Issue 57

ISSUE 57 | 2023 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

BOOKINGS 

GLAMPSITES 

› TikTok 

› Technology 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Tipi Styling 

› Pricing Myths 

EVENTS 

› Structures 

› Experience 

CASE STUDIES: 

HIGHER HOLCOMBE • CWTCH CABINS • NEW FOREST FOLK FESTIVAL 

ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

Michael Fenna, Marston Park

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For more information visit saniflo.co.uk

ISSUE 57 | 2023 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

I really enjoyed meeting Michael Fenna of Marston Park this 

month, the candidate for this issue’s Entrepreneur’s Chat (pages 

13-17). I rarely get to visit sites but happenchance meant I was 

passing. The site, which operates from May to October, was at 

the beginning of its pre-season transformation and we were 

able to see things in the raw. The revamp of the wild pool, the 

assembly of three communal stretch tent areas, the installation 

of new pop-up restaurant and the refitting of an unbelievable 

1960s icon – a Futuro House. There is so much work that goes 

into getting a site back into shape; hats off to all of you going through the same process. 

One thing was very clear from our site tour – Michael and his team have thought about 

the customer journey from the moment they turn into the drive. That first 15 second 

impression, I was told, really can make all the difference to how someone goes on to 

experience the rest of their time with you. This is something that has been recognised 

universally and I am delighted to welcome Matt Kirby as a contributor to our Events 

section who explains more about customer journeys, especially at festivals (pages 50- 

51). In the Venues section we have more experiential advice, specifically on tipi styling 

trends (pages 24-25). 

We’ll always be a champion of sustainability and I am very happy to be publishing 

info on what may be the first greenfield festival with a mains grid connection. The New 

Forest Folk Festival (pages 46-49) has invested in 2,000m of armored cable and now runs 

silently, entertaining thousands of people without a generator in sight! We also have 

in depth learnings from Walk the Plank’s sustainability report on its Green Spaces Dark 

Skies project (pages 52-55). 

Enjoy this wonderful time of the year, despite the hard set up work, and let it remind 

us of the promise of good things to come. 

Tally Rix 

Editor / Publisher 

PUBLISHERS 

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Contents ISSUE 57 – 2023 

UP FRONT 

4 New 

6 Product News 

10 Event Production 

Show Review 

13 Entrepreneur’s Chat 

– Michael Fenna, 

Marston Park 


18 Higher Holcombe 

– a rustic barn and 

woodland venue 

23 Pricing Myths – Kelly 

Chandler offers 

pricing insights 

24 Tipi Décor – advice 

on tipi styling 

26 Bars and Catering – 

products in action 

GLAMPSITES 

29 Cwtch Cabins – an 

eco glampsite in 

Herefordshire 

34 TikTok – a beginner’s 

guide 

36 Tech Wins – creating 

a high performing 

tech stack 

41 Bookings – products 

in action 

44 Alfresco Dining – 


EVENTS 

46 New Forest 

Folk Festival – a 

greenfield, gridpowered 

festival 

50 Staging Experiences 

– stepping into your 

attendees’ shoes 

52 Sustainability in 

the Field – learnings 

from Walk the Plank 

57 Toilets – products in 

action 

58 Event Structures – 


62 Spotlight 

63 Classifieds 

65 Behind the Scenes… 

David Donald, Splash 

and Tickle 

Find more expert advice online: 

www.openairbusiness.com 

SUBSCRIBE 

ONLINE 

BOOKINGS 

GLAMPSITES 

› TikTok 

› Technology 


› Tipi Styling 

› Pricing Myths 

EVENTS 

› Structures 

› Experience 


Michael Fenna, Marston Park 

CASE STUDIES: 

HIGHER HOLCOMBE • CWTCH CABINS • NEW FOREST FOLK FESTIVAL 

COVER PHOTO 

Glampsan CampPlus DUO en-suite bathroom pod. Two 

back to back VIP toilet, sink and shower compartments with 

heating, outdoor lighting and an external washing up sink 

at a lakeside holiday park with safari tents. 

Glampsan, 01922 687545, sales@glampsan.com 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

Exciting plans 

for Showman’s 

Show Supper 

THE SHOWMAN’S Show will return to 

Newbury Showground on 18–19 October 

with an extended format as organiser 

Lance Show & Publications launches a 

party on the Wednesday evening. 

The Showman’s Supper promises to 

bring event professionals together in a 

social setting offering networking and 

entertainment. Held onsite within a 

permanent building at the showground 

it is set to capture the atmosphere of 

Showman’s Show parties past whilst 

adding a contemporary twist. 

The evening will be carefully crafted 

to create the perfect environment for 

networking at the end of a busy season of 

events. Moving away from the traditional 

sit-down dinner format to allow everyone 

to continue conversations, there will be 

a relaxed dining experience delivered 

by legendary industry caterer Eat to the 

Beat/Global Infusion Group. There will 

also be entertainment in the form of live 

music, a DJ and maybe even the odd bar 

game. 

Tickets will be on sale nearer to the 

event and exhibitors will receive a 

preferential rate. 

£25m The Mole Resort in Devon 

OPERATED BY L+R Hotels, The Mole Resort 

in Devon has opened following its £25m 

development. Situated next to the existing 

Highbullen Hotel, the resort comprises 58 

lodges with hot tubs, hotel rooms 

and dining set in 125 acres of 

countryside near the River 

Mole. 

Adrian Bradley, 

leading the project 

for L+R Hotels, said: 

“Our simple message 

is ‘fabulous stays 

and active days’, 

which is exactly what 

The Mole Resort is all 

about. Not only will our 

guests be able to relax in 

their lodges surrounded by 

spectacular countryside views, 

but there’s plenty for them to do, both 

within the resort, and with ready access 

to world-class beaches and outstanding 

countryside.” 

The resort has also invested in a 

‘groundbreaking’ lodge, designed to 

produce more energy than it consumes. It 

generates electricity through solar panels 

while its ‘fabric first’ design makes it 

highly energy efficient. Many of 

its features have been used on 

the site’s other dwellings 

to reach a CO2 average 

reduction of 43.68%. 

Other carbon saving 

technology incorporated 

in the lodge includes 

shower heat recovery, 

mechanical ventilation 

with a heat exchanger, 

superior insulation levels, 

triple glazed windows, an air 

source heat pump and a Sunamp 

– heat batteries using a patented phase 

change material to deliver hot water. The 

lodge also uses a 2.4kW battery for storing 

power and has a 7kW electric vehicle 

charging point. 

E-learning for Marquee Erectors 

MUTA IS delighted to announce the launch of MUTA Instruct – Frame 

Marquee. The online course aimed at crew members and new starters is 

intuitive and engaging thanks to the input of industry experts and online 

training specialists. 

With four key modules and videos throughout, the course covers the 

fundamentals of how to erect a frame marquee safely and effectively. At 

the end of each module, candidates need to complete a short series of 

assessment questions before progressing. If the candidate answers the 

questions correctly, a certificate will be issued at the end of the course. 

The course costs £29.99 (+VAT) per user for MUTA members and £39.99 

(+VAT) per user for non-members. Visit www.muta.org.uk to take the course. 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

£500,000 S-Pod 

Installation 

FOLLOWING A £500,000 investment by 

Nottinghamshire County Council, 10 S-Pods from Swift 

will be installed at Holme Pierrepont Country Park, 

home of the National Water Sports Centre. 

Operated by Serco Leisure, under a long-term 

contract to the county council, it is anticipated the 

six berth pods will support the recently refreshed 

Nottinghamshire Visitor Economy Strategy. 

Accommodation at the park currently includes a 

campsite, a lakeside building with hotel style rooms 

and traditional glamping pods with shared facilities. 

Jack Garner, contract manager at Serco, said: “When 

launched, the S-Pods will provide campers with a 

luxury holidaying experience. As well as self-contained 

toilet and shower facilities, the pods also boast their 

own hot tubs. We’re introducing these pods as there is a 

demand from our customers for a higher-end camping 

option.” 

Unique Gloucestershire 

Venue wins Gold 

ONE OF THE oldest surviving medieval Dominican priories in Britain, 

Blackfriars Priory in Gloucestershire, has won gold at this year’s South 

West Tourism Awards – being named Wedding Venue of the Year 2023. 

Judges praised the priory for its ‘very special atmosphere and 

uniqueness’, describing the team as ‘knowledgeable and passionate 

about what they do’. Blackfriars was assessed on everything from ease of 

booking and staff friendliness to sustainability and social media. 

The 13th century monument has won a string of accolades in the past 

including at the International Wedding Awards, the Best of Bridebook 

Awards, Hitched Wedding Awards and the Matrimony Awards. 


PRODUCT 

Bothy Stores 

Releases 

Prefab Bothies 

BOTHY STORES currently has two new 

prefabricated Artist Bothies available for 

sale. The Artist Bothy is Bothy Stores’ original 

bothy design and references vernacular 

agricultural buildings whilst providing an 

efficient, multipurpose space for relaxing or 

working. 

The prefabricated Artist Bothies have been 

manufactured at the Bothy Stores workshop 

in Fife, Scotland, and are ready for delivery. 

The bothies are ideal for multi-unit sites 

with existing infrastructure that are looking 

for quick installation before the start of the 

summer season. Assuming the site can be 

accessed by a low-bed HIAB truck, installation 

can be completed in a single day, minimising 

on-site disruption and labour costs. 

Bothy Stores can advise on site suitability, 

provision of services and support purchasers 

with any permissions that may be required. 

The current savings on the prefabricated 

Artist Bothies are 15%, and for orders placed 

before the end of March 2023 they are offered 

with free roadside delivery within mainland 

UK. 

Bothy Stores is a social enterprise and 

offers three sizes of bothies – Craft, Artist 

and Studio – to suit different contexts, all 

built to last a lifetime using the finest quality 

materials. 

0131 210 0104, info@bothystores.com, 

www.bothystores.com 

Boscombe Beach Container Conversions 

EARLIER THIS year New Forest Containers was selected by Bournemouth, Christchurch 

and Poole (BCP) Council to deliver structures for the Toft Steps Beach Box Project. 

Designed to rejuvenate Boscombe, the ‘box park’ provides opportunities for start-up 

businesses with three shipping container conversions right on the beach. 

The beach box scheme is part of the second phase of the council’s urban regeneration 

of the area with seafront start-ups developing jobs and profits while attracting locals and 

visitors. New Forest Containers designed three custom 408 models, two storefront based 

builds and a toilet block. 

The company offers a range of bespoke conversions including bars and catering units, 

toilet and shower blocks, accommodation, shops, communal spaces and storage units. 

07388 174270, info@newforestcontainers.co.uk, www.newforestcontainers.co.uk 

The Futuristic Excalibur DMF6300 

THE FUTURISTIC 

construction and look of 

these reflective domes 

by Dyester makes them 

the perfect homes for life 

on Mars. Fiberglass and 

earthquake-proof, the 

structures are both invisible 

and seen from outer 

space! Available in metallic 

finishes in various colours, 

these domes can be used 

to live in and the mirrored 

reflection of the exterior will 

give an illusion of walking 

into an endless structure. 

Blending perfectly 

into nature and its 

surroundings, the Excalibur 

DMF6300 provides an 

uninterrupted view of the 

landscape with sandwiched 

insulation material to 

keep it comfortable no 

matter the weather or 

circumstance. 

www.dyester.com, 

bsendach@dyester.com, 

+1 305 4905911 


In-House 

Manufacturing 

with new 

Partnership 

ENCHANTED CREATIONS is delighted 

to announce its recent partnership with 

Mornington Builders, a construction 

company in North Yorkshire. The partnership 

will allow the company to complete the 

whole manufacturing process in-house, with 

architects, planning consultants and project 

managers all at its fingertips. 

The new factory, located in Leeds, is 

revolutionising Enchanted Creations’ Kabina 

cabin manufacturing process. With this 

new facility, skilled tradesmen including 

joiners, electricians, plumbers, plasterers 

and many more, are working collaboratively 

to construct each Kabina with precision and 

attention to detail. This streamlined and 

coordinated approach ensures that every 

Kabina is of the highest quality. 

Other exciting transformations 

are currently taking place within the 

company too. Its innovative designers are 

continuously developing cost-effective 

solutions for its customers, while the 

operations team is implementing strategies 

to effectively address transportation 

challenges. 

With Mornington Builders’ knowledge 

of the industry and the supply chain well 

established, Enchanted Creations can now 

offer a 10 week turnaround from order to 

delivery! 

01252 561060, sales@enchantedcreations. 

co.uk, www.enchantedcreations.co.uk 

A leading outdoor recreation and lifestyle brand 

Domespaces l Yurtspaces l Tentspaces l Moduspaces 

Dyester corp is a leading brand specialist in innovative 

outdoor lifestyle products. Check our extensive line of 

domes, authentic Mongolian Yurts, luxury glamping 

tents and custom made shipping container homes. 

Our products are used by individuals, glamping 

operators, corporations and much more. 

WE SHIP WORLDWIDE 

DYESTER.COM 

USA: + 1 561 807 1969 l UK: + 44 330 0272104 

info@dyester.com 


PRODUCT 

New Indoor 

Showroom 

for Life Under 

Canvas 

LIFE UNDER Canvas is excited to announce 

the launch of its new indoor showroom 

based near Hay on Wye on the mid-Wales 

border. 

Come along and meet the friendly team 

and view a range of bell tents and practical 

camping accessories. Take a guided 

tour around classic bell tents, touareg, 

emperor and ‘made for trade’ tents as well 

as exclusive bell tents with porches. It’s a 

great opportunity to compare and contrast 

the different sizes and styles on offer and 

work out the best option for your glamping 

site or events company. 

The showroom is open to all on 

Saturdays 22 April, 20 May and 24 June 

between 10am and 4pm. Emma, Max 

and Katie will be on hand to discuss a 

bespoke package for your business, with 

trade discounts and deals available for 

bulk purchases. Whether you’re a start-up 

or established concern, and whether you 

need to top up with a handful of tents or 

are looking to add a 100 to your stock, 

they’ll have an attractive offer for you! 

Outside of these open days, customers 

can book appointments to visit the 

showroom to discuss their requirements in 

more detail with a member of the team – 

just get in touch! 

0330 223 6376, hello@lifeundercanvas. 

co.uk, www.lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

Catering for Sustainable Tourism 

IT IS increasingly evident 

that eco-friendly, sustainable 

and responsible UK holidays 

are much more than a trend 

and that there is a need 

for them to become an 

industry standard. Booking. 

com recently revealed 

its sustainability report 

concluding that 57% of the 

surveyed public would feel 

better about staying in a 

particular accommodation 

if they knew it had a 

sustainable certification. 

Another 53% said they were 

more determined to make 

sustainable travel choices 

now than they were a year 

ago. 

With a strong ethos as a 

sustainable construction 

company, The Tiny Housing 

Co has included high 

performing insulation, 

air source heat pumps, 

mechanical heat recovery 

units, triple glazing, 

Huntonit boards, thermo 

treated wood and more 

in its standard package. 

Dane, an environmental 

enthusiast and designer 

at The Tiny Housing Co, 

explains: “We don’t believe 

in withholding technology 

as an upgrade when we have 

a responsibility and duty to 

reduce our carbon emissions 

and to ensure complete 

comfort for the end user. 

These new technologies 

will reduce owners’ energy 

bills by up to 75% as well 

as reducing their carbon 

footprint by up to 80%. 

For large glamping sites, 

that’s a huge win for the 

environment and of course 

enhanced profitability for 

the owner.” 

01260 711010, info@ 

thetinyhousing.co, 

www.thetinyhousing.co 

The new Cucina from Naked Flame 

THE NEW Naked Flame “Cucina” range 

takes the outdoor cooking experience to 

another level. Constructed from premium 

Thermowood it boasts a huge, full end 

window to show off the view from the 

comfort of the dining table. It also features 

another half-moon window in the 

kitchen area, bringing the outdoor dining 

experience indoors. 

Designed for year round use, the Cucina 

incorporates the Delivita woodfired oven 

and flue system to provide an off-grid, 

indoor cooking solution. Available in 3m, 

4m and 5m lengths, both the kitchen and 

seating areas can be designed around 

each owner's specific needs. All food 

preparation areas are constructed using 

316 stainless steel and ample kitchen 

storage is provided, as well as under seat 

storage. 

Delivita ovens can be used for high 

heat cooking as well as slow cooking on a low heat. Cook pizzas in a 

couple of minutes or steak with a true wood-fired taste. Fantastic fish and seafood or slow 

cooked chicken and roast vegetables – the possibilities are endless. Every Cucina is handcrafted 

in Scandinavia and delivered directly to the customer. Where would yours go? 

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


INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

Event Production Show 

It’s a wrap for the Event Production Show 2023, writes Anait Arutyunyan 

ON THE 1-2 March, the Event 

Production Show 2023 welcomed 

thousands of the event industry 

professionals and over 150 brands 

to ExCeL London. Following the two 

action packed days show participants 

had nothing but positive feedback – it 

was the best edition yet! 

After two challenging years, Team 

EPS is delighted to have delivered 

a show of the highest standard, 

giving industry suppliers and buyers 

unlimited opportunity to connect, 

network and engage. 

In all, the EPS23 Conference hosted 

over 50 senior event professionals 

including Greater Manchester 

Combined Authority (GMCA) night 

time economy adviser and Parklife 

Festival co-founder Sacha Lord, Ascot 

head of venue operations Joanna 

Wales, Cube International/E Bike Grand 

Prix group safety and sustainability 

director Rick Bate, AFO general 

secretary Steve Heap, Boomtown 

Fair operations director Judy Bec, 

LIVE CEO Jon Collins, Greater London 

Authority major ceremonials manager 

Sophie Scowen, Crowd Management 

Association chair Eric Stuart, S&C 

Productions co-founder/head of brand 

partnerships Chris Jammer, and many 

more. 

This year’s content programme, 

focused around industry-wide issues 

like sustainability, diversity, licensing 

and mass events management, 

attracted hundreds of visitors. 

Highlights included: ‘Licensing & 

Purple Guide updates explored’, led 

by Project 30 managing partner Craig 

Mathie; ‘Case Study – Operation 

London Bridge’ with Katherine Eaton 

(Special Projects – Westminster City 

Council), Steve Reynolds, Co-CEO of 

LS Events and Arcadis commission 

director Debbie Knellar; ‘Mass 

participation events, in partnership 

with MEI’ led by Major Events 

International strategic project manager 

Tupo Mwaijumba; and ’Sustainable 

solutions now’ led by Graham Brown 

of Steering Group – Vision: 2025 and 

featuring AEG Europe sustainability 

director Sam Booth. 

We would like to thank all our 

exhibitors, partners and attendees 

for their support and commitment 

to making EPS23 a success. We look 

forward to continuing to provide 

a premier platform to facilitate 

meaningful connections and business 

opportunities next year at EPS24! 

WATCH CONFERENCE 

SESSIONS NOW 

EPS23 Conference Sessions 

will be featured at www. 

eventproductionshow.co.uk. Please 

follow EPS on social media for 

the latest news and on-demand 

content. 

OAB’s TOP PICKS 

CORE Lighting 

www.corelighting.co.uk 

CORE Lighting designs and manufactures battery 

powered, wireless-controlled lighting for event 

companies, event spaces, theatres and museums. 

The range has expanded to suit hotels, wedding 

venues, exhibition stands, plus high-powered 

battery area floodlighting for event areas/safety 

and sports training. Solar recharging has been 

added to many products. 

14 years ago CORE pioneered the wireless 

uplighters now famous across this sector, leading 

to the creation of the handheld Geolights for the 

2022 Green Space Dark Skies Unboxed festival 

for Walk the Plank, alongside Siemens (see pages 

52-55). 


INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

SA Events Solutions 

www.sasolutionsltd.com 

SA Solutions provides quick and 

effective solutions for all event 

needs including event production, 

lighting and AV, CCTV, crewing, 

security and even venue finding. 

SA’s production team can 

enhance an event with services in 

lighting, LED walls, staging, and 

more, while SA CCTV provides 

short and long-term CCTV 

solutions. Enhancing public 

safety, aiding traffic management 

and helping organisers monitor 

remotely, short-term applications 

of CCTV include at sporting 

events, music festivals, and at 

political demonstrations and 

rallies. Long-term applications 

are also available upon 

consultation. 

Event Bars & Catering 

www.barsandcatering.com 

Event Bars & Catering’s team of project planning 

staff has years of experience in licencing, bar 

design, production, staff management and 

operational bar management. From 100m volume 

bars to small bespoke pop-ups, they have done 

the lot and can provide bars to suit the theme and 

ambience of any event. 

With in-house design, finance and management 

skills, the production team conducts site visits, 

planning of bars to fit the available space 

while checking the all-important site access. 

Attention to detail enables great bars and smooth 

communication with event production teams. 

Walk the Plank 

www.walktheplank.co.uk 

Walk the Plank’s team of outdoor 

arts experts work together to 

dream up, create and produce 

outstanding moments of outdoor 

theatre and participation. It has 

a long track record of making 

large-scale events and festivals 

that bring people together in public 

celebration, often with dazzling 

special effects, fire and pyrotechnics. 

Storytelling is at the heart of nearly 

everything it does, and the arena for 

its work is the great outdoors. See 

pages 52-55 for its sustainability report 

following the 2022 Green Space Dark 

Skies event. 

The Five Star Group 

www.thefivestargroup.co.uk 

The Five Star Group operates across 

four divisions: Crew, Security, 

Training and Projects. As one of the 

fastest growing event management 

companies, the group strives to 

deliver each event to the highest 

standard, with experienced teams 

and attention to detail. 

The Five Star Group have been 

a part of the UK’s biggest events, 

festivals and conferences. Its 

management team possesses 

decades worth of experience and 

knowledge, alongside countless 

hours logged on-site and behind 

the scenes. 


PHOTO SOURCED FROM SAULEDA 

HIGH PERFORMANCE 

MATERIALS AND 

ACCESSORIES 

Contract & Technical Fabrics 

Outdoor Furniture Fabrics 

Shade & Structural Fabrics 

Yurts, Tipis & Tent Fabrics 

PHOTO SOURCED FROM TENCATE OUTDOOR FABRICS 

kayospruce.com | info@kayospruce.co.uk | +44 (0) 1489 581 696 


PEOPLE 


Michael 

Fenna 

One half of the team behind Somerset’s Marston 

Park, a lux summer glamping/art offering around 

a picturesque lake that has attracted the likes of 

Groove Armada and Faithless to its shores 


PEOPLE 

riends and business partners Michael Fenna, a DJ and 

music producer, and Charlie Bonham Christie, a bar 

and restaurant entrepreneur, met in Peckham through 

their dogs. 

“We found ourselves travelling into London at weird 

times of the night and became friends,” says Michael. 

“We’d known each other for a couple of years when we 

were sitting in a trendy little ale house and I mentioned I 

had an idea for a venue project. It turned out Charlie had 

been thinking along the same lines and his family had 

some land that could be perfect for it. 

“That was August 2015 and I found myself heading off to Somerset 

to Marston Park, half expecting a field out the back of someone’s 

house, but as it turned out there was this beautiful lake surrounded by 

beautiful woodland. 

“For the next year we spent the time getting different people down 

to the site to get a feel of what the potential was, what could be a 

problem, what could fit nicely with the ecology and to just understand 

it. After 12 months of friendly conversations and strolls we decided 

to go for it, set up a company and started to take things a little more 

seriously.” 

From 2016 the duo started on a few years of pre app discussions 

and planning permission which is still an on-going journey. “We have 

long term hopes of restoring some of the ruined listed buildings on 

the estate and to save the historic landscape,” says Michael. “It’s a 

Victorian designed landscape and important both historically and for 

the biodiversity that lives here. The ancient woodland needs a lot of 

work as it is 80% ash and, with ash dieback, most of it will have fallen 

over in the next five to 10 years. The 25 acre lake is also severely silted 

up – five acres have already been lost and it is prone to bad algae 

blooms.” 

With a focus on undertaking the landscape restoration, Michael and 

Charlie believed that a small scale, sensitively operated hospitality 

business was the way to go. 

“We got started in August 2020 with a small ‘experiment’. We were 

operating under a different name and set up 10 fully furnished bell 

tents, 10 unfurnished tents and 10 bring your own tent pitches. 

To begin with we ran the site under the 28 day tented rights rule, 

which was then extended to 56 days. We had a very small bar café 

in a horsebox, some decks, speakers and a stretch tent we used as a 

communal space. We had different pop-up chefs coming through and 

experimented with yoga classes and pottery things – trying different 

bits to see what worked.” 

The headline was that everyone wanted to book the fully furnished 

tents! “People only took the unfurnished ones if there were none left. 

The pitches didn’t work well for us – people would bring their own 

food and drink, leave a lot of rubbish and not really engage with the 

other things we had going on. 

“Roughly speaking we charged double for a furnished tent than an 

unfurnished one, and half again for a tent pitch. This was roughly in 

line with what others were doing around the country. It was a time 

where a lot of people were in similar boats, having been involved 

in festivals and that sort of thing, and were now setting up similar 

businesses around the UK. 

“We also learned a lot about the layout of the site. We originally had 

our communal spaces on the north east side of the lake which meant 

you had south facing views and sun on your face, but it also meant you 

got the prevailing south westerly wind which sucked the temperature 

out of you. The tents were in a wooded area which meant lots of sticks 

and leaves falling on them the whole time which wasn’t ideal either.” 

The business began properly in May 2021 when it opened with 30 

fully furnished tents. Michael and Charlie also teamed up with the 

owner of one of the remaining Futuro Houses, an icon from the 1960s 

designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. 

“It’s still the coolest thing I have seen in my whole life,” says Michael. 


PEOPLE 

“OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE DONE 

ALMOST EVERYTHING OURSELVES REALLY 

IN TERMS OF THE BAR AND THE FOOD AND 

PROMOTING THE EVENTS, BUT THIS YEAR WE 

ARE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING A SERIES OF 

PARTNERS THAT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO 

HAVE ON BOARD” 

“I first saw it on a roof top in London about five years previously. It 

belongs to artist Craig Barnes and was the first of a series of our artistic 

collaborations. It used to be in South Africa in the town where Craig 

grew up and had eight people living in it. Craig says it was part of 

his childhood that there was this spaceship on the edge of the town. 

When he went back with his wife he saw it was still there and bought 

it. His wife apparently agreed on the basis that one day the door would 

open via remote control and smoke would come out! It is sometimes 

described as a giant blue Smartie on legs. Craig has lovingly restored 

it over a decade and it is now one of only two worldwide that you can 

stay in.” 

The Futuro house has been a great first mark in the sand in terms 

of what Michael and Charlie envisioned for Marston Park. “I love that 

it was designed as one of the very earliest forms of glamping – as an 

off-grid, put it anywhere cabin to access bits of nature you couldn’t 

usually access. It was not without its problems though… The idea was 

that it could be taken in parts on a trailer up a mountain or somewhere 

inaccessible and with your family you would pop it together, have your 

holiday, pack it away and take it home. It actually came on two lorries 

in pieces and took eight people to carry each panel into position! 

“Although it isn’t as ‘convenient’ as some of the modern glamping 

solutions, the principle makes it an interesting piece to have here and 

to see that journey and evolution of the ‘get out in nature’ mentality.” 

Marston’s second artistic installation was a lighting exhibition 

‘Field of Light’ by Bruce Munro. “We had it for about a year and ran 

it as a ticketed exhibition through the winter. In the summer it was 

rearranged and each of our bell tents had a smaller ‘garden of light’ 

next to it surrounding fire pits. It was a really beautiful and exciting 

thing to do and totally in keeping with the experiential offering we aim 

to provide guests.” 

Last year also saw some achingly cool weekend collaborations with 

Ibiza hotel brand, Pikes. “Pikes has a very rich history dating back to 

the 80s and rock and roll days. We did a series of weekends with them 

which saw a lot of exciting visual artists, wellness practitioners and 

music including the likes of Groove Armada, Faithless, Bushwacker 

and all sorts of exciting people – they were lively weekends!” 

GETTING ON THE CULTURAL MAP 

So how have Michael and Charlie made connections with the likes of 

international headline artists across music and the wider arts? “Our 

focus has always been on doing the most extraordinary, weird cool 

things we could possibly find and this has naturally built a little bit of 

momentum,” says Michael. “We’ve now been running for three years 

and each time we’ve undertaken an artistic collaboration it has helped 

tell our story in different circles and different little worlds. We are very 

fortunate now that we seem to have people coming to us and that’s 

very much how we are looking to grow the business from here. We 

have some really exciting promoters now coming to us and scheduling 

events and bringing some great artists through.” 

As with anyone who has started a business like this, the phrase 

‘doing everything yourself’ is no exaggeration according to Michael. 

“I would be DJ’ing while taking photos, while answering the phone, 

while moving a mattress. Meanwhile, Charlie would be in the bar, 

cooking dinner, solving an electrical problem and juggling 50 other 

things at the same time. 


PEOPLE 

“Over the last few years we have done almost everything ourselves 

really in terms of the bar and the food and promoting the events, but 

this year we are going to be launching a series of partners that we 

are really excited to have on board. The first is a traditional Japanese 

restaurant called Hakko House, who are currently finishing setting 

up in converted shipping containers on site. It is going to be a very 

exciting addition to the local area to have this top notch Japanese 

food offering and also for guests to experience this cuisine with a 

local twist. 

“We are also announcing a fantastic bar partner who are based out 

of Bath and run a couple of places including the Hideout, which has 

been awarded 18th best bar in the UK. They do amazing cocktails and 

grow a lot of their own garnishes, so again has a lovely local story.” 

The final partner Marston Park is announcing this year is Toniq, 

a spa partner who will be enhancing the facilities already on offer 

under the name Toniq Elements. “We have a cold water plunge pool 

and wood fired hot tub, which have both been really popular and 

we’ll now have breathwork classes and exciting exercise and wellness 

classes. The interest in cold water therapy and those sorts of things is 

exploding and it’s something that I have personally really gotten into 

– yes, I am a winter lunatic! 

“We are excited to see how our story unfolds with these various 

partners who are all at the top of their game. I think for us we are 

making quite a marked shift in bringing in the partners – it’s the best 

way we can think of to grow the business in the long term, keeping all 

the pieces doing something really exciting.” 

MEMBERSHIPS 

Marston Park currently operates from May to October and originally, 

as a part of its license agreement, needed to charge a paid 

membership to those coming onto the site. “We had some push back 

from certain people and we were keen to make the place an open and 

inclusive space so we managed to get our licence changed. We now 

offer a free membership which means you can come and enjoy the 

place any time there isn’t a ticketed happening or event. We also have 

a small gang of 1,000 who pay a nominal fee and get a small heads up 

on events as a lot sell out quickly.” 

Staying at Marston Park is open to all. “We like to think of ourselves 

as a hotel without walls. The tents are a bit like hotel rooms in that 

they don’t have cooking facilities at the moment. The Futuro house 

is however being fitted out with a traditional 1960s kitchen and a wet 

room and will be the first of our spaces with a self-catered option.” 

Michael is investigating the potential of adding more solid 

structures with kitchens and bathrooms and has plans to restore 

some of the old listed buildings on the site. “I think we will naturally 

become an all year round sort of place; a little more introverted and 

retreat-like in the winter and more communal in the summer.” 

The current bell tent accommodation offers more than luxury 

interiors. Michael and Charlie’s canvas studios and suites offer 

guests artist supplies, an easel and a guitar! “We want people to use 

the landscape as a muse for their creativity. We find we get a lot of 

musicians, painters, sculptors and writers as well as people breaking 

out of the city. I am personally a big believer that the surroundings 

and the people you are around have a huge impact on what you’re 

making, whatever that is, and the way you think. It’s nice that nearly 

everyone that comes picks up the guitar in their room and thrashes 

out a tune (well or badly) or picks up a paintbrush. 

“We get a lot of art gifted to us left out on easels and it’s fantastic 

to come across a stunning oil painting by a very famous artist and 

then find a messy duck drawn by a four year old that somehow really 

nicely captures a duck! We’ve been collecting the best ones – they are 

currently sat at my house but it would be nice to do a history of art 

created on site in our gallery.” 

FESTIVAL INFRASTRUCTURE 

Michael admits to spending a lot of time on Pinterest, Google Images 

and Instagram looking for infrastructure to suit the site that offered 

something slightly different. “It is a festival-style set up here. We are 

far away from any mains so have power laid above ground, being very 

careful to tread as lightly as possible on the landscape. 

“We have been experimenting with solar and battery to minimise 

generator use and are trying to understand the power usage of 

different parts of the site. It's heating stuff that’s the killer. The 

reception area is quite light touch and the one battery we have 

can run it for eight hours but boil a kettle and it halves that time! 

Similarly, in the communal area we have a highly directional sound 

system, lights and fridges running for eight hours from one battery 

but turn on the coffee machine and it sucks it down to 30 minutes. 

Working all this out isn’t something we find easy – there is obviously a 

lot of information out there but lots of equipment isn’t fit for purpose 

when you are using things in an off-grid set up.” 

Now entering year four, the business is moving in the right 

direction. “I guess it’s a similar journey to many other businesses – 

you’re not profitable as you start working everything out and then 

when things settle you become profitable. We have a great little 

group of shareholders, all people we know really well and who are 

coming along for the journey with us. It’s set to be a long journey as 

there’s a lot to do, and everyone got on board with that in mind.” 


PEOPLE 

Behind the seasonal operation, is a local workforce. “Our team has flexed 

a lot over the last few years. At our peak we have about 40 staff and we make 

a point of hiring a lot of young people as locally as we can. For a lot it will 

be their first job and they either walk or cycle to work. I think these sorts of 

businesses are really important to a rural community as it helps youngsters 

get a bit of training and introduces them to some life experience.” 

TIME OUT 

The duo uses the off season to evaluate, plan and process before launching 

back into Marston Park's operating months. “I do some gigs, travel and work 

on developing our offering for the next year. Perhaps the hardest thing is 

taking time out. I have learned that you have to create the time to have a 

hobby, go for a walk or spend time with friends and family or it just won’t 

happen, and you won’t necessarily be any better at your job if you don’t! I 

liken it to when you are a kid and stay up late to finish your homework and it 

turns out rubbish because you are so tired! 

“The key is to build in time for yourself so when you are focused on a 

project you are at your best. I am currently really enjoying getting in cold 

water; I am quite nervous that it isn’t going to be cold enough in the summer 

but I’ll find a way to deal with that.” 

DETAILS 

Marston Park, Tuckmarsh Lane, Frome 

Somerset BA11 5BP 

www.marstonpark.co.uk 

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CASE STUDY 

Higher 

Holcombe 

A rustic barn and woodland 

wedding venue in Devon 

Managing the planting of 

their 30 acre woodland from 

Tanzania, Joanna Tomlins 

and husband Gary returned 

to their Devonshire plot to 

start a “flexible and friendly” 

outdoor venue for weekend 

weddings. We talk to Joanna. 

When did you start your venue 

business? 

In 2002, with no plans to open 

a wedding business, we bought 

a building plot with 30 acres of 

redundant pasture, and three years 

later moved in. With no interest in 

fields of grass, we began planting 

trees and had the idea in 2009 to 

start a glamping business. Things 

were put on hold in 2011 as Gary’s 

work as an agronomist took us 

to Tanzania, where I carried on 

working as a primary school 

teacher. 

Whilst abroad we distancemanaged 

the renovation of the 

concrete milking parlour into an 

elegantly rustic barn and expanded 

the tree planting whenever we 

were back on leave. The deciduous 

woodland gradually matured and 

we began refining our ideas for 

using the venue. We started as a 

business in 2019 and were fortunate 

to host two weddings in our first 

year and a had few glamping 

holiday bookings through Airbnb. 

We now focus our marketing to 

“STRIKING 

THE BALANCE 

BETWEEN 

WILD AND 

TAME IN 

TERMS 

OF THE 

WOODLAND, 

WILDFLOWER 

MEADOWS 

AND 

GARDENS IS 

EVOLVING AS 

WE GROW” 

couples wanting a flexible and 

friendly outdoor venue for weekend 

weddings. We are open for six 

months a year. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

Higher Holcombe enjoys a secluded 

location near Ottery St Mary in 

Devon and is easily accessible from 

Exeter, the M5 and A30. We are 

proud to have transformed more 

than half the land into woodland. 

We enjoy being described as ‘not 

very corporate’ but making sure 

that the facilities are ‘wedding 

worthy’ is something we always 

have an eye on. 

Striking the balance between 

wild and tame in terms of the 

woodland, wildflower meadows 

and gardens is evolving as we grow. 

Managing what has become a 30 

acre ‘woodland garden’ involves a 

lot more than mowing! 

With the accommodation 

scattered over the site, turnarounds 

are well managed (forgetting a 

pillowcase wastes a lot of time 



if your tent is 300m away) and 

we are becoming expert laundry 

logisticians! Outdoor ceremonies 

require a lot of moving of chairs etc. 

and our trusty trailer is probably our 

most useful asset. 

What facilities for outdoor 

functions do you offer? 

Specialising in outdoor and 

woodland weddings, we have two 

unique ceremony spaces – a hilltop 

willow ‘cathedral’ and the rather 

romantic silver birch ‘church’. We 

love it when different parts of the 

venue are used for various elements 

of wedding celebrations. 

We have come to specialise in 

weekend weddings and include a 

range of farmhouse and glamping 

accommodation for 40 guests 

and the quirky Hobbit House 

Honeymoon Hideaway – perfect for 

romantic seclusion! 

The renovated barn, The Old 

Dairy, is used for feasting and 

partying and has bathroom and 

shower facilities for wedding and 

glamping guests. We have added 

a funky stretch tent in case of rain 

so that couples can still have an 

outdoor wedding under cover. 

What services do you offer? 

Being a blank canvas venue with 

no catering team or bar services, 

couples are free to choose suppliers 

to suit their taste and style. They 

love this flexibility and we support 

them by suggesting suppliers, 

directing traffic, moving furniture 

around for ceremonies, setting 

up tables for alfresco meals or a 

woodland bar, and lighting the fire 

pit. 

We want to encourage our 

couples to be as sustainable 

as possible so organise all the 

recycling and offer an expanding 

‘prop cupboard’ of (mainly rustic) 

wedding décor items to borrow. 

Describe how you researched and 

sourced your structures 

We were still in Tanzania as our 

ideas developed so glamping 

research was initially done online. It 

was tricky to really understand how 

each glamping accommodation 

style might suit so we used holiday 



time to drive around the UK and 

visit tent, tipi and glamping pod 

providers to help us decide which 

accommodation to invest in. 

We discovered The Glamping 

Show in 2018 and my heart was 

stolen by the spacious Lotus Belle 

tents, which we ordered for our 

opening in 2019. Gary learned 

about IgluHut, which we couldn’t 

resist, and added DIY Harrogate 

Huts as a lockdown project, which 

were ready by 2022. 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

We work closely with the couples 

to ensure the ‘flow’ of their 

weekend and to select positioning 

of food trucks etc. We attract 

creative and free-spirited couples 

who want to set their own agenda 

with their own time frame. We are 

happy to support and advise as 

needed. 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We advertise on a few wedding 

advertising platforms (The Boho 

Bride Guide, Rock My Wedding, 

Hitched, Outdoor Ceremonies) and 

I am trying my best to learn about 

social media (Instagram) and 

optimise blog and website content 

so that Google drives more traffic 

to our website. Jess Tetstall (VA) 

manages our Pinterest pages. 

How would you describe your 

“I USED 

WHATSAPP TO 

HOST VIRTUAL 

VENUE VISITS 

AND WE HAD 

A FLEXIBLE 

AND COU- 

PLE-FRIENDLY 

POSTPONING 

PROCESS 

WHICH WAS 

REALLY AP- 

PRECIATED” 

style or unique selling point? 

Offering a friendly, relaxed and 

flexible family-run outdoor venue 

where couples can set their own 

agenda, express themselves and 

have their friends and family to stay. 

What challenges have you faced 

historically? 

Learning how to navigate the 

world of social media is the biggest 

marketing challenge. We’re still on 

the steep part of the learning curve. 

Practically, managing the set up 

of the tents each spring led us to use 

the fantastic services of The Canvas 

Cleaning Company who appear like 

magic to set up and break down the 

tents, which is a real stress reliever. 

The willow cathedral needs a fair 

amount of pruning and taming at 

various times of the year and then 

there’s the woodland husbandry 

including watering saplings in dry 

spells. 

How did you cope through the 

pandemic? 

Re-arranging weddings was fiddly 

work but as a new venue, the 

numbers weren’t unmanageable. I 

used WhatsApp to host virtual venue 

visits and we had a flexible and 

couple-friendly postponing process 

which was really appreciated. As 

restrictions began to lift we kept 

the wolf from the door with small 

group and family glamping holiday 

bookings and focussed our attention 

on looking after the grounds, 

sowing kilos of wildflower seeds and 

watering the baby trees. 

How large is your team – any 

special people you’d like to 

mention? 

For most of the year and day-today, 

it’s just us really although we 

engage a team of cleaners for the 

wedding turnarounds and students 

for seasonal event support. One of 

the most important people is Kipper 

who does all our ground works, 

mowing and strimming and who 

looked after the place while we were 

away in Tanzania. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

We are always looking for ways 

to increase the biodiversity of 

the venue and create magical 

opportunities for the couples who 

book us. We’ve added 1,400 trees 

this year and created a 200m long 

boulevard which should mature in 

about eight to 12 years. 

We would like to grow the 

business and employ someone to 

help manage the venue so we can 

focus on our chilli products business 

www.hatari.co.uk (currently in the 

garage)! 

Describe your average day midseason 

We host about 18 weekend 

weddings a year so there’s the 



ADDRESS BOOK 

STRETCH TENT 

RHI Stretch Tents www.rhitents.com 

ACCOMMODATION 

Lotus Belle www.lotusbelle.co.uk 

IgluHut www.iglucraft.com/en 

Harrowgate Huts 

www.harrogatehuts.com 

TENT SET-UP/BREAKDOWN 

The Canvas Cleaning Company 

www.thecanvascleaningcompany.co.uk 

LIGHTING 

Festive Lights 

www.festive-lights.com 

TOILETS 

WooWoo www.waterlesstoilets.co.uk 

“MEETING THE COUPLES, SEEING THEIR PLANS COME TO LIFE AND 

HEARING THE SOUNDS OF HAPPY WEDDING PARTIES. WE BOTH 

LOVE WORKING IN THE WOODLAND AND WILDFLOWER MEADOWS – 

AND I JUST LOVE FIGHTING BRAMBLES (DON’T ASK)” 

usual round of admin, grounds 

maintenance, managing 

housekeeping and trying to keep on 

top of social media, blogging and 

labelling photos. The ‘to do’ list is 

never complete! 

What do you enjoy about the 

business? 

Meeting the couples, seeing their 

plans come to life and hearing the 

sounds of happy wedding parties. 

We both love working in the 

woodland and wildflower meadows 

– and I just love fighting brambles 

(don’t ask). 

What are you most proud of? 

Changing the pasture fields into 

woodland and creating such magical 

spaces. 

What advice could you give to 

someone coming into the industry? 

Don’t spend all your resources 

renovating old buildings. Ensure that 

you have the personality, energy and 

enthusiasm to work in the wedding 

industry. Learn as much as you can 

from wherever you can about social 

media marketing (we knew nothing)! 

Get help with Pinterest. Research and 

plan. 

DIRECTORY SITES 

The Boho Bride Guide 

www.thebohobrideguide.com 

Rock My Wedding 

www.rockmywedding.co.uk 

Hitched www.hitched.co.uk 

Outdoor Ceremonies 

www.outdoorceremonies.co.uk 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk 

PLANNING 

Bondstones www.bondstones.co.uk 

LANDSCAPE IDEAS 

Swan Paul Partnership 

www.swanpaul.co.uk 

BRANDING 

A Dozen Eggs www.adozeneggs.co.uk 

WEBSITE 

Beyond the Kitchen Table 

www.beyondthekitchentable.co.uk 

LEGAL ADVICE 

Stanford Gould 

www.stanfordgouldonline.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Higher Holcombe Farm 

Holcombe Lane, Ottery St Mary 

Devon EX11 1PQ 

www.higherholcombe.co.uk 

INFO@NEWFORESTCONTAINERS.CO.UK 

New Forest Containers specialises in bespoke conversions 

for your business, working with you from design, right 

through the build to delivery, ensuring your specification is 

met. We offer the following conversions and more in a 

range of different sizes: 

ACCOMMODATION 

BARS AND CATERING UNITS 

TOILET BLOCK UNITS 

SHOWER BLOCK UNITS 

SHOPS 

COMMUNAL SPACES 

CUSTOM STORAGE 

WWW.NEWFORESTCONTAINERS.CO.UK 


Stunning 

tents for 

stunning events! 

WE LOVE STRETCH TENTS! 

Years of experience, passion and enthusiasm 

to get what you want from your event. 

Sales, full installation and custom 

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@alternative_stretch_tents 



TRADE SECRETS 

Pricing Myths Busted 

£ £ £ 

Kelly Chandler tells it straight. If you’re doing any of these 

things as the pathway to success, think again! 

GETTY IMAGES 

MYTH ONE - Keeping back the pricing 

If you’ve been subscribing to the school of 

tempt them in, wow them, make them fall in 

love with your venue and then hit them with 

your pricing, then this needs a rethink. I’ve 

been talking about the need for transparent 

and upfront pricing for wedding venues 

for several years now and never has the 

customer needed or demanded it more. 

Quite simply, young (and increasingly 

Gen Z wedding couples) are making their 

shortlisting decisions from websites, social 

media and what you put out there simply and 

honestly. If you’re making it hard for them to 

get a starting point understanding of what 

their wedding with you will cost, then you’re 

less and less likely to make their shortlist and 

get their enquiry or convert it further. 

And ‘hard’, by the way, means even asking 

them for an email address – Gen Z are 

increasingly valuing privacy and anonymity 

and want to review what you’ve got before 

raising their hands and revealing themselves. 

MYTH TWO - Having multiple pricing/package 

options 

While having more than one package is often 

good advice, it’s not the only way to run a 

successful venue business. High/mid/low 

season, shoulder season, midweek/weekend 

pricing is all well and good. 

Offering variable pricing for different 

dates can often by the right option for some 

venues, particularly where volume and filling 

max dates is the key driver but it’s not the 

only way to success. Looking first at business 

goals and your desired business model 

then setting pricing accordingly comes first 

alongside not overcomplicating things for the 

couple. 

MYTH THREE - Intently mirroring competitor 

venues 

By all means follow along and make 

comparisons (everyone does it) but don’t 

assume that what your competitor does is 

the right thing or that it is working for them. 

Also, don’t fall into the trap of looking local 

only – look broader and wider, your couples 

often will be. 

Venues are not like for like in any way 

shape or form. Having worked on site with 

hundreds of venues I know this for sure, and 

couples know it too. Even if they are price 

motivated and want to be in control of their 

budget, there is much more to their decision. 

BONUS INSIGHT 

I often see team members, their managers 

and leaders making pricing decisions based 

on a lack of confidence in their worth and 

value. When I say worth, that can be as a 

venue but also as an individual person or 

team. Our own money story and views on 

money (conscious and unconscious) very 

much comes into play here too. As a trained 

NLP and mindset coach this is an area that 

I work on with clients to support change in 

perception for greater confidence in pricing 

and selling. 

If you’re curious and would like to know 

more about working with me – whether 

it’s realistic pricing and package reviewing 

for your venue or working deeper on your 

confidence around pricing – I’d love to talk. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Kelly Chandler Wedding 

Consulting is a wellestablished 

diversificationinto- 

weddings consultancy 

helping the teams behind 

unique venues to thrive in 

the modern wedding market. 

Kelly supports clients in a very 

bespoke way, consulting to help them create 

their best wedding offering, find their niche 

ideal wedding clients, sell more effectively, 

streamline systems and grow sustainably. 

www.kellychandlerconsulting.co.uk 



Tipi Wedding 

Trends 

for 2023 

# 

Award-winning tipi venue Sheepy Meadows 

gives advice on effective tipi décor styling 

THERE ARE many benefits to couples having their wedding in a tipi. Tipi 

venues can be more cost effective when compared to some traditional 

venues and they provide a blank canvas to make a special day truly 

unique. Other positives include having outdoor and indoor space, 

making for a day full of variety for guests with plenty of opportunity to 

soak up surrounding countryside. 

Here are four styles that work fantastically with a tipi structure. 

#Bohemian 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLONDE SHOT, STYLING BY JUNIE POONIE 

#Minimalist 

In 2023, less is definitely more, as the trend for minimalist styling 

at weddings is becoming ever more popular. This modern way of 

theming focuses on detail outside of grand floral table displays, 

bringing sleek modern touches. Ideal if a traditional wedding is not 

your couples’ cup of tea, with this type of styling you can experiment 

with colours never usually imagined at a wedding, such as black! 

The rise of boho brides 

continues through 2023 as 

the world becomes more 

at one with nature post 

pandemic. Neutral earthy 

tones and rustic touches 

complement a tipi very 

well, which explains why it 

is the most popular theme 

for this type of venue. 

If your couples enjoy 

the outdoors, then a tipi 

wedding is ideal as the 

boho theme helps bring 

love for the countryside 

to a special day. Neutral 

tones, pale floral displays, 

lace detail and sheepskin 

can make the indoors feel 

like outdoors. 

This style is perfect for 

eco-minded brides and 

grooms too as you can use 

reclaimed furniture and 

recycled materials to add 

character to your venue. 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WE ARE LOVELY CREATURES STYLING BY MAKE IT SPECIAL EVENTS 



#Festival 

Not every tipi wedding has to 

feature neutral tones. If your 

couples enjoy the fun side to life 

and want to channel their vibrant 

personalities into your venue, 

then a festival theme could be 

the one for them. Bring bright 

colours, funky florals, glitter and 

live music to the day and make it 

a celebration to remember. 

The combination of indoor 

tent space and the rustic outdoor 

area at our tipi fits this theme so 

well, making it feel authentic. 

Get imaginative with your 

catering partners and elevate the 

experience by using suppliers that 

have the style of catering you’d 

typically see at a real festival. 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WE ARE LOVELY CREATURES STYLING BY MAKE IT SPECIAL EVENTS 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARLEY AND UNDERWOOD STYLING BY MAKE IT SPECIAL EVENTS 

#Classic 

When you think of tipi weddings 

you may not think traditional, but 

you’d be wrong! As mentioned 

earlier, tipi venues supply a 

blank canvas, allowing for any 

theme to suit. With a plethora 

of natural light at your disposal, 

you can elevate your whites and 

make the classic look really pop! 

Merging a traditional theme 

with a modern venue space can 

create a memorable event. Think 

Bridgerton meets Glastonbury! 


Ellie Cashmore is part of the award winning venue Sheepy Meadows’ team based in Sheepy Magna near the historic town of Atherstone. 

Owners Joe and Joanna Garland own multiple enterprises at the stunning Mythe Farm, including wedding and events venue Mythe Barn 

and corporate event management company Eventurous. The pair decided to launch their new tipi venue after recognising a need in the 

market for unique wedding and event venues that are easy to bespoke. 

Sheepy Meadows offers a solution for the rising number of eco-conscious couples and corporates and were awarded the ECOsmart award by 

event and hospitality sustainability specialists, Greengage Solutions. www.sheepymeadows.co.uk 



PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Bars & Catering 

Lankenauer Höft, Bremen 

Product: STROHBOID Pavillon 3 

Connect and three STROHBOID Lounges 

Supplier: STROHBOID, www.strohboid. 

com/en/products/pavilion 

Details: Lankenauer Höft, a popular 

beach bar in Bremen were looking for a 

solution to create space that could be 

rented all year round. For that purpose 

they needed a heatable outdoor 

space that blended nicely into the 

surroundings. 

To create a unique atmosphere and 

provide a cosy and warm space for 

guests, Lankenauer Höft rented a 330m2 

STROHBOID Pavillon 3 Connect for 

three months. They also bought three 

STROHBOID Lounges for year round use, 

which can be rented for business events, 

birthday parties, weddings and more. 

The sustainable pavilion and lounges, 

with their carbon negative footprint, not 

only provided a cosy and inviting space 

for visitors to enjoy during the winter 

but also made a positive impact on the 

environment. 

The design of the structures has also 

served as an effective marketing tool, 

drawing attention to the beach bar and 

making it a destination year-round, 

generating buzz and attracting new 

customers. 

Customer feedback: Jasper 

Kelkenberg, Lankenauer Höft’s MD, 

said: “The pavilion and lounges create 

a heated and aesthetic space for unique 

experiences. They also serve as an 

important marketing tool and help us to 

stick out from the crowd.” 

Bespoke Container Conversions 

New Forest Containers 

07388 174270 

info@newforestcontainers.co.uk 

www.newforestcontainers.co.uk 

New Forest Containers specialises in creating 

bespoke container conversions for your business. 

Working with you from design to delivery, NFC works 

with you to ensure your specification is met exactly! 

We do the following conversions in a range of 

different sizes and layouts: bars and food stands, 

toilet blocks, shower blocks, accommodation, 

offices and communal spaces. 



Motorpoint Arena, 

Nottingham 

Product: Reusable cups 

Supplier: Green Goblet, 01278 238390, 

info@green-goblet.com, www.green-goblet. 

com 

Details: The Motorpoint Arena was the 

first UK entertainment and sports venue to 

introduce reusable cups, leading the way 

to eliminating single-use cups. It hosts a 

wide range of events from ice hockey to live 

music and adapts its layout for every event 

it holds. 

Operating the reusable eco cups on a 

£1.00 deposit scheme, the arena offers a 

variety of cups sizes and different designs. 

These include elite ice hockey league 

team The Nottingham Panthers as 

well as generic Motorpoint branding 

such as Christmas and Halloween 

designs. Hospitality cups are branded 

differently as no deposit is charged 

on them. 

By switching over to reusable 

cups, Motorpoint Arena has saved 

hundreds of thousands of singleuse 

cups going into landfill. Instead, 

the reusable cups are supplied and 

washed by Green Goblet at one of 

their wash stations, using the latest 

most environmentally friendly washer/ 

dryer machines. 

Since December 2017, when they first 

started operating the reusable cup scheme, 

other stadiums and arenas have followed 

suit. Green Goblet now supplies reusable 

cups and tableware to venues up and down 

the country and is helping organisations 

to lower their carbon footprint, as well as 

giving their attendees a better drinking 

experience. 

The great news is that Motorpoint Arena 

uses its reusable cups hundreds of times 

over, and at the end of their life they are 

recycled into useful objects such as ice 

scrapers or coat hangers. #Refill Not Landfill. 

Customer feedback: Commercial director 

Phillip Jones said: “Motorpoint Arena 

is proud of the fact that we have saved 

hundreds of thousands of cups from 

going into landfill over the years by using 

reusable cups throughout our venue. Saving 

the planet should be at the core of every 

organisation.” 

Cellar-in-a-Box 

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 (pictured), 

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. 


A SUBSIDIARY OF WILD 

HARE EVENTS LTD 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

Commercial canvas laundry 

specialising in cleaning, waterproofing 

and repairing canvas structures. 

All types of bell tents and canvas awnings. 

www.thecanvascleaningcompany.co.uk 

info@wildhareevents.com / Tel: 07855 229568 

Quality Glamping 

Cabins and BBQ Huts 

Achieve all year round bookings, with our 

unique luxury glamping cabins 

EN-SUITE AVAILABLE • OFF-GRID OR ECO OPTIONS 

BESPOKE SOLUTIONS • FULLY INSULATED AND HEATING OPTIONS 

01389 734572 info@logspan.com www.logspan.com 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Cwtch Cabins 

An eco-glampsite in Herefordshire offering four cabins and three huts 

We talk to Ruth Rennick 

about living a life rich in 

experiences at her off-grid 

site with a fantasy feel, 

and how “the expensive, 

protracted nightmare of 

torrid times and tears” 

(planning permission) is well 

and truly behind her. 

What’s your back story – your life 

before glamping? 

My husband James and I have both 

worked in the commercial sector, 

James mainly in retail and I in data 

networking. Children change your 

perspective on what is important 

in life and, in an attempt to have a 

‘lifestyle’ that suited bringing up 

children, we spent 14 years living 

and working at an historic house 

managing the events and estate. 

What made you decide to 

start offering glamping 

accommodation? 

We holidayed every year with 

the children, mainly camping 

and stayed in some wonderful 

campsites both in the UK and 

in Europe. Come ‘that’ time 

of the evening, we are away 

somewhere lovely, the children 

in bed exhausted from the fresh 

air exposure and the wine open. 

Each time, the same conversation 

would occur. James would say 

wistfully “we could do this campsite 

lark better than this”. The day 

finally came at a clean and clipped 

“THE DAY 

FINALLY CAME 

AT A CLEAN 

AND CLIPPED 

CAMPSITE 

IN NORTH 

WALES WHEN 

THE PLAN 

WAS MADE 

TO LOOK FOR 

A LOCATION 

WHEN WE 

RETURNED 

FROM 

HOLIDAY” 

campsite in North Wales when the 

plan was made to look for a location 

when we returned from holiday. 

How did you research the 

business before entering it? 

Our research on the workings of 

campsites was largely done on 

a usage basis. We learned what 

we liked and what we didn’t like 

as campers/customers. From the 

‘owner’ perspective, we had lots of 

experience in events management 

and we completely understood the 

catering, cleaning and ‘wearing 

every hat’ requirement of running 

a campsite – from clearing blocked 

drains invisibly while the wedding 

party ensued to managing the 

logistics of running a three day 

outdoor festival and all that entails. 

Tell us about your location and site 

We looked at campsites to buy in 

Somerset, Devon and Cornwall but 

also looked hard at the area that 

we lived in. We decided that, even 

though Herefordshire wasn’t a 

traditional ‘destination’ for camping 

with no coast and no lakes, that 


GLAMPSITES 

we loved being here. The land is 

beautiful and varied with rivers, 

valleys, hills and woods. 

Herefordshire is one of the 

unspoilt counties and we didn’t 

want to move away. That meant 

that we started looking for fields to 

buy close to where we lived. After 

a few false starts, we bought a field 

one mile away. 

The village that we live in (Much 

Marcle) has two wedding venues, 

hosts a music festival, a garden 

festival, a large model air show, a 

steam rally, the British Eventing 

horse trials, a cider festival and a 

daffodil festival annually, as well 

as a myriad of other events and 

concerts both in the village and in 

the wider area. We also benefit from 

being in the middle of the country 

so are an ideal stop off for people on 

their way North or South. 

We still took a major risk as 

we were completely aware that 

planning permission was going to 

be an uphill struggle. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

Sustainability and a light touch 

on the landscape were our driving 

forces so plans were made to 

build an off-grid campsite with a 

maximum of 26 pitches (10 cabins/ 

shepherd huts, 10 tent pitches and 

six caravan/motorhome spaces). 

In addition to the pitches, we 

planned a reception building (The 

Hub), a camp kitchen building, 

a toilet and shower block and 

our house. With our plans for 

the campsite to be off-grid, with 

cooking fires for the campers, and 

our existing housing being tied to 

our jobs it made complete sense for 

safety to live on site too. 

We used a local planning 

consultant, Chris, who is a lovely 

chap and knows the ropes when 

dealing with the planners. When we 

first spoke to Chris he expressed his 

strong view that we would never get 

planning permission with the house 

but may just get it if we removed it 

from the plans. The house though 

is integral to the plan so it wasn’t 

up for discussion, and at that time 

Chris didn’t know how tenacious I 

can be! 

We garnered 26 letters of support 

from the local community as we 

knew lots of the villagers from 

our time living here and we had 

support from the parish council 

and a local councillor. Despite this, 

our initial application was refused 

outright. We resubmitted within a 

six week period having removed 

the caravans and motorhomes 

(the infrastructure cost for these 

was massive compared to income) 

and showed the council again how 

sustainable the application was. 

We eventually went to planning 

committee where we achieved 

temporary planning permission for 

a three year period. This again was 

a huge risk; everything we had and 

more was going into this build. 

This was in late October 2018. 

Once the three year period was 

up, technically, we would have to 

remove everything from site (80 

trees, 700 hedgelings etc.). In short, 

planning permission was an 

expensive, protracted 

nightmare of 


GLAMPSITES 

torrid times and tears. We started 

building in January 2019 and 

moved in in April 2020 – just in time 

for Covid. We have however now 

had three operating seasons (as 

best we could with a pandemic) 

and were granted full planning 

permission in December 2022 after 

a further fraught fight. 

How did you finance the project? 

We have not been entitled to any 

grants at all (even Covid grants 

when the business had to be closed) 

and so it is all entirely self-funded, 

including using my pension funds. 

The renewables for the site has 

been a massive outlay but is the 

basis of what we believe in. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

We currently offer four cabins and 

three shepherd huts as well as the 

10 tent pitches. Over time these will 

increase to the 10 cabins allowable 

within the planning permission, but 

“THE SITE IS 

DEFINITELY 

QUIRKY AND 

MIRRORS MY 

LOVE FOR 

ALL THINGS 

ARTHURIAN, 

LORD OF 

THE RINGS 

AND HARRY 

POTTER, 

AS WELL AS 

OUR DEEPLY 

GREEN 

ETHOS” 

that will be as funds allow. 

We like to use ‘used’ as much as 

we can so all of the shepherd huts 

and one of the cabins are second 

hand and have been refitted. We 

have a year round licence but the 

ground conditions dictate that at 

least through November, December, 

January and February we close 

completely to allow recovery. Only 

two of the cabins have heating so 

they open at the beginning of March 

to the end October – everything else 

is open from the beginning of April 

to the end of September. 

Most cabins sleep four but the 

latest one (Pendragon) sleeps six. 

The shepherd huts sleep three or 

four. 

The site is definitely quirky 

and mirrors my love for all things 

Arthurian, Lord of the Rings and 

Harry Potter, as well as our deeply 

green ethos. This all sounds odd 

indeed but it hangs together rather 

well. Each cabin or shepherd hut 

has its own personality. Some are 

named after people who helped 

us through the build and planning 

permission times (Zena, Knock 

Knock and Barry are all planning 

permission helpers and Graham 

and Hunter both build helpers). 

What occupancy levels and price 

per night do you achieve? 

We try not to be driven by 

occupancy levels as we are in the 

lucky position that the site just 

about pays for us to be able to live 

here. Any further large push for 

growth is not in keeping with our 

green ethos and so we keep things 

slow and steady and will allow 

funds to dictate our final growth to 

10 cabins when the time is right. In 

the meantime we carry out small 

improvements each year to improve 

the experience of the visitors. In the 

cabins we achieve and average of 

£80 per night. 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

I am quite a creative person and we 

Outdoor Toilets 

and Showers 

• Portable 

• Customisable 

• Quick delivery 

• Instant solution 

www.sheepshed.co.uk • 01865 600400 


GLAMPSITES 

also have a wonderful soon to be 

son-in-law who is a graphic designer 

so he created our logo after a verbal 

description from me. The logo is 

used everywhere that we put ‘words 

or pictures’. With regard to publicity, 

I do paid advertising with just one 

company in Herefordshire called 

Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire (www. 

eatsleepliveherefordshire.co.uk) 

who have national reach. All other 

advertising I do through Instagram 

and FaceBook myself. 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

Our ethos is all about a gentle 

touch and being thoughtful about 

our planet and all who share it. 

Reconnecting with nature gently. 

Being as self-sufficient as possible 

and practical, and supporting local 

and small businesses. We achieve a 

high level of repeat business and we 

like to connect with everyone who 

visits. Allowing that time and space 

for renewing connection to the 

important things in life. 

How did you choose your interior 

decoration? 

Our interior decoration is about 

being rustic, practical and useful 

with a touch of the fairyland. You 

won’t find any white rugs – we want 

children to be able to forget to take 

their shoes off and it not matter. 

What challenges have you faced? 

Challenges faced have been 

financial, Covid, planning 

permission and ‘nay sayers’. We 

however only have the usual 

financial ones now so we feel that 

we are winning! 

“BEING A PART 

OF SPREADING 

SOME ‘MAGIC’ 

AS WELL AS 

BEING ABLE TO 

BE OUTSIDE 

FOR THE VAST 

MAJORITY 

OF THE TIME 

TENDING TO 

GUESTS AND 

THE GARDEN 

ALIKE” 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

This season (2023) we are right 

now upgrading the camp kitchen, 

doing some minor repairs and 

building porches (really useful in 

poor weather). We are also looking 

into being able to provide light 

breakfasts for people from our 

reception building (The Hub). We 

may look at an additional cabin 

for 2024 season but that is wholly 

dependent on finances. 

Describe your average day midseason 

Up early, understand incoming and 

outgoing guests for the day, quick 

check and refresh in the toilet and 

shower block. Go to The Hub to 

serve coffee and tea for those who 

want it and have morning chats 

with guests. Take the dogs out 

for a woodland walk. Come back 

and feed the chickens and collect 

eggs. See out those guests who are 

leaving and possibly take a booking 

for their next visit. Clean the 

vacated cabins in readiness for their 

new guests. Do some gardening. 

Start welcoming guests from 2pm. 

Later in the day assist with building 

cooking fires for those who are a 

little unsure and supply wood and 

kindling to others. Sometimes we 

will have a pizza night and cook 

pizza in our wood-fired oven. 

Do you enjoy the business? 

I love it. The interaction with 

people, the satisfaction when they 

say how lovely it has been for them. 

Being a part of spreading some 

‘magic’ as well as being able to 

be outside for the vast majority of 

the time tending to guests and the 

garden alike. 


How beautiful the site is while it 

is also a haven for wildlife. I am 

thrilled too when people ask about 

the renewables and I can then show 

them how it all works. If we can 

influence a proportion of our guests 

to do things more carefully and 

thoughtfully for the planet when 

they get home then our job is done. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Don’t plan to be rich in money, be 

rich in experiences. Oh, and become 

a member of the FSB (Federation of 

Small Businesses) even if it’s only 

for payroll. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

ACCOMMODATION 

Timber Team (suppliers of Morgana) 

www.timberteamuk.co.uk 

TOILET & SHOWER 

Paragon Space 

www.paragonspace.co.uk 

PIZZA OVEN 

Ooni uk.ooni.com 

BOOKINGS 

FreetoBook www.freetobook.com 

INSURANCE 

NFU Mutual www.nfumutual.co.uk 

DETAILS 

Cwtch Cabins 

Much Marcle 

Ledbury 

Herefordshire HR8 2NN 

www.cwtchcabins.com 


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GLAMPSITES 

GETTY IMAGES 

THE TIKTOK app can be a powerful 

tool for promoting your glampsite 

and reaching new audiences. Users 

(creators) produce unique short videos 

showing special moments, experiences 

or impressions of the day and share 

them with the TikTok community. They 

show their creativity through music, 

dance, sports, funny sketches and 

more. The possibilities are endless! 

Here are 10 quick tips to get you 

started. 

TikTok 

A beginner’s guide to TikTok 

2 

Take some time to explore the app 

and familiarise yourself with its 

features. You can use hashtags or 

keywords to search for videos related to 

your glampsite. This will help you gain 

a sense of the types of videos that are 

popular on TikTok and what your target 

audience is interested in. 

4 

When it comes to creating videos 

for TikTok, keep in mind that brevity 

is key. TikTok videos are typically 

short, so you'll need to make every 

second count – utilise the video editing 

tools to produce engaging, brief videos 

that showcase your glampsite. Consider 

incorporating music, filters, and unique 

effects to enhance the videos’ appeal. 

1 

First, you’ll need to install the 

TikTok app on your mobile 

device and create an account. 

Once you’ve done that, you’re 

ready to get started. 

3 

Once you’re 

comfortable with 

the app, it’s time to 

create a TikTok profile for 

your glampsite. Ensure 

your profile includes a brief 

description of your site 

and a link to your website. 

This will help potential 

customers learn more about 

you and find you online. 

5 

Videos really come to life with the 

addition of music. On the editing page, 

you will see a music note icon on the 

bottom left corner of the screen. Click on it to 

access the music library. You can either browse 

the library or search for a specific song by 

typing its name/artist in the search bar. You 

can also adjust the part of the song you want 

to use by dragging the slider on the bottom of 

the screen. 


GLAMPSITES 

6 

To make the most of TikTok, plan and 

develop a video series that showcases 

different aspects of your glampsite. 

This could include videos highlighting the 

accommodation, the surroundings and 

available activities. By creating a series of 

videos you can help your audience better 

understand what your site has to offer. 

7 

To increase the visibility of your videos, 

use trending hashtags and challenges (see 

glossary). For example, if there is a popular 

TikTok challenge related to nature or travel, 

you could create a video that showcases your 

glampsite in the context of that challenge. This will 

help your videos appear in more search results and 

reach a wider audience. 

8 

Engage with other 

users by commenting 

on their videos and 

following accounts that are 

relevant to your glampsite. 

This can help you build 

relationships with potential 

customers and increase 

your visibility. Responding 

to comments and direct 

messages promptly is also 

important to keep the 

engagement going. 

9 

Consider partnering with TikTok influencers who have a large 

following and a relevant audience. This is especially 

useful if you are starting out and have a smaller 

audience. You could offer them a free stay in 

exchange for creating a video promoting 

your site to their followers. This can help 

you to increase your audience 

reach quickly and gain a lot 

more visibility. 

make sure to track your 

TikTok analytics to see how 

10Finally, 

your videos are performing. 

This will help you identify which types of 

content resonate with your audience and 

make adjustments to your strategy. Make 

sure to post consistently and evaluate the 

results of your efforts regularly. 

IDEAS 

• A tour of your glamping accommodations 

• A video showcasing the beautiful scenery 

around your site 

• A video highlighting the activities available 

at your site, such as hiking or stargazing 

• A “day in the life” video that shows what a 

typical day at your site looks like 

• A video showcasing any special events or 

experiences you offer, such as outdoor 

yoga or a campfire cookout 

• Remember to be creative and have fun 

with your TikTok content! 

GLOSSARY 

HASHTAG 

A term starting with a # to help to 

categorise video content so users can 

find it easily. Someone searching for 

the hashtag #glamping, for example, 

can discover video content related to 

glamping. 

Quick tips: Find popular hashtags 

related to your business, search 

hashtags before using them, combine 

popular hashtags with niche ones, 

keep a list, and keep things fresh – 

switch up hashtags now and again. 

COMMUNITY 

A broad term for TikTok users. 

CREATORS 

TikTok users who create video 

content. 

FANS 

Users can become a ‘fan’ and follow 

a profile so they don’t miss any new 

content. 

HEARTS 

Users can like a video by clicking 

the heart on the right-hand side of 

the screen. This also auto-generates 

a collection of videos within their 

profile. 

TIKTOK CHALLENGES 

TikTok creators can encourage 

people to join a discussion or 

interact with their content by 

challenging people to create videos 

performing a specific action/task. 


GLAMPSITES 

Tech Wins 

Touch Stay’s Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies on 

how to improve your guests’ glamping 

experience with technology 

GETTY IMAGES 

WHILE THE short term rentals world has 

been happily expanding at a speedy rate, 

glamping has bloomed beautifully in the 

alternative accommodation category. 

In fact, we can expect to see the global 

glamping market reach $3.9 billion by 

2027. 

With the newfound demand comes the 

inevitable moment where a little scaling of 

your glamping business might be in order. 

Amongst a sea of glampsites still using 

their tattered and torn guest welcome 

books, or doing things the ‘old-school 

way’, it certainly helps to stand out from 

the crowd. 

While there’s nothing inherently wrong 

with keeping it old school, at Touch Stay 

we’re all about creating empowered 

guests who in turn become happy guests! 

Happier guests, in part, are created by 

making their lives easier throughout 

their stay. This can be achieved by 

implementing a fulsome (yet intentional) 

tech stack. 

By using technology like property 

management systems, channel managers 

and smart home devices, you have more 

time to work on other aspects of your 

business too. It allows you to scale your 

operations, automate workflows and add 

power to your personalisation, all while 

helping you get back to doing more of 

what you love. You are probably utilising 

technology already to help optimise parts 

of your operations – here’s a reminder of 

why a good tech stack is so important. 

1 

TECH ENHANCES THE GUEST 

EXPERIENCE 

Sharing pertinent information with 

your guests for your glampsite doesn’t have 

to be tedious. In fact, it can be a joyful, 

exciting part of your guests’ experience 

when tech is folded in. 

Tech in the form of a digital guidebook 

also supplies your guests with the inside 

scoop while delivering personalised 

recommendations without you having to 

answer repetitive questions. So when an 

urgent request comes through from a guest, 

holiday rental tech improves both you and 

your guests’ experience. 

2 

TECH HELPS RUN YOUR GLAMPSITE 

MORE EFFICIENTLY 

When first starting out with your 

glamping business, an endless array of 

jobs can bog you down. Cut out manual, 

repetitive tasks and achieve operational 

efficiency by investing in technology 

that can easily funnel information and 

communicate with any member of staff. 

3 

TECH INCREASES GLAMPSITE 

VISIBILITY 

An online presence is an equally 

important piece of tech, essential to amplify 

your business’s marketing. Investing in 

technology-driven marketing tactics will 

also help you better understand how to 

provide the best experience for your guests. 

4 

TECH MANAGES REMOTE 

GLAMPSITES FOR REMOTE HOSTS 

Whether you’re a remote host to your 


GLAMPSITES 

HOW TO INCORPORATE TECH FOR YOUR 

GLAMPING BUSINESS 

In an age where so many tech options are available at your fingertips, it 

can be easy to quickly feel overwhelmed. Being strategic when first starting 

to build your own tech stack can create a smooth onboarding process and 

reduce ‘tech-fatigue’. 

It’s also important to remain personable and human-centric. While 

embracing tech can be wonderfully helpful in initiating a self-sufficient 

business, ensure it doesn’t detach you altogether from your guests. Chances 

are, the free time you gain will enhance the real life relationships you’re able 

to build with your guests. And happy guests say great things to their friends 

once they’re back on home turf 

Despite a wide variety of readily available holiday rental technology 

options in today’s market, many lose sight of targeting the guest experience. 

Tech is ultimately about creating efficiency for you and your guests, but not 

becoming so efficient as to remove the human-centred approach from the 

guest experience altogether. 

glampsite, or your glamping properties are 

set in a remote location, technology is there 

to lend a hand. Despite the challenges that 

come with a remote location, like efficiently 

meeting your guests’ needs or managing a 

variety of different types of unit, technology 

can aid in remotely communicating with 

your guests. 

5 

Tech supplies contactless services 

and solutions 

Cloud-based solutions grant your 

guests the freedom to manage their own 

glamping experience. No matter how 

remote or spread out your glamping 

property might be, contactless solutions 

serve a key purpose in minimising contact 

with you or your staff to create a truly 

remote experience, while still providing 

access to pertinent information for 

the duration of your guests’ stay. A few 

examples might be: 

› online self-check-in 

› digital key cards or online access to 

accommodation information 

› instructions for operating smart 

home devices located within the 

accommodation 

› online or mobile payment options for 

guests looking to leave their cash at 

home. There are many contactless 

solutions that are accessible from 

anywhere as they are available to 

download for offline use. 

We might be a little biased but at Touch 

Stay, a digital guidebook checks all the 

boxes in meeting these needs, connecting 

your guests to you and your property 

before, during and even after their stay. 

6 

TECH PROMOTES AND UPHOLDS 

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES 

While it might be a bit counterintuitive 

for guests to remain connected to 

technology while at the same time 

trying to disconnect from the outside 

world, technology can reduce your site’s 

environmental impact while keeping guests 

connected. 

Cloud-based technologies reduce paper 

piles generated by the daily operations of 

managing a glamping business including 

printed reports, reservations, guest receipts 

and house manuals. 


GLAMPSITES 

FIVE TECH OPTIONS FOR YOUR GLAMPSITE 

While the types of tech you choose to 

implement will be a matter of personal 

preference, the one key point to remember 

is to prioritise operational technology. 

Tech which helps you streamline tasks 

that take up a significant portion of your 

day and are going to make the biggest 

impact on your business. Think: managing 

glampsite bookings, addressing guest 

enquiries/recommendations, providing 

cleaning instructions and guiding staff 

communications. 

1 

CHANNEL MANAGER 

Gone are the days of manually 

updating and editing your property 

listing information on each individual 

booking platform. If you’re done with 

multiple online travel agency (OTA) 

dashboards, a channel manager lets 

you sync and manage every aspect of 

your glampsite’s listings across all major 

booking sites from one convenient 

location. 

A channel manager lets you retrieve 

reservation information as well as 

automatically sync glampsite availability, 

preventing any dreaded overbookings or 

double booking scenarios with your guests. 

Our top choice for this is OwnerRez, 

which offers users a powerful, flexible 

way to manage holiday rental properties. 

The property management tool features 

a host of tech including a channel 

manager, property reporting and analytics, 

accounting, and website and branding 

assistance. 

2 

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 

A property management system (PMS) 

amalgamates all booking information 

surrounding your glampsite, offering one 

centralised point for you to review and 

manage operational and administrative 

workflows. 

A PMS often includes modules to help 

you efficiently monitor and upkeep 

administrative tasks related to reservation 

management, guest check-in and 

check-out, housekeeping and revenue 

management. 

Many PMS offerings also provide 

website builders to assist you in 

setting up your own direct booking site. 

This can be a valuable way to increase your 

glampsite’s revenue, as most major OTAs 

take a fee off the top of your bookings for 

operational purposes. 

Our friends over at Anytime know how 

to do a PMS right. Their fully-supported 

property management software is ideal for 

outdoor holiday businesses, helping you to 

streamline direct and third party bookings 

while delivering the best guest experience. 

3 

SCREENING TOOLS 

Implementing screening protocols 

can ensure your guests are those that 

you want to welcome. A screening tool 

prevents the tyre kickers, party crashers 

and even illicit activities from taking place 

at your site. 

SUPERHOG lets you affirm ground 

rules with guests, clarify guidelines via 

instructional videos and impart screening 

processes to ensure your visitors are the 

right fit for you. 

4 

DIGITAL GUIDEBOOK 

Eliminate repetitive guest questions, 

deliver practical and personalised 

recommendations and empower your 

guests with a digital guidebook. Easy to 

download and accessible offline, a digital 

guest welcome book replaces your tired, 

mangled and outdated house manual and 

replaces it with a sleek, shiny interface your 

guests will love to use. 

Letting you reclaim the joys of hosting 

your glampsite while helping you run a 

more efficient business, a digital guest 

welcome book also makes it easy to update 

the content as new attractions, eateries 

etc. spring up in your area. 

Touch Stay’s digital guidebooks for 

glampsites perfectly deliver need-to-know 

and want-to-know information to guests. 

Entirely customisable to suit your brand, 

they have multiple language options for 

guests coming from far and wide. 

5 

SMART HOME DEVICES 

Last but certainly not least on our list, 

smart home gadgets are super fun, yet 

effective gizmos. From noise monitoring 

systems, WiFi thermostats and smart locks 

to more familiar forms of entertainment 

like Google Home Minis or Amazon Alexas, 

smart home gadgets create a welcoming 

environment suited to your guests’ 

temperature, lighting and entertainment 

needs. 

Make your WiFi work for you and your 

guests with StayFi. StayFi lets you create 

custom splash pages for guest WiFi access, 

personalised to your glampsite’s branding 

while collecting valuable marketing 

information in the process. 

StayFi uses cloud-managed WiFi 

technology, letting you collect emails from 

every guest that uses your WiFi. In turn, you 

can use this information to create automated 

drip email campaigns while building out a 

substantial guest list for repeat bookings. 

What’s more, StayFi lets you monitor all of 

your WiFi networks remotely – no need to 

harangue guests onsite in the event the WiFi 

stops working. 


Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies 

has worked in holiday 

rentals since 2006, helping 

to grow holidaylettings. 

co.uk and then TripAdvisor 

vacation rentals, although her 

career began in hospitality. At Touch 

Stay she combines her marketing head with 

her nose for memorable guest experiences 

to help operators achieve competitive 

advantage. 

Touch Stay digital guidebooks are designed 

to help any type of hospitality professional 

better communicate with their guests. 

Touch Stay has gone on to become the 

highlight of guest reviews worldwide and 

is cited as a reason for repeat bookings, 

longer stays and – most importantly – 

happier guests. www.touchstay.com 

Both OwnerRez and Anytime 

integrate with Touch Stay digital 

guidebooks for seamless operation. 


No matter how busy your day has been, there’s 

always time to relax in one of our bespoke hot tubs. 

E-MAIL 

info@woodpeckertubs.co.uk 

PHONE 

+44 7435 8669 29 

WEB 

www.woodpeckertubs.co.uk 


A SLAB FOR ALL SEASONS 

• Act now and control mud forever 

• 100% recycled heavy plastic 

• Solid, interlinking slabs create 

instant hardstanding 

• Immediately transforms and 

protects the ground beneath 

• Create access, yards & parking 

exactly where you need them 

• Base & sub-base in one 

• Removable and reusable 

DON’T BURY YOUR INVESTMENT WITH CONCRETE, 

USE THE ECO, CARBON-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE 

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

FOR REVIEWS & 

TESTIMONIALS 

FIND US ON 

FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE 


GLAMPSITES 


Bookings 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSH 

TS 

Largo Leisure Holidays 

Product: Booking system 

Supplier: Pitched, 01726 418118, 

contact@pitched.co.uk, www. 

pitchedbooking.com 

Details: Largo Leisure Holidays is a group 

of five luxury holiday parks in Scotland 

offering a range of self-catering 

accommodation, touring and 

glamping. These popular 

parks offer the chance to 

enjoy a holiday in truly 

spectacular locations, 

from the shores of Loch 

Tay to the East Fife coast. 

Working closely with 

the parks, the Pitched 

team was able to set-up and 

implement its online booking 

platform in a matter of a few short 

weeks to enable to them to start taking 

holiday bookings ahead of the main 

holiday season. With branded online 

booking steps that seamlessly matched 

the website, the booking system proved 

a major success, helping transform the 

business and allowing it to take 

bookings 24/7. 

With a suite of in-built reports and 

Google Analytics integration, the park can 

quickly see a snapshot of performance and 

track the success of marketing campaigns. 

Customer feedback: Largo’s 

commercial director Rachel Mabbs 

said: “The Pitched booking 

system is a great tool to 

effectively manage holiday 

bookings for any holiday 

business regardless of size. 

It is quick to implement, 

easy to use and offers 

all the key functionality 

including booking 

administration, an availability 

overview, automated guest emails 

and pricing management. It also provides 

online connectivity and consumer friendly 

booking pages which seamlessly interface 

with the system allowing telephone and 

website bookings to be managed from the 

same platform.” 

Freeonlinebooking 

0800 6906123 

sales@freeonlinebooking.com 

www.freeonlinebooking.com 

We are freeonlinebooking – the 

reservation system experts. Our cloudbased 

all-in-one reservation system 

includes a property management 

system, channel manager and 

commission-free online booking 

service. Our system caters for all 

types of glamping, holiday park and 

campsite type businesses. Everything 

is really easy to use and is packed 

with all the features you need to 

successfully run your business. 

Find financial comfort in 0% 

commission on direct bookings and 

let us show you the way to avoid hefty 

commission charges from online 

travel agents and prioritise and 

increase direct bookings. Not only will 

your bank account thank you for this, 

so will your guests. 

Improving guest communication is 

just one of the ways you can enhance 

your book direct strategy and get your 

guests returning year after year. Find 

out how we can help and request a 

demo at 

www.freeonlinebooking.com 

Digital Guest Welcome Book 

Touch Stay 

kate@touchstay.com 

www.touchstay.com 

Friday nights like they should be 

– relaxing for you and amazing for 

your guests who have everything 

they need and no need to bother 

you. 

› Personal recommendations 

provided = dinners and activities 

already booked 

› Practical property ‘how-to’ under 

their noses = no questions to ask 

› Happy guests = happy you, more 

5* reviews and more time for 

everything else 

Well prepared guests, empowered 

by the info and inspo you put at 

their fingertips with your Touch Stay 

digital guest welcome book, make 

for excited, happy guests, every 

time. 


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 

Waste Sanitation Solutions for Glamping, Caravan, Camping & Event Sites 

Flat Waste Tanks 

160, 500, 750 & 1000 gallons 

En-suite bathroom pods 

camping with style 

sales@glampsan.com 

https://bit.ly/3wjhxc6 

https://bit.ly/3uRi1FC 


GLAMPSITES 

SUPPLIER PROFILE 

Design-led off-grid and on-grid toilets 

and showers, made in Britain 

What does your company do? 

Sheep Shed Creations manufactures 

good looking outdoor showers and 

toilets (including an accessible unit) 

for use in challenging or unusual 

locations. 

How do you do it so well? 

We run our own glamping and 

camping site so over time we have 

developed a good idea of what 

products and features site owners 

and guests need. We believe that 

something needs to work well but 

in glamping it should also have a 

charm or provide an unusual or interesting 

experience to the user. 

Please give us a potted company history 

We started by hand-making composting 

toilets for our own glamping site. We kept 

getting unprompted positive feedback 

from our guests and noticed people taking 

Instagram photos of our toilets, so we 

thought about 

making them 

available for sale. 

Then following 

the launch of our 

outside toilets, 

we started getting 

requests for an 

outdoor shower based on the same shape, 

so we developed our second product. 

We’ve gone on to make other products 

including outdoor signs and also contract 

design and cutting for other companies. 

Describe your brand proposition 

Interesting design-led solutions for the 

glamping and outdoor events industries. 

What is your ‘hero’ product? 

I love our toilets and love seeing them 

going out in different colour combinations, 

but I’m really excited about our latest 

product – the outdoor hot shower. I guess 

the hero is our gothic arch shape as so 

many competitor products are just cut 

square. 

Any extra special people? 

My wife is special as she first suggested we 

started selling these units. This then was 

the start of many challenges as our units 

feature complex flowing curves and tight 

joints cut from large pieces of wood. To 

produce accurate and consistent results 

efficiently, we had to invest in large-scale 

digitally controlled machinery plus learn 

plenty of new 3D design skills. It’s taken 

time and been hard but at this time in my 

life, it’s been a brilliant and interesting 

journey so far. 


Developing new products and then 

receiving positive feedback from our 

customers and users. 

Why should a customer get in touch? 

I’ve got a couple of units in stock and can 

get them out quickly if anyone is caught 

short for a toilet (or shower) for the start of 

the season. 

DETAILS 

Sheep Shed Creations 

01865 600400 

hello@sheepshed.co.uk 

www.sheepshed.co.uk 


GLAMPSITES 


Alfresco Dining 

Wild With Nature, East Anglia 

Product: Bespoke dining safari tent 

Supplier: Bond Fabrications, 

01453 767171, 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk, 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

Details: A unique structure was needed at 

glampsite Wild With Nature in East Anglia 

as a shared space for guests to use while 

staying in luxury shepherd huts. A custom 

designed safari tent with several bespoke 

elements was settled on from British 

manufacturer, Bond Fabrications. 

Site owners Rebecca and Andy Thornton 

contacted Bond to source additional space 

for their guests. Somewhere to cook, 

relax and gather with friends while still 

being immersed in the serene, natural 

surroundings of the farm, and so the 

overall style was very important. 

The safari tent was designed to 

house two individual kitchen 

spaces at the rear and an open 

lounge to admire the view from 

the front gable, which opens 

up completely to create a 

much larger covered area. 

Feedback: Owners Rebecca 

and Andy Thornton report 

that the result was a great 

success, with plenty of space for families 

to cook while offering flexibility for bigger 

groups. ‘The Nest’, as it’s fondly known, 

has become an important feature at the 

glamping site, blending into the surrounding 

environment beautifully. 

Many Bond clients chose their permanent 

safari tents for a wide range of uses other 

than glamping accommodation. From 

general hospitality through to shooting 

lodges, farm shops and retreat centres, 

these permanent structures are available 

in a wide range of sizes and have unique 

hidden, robust steel frames. All made here 

in the UK at a Gloucestershire factory, 

customisation is freely available with a 

professional service from initial design to 

installation and future support. 

Forest & Beach, Devon 

Product: Fire Cage 1200 

Supplier: Savage BBQ, 07715 379449, 

rachel@savagebbq.co.uk, 

www.savagebbq.co.uk 

Details: Savage BBQ supplied its Fire 

Cage 1200 to Forest & Beach, a fantastic 

site for people of all ages to enjoy 

outdoor activities and onsite glamping/ 

camping. It hosts many school 

residentials and team building days 

where people can access and explore 

ancient woodlands and stunning South 

Devon beaches – a chance to reconnect 

with nature and the environment. 

Customer feedback: Andrea Moore, 

founder and director of Forest & Beach, 

said: “The Fire Cage has been a fantastic 

addition to our school camps. The 

children love being able to see the food 

being cooked over the wood and coals 

and both adults and children comment 

on the flavours produced. 

“Watching the cooking taking place 

makes them feel part of the process 

and it is much more preferable than a 

canteen for us. We use it for cooking a 

variety of meats as well as vegetarian 

meals and it easily caters for 70 plus 

children and adults.” 


GLAMPSITES 

PRODUCT SNAPSH 

TS 

Fire Pit, Tripod, Pot & Grill Set 

Life Under Canvas 

0330 223 6376 

hello@lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

www.lifeundercanvas.co.uk 

Create the perfect alfresco dining space 

in your camp with these easy-to-use 

tripod and grill sets from Life Under 

Canvas. 

Compact and lightweight, they include 

detachable legs so are easy to store 

when not in use. The steel tripods are 

designed to stand over any fire pit or 

open camp fire. The robust chains of the 

tripod can easily support the handy pot 

or griddle allowing campers to cook up a 

storm. Think risottos and curries, soups 

and stews, plus pop a kettle on the grill 

to brew up a morning coffee or tea. 

Team the tripod with one of our small 

or large portable fire pits for a handy 

addition to your glamping site. 

Contact the friendly team at Life Under 

Canvas to find out more, or to discuss 

trade discounts on bulk purchases across 

the comprehensive range of bell tents 

and other accessories. 

BBQ Huts For All 

Logspan 

01389 734572 

info@logspan.com 

www.logspan.com 

You can increase your income per customer by adding 

one of our Finman Open BBQ Huts to your business. 

There are four sizes so groups of between six to 15 can be 

accommodated. Let your customers book a BBQ before 

they arrive on site, summer or winter and add to your 

unique selling point. 

We only use the highest quality slow grown 

Scandinavian spruce, so your Finman Open BBQ Hut will 

last and, with free delivery within the UK mainland, your 

costs are kept to a minimum. 

Another Level In Indoor/Outdoor Dining 

Naked Flame Eco-Tubs 

01484 766233 

info@nakedtubs.com 

www.nakedtubs.com 

The Naked Flame Cucina is now available in sizes to suit any space. 

The hand crafted Scandinavian design not only looks amazing but 

functions even better without the need for any fixed power. The 

totally off-grid design incorporates the Delivita wood-fired oven 

and flue system and includes a huge full end ‘sun window’ right 

next to the diners and another half-moon window at the opposite 

end for the kitchen area. This provides the feeling of outdoor 

dining even when the weather isn't perfect. 

The Cucina can be used in communal areas or for private hire 

– why not involve a chef, add food hampers or even wine tasting 

sessions? The list is endless – all you really need to provide is your 

own stunning view and the Cucina will bring the ultimate in wow 

factor. 


EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

New Forest Folk 

Festival 

A friendly folk festival in the New Forest attracting 

2,000 people for music, workshops and guided walks 

We talk to brothers Nick and 

Keith Curtis about building 

a festival over 11 years on 

their family farm and leading 

the way on powering green 

field sites with a permanent 

connection to the National 

Grid. 

Describe your event and how many 

people it attracts? 

The New Forest Folk Festival is a 

small and friendly festival held each 

year at the beginning of July. It is 

located on old pasture and meadows 

on the edge of the New Forest in 

Hampshire. It is predominantly folk 

music with a single stage, with other 

activities in our woodland fringe 

such as music workshops, yoga, 

meditation, ceilidhs, Morris dancing 

and singarounds. 

There is a well-stocked bar, a good 

variety of food outlets and stalls 

selling a wide range of items. We 

offer guided walks in the mornings 

around the village and the large 

common that sits at the edge of the 

forest. For those just wanting a gentle 

stroll there is a small woodland walk 

on the farm. The festival attracts 

approximately 2,000 music lovers 

from home and abroad. 

Explain a bit about your venue and 

your history with it? 

The venue is Powells Farm near 

Platiford, which has been in our 

“THE ORIGI- 

NAL FESTIVAL 

CAME ABOUT 

AFTER A 60TH 

BIRTHDAY 

CELEBRATION 

THAT KEITH 

WAS PLAN- 

NING TO HAVE 

– UNFORTU- 

NATELY IT 

NEVER 

HAPPENED” 

family since 1880 and is now with 

the sixth generation. 2023 will be 

our eleventh festival. 

What is the event’s history and 

what made you decide to run it? 

The original festival came about 

after a 60th birthday celebration 

that Keith was planning to have – 

unfortunately it never happened. 

Later on in the summer we were 

discussing our options for using 

our land to good effect with 

Richard Digance. Being very 

enthusiastic about folk music, he 

suggested a folk festival. With his 

help and connections the New 

Forest Folk Festival was born. 

How is your relationship with the 

local authority and community? 

We have a good working 

relationship with our local 

authority and have found them 

very supportive with great advice. 

We have lived in the village all our 

lives and therefore know a lot of 

the local community. We have 

done everything that we can to 


EVENTS 

lessen the impact on our neighbours 

from sorting traffic to the volume 

of the festival music. We have great 

feedback from the local community; 

mostly they are pleased that 

something happens in Plaitford! 

How have you planned the layout 

of the event and what structures 

do you use? 

The layout of the site has been 

largely dictated by the specific 

needs of the festival and the space 

available i.e. the most effective 

place for the stage, fringe area, 

audience, bar, traders and camping. 

We decided it was best to set the 

stage at the bottom of one of the 

fields in front of trees, which creates 

an arena with the audience enjoying 

easy views of the performances. The 

bar sits at the top of this slope so as 

not to hinder the audience or artists. 

The stage and sound desk 

remain in situ throughout 

the year, as do the artists’ 

changing rooms, front 

of house desk, festival 

office and breakfast 

bar. There is also a 

shepherds hut for 

the steward’s use. 

We have marquees supplied by 

Anglo Marquees for the bar, cafe, 

workshops and ceilidhs, which are 

erected by our supplier. We have 

traders, including food outlets, 

which are self sufficient and supply 

all their own needs apart from 

power. They are all in the festival 

arena and create a single skinned 

friendly wall around the audience. 

The remaining fields are for 

different camping needs, such as 

tent, campervans and wheelchair 

accessible. Ace Loos, a local waste 

company, supply all bins and 

portaloos including accessible 

facilities. Ace are on site during 

the festival to maintain the toilets, 

wheelie bins etc. Mains water is 

piped around the site with stand 

pipes at regular intervals. The 

showers on site are owned by the 

festival and are also manned by Ace 

Loos. 

How do you work with creatives 

to make these spaces work? 

We have listened to a lot of good 

advice over the years, from artists’ 

crew and members of the public, 

THE MUSICIANS 

ARE ALL 

CHOSEN BY US 

AND OUR OWN 

DEVELOPED 

KNOWLEDGE 

OF WHAT 

WORKS FOR 

OUR PARTICU- 

LAR FESTIVAL. 

who are very passionate on 

improving our festival experience. 

How did you research and source 

your marquees, flooring, bars etc? 

We wanted to use local businesses 

from the beginning and have 

been happy with the support and 

help we’ve had from all our local 

suppliers – many have been with us 

from day one. This works well and 

the same businesses come back 

year after year. 

What entertainment do you offer 

and how did you choose and 

source it? 

Live music is on the main stage 

every day and includes one day of 

local emerging talent. There are 

free workshops, Morris and ceilidh 

dancing, poetry, singarounds, yoga, 

storytelling, a children’s area, and 

guided walks. 

The musicians are all chosen 

by us and our own developed 

knowledge of what works for our 

particular festival. This can often 

be the result of a 


EVENTS 

recommendation from another 

band or a festivalgoer – we are 

always happy to listen to others. 

There is also a good selection of 

stalls selling everything from goat’s 

milk soap to violins. A significant 

number of local craftspeople, artists 

and poets benefit directly from 

being included in the festival. 

What provisions do you make for 

power, lights and sound? 

We know the hot topic is the ban 

on red diesel and the additional 

cost white diesel has put on most 

festivals, but we are one of the 

lucky ones. We have not used 

generators on the farm since 2019 

so the red diesel ban has no impact 

whatsoever on us. Electricity is 

supplied via the National Grid. 

In short we wanted to supply 

an alternative, cleaner, more 

environmentally friendly power for 

the site with a three phase 

supply. At the backend 

of 2018 we started 

looking seriously 

at this 

option and during 2019 we found a 

grant for rural development. After 

many months of paperwork and 

great support from the New Forest 

Leader Local Action Group we had 

our funding and everything was 

finally powered up in December 

2019. 

We laid around 1,500m of 

underground armoured cable 

around the site, so other than a 

huge transformer hanging off the 

11,000 volt cables running through 

our farm (and the silence), nobody 

would know we had done it! We 

have laid an additional 500m of 

cable for this year’s festival. We are 

possible trend setters as we have yet 

to hear of another green field festival 

to run entirely off the National Grid, 

without a generator in sight. 

Having a permanent supply 

running through the farm makes a 

huge difference to the set up and 

take down of the festival but this 

isn’t without its issues as we are 

obviously tied to a contract and 

have to pay the electric supplier 

throughout the year, but this is a 

small price to pay for helping with 

the environment. 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

We have a safety officer, a security 

company that have been with us 

since our first festival, and a great 

medical team, all available 24 hours 

a day. We also have a dedicated 

team of stewards who manage 

all admissions and departures 

by checking everyone in using a 

ticketing system developed by our 

partners The Ticket Sellers and 

Eventree. Vehicles will then be 

directed to whichever camping or 

day parking field is appropriate for 

their needs. 

We also have a field set aside to 

stack vehicles arriving early and 

to prevent queues from forming, 

and prevent being a nuisance to 

local traffic. Fortunately our main 

entrance is only a mile away from a 

main trunk road. 

How did you cope during 2020 and 

2021 – did you manage to run an 

event? 

Like all other festivals we had to 

cancel in 2020. We own the land and 

own much of the infrastructure so 

this mitigated some impact and we 

were fortunate enough to be in a 


EVENTS 

position to carry tickets and artists 

over to the following year. 

After much research, a 

government grant and close 

involvement with local authorities, 

which helped to adhere to the ever 

changing government guidelines, 

we successfully created a safe 

festival in 2021. For most artists 

and audience this was the first 

event for them in nearly 18 months. 

The atmosphere was incredible; 

everyone was very happy and really 

enjoyed themselves. 

What ground protection do you 

use for cars and footfall? 

Nick has a background in 

both farming and building so 

understands the land. The ground 

is mostly firm anyway as the fields 

have been meadows for over 60 

years. We have also invested in 

thousands of metres of land drain 

and we are fortunate that we have 

a heavy clay sub soil which in the 

winter is soft but on the months 

leading up to July, dries out and 

hardens, and once hard takes 

months to soften again. 

How do you publicise the event? 

Publicity is essential and we utilise 

every opportunity we can. We hand 

out flyers at venues and most of our 

traders and musicians help with 

promotion alongside our fantastic 

audience. We put advertisements 

and content in folk magazines, 

and use social media, newsletters 

to our mailing list and speak to 

local press and on radio. We rely 

on word of mouth, networking 

and recommendation as our best 

promotion. 

What additional challenges have 

you faced? 

There are always challenges and 

our festival is no exception. We 

have suffered from farm machinery 

breaking down midway through 

essential work, musicians unable 

to attend through illness, shortage 

of crew/volunteers and the British 

weather. Luckily most of our 

festivals have been nice and sunny. 

Once we ran out of a favourite ale! 

Also, as festival organisers, it’s 

always difficult to find the time to 

chat to everyone. 

How have you financed the event 

and how profitable is it? 

We have always managed to invest 

our profits back into the festival 

with the exception of 2020 when we 

crowd funded and also received a 

Covid recovery grant. 

We do have some local business 

sponsorship such as SES Autoparts, 

our environmental sponsors, who 

also supply water bottles, Hobgoblin 

Music who now sponsor our 

Thursday local artist showcase, bar 

sponsors Wadworth and Downton 

Breweries, and our main sponsor – 

who has been with us from day one 

– Terry Smith of S&G Management 

ADDRESS BOOK 

MARQUEES & FLOORING 

Anglo Marquees 

www.amelimited.co.uk 

AV 

RPA Sound 

www.rpasound.co.uk 

REFRIGERATION HIRE 

Pentalver Transport 

www.pentalver.com 

TOILETS & WASTE 

Ace Liftaway 

www.aceliftaway.co.uk 

FIRE COVER 

Ocean Fire Protection 

www.lwsafety.co.uk 

(electricians). He has always been 

a real friend of the family and the 

festival and really has earned the 

main sponsor badge. 

What are your plans for next year? 

We have a model that works well 

year after year so basically, ‘If it’s 

not broken, don’t fix it!’ Having said 

that, there are always things to 

tweak and you never stop learning, 

how to develop and improve the 

festival experience. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

To network and take all the good 

advice you can get. Many people 

think it’s an easy money making 

venture, in reality it takes a lot 

of planning and long hard days 

throughout the year. Don’t start if 

you haven’t got the passion for it, 

you probably won’t get rich quickly. 

It’s well worth it though in our 

opinion just to see all the happy 

smiley faces during the festival and 

the wonderful positive messages 

afterwards. 

TICKETING 

Eventree, www.eventree.co.uk 

The Ticket Sellers 

www.theticketsellers.co.uk 

SECURITY 

Velocity Security Solutions 

www.velocitysecurity.uk 

INSURANCE 

Graham Sykes 

www.graham-sykes.co.uk 

DETAILS 

5–9 July 202 

Powells Farm, Salisbury Road, 

Plaitford, Romsey 

Hampshire SO51 6EE 

www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk 


EVENTS 

Staging 

GETTY IMAGES 

Matt Kirby puts us in 

the customer’s shoes 

as he talks us though 

delivering experiences 

Experiences 

THE RECENT Spring Equinox heralds the 

end of the UK winter, and these longer days 

enable us all to look ahead at the activities, 

travel and events that we so much enjoy. 

At Falmouth University, Cornwall, we now 

enter a significant period in our academic 

year as our BA (Hons) Creative Events 

Management students are finalising the 

dates and details of their live-assessed 

event projects. 

As the course leader I have the pleasure 

and privilege to attend all the live events 

that our students produce in and around 

the Falmouth area. The course has been 

running since 2010, so my personal studentplanned 

event tally is fast approaching 300. 

Within our teaching practice we strongly 

believe that ‘learning by doing’ is a very 

effective way of developing our students’ 

team-working, problem solving and time 

management skills. Alongside this practical 

work, we introduce management theories, 

consider best practice along with planning, 

finance and legal considerations, health & 

safety, marketing and promotion. We also 

embed some principles of sustainability, 

accessibility and wellbeing to ensure that 

our student event managers consider both 

the positive and negative impacts of events. 

But in these times of pressurised 

household incomes, any time and money 

spent on leisure activities surely raises the 

question of ‘are we getting value-for-money, 

and are we getting the opportunity to really 

experience something that is different to the 

routine and ordinary?’ 

EXPERIENCE ECONOMY 

We entered the notion of the ‘experience 

economy’ over 20 years ago. This is where 

all experiences are recognised as an 

important part of our lives and represent 

a key design element for event managers 

and business professionals. Think about a 

typical high street coffee shop experience 

as an example – you're paying for so much 

more than a coffee. You’re paying for the 

cosy ambience, comfy seating, and for the 

skilled and friendly staff. 

An ‘experience’ is not a vague construct; 

it is as real an offering as any service, good, 

or commodity. In today’s service economy, 

many companies simply wrap experiences 

around their traditional offerings to sell 

them better, as in the coffee shop example. 

To realise the full benefit of ‘staging 

experiences’, event management companies 

and hospitality businesses must deliberately 

design engaging experiences that require 

paying for – at a fair price. The transition 

from selling services to selling experiences 

will be no easier for very established 

companies to undertake and endure, rather 

like the last great economic shift from the 

industrial/manufacturing to the ‘service 

economy’. 

Within event management there is a 

great deal of interest in understanding 

our attendees’ experiences because this 

often relates to satisfaction. Quality event 

experiences will encourage attendees to 

return, to speak well of the event to their 

friends and family, and to showcase their 

experience(s) on their social media pages 

for even more people to share, enjoy and 

comment on. 

TYPES OF EXPERIENCES 

Before we talk about how students and 

event management professionals can 

plan, design and stage event experiences, 

we should briefly consider the various 

‘experiences’ that exist. 

PEAK OR MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES 

There are peak or memorable experiences 

that can be managed by businesses and 

professionals. These usually relate to one-off 


EVENTS 

encounters that do not last for a very long 

time and the outcome is a lasting memory 

linked to positive emotions (but can also be 

negative). A typical example of an encounter 

that could trigger positive emotions is a meal 

at a restaurant where the front of house staff 

responds to customers in a way that makes 

them feel special or a specific dish that tastes 

like something they have never experienced 

before. These kind of experiences are key to 

being successful in the events, tourism and 

hospitality industries. 

EXTENDED OR EXTRAORDINARY 

EXPERIENCE 

In contrast, extended or extraordinary 

experiences differ from peak/memorable 

experiences in respect to their duration. 

These would usually last several days or 

sometimes weeks. These experiences are 

usually self-steered rather than guided and 

their ultimate effect is specific memories 

linked to emotions. They may constitute 

several encounters over a longer period of 

time. They are immersive by nature because 

the encounters take place in the same 

physical context e.g. a city, region, country, 

or a bike or walking trail. Backpacking in 

Australia is a typical example of an extended 

or extraordinary experience. Once again this 

is highly relevant to business professionals 

being successful in the events, tourism, and 

hospitality industries. 

TRANSFORMATIVE OR FLOW EXPERIENCE 

Our final considered experience is the 

transformative or flow experience. 

What makes these different is that they 

are absorbing by nature as opposed to 

immersive, and usually bring about learning 

or a change in the individual. These changes 

can relate to an increase in a skill level 

e.g. getting better at playing the guitar, 

rock climbing, yoga, etc. or an increase in 

knowledge levels such as understanding 

architecture, haute cuisine or history. 

Participants would go through intense 

concentration on a task as they get into the 

‘flow’ of the experience and possibly lose 

track of time and place. These experiences 

can be purposely designed, staged and 

managed by coaches, guides and experts for 

business professionals in the events, tourism 

and hospitality industries. 

So how can my students and event 

professionals create positive visitor 

experiences from their participants engaging 

in memorable encounters that have a longlasting, 

moving effect? 

“A CUSTOMER JOURNEY INCORPORATES ALL THE RELEVANT 

ENCOUNTERS AND SITUATIONS THAT OCCUR PRIOR, DURING 

AND AFTER YOUR PARTICIPANT HAS CONSUMED A SPECIFIC 

PRODUCT OR SERVICE” 

TOUCH POINTS AND CUSTOMER JOURNEY 

MAPPING 

If we go back to the experience of eating an 

exceptional dish at a restaurant, we should 

note that this is not the only encounter 

that will occur during the visit. There will 

be interaction with the restaurant staff, an 

impression of the interior of the restaurant, 

observation/interaction with other guests 

and enjoyment (or dislike) of the food 

and drink. These series of situations and 

encounters are typical of many event, 

tourism and hospitality experiences and 

together they make up your so-called 

customer journey. 

A customer journey incorporates all 

the relevant encounters and situations 

that occur prior, during and after your 

participant has consumed a specific product 

or service. Now whether this customer 

journey includes specific peak, extended or 

transformative experiences, these activities 

within the context of your customer journey 

are normally referred to as ‘touch points’. 

In other words, the various types of touch 

points within a specific customer journey 

can determine what types of experiences 

will be linked to a customer that is 

consuming a specific product or service. 

For example, booking a ticket for a 

theatre show on your home laptop is done 

with relative ease and will influence your 

expectations of the show. The same applies 

to conversations that you might have 

with other visitors when dropping your 

coat at the cloakroom or buying a drink 

at the bar. Then there is the performance 

itself, the interlude, end of show and 

departing the theatre. Whether the overall 

customer journey turns into a memorable 

or extraordinary experience depends on 

the combination of the personal, social and 

physical contexts in which each encounter 

and situation took place. 

Together these ‘activity peaks’ and ‘nonactivity 

lows’ create a unique structure to 

the customer journey. Music festivals usually 

try to create a peak at the beginning but 

also try to build up the biggest peak near 

the end of the festival. By scheduling an 

interesting artist in the first few hours you 

may be able to attract visitors to arrive early 

and consume more food and drink. 

The customer journey map for a meal at 

a high-end restaurant would run something 

like as follows. The starting point for the 

meal’s service delivery process is a table 

reservation made by phone or through the 

restaurant’s website; if this touch point is 

managed this can stimulate excitement and 

anticipation. The next touch point is the 

customers arriving at the restaurant, the 

host checking their reservations, taking their 

coats and escorting them to their table, once 

again raising expectation and excitements 

levels. 

The next touch point is at the table where 

the guests may order some appetisers and 

then front of house will provide a food and 

wine menu, talking through the specials. The 

guests are given some time to decide what 

to order, take in the atmosphere and observe 

other guests; this would invoke relaxation 

and satisfaction. The waiter returns and 

communicates the order to the kitchen so 

that the food can be prepared. The various 

courses will be served at the right time 

without rushing or any overlong waiting. 

The final steps are the process of presenting 

the bill, the payment, handing the guests 

their coats and seeing them out. The whole 

experience is reliant on staff interactions with 

the guests to create these touch points of the 

customer experience journey. 

If sounds rather complex and overanalytical, 

just remember we used to call this 

‘putting yourself in your customer’s shoes’. 

This is exactly what I will remind my students 

to do with their event planning. 


Matt Kirby is a senior 

lecturer and course leader 

for the BA(Hons) Creative 

Events Management course 

at Falmouth University and 

has worked as an academic for 

15 years. Prior to this Matt worked in 

corporate events for 10 years. matt.kirby@ 

falmouth.ac.uk / www.falmouth.ac.uk/ 

study/undergraduate/creative-eventsmanagement 


EVENTS 

Sustainability 

in the Field 

Walk the Plank has released its 

sustainability report detailing learnings 

from the production of the award winning 

creative project, Green Space Dark Skies 

GREEN SPACE Dark Skies (GSDS) was an 

ambitious collaborative project produced 

by Walk the Plank and commissioned by 

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK in 2022. The 

project put environmental sustainability 

at its heart, achieving some major 

sustainability successes and impressive 

carbon savings. Walk the Plank is now 

releasing the report to share this best 

practice with organisations delivering 

outdoor events. GSDS won the National 

Outdoor Events Association Sustainability 

Award in 2022. 

Green Space Dark Skies took thousands 

of people into National Parks and Areas of 

Outstanding Natural Beauty to create largescale 

temporary artworks with new Geolight 

technology, which was captured on film. 

To meet the challenge of climate change, 

Green Space Dark Skies employed a 

collective and collaborative approach. The 

open sharing of knowledge and experience 

was vital to establishing a new working 

culture where sustainability was as central to 

the event production as health and safety. 

Green Space Dark Skies as a large-scale 

national project provided the resources and 

partners to embed sustainability from the 

planning, delivery and measurement stages 

towards achieving ambitious targets across 

both the social and environmental aspects of 

the project. The scope of data collection was 

vast including energy, transport, materials, 

food and beverage, waste, accessibility, 

diversity and digital. The aims were to leave 

no trace and be climate positive, ultimately 

removing more carbon from the atmosphere 

than the event produced. 

The report contains the carbon data for 

the entire project, shares learnings and 

innovations gathered on the way and does 

not shy away from some of the challenges 

faced. 

The greatest carbon savings were from 

participants (known as Lumenators) or staff 

and crew using coaches instead of individual 

car journeys (47.23 tCO2e), vegetarian 

meals instead of meat (approximately 25-30 

tCO2e), and choosing hotels with green 

energy tariffs (16.3 tCO2e). 

HIGHLIGHTS 

› 50/50 split of vegetarian and meat meals 

overall 

› 71% of suppliers came from within 50 

miles 

› 13 of the 19 events used over 80% 

renewable energy 

› 81% of Lumenators shared transport 


EVENTS 

› 26% of accommodation had a green energy 

tariff 

› By following the waste hierarchy >99% of 

waste was diverted from landfill 

› Impact was accurately measured across all 

areas for all stakeholders 

› Action was taken to ensure the long-term 

impact of the events was climate positive. 

10 times the carbon footprint was mitigated 

through the planting of 15,154 trees with 

the Woodland Trust. 

The project’s sustainability aims and 

values were shared with the full team and 

all Lumenators. Some of the team were also 

provided with carbon literacy training. 

Nathan Jackson, head of production for 

Green Space Dark Skies at Walk the Plank, 

said: “We did not take a ‘business as usual’ 

approach to this work and our aim was 

for Green Space Dark Skies Lumenators to 

become caretakers of nature for the future. 

Our landscapes are places worth protecting, 

for everyone, forever. Our aim was for Green 

Space Dark Skies to be an example of best 

practice in sustainable event production, 

thinking about all aspects of our operational 

delivery. From the outset, we wanted to be 

transparent about successes and challenges 

for the collective benefit of everyone working 

in event production.” 

Walk the Plank’s ethos lies in enriching 

lives through shared creative and magical 

experiences that bring people together 

in public celebrations in public spaces. 

Making these experiences socially and 

environmentally sustainable is at the heart 

of its work. It worked closely with specialists 

in organisations including National Parks UK, 

National Trust and The National Association of 

AONBs, and sourced and used expert suppliers 

of sustainable materials and technology. 

Green Space Dark Skies won the National 

Outdoor Events Association Sustainability 

Award 2022. The judge's feedback was that 

they felt the Green Space Dark Skies team 

‘created a phenomenal occasion whilst being 

very mindful of both their own sustainability 

and educating others on sustainability.’ 

Other awards won for Green Space Dark 

Skies are the Access All Areas ‘Best Operations’ 

award for Helen Gorton, Green Space Dark 

Skies operations manager 2022, and the Event 

Production Show ‘Best Use of Tech’ Award 

2023. 

EVENT STATISTICS 

› 20 events 

› 4 nations across the UK (England, Wales, 

Scotland and Northern Ireland) 

› 650 staff / crew 

› 16 unique films streaming to over 1 

million viewers 

› 5.5 m viewers broadcasted the BBC 

Countryfile special 

ENVIRONMENTAL MISSION STATEMENT 

“The Green Space Dark Skies project places 

environmental sustainability at the heart 

of its design and delivery; highlighting 

the value of the natural environment as 

a core purpose and delivering significant 

measurable positive impact. Green Space 

Dark Skies will be a climate positive project, 

combining exemplar low-emissions 

production with climate investments.” 

TARGETS 

HEADLINE TARGET 

› Climate positive 

TRAVEL 

› Majority shared travel target 

for participants (more than 

80%) 

› Accurately measure travel 

impact across the project for 

all stakeholders 

ENERGY 

› 100% renewable energy 

across the project 

RESOURCE USAGE 

› Zero-waste policy 

› Limit disposables / single use 

throughout the project 

› Follow the waste hierarchy 

CLIMATE FINANCING 

› 1x nature focussed 

investment or project in each 

region 

SOCIAL IMPACT 

› 50% of participants positively 

impacted by the experience 

in relation to nature and 

environment 

SUPPLY CHAIN 

› 100% of key contractors meet 

the Walk the Plank minimum 

standards set out in the 

procurement policy 


EVENTS 

STRATEGY 

ENERGY 

› Renewable battery power 

sources (TCP Eco batteries 

and solar panel array, 

Green Voltage, portable 

batteries) 

› Monitoring all consumption 

using meters 

› Mains power from renewable 

tariffs 

› Use of HVO and BioLPG 

› Prioritising accommodation with 

green energy tariffs. 

WASTE 

› Segregated “binfrastructure” into four 

waste streams 

› Recycling of e-waste and batteries 

› Reducing single-use plastics 

› Collecting solids and urine on 

mountains 

› Post-project charity donations 

› Recycling or upcycling production 

assets (Banner Bags). 

TRANSPORT 

› Prioritising local suppliers 

› Big Green Coach Company and Kinto 

Join Car Pooling App 

› Crew car sharing 

› Low CO2 vehicle hire 

› Fuel efficiency measures; minimising 

flights. 

FOOD & BEVERAGE 

› Plant forward catering menus 

› Reducing consumption and waste 

› Local suppliers 

› Reusable and compostable serveware 

› Water refill points. 

PRODUCTION & SIGNAGE MATERIALS 

› Circular economy ethos 

› Minimal production assets 

› Low impact materials 

› Asset End of Life Plan to help planning 

for reuse, recycling, repurposing and 

donations 

› Kerbside recyclable paper signage 

from Sustainable Signage Company 

› PVC-free recyclable banners from Wild 

(B-Corp) 

› Reusable bungees or string. 

HEALTH & SAFETY 

› Outdoor event Health & Safety 

specialists 

› Mountain safety consultants (MTN 

Safety). 

LESSONS 

Key lessons that we learnt 

were mainly surrounding 

learning that allocating 

time and resources towards 

sustainability was essential to 

achieving success. A dedicated 

sustainability manager was 

crucial to keeping sustainability 

on the agenda throughout the 

project and ensuring that the strategy 

was being delivered as planned and 

all relevant data was being measured, 

monitored and processed correctly. 

A comprehensive environmental and 

community approach and working closely 

with project partners was needed for 

reducing the negative and maximising the 

positive social and environmental impact 

of the project. Building-in circular economy 

thinking and procuring or designing with the 

asset’s end of life in mind was also vital for 

minimising and reducing waste. 

High-impact areas for lowering carbon 

emissions were shared transport, choosing 

accommodation on green energy tariffs, 

veg-led catering, and digital areas such as the 

design of the website and reducing the size of 

emails for mass communication. In particular, 

we found that power and waste management 

while touring and in remote outdoor locations 

are complex areas and require careful 

attention, both on and off site. 

Social aspects such as meeting all 

accessibility needs also require careful 

planning and specialist consultation was 

particularly useful. 


EVENTS 

ABOUT WALK THE PLANK 

Walk the Plank’s team of 

outdoor arts experts work 

together to dream up, create 

and produce outstanding 

moments of outdoor theatre 

and participation. The team 

is keen to share the learnings 

made over the course of 

Green Space Dark Skies and 

welcome opportunities to 

talk with others about what 

they’ve learned in the process 

of delivering on the project’s 

ambitious sustainability 

vision and strategy.www. 

walktheplank.co.uk 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

PROCESS & TOOLS 

› Have a dedicated sustainability manager to help 

keep sustainability on the agenda throughout the 

project – and bring them on board early 

› Utilise an event-specific carbon calculation tool 

such as TRACE for emissions reporting carbon 

literacy training and sustainability inductions help 

to educate and empower the team 

› Make your sustainability strategy publicly 

available and send to all stakeholders (ie. crew 

and suppliers). 

ENERGY 

› Choosing accommodation with renewable energy 

tariffs offers significant emissions savings 

› Have a dedicated member of the team to focus on 

power management and data collection 

› Work closely with specialist suppliers to 

overcome challenges (ie. Building bespoke 

battery units). 

TRANSPORT 

› Build-in attendee transport data collection 

process into accreditation and registration 

› Providing shared transport solutions such as 

coaches to both crew and attendees offers 

significant emissions savings 

› Sustainability considerations should be built into 

touring logistics and overall operations 

› Plan routes and loads carefully to reduce vehicle 

numbers and time spent driving. 

MATERIALS & GRAPHICS 

› Create an ‘Asset End of Life Plan’ to help minimise 

production waste 

› The Sustainable Signage Company offer great 

alternatives to foamex and correx 

› Bungees work well instead of cable ties on heras 

and pedestrian barrier banners 

› Challenge the brief every time – do you really 

need it? 

FOOD & BEVERAGE 

› Choosing vegetarian / vegan over meat offers 

significant carbon savings 

› Liaise with crew and work with suppliers to plan 

quantities carefully 

› Work with local suppliers and establishments to 

reduce transport and serveware waste 

› Provide water refill tanks. 

WASTE 

› Compostables require careful management – 

check with your local waste authority 

› Informational signage and colour coding is 

helpful to guide people how to dispose of their 

waste responsibly 

› Assess potential on-site waste streams before 

the event to plan accordingly (ie. eWaste and 

consumables) 

› Utilise supplier ‘recycling take-back’ schemes 

› Put food composting bin near to food areas or 

brew station as well as main bin array. 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

› When working in ecologically and socially 

sensitive environments it’s vital to work closely 

with local authorities, partners and experts 

› Some assessments will uncover site specific 

challenges that might influence production 

planning – it is essential to do these assessments 

early in order to facilitate efficient and sensitive 

planning. 

DIGITAL 

› Seek expert consultation on web design (eg. 

Wholegrain Digital) 

› Reduce content heavy emails with large 

attachments as these have high emissions. 

CLIMATE INVESTMENT 

(Balancing Unavoidable Emissions) 

› The minimum to budget for offsetting is £25/ 

tonne 

› Look at insetting initiatives too (eg. event/ 

entertainment industry specific carbon literacy 

training which can offer future carbon savings of 

5-15% per person and has a ripple effect). 


THE DOME COMPANY 

DESIGN, MANUFACTURE & HIRE THE HIGHEST 

QUALITY TIMBER FRAMED STRUCTURES. 

BEAUTIFUL HAND MADE DOMES FOR HIRE, RANGING IN SIZE 

FROM 7 TO 25M FOR A VARIETY OF USES AND EVENTS. 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

WWW.THEDOMECOMPANY.CO.UK 


EVENTS 

PRODUCT SNAPSHOTS 

Toilets 

Festival Wedding at The Wild 

Meadow, Kent 

Product: Luxury toilet and 

shower trailers 

Supplier: GigLoo, 

0345 333 8777, 

www.getgigloo.co.uk 

Details: The Wild Meadow Kent 

(www.thewildmeadowkent.co.uk) 

is a magical venue surrounded by 

beautiful ancient woodland with a 14 acre 

level meadow perfect for structures. 

The GigLoo trailer units were ideal for this festival wedding – 

easily positioned with 4x4 vehicles and set up with simplicity and 

performance in mind. 

With areas to cater for campers, a stunning blessing area in the 

woods and a main party area with a fab tree maze, Gigloo set out the 

facilities to complement the activities during the weekend, working 

together with the organiser to ensure everybody looked and felt at 

their best throughout. 

Customer feedback: “Customers to the Wild Meadow are welcome to 

use their own suppliers, however for toilet and shower requirements 

we only work with Gigloo Hire. We started working with them last 

year due to the quality of their products, competitive price and great 

service.” 

MTV Presents Ocean City Sounds, Devon 

Product: Portable toilets, urinals and disabled toilets 

Supplier: Brandon Hire Station, 03456 045337, 

www.hirestation.co.uk 

Details: Brandon Hire Station has a long standing 

relationship with the events team at Plymouth City Council 

and provides the infrastructure for events and concerts 

across the city. 

Brandon Hire Station supplied several aspects of the 

infrastructure for MTV Presents Ocean City sounds at 

Plymouth Hoe including toilets. Most of the infrastructure 

was built within a two week period and delivered over 

several dates meeting scheduling requirements. It supplied 

200 toilets, 15 disabled units and 20 urinals, split evenly 

across two toilet sites. 

It also provided a Toilet Crew during to keep on top of 

cleanliness and consumable supplies. Following the first 

evening concert, a full site sweep of servicing is carried out 

ready for the second evening of live events. 

Customer feedback: “Brandon Hire Station has always 

proven to go the extra mile for Plymouth City Council. The 

event officer always comments that nothing is too much 

trouble for last minute extras and changes of plan; they 

always accommodate.” 

Women’s Urinals Cut Queues 

Plastic Solutions Aldridge 

01922 716725 

sales@plasticsol.com 

bit.ly/42iV0Ub 

We are pleased to announce we have taken 

on the UK dealership for an exciting new 

product. The Lapee is a three-user, women’s 

urinal and will bring efficiency, privacy, speed 

and equality by reducing the ladies’ queues 

for standard toilets at outdoor events. 

Studies of the toilet facilities provided 

at many outdoor events suggest that 90% 

of queues for the toilets are made up of 

women who only need to pee and yet – in 

the absence of any other solution – they 

have had to use the standard toilets put in 

place for all, which often involves waiting in 

a queue. 

Using the Lapee at your event will mean 

that women will have a speedy alternative to 

standard toilets. Lapee boasts three separate 

and shielded stalls with high walls for privacy. 

Using the Lapee urinal takes 30 seconds, 

using a standard toilet takes three minutes. 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 57

EVENTS 

PRODUCT FOCUS 

Event 

Structures 

Betty’s Tipis, Lancashire 

Product: Little Hat Tipi 

Supplier: The Tipi Company, 01204 860 

738, info@thetipicompany.com, 

www.thetipicompany.com 

Oxygen House 

Summer Festival, 

Devon 

Product: Ivory white tipis, 

lighting and furniture 

Supplier: Tipi Spaces, 

01884 277306, 

hello@tipispaces.co.uk, 

www.tipispaces.co.uk 

Details: Oxygen House’s Summer Festival, held at Escot Park in Devon, is a private 

two-day event for 500 staff and their families. Over 25 suppliers were hired to 

supply security, accommodation, water, power, staging, lighting, food, children’s 

entertainment, shelter, a bar and live music. This was the first event of its kind to be 

powered completely by renewable energy. Solar charged batteries were successfully 

used to run lighting, sound, refrigeration, heating and cooking. 

Oxygen House needed to create a sheltered dining space to accommodate guests. 

They hired three ivory white tipis from Tipi Spaces which were built in an arc 

formation to create a large open plan space. Tipi Spaces also supplied indoor fairy 

lights and outdoor festoon lights, floor matting and lounge furniture. 

Escot Park is a public space frequented by local dog walkers and other visitors to 

the estate. This meant extra consideration had to be given to the security and safety 

of the build site to ensure any risks were mitigated. Tipis Spaces worked closely with 

its client to put in place a build plan to ensure the tipis were ready on time for guest 

arrival. 

Details: Betty’s Tipis contacted The Tipi 

Company looking for a shelter solution for 

its event, enabling them to offer outdoor 

seating to customers whatever the 

weather. During the course of the event, 

they fell in love with the tipi so much that 

they invested in the structure to keep up 

all year as a permanent cover. 

The Tipi Company’s Little Hat Tipi 

offers clients a quirky standalone shelter 

for guests. Perfect for those with limited 

space, the design of the Little Hat allows 

easy access from all sides. However, there 

is an option to purchase the Little Hat fully 

enclosed, creating a private outdoor area 

that protects guests from the elements. 

Customer feedback: Betty’s Tipis’ 

managing director Jack Singleton said: 

“Ever since contacting Stacey at The Tipi 

Company, she has been amazing. Nothing 

has ever been too much trouble and we 

are very impressed with their products.” 

Customer feedback: Head of events and wellbeing, Beverley Langley, said: “We just 

wanted to say an official big thank you for providing your lovely tipis which formed a 

large part of the aesthetics of our Summer Festival. It captured the vibe perfectly and 

certainly helped to make the event a great success. You were an absolute pleasure to 

deal with; your company shares our ethos and we’re really glad we found you!” 


EVENTS 

Dörrwalder Mühle, 

Germany 

Product: STROHBOID Pavilion 3 

Connect, 240sqm 

Supplier: STROHBOID, +43 664 

4660306, thomas.maier@strohboid. 

com, 

www.strohboid.com/en/products/ 

pavilion 

Details: Dörrwalder Mill is an historic 

event location with a restaurant and 

guest house in Germany, a two hour 

drive from Berlin. It provides space 

for memorable weddings and also 

hosts concerts and comedy nights. 

The venue team was looking for a 

solution in order to use its outdoor 

space all year round whatever the 

weather and discovered the wooden 

STROHBOID Pavilion. It proved the 

perfect option as its organic form 

blended in perfectly with the historic 

environment. 

The STROHBOID Pavilion is 

built using a unique lightweight 

technique with an innovative and 

patented wooden grid shell. It is 

storm-proof and can even withstand 

wind peaks of 160km/h. 

Dörrwalder Mill went for the 

COMFORT version of the pavilion, 

which is equipped with a wooden 

floor, transparent gable tarp and 

a pointed arch wooden door. This 

turns the pavilion into an all-yearround 

event venue. During warm 

weather it serves as a stylish terrace 

cover providing sun protection. On 

rainy days or in winter, it provides a 

closable and cozy space that can be 

heated with infrared. 

Customer feedback: Dörrwalder 

Mill’s managing director Anja 

Zschieschang, said: “We are now 

weather-independent and have 

been able to increase our event 

capacity to compensate for the 

pandemic restrictions. STROHBOID 

is a really innovative, creative and 

dynamic young company with a 

great product!” 

Bluedot Festival, Cheshire 

Product: Unique outdoor, multi-level carbon fibre 

double deck structure 

Supplier: CORE Event Structures, 0845 299 6499, 

sales@core-eventstructures.com, www.coreeventstructures.com 

Details: The Bluedot Festival describes itself as 

an “intergalactic festival of music, science, art, 

technology and the exploration of space” and 

takes place at Jodrell Bank Observatory. 

CORE was tasked with providing a double 

deck outdoor structure to accommodate two 

bars, one on each level, from which the client, 

a major international drinks brand, could serve 

their products to festivalgoers. CORE designed a 

hexagonal structure with stairway access to the 

upper floor from which a great view of the main 

stage could be enjoyed. 

Feedback: The client had a great event, promoting 

a specific drink at the festival and offering a 

delicious range of cocktails too. The view of 

the main stage was superb and ensured a great 

experience for everyone involved. 


EVENTS 

PRODUCT 

SNAPSH 

TS 

Timber Frame Geo Dome Spaces 

The Dome Company 

07876 673354 

info@thedomecompany.co.uk 

www.thedomecompany.co.uk 

Innovative Materials and 

Hardware 

Kayospruce 

01489 581696 

info@kayospruce.com 

www.kayospruce.com 

Kayospruce is a reputable 

supplier of top quality 

materials and hardware for 

various industries, including 

structures, upholstery and 

marine. It sources innovative 

materials from leading 

companies, such as TenCate 

Outdoor Fabrics and Serge 

Ferrari, ensuring that its 

products meet the highest 

standards of quality and 

durability. 

Kayospruce’s fabrics can 

be used to create a range of 

protective structures, such as 

marquees, canopies, tents, 

and other outdoor equipment. 

Its materials are designed to 

withstand the harshest weather 

environments, ensuring that 

customers can rely on their 

products for long-lasting use. 

The range of associated 

hardware, such as zips, 

webbing, fixings and fasteners, 

also meets the highest 

standards of quality and 

durability. Kayospruce offers 

free fabric samples to make 

sure that customers can get a 

feel for their textile of choice 

prior to purchasing. 

We design, manufacture, hire and sell the highest quality 

timber framed geodesic dome structures throughout the 

UK and beyond. Ideal for hospitality, theatre, music and so 

much more, from small intimate events, brand activations, 

weddings, films and live broadcasts, to large festivals and 

sporting events, we can manufacture bespoke covers to 

incorporate your branding and have clear and blackout cover 

options. 

Over the past 40 years, and spanning two generations, we 

have developed our own distinctive style of beautiful and 

functional geodesic domes and structures with an exclusive 

feel. 

If you have production or installation in mind, the load 

bearing capacity and many rigging points will save you the 

need for internal ground support and additional costs in most 

cases. Our robust structures are capable of withstanding long 

term or permanent installation. We have a wide range of stock 

ranging in size from 7m to 25m diameters. 

Introducing the Hypar 

Alternative Stretch Tents 

01920 830256 

info@alternative-stretch.co.uk 

www.alternative-stretch-tents.co.uk 

Long standing stretch tent company Alternative Stretch Tents 

is now offering a new ‘Hypar’ tent for 2023 for the hire and 

purchase sector. The Hypar is similar to a stretch tent, using the 

same rigging methods and material, however does not have a 

centre pole. Although not currently tested to sizes above 7.5 x 

7.5m (although longer tents can be achieved) these structures 

are proving a popular add-on for clients wanting smaller covered 

structures to complement their larger stretch tent order. 

With similar stunning looks, the Hypar is ideal for covering 

small seating areas, spanning a food truck or creating a semipermanent 

smoking area – the uses are endless with custom 

sizes and options available. Get in touch with the friendly team 

at AST to see how these structures could enhance your next 

event or your venue. 


EVENTS 

Event Spaces for Unforgettable Experiences 

Dyester 

+1 305 4905 911 

bsendach@dyester.com 

www.dyester.com 

Dyester.com offers a wide range of event spaces for 

various occasions, such as corporate events, weddings 

and social gatherings. From outdoor domes and yurts 

to modular bathrooms and kitchens, its event spaces 

are designed to create an unforgettable experience for 

attendees. 

According to Barry Sendach, the founder of Dyester. 

com, “Our mission is to provide unique and innovative 

event spaces that cater to our clients’ specific needs. We 

believe in delivering exceptional ideas and doing the right 

thing for our clients to ensure they have a seamless and 

memorable experience.” 

Dyester.com’s event spaces are customisable and can 

be tailored to fit a customer’s vision and preferences. They 

offer sustainable, low-cost and environmentally friendly 

options such as Tentspaces, which are ideal for outdoor 

enthusiasts and adventurers. Moduspaces, on the other 

hand, offer factory-built bathroom and kitchen pods that 

are perfect for corporate events and social gatherings. 

In conclusion, Dyester.com's diverse range of event 

spaces, guided by their commitment to exceptional 

service, is a testament to their dedication to providing 

their clients with unique and unforgettable experiences. 

Licensed Sperry Partner 

Boutique Marquees 

0333 772 1068 

events@boutiquemarquees.co.uk 

www.boutiquemarquees.co.uk 

The first ever Sperry Tent was created by Steve Sperry, an 

accomplished sailmaker and owner of Sperry Sails in coastal 

Massachusetts. Today they are renowned as the world’s luxury 

rental tent. These distinguished structures are crafted from 

genuine woven sailcloth (versus common white vinyl) and handsewn 

by a small team of dedicated craftspeople. Supported 

by spruce centre poles (founder Steve Sperry still mills these 

poles at his coastal Massachusetts home) and featuring waving 

pennants, their nautical heritage is evident in their intricate 

detailing. The oyster sailcloth is translucent to event lighting, 

producing the trademark ‘Sperry glow’. 

As a licensed Sperry Partner, Boutique Marquees offers 

these structures for hire across the UK for all manner of events 

including festivals, corporate events, sporting events and 

weddings. Available in a range of sizes, they are suitable for 

anything from small, intimate gatherings to large scale public 

events. 

Marquees and Colourful Big Tops 

Meerkat Marquees 

07966 402696 

info@meerkatmarquees.co.uk 

www.meerkatmarquees.com 

Offering traditional marquee and colourful 

big top hire, Meerkat Marquees’ versatile 

range caters for any event need. With 30 years’ 

experience, the company is well respected 

and enthusiastic about making large scale 

events and private parties happen without a 

hitch. 

Check out The Big Red, a real circus tent 

with standing capacity of 1,600 or around 500 

seated at round tables. It has 13 foot side walls 

and a four king pole truss with 20 foot cupola. 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

HEAT YOUR HOT TUB IN UNDER AN 

HOUR! 

Hydro Heater 

020 3457 0343 

info@hydro-heater.co.uk 

www.hydro-heater.co.uk 

Concerned about stressful water 

changes and slow heat up times? 

With typical heat up times under 

an hour, and costs as low as 5.23p 

per kW/h, the Hydro Heater is 

one of the fastest and most costeffective 

ways to get your hot tub 

up to temperature! 

With dual operating modes, the 

Hydro Heater can hot fill your spa 

at 40°C from empty, or fast heat a 

cold spa at 90°C, giving operators 

a great deal of flexibility. From 

glamping sites to events, the 

Hydro Heater ensures that your 

customers can enjoy their hot tub 

session sooner than ever before! 

UK manufactured. 

SANIFOS UNDERGROUND LIFTING 

STATIONS 

Saniflo 

020 8842 0033 

sales@saniflo.co.uk 

www.saniflo.co.uk 

The Sanifos range of underground 

lifting stations is a useful way to 

discharge waste from multiple 

caravan pitches, pods, toilet 

blocks and even on site cafes or 

restaurants when gravity drainage 

isn’t an option. Installed discreetly 

underground, the units – which 

range from a 110-litre model to 

1,300-litres – feature a robust 

pump, grinder and pre-mounted 

pipework for ease of installation. 

The Sanifos range can pump up to 

17m (depending on the model) and 

has multiple connections to take 

waste from several appliances. 

BESPOKE HOT TUBS AND MORE 

Woodpecker Tubs 

07435 866929 

info@woodpeckertubs.co.uk 

www.woodpeckertubs.co.uk 

Welcome to Woodpecker Tubs 

where, as the name suggests, we 

create bespoke, handmade hot tubs 

for you to enjoy, whether you’re a 

glamping site, holiday park, luxury 

lodge or a home owner. 

You might think that we just 

make bespoke tubs but we are 

more than just a creator of your 

hot tub dreams, we also design 

and develop a unique range of 

saunas and – new for 2023 – 

accommodation units, that are 

built with you in mind! 

Does this sound interesting? Why 

not get in touch to find out more 

about our products and how we 

can help you. 

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. 


SPECIALIST MARKETING AGENCY 

Unique hideaways 

01736 230 140 

hello@uniquehideaways.com 

www.uniquehideaways.com 

Unique hideaways is a collection 

of one-of-a-kind places to stay 

in hidden corners across the UK. 

From dreamy cliff top cabins, to 

bespoke quirky structures, if it 

takes those on a journey to a place 

unknown to most, they’ve got their 

name on it. 

With over 15 years’ experience, 

Unique hideaways is a specialist 

marketing agency for luxury 

glamping accommodation. The 

team provides free consultancy, 

helping from field to finish and 

beyond; it’s all part of their 

unbeatable service. Their portfolio 

of hidden havens is ever growing, 

reflecting their work to ensure 

each hideaway is marketed to the 

highest standard. 

Classified Directory 

With a whole 

new supply 

chain and 

manufacturing 

now in-house, we 

can turnaround 

your Kabina much 

quicker. 

Your fully 

customisable glamping 

experience awaits! 

C RE® 

BAR& EVENTHIRE 

STYLISH CUSTOMISABLE BAR RENTAL 

DRY HIRE OR FULL SERVICE 

T: 0845 299 6499 - E: sales@core-barandeventhire.com 

www.core-barandeventhire.com 

Advert - small.indd 1 16/04/2021 16:04:43 

#RefillnotLandfill 


Classified Directory 

Finman 

Glamping 

Cabins and 

BBQ Huts 

From 

£5,540 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 www.logspan.com 

Are you listed? 

Venue or Event Supplier? 

Join the UK’s largest online Venue Directory 

29,000 Venues and 1,000s of Event Suppliers 

venues4hire.org 

The largest supplier of 

Lotus Belle Tents in the UK 

www.wildhareevents.com 

CREATED BY YOU, MADE BY US! 

Providing temporary staff,, 

from assistants to managers, 

to multiple events across the UK 

COULD WE BE OF SERVICE TO YOU? 

Find out more at 

www.FestivAll.Services 

01654 700030 

07956 878157 

www.topcatbigtops.co.uk 

Colourful 

BIG TOP STYLE MARQUEES 

MANUFACTURE 

FOR SALE OR TO HIRE 


PEOPLE 

Behind the Scenes with… 

David Donald 

A day in the life with Splash and Tickle’s David Donald 

at the Otherlands Festival in Perth 

I OVERSEE all aspects of Splash and Tickle 

and have been involved in delivering mobile 

spas to events throughout the UK and 

Europe since 2004. Our modular system was 

the first of its kind anywhere in the world 

and we have had the pleasure of working 

with a huge variety of clients over the years. 

My time is spent approximately 40% in 

our London co-working space or home 

office near Brighton, and 60% on-site at 

events or visiting clients for meetings and 

site visits. In this article I’ll share a behind 

the scenes look at our provision of the 

Wellness Sanctuary at the Otherlands Music 

and Arts Festival at Scone Palace in Perth, 

Scotland. 

As you can imagine, a huge amount of 

work is involved in preparing for a festival 

before the event takes place. My team 

and I arrive at Otherlands having already 

spent several days planning logistics and 

transporting equipment and staff to the 

venue. We then have the mammoth task of 

setting up before the festivalgoers arrive. 

Our first task is to unload and set out the 

main spa components, including our Mobile 

Deck all weather flooring system, woodfired 

hot tubs, saunas and bell tents, and to 

ensure that our power and water supplies 

are in place. We always factor in a time 

buffer for weather and traffic delays, so if 

things go smoothly then I can treat the crew 

to a pint or two in the evening! 

On show day I’m up at around 6am. 

I will immediately start thinking about 

the plan for the day, getting myself and 

my crew back on site in time and liaising 

with the event production team, as well 

as anticipating potential problems and 

preventing them from happening, rather 

than having to react to them! I am 100% 

focused on ensuring that everything is 

ready for when the doors open. 

Once on site I will immediately check all 

equipment and have my crew set about 

their tasks while I carry out crucial water 

hygiene checks to ensure that guests can 

enjoy our spa facilities, which include pools 

and hot tubs, in complete safety. 

We always have a BISHTA trained 

supervisor overseeing water hygiene and 

follow a rigorous test and treat procedure 

using the latest electronic photometer 

testing equipment. We also have a secret 

weapon! Our Hydro Heater allows us to 

heat our hot tubs in under an hour rather 

than the usual 15-20 hours. This is a critical 

piece of equipment when working to tight 

deadlines and carrying out overnight water 

changes – it’s obviously essential that our 

hot tubs are hot! 


PEOPLE 

Some front of house staff are not needed 

until the event goes live, so it’s always a 

worry as to whether they will be able to get 

on site in good time amongst the usual traffic 

and crowds, as well as getting them through 

accreditation and in situ ready to start. I’m 

usually running on adrenaline at this point, 

as there is so much going on there isn’t time 

to feel tired. 

Fortunately, the production team at Fly 

Events, who run this festival, are first class, 

and everything was in place to enable us to 

set up and run the wellness area without a 

glitch. Once we are ready I conduct a final 

team briefing so that everybody knows their 

roles and responsibilities and exactly what to 

expect when the event goes live. 

Once the doors open, we are generally 

greeted with a wave of guests eager to 

enjoy their wellness sessions. It’s essential 

to manage the flow of people and avoid 

bottlenecks, and our front of house team are 

great at keeping things running smoothly, 

ensuring we stick to the schedule so that 

nobody is kept waiting. 

Otherlands guests can pre-book their 

session in the Wellness Sanctuary, with a 

choice of a relaxing soak in a wood-fired 

hot tub or sauna, or a revitalising massage 

treatment in a private bell tent with one of 

our therapists, with hot showers and fresh 

towels provided. They always leave with 

a smile on their face feeling re-invigorated 

to head back out and watch the festival 

performances by their favourite artists. 

Days are usually very long working on live 

events, and there is nothing that kills morale 

faster than having hungry and overworked 

staff, so I always ensure that my team has 

breaks and are fed and watered throughout 

the day. 

Once we are up and running and guests 

are relaxing, hopefully bathed in sunshine 

and enjoying their wellness treatments, I 

spend my time overseeing all aspects of 

operations, with particular focus on health 

and safety, as well as keeping tabs on our 

other events which may be taking place 

around the country at the same time. 

You always have to think two steps 

ahead to ensure that the next phase of the 

event runs smoothly, whether it be getting 

staff back to base safely, or co-ordinating 

overnight water changes for the hot tubs. 

I’m extremely fortunate to have a fantastic 

team of production crew and front of house 

staff, many of whom have been working with 

us for years. Our events are hard work but 

always great fun so it’s never hard to recruit 

good staff. 

At the end of a long day I’m usually 

absolutely shattered, but hopefully satisfied 

that we have delivered a great service for 

our client. Then I’ll crash out thinking ahead 

to the following morning ready to do it all 

again! 

One of my favourite aspects of my job 

is the amazing variety of locations and 

venues we get to enjoy. Otherlands takes 

place at Scone Palace overlooking the River 

Tay, which is steeped in history and is the 

crowning place of many Scottish kings. 

There’s something incredibly satisfying when 

the sun is shining, tunes are playing and 

guests are enjoying a glass of champagne 

in a hot tub. What’s not to like?! It certainly 

beats 9-5 in the office! 

We aim to offer clients a one-stop shop 

professional service where they can entrust 

us with the management and operation 

of the spa area at their event, secure in 

the knowledge that with nearly 20 years 

of experience we can deliver a safe and 

memorable experience for our clients, guests 

and staff alike. We have recently expanded 

our portfolio with some exciting new and 

exclusive services, including BPM Gym – our 

go-anywhere event gym – and the UK’s only 

mobile Wavesurfer surf simulator! 

DETAILS 

Splash and Tickle 

0203 456 0343 

david@splashandtickle.com 

www.splashandtickle.com 


ISSUE 51 | 2022 | www.openairbusiness.com 


BUSINESS 

ISSUE 46 | October/November 2021 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

BESPOKE GLAMPING 

ISSUE 49 | March/April 2022 | www.openairbusiness.com 

EVENT STRUCTURES 


› Bars & Catering 

› Outdoor Ceremonies 

GLAMPSITES 

› Compost Toilets 

› Booking Systems 

EVENTS 

› Seeing Red 

› Total Immersion 

BUSINESS 

INFRASTRUCTURE 


› Sharing Snaps 

› Kitchen Efficiencies 

GLAMPSITES 

› Architects 

› Natural Pools 

EVENTS 

› Green Hydrogen 

› Tent Waste 

GLAMPING 

SHOW 

PREVIEW 


› Accommodation 

› Eco Marketing 

GLAMPSITES 

› Research 

› Sewage Strategy 

EVENTS 

› Stage Build 

› Ticketing 

BUSINESS 

FUNCTION 

VENUES 

› Pricing 

› Websites 

GLAMPSITES 

› Business Rates 

› Building Regulations 

EVENTS 

› Reusable Cups 

› Festival Costs 


STRUCTURES 


Tim Bowles -Campwell 

BUSINESS 


/ / 

GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

› Shoot Styling 

› Logo Protection 

› Insurance 

› Saying Thanks 

› Treehouse Builds 

› Going Hybrid 

CASE STUDIES: 

ROKA BELLA ROSE WEDDINGS • THE MEADOWS AT POLEHANGER • BURRS LIVE 

CASE STUDIES: 

GREEN & AWAY • BIRDHOLME GLAMPING • SHREWSBURY FOOD FESTIVAL 

CASE STUDIES: 

SYCHPWLL CENTRE • BROOK FARM SHEPHERD HUTS • IRLAM LIVE 


Derry Green - The Secret Garden Glamping 

› Derry Green - The Secret Garden Glamping 

CASE STUDIES: 

HYDE ESTATE WILD GARDENS • BROCKLOCH ECO RETREAT • TRAMLINES FESTIVAL 

CASE STUDIES: 

OLD OAK FARM • DRAGONFLY CAMPING • TORCHLIGHT FESTIVAL OF CAMPING 

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