAS, QUICKLY & 

EASILY, LAID STRAIGHT ON THE MUD 

CAN WITHSTAND 60+ TONNES OF 

COMPRESSION. INERT, STABLE & COVERED BY 

A 20 YEAR MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY 

FOR REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS, FIND US ON FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE 

SALES@MUDCONTROL.CO.UK / TEL: 01536 669630 


GLAMPSITES 

TRADE SECRETS 

Building our 

Roundhouse 

Kate Symonds shares her family’s hands on journey 

in creating eco accommodation at Round the Woods 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONNY KEELEY 

WE HAVE been hosting guests in our two 

yurts, Oak Tree and Hazelnut, at Round 

the Woods since 2015. Whilst there’s 

something magical about sleeping in a 

comfy bed under canvas you’d have to be 

pretty hardy to want to spend your holiday 

in an uninsulated yurt in winter, even with 

a woodburner, and so as Autumn comes 

around each year we pack away the yurts 

and store them until Easter. 

Our lifestyle managing a 20 acre nature 

reserve and glampsite means we enjoy 

observing the changes of the seasons 

and appreciate each time of year for its 

own merit. We look forward to winter as 

a chance to slow down and get cosy and 

we’ve noticed how many beautiful sunny 

days there are, inviting us to enjoy a brisk 

walk and then read a book in front of the 

fire. 

It always felt such a shame that none of 

our guests were appreciating the colder 

seasons and that our business was based 

“SO WE SET OUT ON AN 

ADVENTURE TO CREATE A 

YEAR ROUND CABIN THAT 

WOULD BE WARM AND 

COSY IN THE WINTER AND 

EQUALLY INVITING IN THE 

WARMER MONTHS” 

solely around providing holidays in the 

summer months. Autumn and winter can 

be the perfect time for a much needed 

holiday, a chance to relax after a busy 

summer of being active outdoors and an 

opportunity to enjoy all that Norfolk has to 

offer during the quieter months. So we set 

out on an adventure to create a year round 

cabin that would be warm and cosy in the 

winter and equally inviting in the warmer 

months. 

THE DESIGN 

We knew our new structure would need 

to be circular and being called Round the 

Woods it was pretty essential. We found 

ourselves drawn to round open-plan shapes 

as they offer our guests a unique space to 

spend time in, encouraging connection with 

each other as well as with the outside with 

no corners to hide away in or partition walls 

separating different spaces. We absolutely 

love our yurts, especially the natural light 

flooding in through the skylight and as 

we had always wanted to build with straw 

bales, we designed a natural roundhouse 

with strawbale walls and a reciprocal roof, 

providing a 2m wide skylight. 

The design and planning process took 

almost a year to complete and involved 

collaborating with an architect and a 

structural engineer to sign things off. 


GLAMPSITES 

THE BUILD 

Having opted for timber in its natural 

round form, with a complex roof and 

joints as well as needing to meet Building 

Regulations, we decided it would be best 

to work with professional framers. The 

team at Built by Artizans began work 

onsite in September 2018 constructing 

the roundwood frame and sedum roof. 

In October they handed the build over 

to my family to hand build the rest with 

the help of volunteers along the way, all 

while hosting guests in our yurts and home 

educating our two boys. We completed the 

build in December 2020. 

SUSTAINABILITY 

With our sights set on a natural build, and 

Round the Woods being an eco-glampsite, 

we wanted our materials to be as low 

impact as possible and went to great 

lengths to source everything responsibly. 

We sourced as many of the materials 

as possible locally, with the strawbales 

coming from a farm just a few miles away 

and the clay dug from the ground down 

the road. Douglas Fir for the non-structural 

parts including the windows and doors 

was sourced a few hundred metres away 

from our local golf course; a massive 

achievement after repeatedly being told 

Sweden was the only option. Persistence 

pays off! 

The kitchen counters and window seat 

are the most local, having been planked 

from the oak tree which fell part way 

through the build and lay right alongside 

the roundhouse, luckily just stroking the 

outer walls when it fell. Even the sink is 

beautifully hand carved by my dad from 

an old oak tree from our woods. The 

roundwood frame is made from larch 

and sweet chestnut, both of which were 

sourced local to the builders in Sussex for 

them to prep before delivery to site, which 

was ideal as they’re not species that are 

easily sourced in Norfolk. 

The glass for the windows is reclaimed 

from a cafe in the next village, the roof 

and floor insulation is sheep’s wool and 

we opted for formaldehyde-free OSB and 

treated the wood throughout with oil. 

PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER 

Our stage of the build involved the nerve 

wracking job of notching oak beams into 

the roundwood posts to support the floor 

as well as fitting the floor joists and the 

sub floor. We then moved onto the walls, 

reshaping each strawbale to take on the 

curve and slotting them in place like giant 

bricks. My partner Seb handmade the 

windows and doors, including a round 

window in the ensuite toilet. With the 

strawbales exposed to the elements for 

over a year as we constructed the walls 

we hung tarpaulins from the roof, battling 

with the weather every time the wind 

blew. 

We were excited to apply the lime putty 

render and recruited an amazing team of 

volunteers from near and far who came 

together at various points over three 

weekends in September and October 2019 

to complete each of the three coats of 

lime. The following February and March 

were reserved for internal clay plastering 

and in the meantime I spent hundreds of 

hours sieving clay through mesh to remove 

all the stones. The clay was mixed with 

various quantities of sand and water and 

was ‘smushed’ onto the strawbales, again 

with a group of eager and hardworking 

volunteers. It was so great to be supported 

by a community of people interested in 

natural building; it was an idyllic sight with 

children running through the meadow and 

climbing trees while the adults covered the 

walls. 


GLAMPSITES 

The final stages of the build involved 

laying a unique mosaic log disk floor and 

handcrafting furniture and the kitchen 

from beautiful bark edged wood left 

over from the build. We completed it 

just in time for the winter of 2020/21 but 

lockdown meant we couldn’t open until 

April 2021. In the meantime we enjoyed 

a few holidays to try the accommodation 

out – the perks of the job! 

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE 

This project really was a family affair 

and was an inspiring home education 

experience for our two young sons to be 

part of. They got involved at every stage 

of the build and have developed strong 

problem solving and creative skills. 

Natural building methods are typically 

electricity, a woodburner for heating and 

a compost toilet (shower facilities are 

provided in a nearby shipping container 

converted into a shower building). The 

space is super cosy and snug in the winter, 

heating up nicely, with stored heat in the 

walls given off slowly, while in the warmer 

months it provides a cool and welcome 

retreat from the heat. 

Willow Roundhouse can sleep up to 

seven with a king size bed and sofas and 

chairs that convert into comfortable 

additional beds, meaning it’s a great 

space for couples but can easily adapt to 

accommodate larger bookings. The space 

has been cleverly zoned with lighting 

creating a kitchen area, dining space, 

lounging area by the woodburner and a 

bed. 

It’s been an incredibly rewarding 

process to build with our own hands, to 

learn building techniques and to work 

with natural materials. I would encourage 

anyone interested in sustainability to find 

a way to bring natural, locally sourced and 

sustainable materials into any projects at 

your business. There is a growing interest 

in people wanting to experience staying 

in eco accommodation and opting for 

low impact holidays, especially those 

surrounded by nature. 

The occupancy in our roundhouse cabin 

in 2021 was over 60% with an average 

nightly rate of £175. 

“WHAT WE HAVE CREATED IS A BEAUTIFUL, WELCOMING 

SPACE MADE WITH ALL NATURAL MATERIALS, AND WITH 

A VERY LOW IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT” 

really accessible and 

easy to learn for novice 

builders, including 

children. 

Throughout the 

build we also hosted 

Workaway volunteers at 

various stages who came 

and lived in our home 

and enjoyed meals with 

us whilst we worked 

on the construction 

together. We absolutely 

loved having these 

people become part of 

our family and would 

highly recommend 

anyone taking on a unique build to 

reach out to see if anyone is interested in 

learning the skills you are practising; it’s a 

great opportunity for cultural and labour 

exchange. In March 2020 we hosted a 

couple looking to try out Workaway for a 

couple of weeks and they ended up living 

with us for three months due to the first 

lockdown and all their pet sitting jobs 

being cancelled. This enabled us to really 

crack on with the roundhouse build while 

making great friends who’ve been back to 

visit several times. 

THE RESULT 

What we have created is a beautiful, 

welcoming space made with all natural 

materials, and with a very low impact on 

the environment. It is off-grid with solar 


GLAMPSITES 


Landscape & Exteriors 

Stradey Castle, South 

Wales 

Product: PERFO-AK Anchor Tiles 

Supplier: PERFO Ground Reinforcement 

(S2T Group), 01992 522797, info@perfo. 

co.uk, www.perfo.co.uk 

Details: Parking space at Stradey Castle 

was required but, due to the sensitive 

historic and rural setting, a tarmac or 

concrete car park was not desirable. 

Instead a solution was needed that 

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 layer of 

5-10mm 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 

RHS Award-Winning Playscapes 

Wild Hart 

07971 869058 

info@wild-hart@co.uk 

www.wild-hart.co.uk 

With an ethos of ‘reconnecting with nature’, 

Nick Sneller's Wild Hart brand includes bespoke 

cabins, shelters, furniture and playscapes. 

Wild Hart's naturalistic play environments 

provide an exciting addition to any site and make 

a very memorable experience for all. Handcrafted, 

RHS award-winning, expertly designed and 

made with care, Nick's creations promote 

wellbeing and a greater understanding 

of environmental issues. He has a real 

appreciation for natural environments 

and works painstakingly to ensure his 

installations sit sympathetically within the 

landscape. He also uses sustainably sourced 

timber and works collaboratively to support 

local businesses. 

If you have a vision for any furniture, 

structures, or a unique and tailored 

outdoor space for your guests to reconnect 

with nature then get in touch. 


GLAMPSITES 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSHOT 

Instant, Porous, Reusable Hardstanding 

Mudcontrol 

01536 669630 

sales@mudcontrol.co.uk 

www.mudcontrol.co.uk 

Mudcontrol supplies high quality, heavy duty 100% 

recycled plastic products, specialising in the groundbreaking 

Mudcontrol slabs. Revolutionising mud control 

in the UK, with 5-star reviews across the board, slabs are 

certified to over 60 tonnes and suitable for vehicle use. 

Designed to be the base and sub-base in one, the ground 

underneath is protected, with grass growing up through the 

holes giving a totally natural look. 

Ideal for managing any muddy areas, for livestock and 

other purposes – if you need instant, porous, removable, 

reusable hardstanding for a prefab building or static 

caravan, or as a pathway, track or roadway, Mudcontrol can 

help. 

The company also supplies 100% recycled plastic fencing 

and associated products with a commitment to customer 

service and sustainability at the forefront of its ethos. 

Sustainable Outdoor Spaces 

Glasdon UK 

enquiries@glasdon-uk.co.uk 

www.glasdon.com 

Glasdon has over 60 years’ experience in designing, 

manufacturing and supplying essential products which 

can improve spaces, enhance site safety and help to 

support waste management systems. Its range includes 

seating, litter bins, recycling bins, dog waste bins and 

water safety equipment. 

To help keep areas tidy and litter free, Glasdon has 

a large selection of indoor and outdoor waste and 

recycling containers and dog waste bins, available 

in a selection of styles, sizes and colours to suit all 

requirements. 

Create inviting and sustainable outdoor spaces 

where you need to with seats, benches and picnic 

tables manufactured from recycled materials. 

Glasdon’s Enviropol material is predominantly 

produced from post-consumer polyethylene and 

polypropylene. This means the Enviropol slats on 

one of our seating products could contain as many as 

102,420 recycled bottle caps! 

Corner Dining with Fire Pit 

Gardenman 

0333 2008 333 

sales@gardenman.co.uk 

www.gardenman.co.uk 

Looking to give your glampsite 

a summer revival with some 

outdoor furniture? The Heritage 

Ciara Corner Dining Set with Fire 

Pit Table is the perfect addition 

for family and friends to relax 

and enjoy the sunshine during 

the day while keeping warm and 

eating together at night. 

The set’s key feature is the 

stunning rattan casual dining 

table which boasts a large gas 

fire pit in the middle. There is 

plenty of space to dine using 

the table, but the fire pit adds 

something special to the 

furniture and the atmosphere 

when using the set. The fire pit 

allows you to keep your guests 

warm and use your furniture 

well into the evening, adding 

light and heat to your outside 

space. 

Gardenman supplies a range 

of fire pit sets, corner sofas, sun 

loungers, daybeds and more 

available now with free next 

working day delivery to your 

property. 


EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

Red Rooster 

Festival 

American southern roots festival attracting 6,000 people 

to Euston Hall, Suffolk 

We talk to promoter and 

production manager James 

Brennan of The Dark Horses 

on how his friendship with a 

“well-spoken roadie” led to 

him finding one of the most 

beautiful festival sites in the 

country. 

Describe your event and how many 

people it attracts? 

Red Rooster is a festival that celebrates the 

American southern roots of music, from 

Cajun, soul, rock n roll, blues, roots and 

country. The real deal, not the middle of the 

road rhinestone country stuff. We attract 

around 6,000 people a year, including 

around 1,000 kids. All of the content at 

the festival reflects the genres, including 

cigar box guitar workshops and vintage 

thrift stores, through to a display of 1949 

American hot rods. 

Explain a bit about your venue and your 

history with it 

I met Harry Grafton out in Austin at SXSW 

around 10 years ago. We kept finding we 

were at the same rock n roll gigs. He was 

the merch co-ordinator for The Rolling 

Stones on the Bigger Bang tour. We stayed 

mates, going to a number of London gigs 

together and we always talked about doing 

a show like Red Rooster. He called me one 

day and said that his father and, then a few 

months later, his grandfather had passed 

away, and he’d become the Duke of Grafton; 

would I like to come up to his place and see 

where we could do this festival. I wasn’t 

aware of his background, I just thought he 

was a well-spoken roadie! 

I look at lot of potential sites, so to be 

honest I thought it might just be another 

few cow fields. However, on arriving I 

quickly realised differently. It’s an 11,000 

acre country estate and Harry was the 

direct descendent of King Charles II. His 


EVENTS 

estate is phenomenal, designed 

by Capability Brown and William 

Kent; it is arguably one of the most 

beautiful festival sites in the country. 

Being East Anglia, it’s pretty 

flat which is perfect for building 

structures on, and with the sand 

consistency of the soil, there can 

be heavy rain and after 30 mins you 

can drive an artic over it. We got 

the show going within a year and 

working with Harry is unlike working 

with any other site owner. He knows 

rock n roll and, having toured 150 

shows, he knows what the support 

crew need and what we go through. 

How is your relationship with the 

local authority and community? 

When I first started working with 

Harry I brought in my guys to help 

get the estate a licence; now they 

can host a number of events every 

year. West Suffolk council are 

very easy and accommodating 

to work with. I’m one of the 

few promoters who is also 

a production manager, so 

know our production 

“WE’VE 

NOT HAD 

A SINGLE 

ISSUE 

ON THE 

FESTIVAL IN 

THE EIGHT 

YEARS WE’VE 

RUN IT, SO 

WE CHECK 

IN WITH 

THE LOCAL 

AUTHORITY 

BUT THEY 

TRUST US 

TO CRACK 

ON” 

team are very experienced. We’ve 

not had a single issue on the festival 

in the eight years we’ve run it, so we 

check in with the local authority but 

they trust us to crack on. 

How have you planned the layout 

of the event? 

The layout is almost fully planned 

– we haven’t made too many 

adjustments over the last few years. 

The main stage is in 3,500 

capacity big top from Yes Tents. The 

Little Red Rooster stage is our stage 

2, and is a bespoke timber build. 

Our late night venue, The Howlin’ 

Woods, is in a 60 foot Berber tent – 

we build a bespoke set out the front 

and it gives a great intimate feel. 

How do you work with creatives 

to make these spaces work? 

We do all the creative in-house at 

The Dark Horses. J’me Howard 

heads up creative with me. He 

brings his go to chippies and décor 

crew, and keeps things simple and 

built on time. 

How did you research and source 

your marquees, flooring, bars etc? 

I’ve booked structures for festivals 

for the last 15 years, so I have my 

regular go tos as I know they deliver 

with impeccable service. 

How do you choose your acts? 

We work with all the largest talent 

agencies from around the world on 

a regular basis and we know the acts 

we’re keen to book, if their routing 

works out of course. Rupert Orton 

from PRB Presents books; he lives 

within these genres of music, a 

number of them he also represents 

as an agent. 

What provisions do you make for 

power, lights and sound? 

As a production manager I know 

the kit I need and on what stages. 

Maddie Harris, also at The Dark 

Horses, is our site manager and 

she specs accordingly with my 

assistance on the stages and 

content. The red diesel ban is a 

huge issue across shows, the 

increase in cost will hurt. 

Unfortunately with all the 

problems Russia have 

recently created, this is only 

to get worse. 


EVENTS 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

I’ve used the same gate team on 

shows over the last 15 years. Festival 

Gates run the team at Glastonbury, 

and created the very first “gates” at 

a festival all those many moons ago. 

There’s really no one better. Last 

year we worked with H&S managers 

when producing Red Rooster, as 

there were of course a lot more 

safety protocols that were needed. 

Usually, Red Rooster being small, 

we’ve just dealt with H&S in-house. 

“FESTIVAL 

GATES RUN 

THE TEAM AT 

GLASTON- 

BURY, AND 

CREATED 

THE VERY 

FIRST 

“GATES” AT 

A FESTIVAL 

ALL THOSE 

MANY 

MOONS AGO. 

THERE’S 

REALLY NO 

ONE 

BETTER” 

How did you cope during 2020 

and 2021? 

In 2020, we weren’t able to operate, 

even though we tried to reschedule 

from June to September. However, 

we were pleased to run Red Rooster 

successfully in 2021. We didn’t 

receive any support whatsoever 

and were rejected by the Cultural 

Recovery Grant. 

What ground protection do you 

use for cars and footfall? 

We use some EuroMat where 

needed, but we’ve never needed to 

put in trackway. 

How do you publicise the event? 

I promote the show in-house 

through local and national press. 

operations from 2022 is probably 

around 30%. Everything is going up 

in price, for a multitude of reasons. 

Some is a lack of staffing – Brexit 

really is the gift that keeps giving. 

How have you financed the event 

and how profitable is it? 

It’s funded through private 

investment and a few sponsors 

adding in small amounts too. It 

takes a while for festivals to make 

money, but it’s getting there. 

What are your plans for 

next year? 

An introduction of a new stage 

would be great, but we need to 

see how 2022 pans out first. 

What additional challenges have 

you faced? 

The increase on infrastructure and

EVENTS 



industry? 

If you listen to some of the great 

crew out there, heed their advice 

and take on as many shows as 

possible, you’ll get to where you 

want to go. It’s a tough industry 

with long hours and in Britain 

you’re always fighting against the 

elements. But if you can survive 

a few seasons, you can survive 

anything. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES 

Yes Tents www.yestents.com 

Roaming Tent Co. 

www.roamingtentco.co.uk 

STAGES 

Ideal www.idealeventservices.co.uk 

STANGE BUILD & DÉCOR 

In-house at The Dark Horses 

www.thedarkhorses.com 

LIGHTING 

Coloursound 

www.coloursound.com 

POWER 

Gofer www.gofer.co.uk 

BARS 

Soulshakers 

www.soulshakers.co.uk 

TOILETS 

Hallmark 

www.hallmarkeventhire.co.uk 

TICKETING 

Seetickets www.seetickets.com 

VISITOR MANAGEMENT 

Festival Gates 

www.fghsecurity.co.uk 

SB Security Solutions 

www.sbsecuritysolutions.co.uk 

INSURANCE 

Media & Music Insurance Brokers 

www.mediainsurance.com 

DETAILS 

Red Rooster Festival - 2-4 June 

Euston Hall, Thetford 

Suffolk IP24 2QW 

www.redrooster.org.uk 


SPECIAL RATES FOR 2022 

Book with confidence as we offer 

a no cost cancellation policy. 

Terms Apply. 

DCRS Hire A4 Advert.indd 1 07/12/2021 15:08 


EVENTS 

Sponsorship 

We talk to We Get Sponsors’ Danny Wheeler about, well, how to get sponsors! 

THE MARKET for live event sponsorship – 

how's it looking out there? 

This year is looking to be the resurgence 

of live events. This is the first summer 

where organisers are planning confidently 

and the feeling is that it’s game back 

on. It’s been tough for both events and 

sponsors since the hospitality industry 

felt the effects of lockdowns. There is 

lost revenue to recuperate and stored up 

energy for incredible events to unfold. 

Brands are eager to get themselves in front 

of the right demographics in the right way. 

Explain about the importance of 

working with brands that share your 

values 

Alignment is the single most important 

factor in long term partnerships with 

“ON-SITE BRAND 

ACTIVATIONS CAN IMPROVE 

YOUR AUDIENCE’S 

EXPERIENCE AT THE EVENT, 

WHICH IS A PLUS FOR 

BRANDS AS THEY CREATE 

A GENUINE CONNECTION 

WITH PEOPLE TAKING 

THINGS A STEP FURTHER 

THAN JUST VISIBILITY” 

any brand. You should share the aim of 

providing the best value to your audience 

with marketing campaigns that make 

sense based on both of your resources. 

On-site brand activations can improve 

your audience’s experience at the event, 

which is a plus for brands as they create 

a genuine connection with people taking 

things a step further than just visibility. 

Successful partnerships should be a winwin-win 

for the audience, the event and 

the brand. 

How do you pitch to a sponsor? What do 

you need in your arsenal? 

You have to build the case for why your 

brands can be presented together. 

What are the synergies? How can you 

collaborate? Once you establish those 

facts, they form the base for your pitch. 

You need to back this up with detailed 

audience profiles, historical data and the 

ability to collaborate in a creative way. 


EVENTS 

What if you’re a start-up event? 

Target localised brands at a small to 

medium size that can 

find synergies with your 

offering and audience. 

Do your due diligence on 

your local area, organise 

meetings, connect with 

your community and 

make some noise. 

Typically, brands like 

to work with events that 

have some skin in the 

game. They like to see 

data and have confidence in the event. 

On the other hand, brands like to find 

new innovative events to partner up with. 

Understand what sets you apart and why 

it would be great for a brand to work with 

you. Once this is established, there needs 

to be a lot of outreach and pre-planning! 

What does sponsorship look like? Is it all 

about money? 

Being true to your values is powerful for 

meaningful sponsorships. The fit has to 

be real and genuine. The money is an 

important factor and this is where the 

demographic data and performance of 

campaigns makes the difference. However 

some sponsorships can be all about 

brand sentiment, rather than short term 

sales success. It’s about finding the right 

balance and understanding what means 

most to the brands you work with. A brand 

will want to ensure that the event aligns 

with their broader marketing initiatives. 

How should you see sponsorship in 

terms of your overall business plan? 

Utilise it as added value; it’s not wise to 

simply rely only on sponsorship. You can 

make good revenue of course but from 

our experience sponsors want to see 

good traction before they invest heavily 

themselves. 

How do you ensure a lasting 

partnership? 

It’s about synergy and results. Go above 

and beyond where you can. Added value 

is super important and sometimes costs 

nothing for the organiser. 

What can go wrong and how can you 

mitigate against potential problems? 

When partnering with another brand 

in a campaign, make sure to research 

their reputations to educate yourself 

on their views and morals and ensure a 

good pairing. Having two mismatched 

“BEING TRUE TO YOUR VALUES IS POWERFUL FOR 

MEANINGFUL SPONSORSHIPS. THE FIT HAS TO BE REAL 

AND GENUINE. THE MONEY IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR 

AND THIS IS WHERE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND 

PERFORMANCE OF CAMPAIGNS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE” 

companies involved with opposing 

company mission statements can have a 

negative impact. 

When evaluating any potential brand 

relationships, it is vital to understand 

and analyse audience overlap. In order 

to protect and represent the brand in the 

right way ensure that the brand message 

connects with your audience profile. 

Each partnership should go through 

a bespoke process to understand the 

brand’s marketing strategies. This is 

how we deal with our global network of 

sponsors, venues and events here at We 

Get Sponsors. We connect our network 

based on synergy. 

Give us some success stories 

We Get Sponsors received a marketing 

brief from BoohooMan which we aligned 

to Hideout Festival, where all parties 

agreed there was synergy. Hideout 

were able to provide us with accurate 

demographics and historical data which 

matched what BoohooMan were looking 

for. The key here is to understand a brand’s 

strategy and demonstrate with tangible 

data why the event is a perfect fit. 

We also connected Under Armour to 

Football For Change (FFC) in October 2021, 

succeeding because Trent Alexander- 

Arnold is leading the FFC campaign. FFC’s 

footballing stars are already ambassadors 

for Under Armour which meant the 

alignment was perfect to support the 

event. This was a large-scale event that 

made sense in terms of partnerships and 

a great way to onboard new footballers 

as ambassadors for Under Armour, whilst 

supporting a meaningful cause. 


Danny Wheeler is head of business 

development at We Get Sponsors. “We 

work closely with a global network of 

events, venues, music artists, and sports 

professionals. Helping to secure long lasting 

relationships with sponsors. We integrate with 

your event to understand your business and 

needs; this enables us to be an extension of 

your team. If we don’t already have the right 

sponsors in our network, we will actively 

outreach to find them. If you are looking for 

sponsorship of your event then let’s have a 

conversation.” 

www.wegetsponsors.com 


A modern, portable and established 

glamping business for sale. 

(woodland site 

not included) 

Bedroam offers a versatile glamping 

experience with 18 luxury sleeping 

pods, 2 fully equipped bathrooms and 

a large multi-functional awning. 

Contact: enquiries@bedroam.co.uk 

or 07870174477 for more details 

www.bedroam.co.uk 

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EVENTS 

GETTY IMAGES 

Community 

Indemnity Pledge 

We talk to TicketSellers’ Mo Jones about creating a 

community indemnity pledge, an alternative to Covid 

cancellation insurance 

What is a community indemnity pledge? 

Events tend to run on very tight budgets, 

requiring money to be spent throughout 

the year in order to give customers a 

wonderful weekend experience. Pre-Covid, 

events would have invested in cancellation 

insurance to cover these costs, should the 

event be faced with cancellation due to 

adverse weather conditions near the time. 

Not having insurance is simply too risky. 

Imagine paying all those costs throughout 

the year only to have your event cancelled 

last minute due to a new outbreak of Covid. 

This risk is what led nearly all events to 

postpone from 2020 to 2021 and many 

events not to even attempt an event in 2021. 

The community indemnity pledge is a 

way for events to ask their audience a very 

honest question: ‘If you want us to host 

the event that you love coming to, are you 

prepared to share some of the financial risk?’ 

Happily, the answer in many cases, is yes. 

Customers make a commitment at purchase 

that a certain percentage or amount of 

money per ticket would not be refunded 

should the event be cancelled due to Covid. 

Where did the idea come from? 

Brainchild Festival was the trailblazer here. 

Having sold out their event, but at the 

critical point of having to make essential 

payments, they were faced with the very 

real scenario of either postponing again or 

asking their customers that critical question: 

‘We'll go for it, but we need you to share 

the financial risk with us’. Happily, their 

committed audience were well in favour 

of risking a fairly significant chunk of their 

ticket cost in order to get the event they 

wanted to attend. 

What’s wrong with the Live Events 

Reinsurance Scheme? 

We haven’t ploughed through the many 

pages of text for this but, anecdotally, 

this government initiative is all bluster 

and little use. It only covers certain costs 

(mainly artists’ deposits, which are already 

refundable or would roll over should events 

have to cancel) and it is prohibitively 

expensive. 

How has TicketSellers helped to create 

the mechanics of the pledge? 

With Brainchild, the pledge was 

automatically added as an additional 

ticket at basket stage, so it was super 

clear to customers that they were buying 

a refundable entry ticket and a nonrefundable 

element. The message was 

backed up with a pop-up warning, to 

ensure all customers were fully aware of 

the commitment they were making before 

purchase. 

What part does the festival audience play? 

The audience commitment is paramount. 

Without their agreement and sale of tickets, 

the event simply wouldn't happen. 

How have festivals communicated 

this to them? 

The message generally comes from the 


EVENTS 

event. Towersey Festival is using the pledge this 

year and on its website event director Joe Heap 

has actually recorded a message to make sure 

things are super clear to customers. 

It’s tantamount to the great relationships 

that often exist between passionate, dedicated 

independent festival organisers and their loyal 

audiences, that customers would rather forgo 

some cash and help the organiser actually put on 

the event, than demand a full refund or indeed, 

fail to buy a ticket altogether. 

What has been the feedback? 

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. 

The choice is clear and well explained, so if any 

customer should not be comfortable, they will 

simply choose not to buy and wait until tickets 

are on sale for a future event with no need for a 

pledge. 

Would this work on a wider scale? An industry 

movement? 

Absolutely. Another factor we haven’t mentioned 

here is how this also benefits customers in terms 

of cost saving. If an insurance policy has a fee of 

8%, for a budget of £100,000 the event is spending 

£8,000 on a premium that isn't likely to cover the 

key costs even if they did need to claim. By sharing 

the risk, that budget can be spent on the event 

instead – more artists or other audience benefits. 

So customer money isn’t spent on insurance 

unless absolutely necessary. 


Mo Jones is a director and 

co-founder of TicketSellers. 

Starting way back in 1998 

promoting rave events in 

Birmingham, TicketSellers kept 

innovating and became the first 

company to launch e-ticketing in 1999, 

paving the way for other ticket agents to join the 

industry. Today it remains fiercely independent and 

brings a wealth of experience and a technological 

edge to everything it does, making life easier both 

for event organisers and their customers. www. 

theticketsellers.co.uk 

CASE STUDY 

Towersey 

Festival 

Taken from the Towersey 

Festival ticketing page… 

“With TicketSellers, we have developed an idea 

which means together we can futureproof the 

festival through a radical, collective, community 

solution – a Community Indemnity Pledge. 

“The good news is that this pledge is all rolled into 

your ticket cost, not added on, so has no effect on 

the cost of your Towersey experience (the pledge 

will be automatically added in your basket to all adult tickets). And even better news 

than that, your agreement to this pledge will ensure the future of Towersey Festival 

is more certain, even if the worst should happen and we are forced to cancel. 

“What this means for you – it means that you will be contributing to the viability and 

future of Towersey Festival! If we deem it unsafe or unviable to go ahead with the 

festival due to risks or restrictions caused by a pandemic which are not insurable, 

the pledge portion of your purchase (less than 25% on adult tickets) would not be 

refunded. Your pledge will go towards the costs required to keep Towersey thriving 

for years to come.” 


EVENTS 


Event Glamping 

Remote 40th Birthday 

Party, Yorkshire 

Service: Luxury mobile accommodation 

for up to 18 guests 

Supplier: Bedroam, 07870 174477, 

enquiries@bedroam.co.uk, 

www.bedroam.co.uk 

Details: Bedroam provided the perfect 

additional accommodation for a joint 

40th birthday party at a remote Yorkshire 

farmhouse. With the local pub and B&Bs 

already full with visiting guests, Bedroam 

was called to the rescue. 

Some guests had travelled all the way 

from Austria and, as family members 

were keen to stay on site to help out 

with preparations, the main farmhouse 

was overflowing. Bedroam provided 

the perfect private escape, arriving a 

couple of days before the event and only 

requiring a park site location and power 

connection. 

The large awning was a blessing, used 

to help store drink supplies and as a VIP 

chill out area away from the main action. 

The large fresh water tanks ensured the 

hot showers lasted the full event and 

kept guests away from the main house 

services. 

Customer feedback: Client, Marcus 

Freuis, said: “After speaking to Ollie we 

realised Bedroam was the perfect and 

best solution to our accommodation 

issue. Its two separate toilets and shower 

units were perfect and the 18 sleeping 

pods gave ample space for all our guests. 

“The awning was superb for chilling 

and socialising while not around the 

house area. Bedroam has a superb 

layout and is finished with great quality. 

“There was no need for taxis, no 

fuss, just a simple solution. I would 

recommend Bedroam and use it again, 

100%. All my friends and family slept 

perfectly, praised the service and will 

definitely spread the word. Well done 

Bedroam and thanks for bringing my 

friends and family to me.” 

Glastonbury Festival, 

Somerset 

Product: Snoozy glamping pods 

Supplier: Cube Modular, 01905 

955814, theteam@cubemodular. 

co.uk, www.cubemodular.co.uk 

Details: The iconic Glastonbury 

Festival last took place in 2019 

and returns in June 2022 after a 

two-year break. It is the largest 

greenfield music and performing 

arts festival in the world, located in 

a 900 acre site in the Vale of Avalon, 

Somerset. 

Snoozy glamping pods created a 

luxurious pop-up accommodation 

village at Glastonbury in 2019 and 

will be returning in greater numbers 

in 2022. The environmentally 

low-impact, visually stunning 

pop-up units provide lockable, 

secure accommodation with 

lighting and USB power. The 

height adjustable galvanised feet 

ensure fast levelling and keep the 

structure off the ground for better 

thermal performance. A raised 

flooring secures the interior from 

any moisture and, along with its 

integrated LED lighting, helps to 

create a fresh-feeling, enjoyable 

space. 


EVENTS 

The Masked Ball, Cornwall 

Product: 18 two berth and two four berth 

Shire Huts 

Supplier: The Shire Huts, 07846 282404, 

hannahbatt@theshirehuts.net, 

www.theshirehuts.com 

Details: The Masked Ball is an immersive, 

multi-level party kingdom with ballers all 

dressed to excess in a venue carved out of 

the cliffs overlooking the stunning Mount’s 

Bay in the quintessentially Cornish fishing 

village of Porthleven. 

Shire Huts provided 18 two berth and 

two four berth glamping huts for revellers. 

All huts come fully furnished including 

beds with 4” foam mattress along with 

a sheet and cushions, bedside unit plug 

sockets, bedside lamp, oil heater, coat 

hooks, rug, door mat, bin, mirror, bunting, 

key (lockable doors), bespoke stools and a 

welly stand. The beds can be made into a 

twin or double depending on a customer’s 

preference. Bedding is offered at an 

additional cost. 

The Shire Huts is totally independent 

when it comes to the set up and take down 

of its huts. Its organised team loves what 

it does and takes great pride in making 

glamping areas inviting and magical. 

There is a communal fire pit set up in the 

middle of the hut site, which is a great 

way for everyone to get to know each 

other and become friendly hobbit-shire 

neighbours! Colourful festoon lighting is 

also run all the way along the huts. 

The company arranges all the meet 

and greets with guests and is on call 24/7 

during an event. 

Feedback: “Staying with The Shire 

Huts is like spending time with our 

extended family. The huts themselves 

are magical, bijou, cosy and so much fun 

to stay in! Plus they are secure and have 

electricity – bonus! Hannah is wonderful; 

her customer service is second to none, 

though we have never had an issue 

in the five years we stayed in them at 

festivals. They even hire out for weddings! 

I know, because they were at mine 

and were amazing. I can’t recommend 

them enough for the ultimate glamping 

experience.” 

PRODUCT SNAPSHOT 

Lotus Belles for 300 People 

Wild Hare Events 

07855 229568 

info@wildhareevents.com 

www.wildhareevents.com 

Wild Hare Events is the largest supplier of Lotus Belles in the UK and 

is partnered with a number of other companies (under the Wild Hare 

banner) offering a complete one-stop-shop for weddings, events and 

festivals. 

Its inventory includes a fleet of Lotus Belle tents and interiors to 

sleep up to 300 people, and two Lotus Mahal structures – a medium 

size marquee in the same style as the Lotus Belles, which is perfect as 

a reception, bar, guest lounge etc. 

Wild Hare also provides event lighting and electrics, luxury 

toilets and showers, a fully licensed bar and professional catering, 

commercial firework displays, as well as furniture, crockery and linen 

hire as part of the glamping package. 

It offers a full build and break service and an experienced crew who 

can offer reception/concierge 24/7. Committed to providing excellent 

customer service, the team can take customer bookings direct if 

required and deal with all payments. In addition, Wild Hare offers 

flexible, staged payment terms and is fully insured (public/product/ 

employers’ liability). 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

BEAUTIFUL LOG HOLIDAY HOMES 

Scandinavian Homes 

0845 299 6337 

info@scandinavianhomes.com 

www.scandinavianhomes.com/selfbuild-holiday-homes/ 

Will holidays ever be the same? 

With more and more people 

deciding that the UK has so 

much to offer, they want to 

holiday nearer to home. So create 

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target market. With typical British 

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income. You’ll be able to provide 

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remember, and book again and 

again. Contact us today to discuss 

your holiday accommodation 

plans. 

ADDING VALUE TO VENUES AND 

HOTELS 

Blackdown Shepherd Huts 

01460 929774 

info@blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

www.blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk 

Hotels and wedding venues, by 

their very nature, often have the 

potential to add a glamping stay 

space to their grounds offering the 

chance to add value to previously 

under-utilised land with minimal 

disruption to pre-booked events 

during the install. 

Blackdown Shepherd Huts 

have proven expertise in this 

area and were delighted to be 

the provider of choice for this 

month’s entrepreneur chat 

feature, Wellington Barn. Its three 

shepherd huts offer super comfy 

accommodation for guests who 

want to stay at the venue, as well 

as an additional line of income for 

the business. 

SEMI PERMANENT MARQUEES 

HTS TENTIQ 

01276 462600 

salesuk@hts-tentiq.com 

www.hts-tentiq.com 

HTS TENTIQ supplies one of the 

most diverse ranges of commercial 

tents and structures globally, 

from small, economical pagodas 

and party tents to striking large 

event marquees and multi-storey 

temporary structures. 

Our semi-permanent structures 

come with a wide range of 

design options, enabling you 

to fully customise and enhance 

the appearance, comfort and 

functionality of the structure. 

Enhance the visual appeal of 

your venue while increasing its 

capacity for events, weddings, 

parties, and corporate functions. A 

semi-permanent marquee is a great 

investment for your venue. 

PERFO GROUND 

REINFORCEMENT SYSTEM 

S2T Group 

01992 522797 

www.perfo.co.uk 

S2T Group’s PERFO range of 

ground protection products 

comprises a system of 

interlocking, self-anchoring 

permeable plastic tiles which 

are embedded into an existing 

surface, eg. a mature grass area 

or prepared base consisting of a 

layer of crushed stone chippings, 

depending on the application. 

A number of light to heavy duty 

solutions are available to suit 

varied ground conditions, traffic 

profiles and loading requirements. 

Unlike other geogrid systems, 

PERFO tiles are usually installed 

without the need for excavation, 

being compacted directly into 

the existing surface using rollers 

or compactor plates. Installation 

is therefore rapid and planning 

issues less problematic. 


EVENTS 

UNFORGETTABLE ‘SILENT’ 

EXPERIENCES 

Silent Noize Events 

02037 275382 

info@silentnoizeevents.com 

www.silentnoizeevents.com 

Unforgettable ‘silent’ experiences 

from the UK’s leading supplier of 

multi-channel wireless headsets. 

From silent disco to silent yoga and 

everything in between, immerse 

your audience in the world of Silent 

Noize Events! 

We provide everything you need 

to create a truly memorable silent 

disco including a fantastic team 

of DJs and event staff alongside 

the little extras including lighting, 

smoke machines and decor to give 

your event the WOW factor. 

Both dry hire and full service 

packages are available and with 

over 12 years’ experience, you’re in 

good hands with the team at Silent 

Noize Events. 

Classified Directory 

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From 

£4,992 

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• Sewage Treatment • 

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TEAM 

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01295 236 101 

sales@theseptictankstore.co.uk 

TWO-WAY RADIO 

SUPPORTING 

YOUR EVENTS 

Call FREE: 

0800 043 2688 

sales@dcrs.co.uk 

www.dcrs.co.uk 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 63 

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

ISSUE 33 | January 2020 | www.openairbusiness.com 

R 

ISSUE 35 | March 2020 | www.openairbusiness.com 

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

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ISSUE 40 | February 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

Classified Directory 

A tiny ad 

for a HUGE 

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TIMBER INTENT LTD 

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Colourful 

BIG TOP STYLE MARQUEES 

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BUSINESS 

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Customer 

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SHOWCASE 

/ / 

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FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

> Legalities 

> Biophilic Design 

> Events Report FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 


EVENTS 


EVENTS 


> Seasonal USPs 

> Bespoke Structures 

> Changing Diets › Promoting Events 

› Market Research › Testing Times 

› Changing Habits › Casual Excellence › 2021 Predictions 

› Delegation 

› Instagram 1 

> Wedding Insights 

> Professional Services 

> Marquees › Contingency Plans › Booking Channels › Necessary Change › Venue Searches 

› Tree Advice 

› Event Glamping › Industry Taskforce › Planning Exemptions › Marketing Post-Covid 

› Start-up Venues › Small Space Design 

› Customer Excellence › Glamping Show › Coping with Covid 

CASE STUDIES: HEATON HOUSE FARM • BROOK MEADOW • DOGFEST 

CASE STUDIES: 

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HOUCHINS • THE PADDOCK RAMSBOTTOM • FRINGE BY THE SEA 

CASE STUDIES: 

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EVENTS 

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PEOPLE 

Behind the Scenes with… 

Steve Butcher 

Festival owner Steve Butcher runs us through his festival 

day at Chilfest Weekender 

PICTURES BY PAUL HODSON PHOTOGRAPHY 

THIS JULY a cloud of hairspray 

and glitter will likely rise above the 

Chiltern Hills as 80s music royalty 

including The Proclaimers, Martin 

Fry and Tony Hadley take to the 

stage at the Chilfest weekender. 

I founded the event 10 years 

ago with the aim of delivering a 

crowd-pleasing mix of nostalgic 

tunes alongside a boutique festival 

experience. Since then we have 

welcomed 71 artistes (including The 

Human League, UB40, OMD, Sister 

Sledge, Rick Astley, Big Country, 

Boney M and Billy Ocean, to name 

but a few), 68,000 attendees and 

raised £30,000 for charity. 

As managing director of Universal 

Event Productions (UEP), my team 

has provided event staging and rigs 

for a wide variety of top live events 

throughout the country, and the 

Chilfest arena comprises a topquality 

stage and sound rig, a wide 

“SINCE I HAVE TO 

LEAVE LONG BEFORE 

BREAKFAST IS BEING 

SERVED, IT’S A POWER- 

THROUGH SORT OF 

SITUATION UNTIL LATER, 

WHEN MY WIFE MIGHT 

ROCK UP WITH A BACON 

SANDWICH IN HAND” 

variety of food and drink outlets and 

plenty of toilet facilities, providing 

all the ingredients for a great 

weekend of live music. 

On festival days I’m up and out 

the door by 5am. My wife and I stay 

at Pendley Manor Hotel, right beside 

the site, to be nearby. Since I have 

to leave long before breakfast is 

being served, it’s a power-through 

sort of situation until later, when 

my wife might rock up with a bacon 

sandwich in hand. 

The build-up and the planning 

has always been my favourite part 

of the festival process (it gets a 

lot trickier once people actually, 

you know, turn up), so having to 

trade a few extra hours’ kip for that 

pre-festival, early-morning buzz of 

excitement feels more than fair. This 

year I’m even looking forward to it. 

Standing in a dawn field with friends 

and colleagues after such a long 

time apart — there will be grown 

men crying, you can count on that. 

Once the festival is really up and 

running, it’s pretty much all go, 

checking and sorting issues. We 

have a police presence nearby but 

the immediate duty of care is still 

on us, so we have health and safety 

meetings every two to three hours. 

In the past I’ve walked 34km just in 

loops around the site.

PEOPLE 

I’m lucky enough to have an 

incredible management team, 

but my role is still pretty fullon, 

ensuring that everything’s 

happening as it should. I don’t 

really eat except if someone puts a 

sausage roll into my hands. Much as 

I hate to crush any fantasies, running 

a festival isn’t the lounging in frontrow 

seats you might envisage. 

DISASTERS? STROPPY STARS? 

Although we’ve been pretty lucky, 

there has been the odd disaster. In 

our first ever year, we had between 

six and seven thousand people 

gathered to watch Little Mix, and our 

bar provider, despite having been 

recommended to me, couldn’t cope. 

We’re talking about an average wait 

time of one hour for a drink — this 

does not a happy British crowd 

make! 

Although it wasn’t my fault, it was 

my responsibility, so I was dragging 

in every family member I could to 

work the bar, desperately trying to 

keep on top of demand. Not pretty, 

but we came back strong the next 

year, and now have an average 

wait time of five minutes. This has 

prevented any further beer-deprived 

angry mobs, you’ll be pleased to 

know. 

As for stroppy acts, my lips are 

sealed. If you’re twisting my arm, we 

have had the odd baffling request. 

One act demanded pineapplescented 

candles in their dressing 

room — we figured, better not ask. 

It’s actually getting harder and 

harder to book people, since the 

retro crowd is getting on a bit and 

there aren’t many 80s artistes left 

that we haven’t worked with. From 

this year, people will start to see us 

moving more into the 90s for that 

reason. With people reuniting for 

the first time since the glory days, 

Chilfest can be a great atmosphere. 

It’s something special, just to watch 

them all catch-up. 

The best part of the festival for 

me is generally the last hour of each 

day. That’s when I can finally take a 

breath. I watch the final act, look out 

at everyone having a great time and 

just revel in that atmosphere. As a 

feeling, you can’t beat it. 

Chilfest is taking place on 1-2 July 

in Tring, Hertfordshire, with a killer 

line-up of tributes and throwback 

stars. We pick a charity each year to 

support, and this year the money 

will be going towards Herts Young 

Homeless. 

DETAILS 

Chilfest 

1-2 July 2022 

Cow Lane 

Tring 

Hertfordshire HP23 5NS 

FIRST PUBLISHED ON BUCKS & OXON 


Blackdown, discerning makers 

of inspired spaces ... 

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

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WWW.SCANDINAVIANHOMES.COM/SELF-BUILD-HOLIDAY-HOMES

February 2022

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