Issue 58

ISSUE 58 | 2023 | www.openairbusiness.com 

BUSINESS 

PODS, HUTS 

& LODGES 

FUNCTION VENUES 

› Tipi Erection 

› Venue Audits 

GLAMPSITES 

› Confessions 

› Google Ads 

EVENTS 

› Power of Light 

› Ground Protection 

CASE STUDIES: 

SHEEPY MEADOWS • COASTAL CABINS • NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Take advantage of the growth in staycations and construct a luxury log holiday home. 

Spacious, warm, welcoming and beautiful, a genuine log holiday home will generate year round income. 

You’ll be able to provide holidays that your customers will remember, and book again and again. 

0845 299 6337 / INFO@SCANDINAVIANHOMES.COM 

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

ISSUE 58 | 2023 | www.openairbusiness.com 

WELCOME 

How is your summer season shaping up? I sincerely hope that 

your glampsites are booked up, venues busy and event ticket 

sales going strong as we head into our prime time. While 

everyone keeps fingers crossed for sensible weather many 

outdoor hospitality providers understand that a fall back plan 

is more than necessary. 

Investing in communal infrastructure – such as a stretch 

tent, tipi or cabin – is a great idea. Not only do these 

structures offer functionality and flexibility but can go a great 

way to providing a central focal point. A dry covered space can also offer you routes 

into other business off-shoots – a cafe, venue space, off-season storage area or even 

all year round use. It was my interest in the ins and outs of such an addition that led 

to our feature on event tipis. See pages 24-26 on what exactly it takes to put up, look 

after and store one. 

More and more glampsites in particular are looking to ‘kickable’ structures in terms 

of their accommodation choices. We have seen a huge number of cabin and lodge 

providers enter the market in the last 12 months, many advertising in this issue. Turn 

to the mini case studies in our annual pods, huts and lodges feature on pages 45-48 

for some in depth info. We’ve also started an ‘Introducing’ feature in this issue where 

we welcome new suppliers to our fold – check out their offerings on pages 10-11 and 

watch out for more new faces throughout the year. 

For the event organisers out there I am very happy to share with you the joy of 

light. Although totally the wrong time of year to be thinking about illuminated trails, 

creative producer Liz Pugh goes beyond winter spectaculars to help us understand 

the power of light and fire in creating deep sensory experiences at events. 

PUBLISHERS 

Steve Rix - steve@openairbusiness.com 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

EDITOR 

Tally Rix - tally@openairbusiness.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Marney Whyte - 01892 677743 

marney@openairbusiness.com 

David Hobden - 01892 677741 

david@openairbusiness.com 

ADMINISTRATOR 

Kirsty Farrow – 01892 677740 

kirsty@openairbusiness.com 

DESIGN 

James English - 

www.jamesenglishdesign.co.uk 

PUBLISHED BY 

Coffee Shop Media Ltd 

www.coffeeshopmedia.com 

Milroy House, Sayers Lane, 

Tenterden, TN30 6BW 

01580 848555 

Tally Rix 

Editor / Publisher 

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Contents ISSUE 58 – 2023 

UP FRONT 

4 News 

7 Product News 

10 Introducing… new 

faces to get to know 

12 Entrepreneur’s 

Chat – Lisa Vickery 

and Nick Daley of 

Macdonald’s Farm 


17 Sheepy Meadows 

– a tipi venue with a 

boho vibe 

22 Venue Audits – does 

your venue need an 

MOT? 

25 Tipi Build – building 

and breaking tipi 

structures 

28 Marquees & 

Structures – 

products in action 

GLAMPSITES 

33 Coastal Cabins 

– Atlantic views 

from the Hartland 

Peninsula 

38 Google Ads – another 

tool in your direct 

bookings arsenal 

41 Laugh, Cry, Smile 

– confessions of a 

glampsite owner 

45 Pods, Huts and 

Lodges – products in 

action 

EVENTS 

51 British National 

Ploughing 

Championships – 72 

years of an historic 

farming event 

56 Roundup – AFO 

general secretary 

on the industry this 

summer 

58 Let There be 

Light – the trends 

around light, fire and 

fireworks 

60 Flooring – products 

in action 

62 Spotlight 

64 Classifieds 

65 Behind the Scenes… 

Clare Macleod, 

Deckerdence 

Find more expert advice online: 

www.openairbusiness.com 

SUBSCRIBE 

ONLINE 

PODS, HUTS 

& LODGES 

FUNCTION VENUES GLAMPSITES 

EVENTS 

› Tipi Erection 

› Confessions 

› Power of Light 

› Venue Audits 

› Google Ads 

› Ground Protection 

CASE STUDIES: 

SHEEPY MEADOWS • COASTAL CABINS • NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS 

COVER PHOTO 

Logspan – manufacturers of high quality, unique glamping 

accommodation. Image shows the Finman Retreat at Seal 

Point Cabin. Logspan, 01389 734572, info@logspan.com, 

www.logspan com 

BUSINESS 

WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 3

Chester Zoo’s 

New Luxury 

Venue 

FERGUS PERDIE ARCHITECTS / STERLING PLANNING PORTAL 

Woodland Cabins 

for Murrays’ Hotel 

KIM MURRAY and tennis star husband Andy 

have submitted plans for nine woodland cabins 

to be constructed at their hotel in Dunblane. 

The couple bought Cromlix for £1.8m in 2013 

and are working with Fergus Purdie Architects 

to create water-based, treetop and circular 

woodland cabins. 

It is hoped that some of the cabins will be 

complete by late summer subject to planning, 

which also includes the development of a 

second standalone restaurant building. 

Speaking to Boutique Hotelier, the couple, 

who took over the management of the 

hotel from Inverlochy Castle Management 

International in December 2022, said they 

are hoping to expand on the huge potential 

of Cromlix with a ‘big masterplan with lots of 

stages’. 

“It is something we have thought about 

(external investment),” says Kim, “but at the end 

of the day we want to have complete ownership 

over it and want it to be truly reflective of us.” 

A NEW luxury wedding venue has 

opened at Chester Zoo in a former 

stable block which was once home to 

lions, bears and chimpanzees. Known 

now as The Square, the venue hosts 

380 people and can be booked for 

meetings and events. The zoo, which 

has 27,000 animals, also hopes it will 

be used for important global summits 

on wildlife conservation. 

Many of the patterns and textures 

used throughout The Square draw 

inspiration from endangered species 

the zoo is working to protect. 

Zoo conservationists say income 

generated by every occasion held 

at The Square will contribute to 

its charitable efforts to prevent 

extinction. 

Jamie Christon, CEO at Chester 

Zoo, said: “There’s nothing else 

quite like this stunning new venue 

anywhere in the UK. It’s an incredible 

building that’s stood at the heart of 

the zoo for approaching a century 

and, through careful restoration, it’s 

now been brought to life. 

“It’s a one-of-a-kind space which 

not only embodies the zoo’s rich 

history and character, but offers 

modern luxuries and comforts. And 

what’s more, who wouldn’t want to 

get married or have a company away 

day surrounded by 27,000 animals? 

“Most importantly, each and 

every occasion that takes place 

at The Square will contribute to 

our charitable mission to prevent 

extinction, helping us to secure a 

brighter future for wildlife worldwide. 

That’s what makes our new venue 

incredibly special and we can’t wait 

to start welcoming people to it.” 

Bakery Equipment Recoveries Reach 13K 

MORE THAN 13,000 Omega bread baskets and dolly equipment belonging to Bakers 

Basco were recovered from festivals and outdoor events during 2022, following the 

success of a targeted awareness campaign highlighting the environmental impact of 

misplaced bakery equipment often left behind at festivals and outdoor events. 

Bakers Basco was set up in 2006 by five of the UK’s leading plant bakers including 

Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis and Warburtons – 

representing more than 55% of the bakery market in the UK – to buy, manage and police 

the use of a standard basket for the delivery of bread to retailers and wholesalers. The 

company currently manages an equipment pool of approximately five million sturdy, 

reusable Omega Baskets and 500,000 dollies, which are part of the circular economy. 

During the course of 2022, Bakers Basco’s national investigations team visited close 

to 100 locations across the UK, resulting in the successful recovery of 13,000+ pieces 

of equipment, which often ends up in landfill or used for purposes for which it was not 

designed. Key locations included Cheltenham, Chester, York and Rippon Racecourses 

and Glastonbury Festival, as well as outdoor events up and down the UK. 

4 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

Creamfields is the UK’s 

Most Instagrammable 

Festival 

ACCORDING TO new research, Creamfields is the 

most Instagrammable festival in the UK. Analysing the 

number of Instagram hashtags for the most popular UK 

festivals, researchers at Boohoo found that Creamfields 

had over 487,750 hashtags for #creamfields on 

Instagram. The festival is spread across two weekends 

in two different locations. 

Glastonbury festival takes second place, with the 

hashtag #glastonburyfestival used on over 181,410 

Instagram posts, and Boardmasters third place with 

117,948 posts. Other top rankers include Wireless 

Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, BST Hyde Park, 

Wilderness Festival, Camp Bestival, Latitude Festival 

and Y Not Festival. 

Endure Fund Loan Secured for Venue Diversification 

A LOAN deal from Endure Fund has been 

agreed to support development of a new 

luxury wedding venue at a North Yorkshire 

farm. The loan will enable Heather and 

Tony Hugill of High Brockholme Farm to 

convert former stables into a high-end 

wedding venue for up to 150 guests. It 

has begun taking bookings and will be 

operational by March 2024. 

The three-barn development will take 

18 months to complete and includes an 

events barn housing the ceremony room, a 

six-bed detached house for up to 12 guests 

and four three-bedroom units, as well 

as a honeymoon suite that together will 

accommodate up to 26 guests. The new 

wedding and events business builds on 

weddings previously hosted at the farm in 

a marquee. 

Legal experts from Bevan Brittan advised 

Endure Fund on the property development 

loan. Lyndon Campbell, head of Bevan 

Brittan’s Leeds office, said: “Demand 

for luxury wedding venues in stunning 

locations like North Yorkshire remains 

high, particularly when they offer on-site 

accommodation. This looks set to be an 

excellent diversification opportunity. 

Endure Fund was set up in 2019 

to provide bridging and property 

development loans. The fund’s Gary 

Macnair said: “When Heather shared the 

business plan to develop a high-class 

wedding venue, it was evident they were 

creating a location that will be in high 

demand allowing couples to enjoy a 

picture-perfect wedding. Unfortunately, 

her attempts to secure funding through 

the traditional high street banks had been 

unsuccessful due to the business being 

seen as a start-up. 

“We took a more pragmatic view about 

the business being created and with 

Endure’s support the Hugills can look 

forward to their dream becoming a reality.” 


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At Outdoorsy Living we create a 

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Explore our range of bespoke manufactured shepherd huts 

and glamping pods that make every day feel like a holiday. 

01622 844 238 • info@outdoorsy-living.co.uk 

www.outdoorsy-living.co.uk 

Find Us On Social Media 

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PRODUCT 

The Poppy 

URBAN BLOSSOM has launched the Poppy, a striking architectural design 

inspired by the curves of nature. The Poppy offers a luxury retreat for the 

discerning guest with stylish accommodation over two floors and a rooftop 

terrace for taking in the views or star gazing. 

Two layout options are available – a romantic suite for two, or space for up 

to four guests sharing. Both layouts come with a contemporary kitchen and 

wet room, plus optional upgrade packages to the interiors. 

The Poppy is built using modern methods of construction (MMC), with 

an emphasis on sustainability and delivering positive thermal UV values of 

just 0.19. This ensures year-round usability and low energy consumption 

for owners. Run on electricity, the Poppy can either be connected to 

standard services or go off-grid if required. The physical elements used for 

construction have a high content of natural or recycled materials to execute 

responsible design, and all parts are prepared off site to create quick builds. 

Designed to cradle the occupants with the elements of external curved 

wooden fins, and architectural glazing to maximise the views into the 

surrounding landscape, the Poppy is a distinctive feature for any setting. As 

demand continues to grow for experiential and exclusive stays, the Poppy 

offers a one-of-a-kind experience for guests. 

07973 672889, hello@urbanblossom.co.uk, www.urbanblossom.co.uk 

New Structures 

Inspired by 

Alpine Huts 

BESPOKE HIDEOUTS is excited to launch a new 

range of glamping pods which will be showcased for 

the first time at The Glamping Show in September. 

Inspired by a mountain hut discovered during a hike 

in the Alps, the pods will provide a luxurious and 

relaxing shelter for your guests. 

Coming in a range of standard sizes, you’ll still be 

able to put a bespoke touch to pods with choices of 

cladding and internal fittings. As standard, the pods 

come with sleeping accommodation for two to six 

people, a bathroom, kitchen and adequate living 

space just in case the British weather doesn’t behave. 

Options for each pod include on-grid/off-grid 

setup, various cladding options (internal and 

external), wood burners, indoor/outdoor kitchen 

upgrades and a trailer/wheeled chassis. Come 

and see a show model at the Glamping Show in 

September. 

The pods are all built on steel frames so that they 

can be delivered to your site and installed in a matter 

of hours. The smallest of the pods will be able to go 

on a road legal trailer so that you can easily move 

them around your site as needed. 

hello@bespokehideouts.com, 

www.bespokehideouts.com 

Handcrafted Shepherd Hut for Sale 

BUILT BY a local joiner this bespoke shepherds hut would be perfect for rental 

holiday let or extra accommodation in your garden. It is a cosy space with a wood 

burning stove/oven, double glazing and insulated walls. The hut is self-contained 

with its own shower room and WC. There is also a kitchenette and space for a 

small fridge. 

The double bed and small seating area has storage areas underneath. The hut 

was built to be off-grid however the wall lights and sockets can be connected to 

mains electricity if required. Unused and sold due to a change in circumstances. 

catblaw1@gmail.com / 07507 976516 


PRODUCT 

Hut for Sean 

the Sheep 

REGENCY SHEPHERD Huts were 

approached last year at the National 

Glamping Show by the owner of “Shaun 

The Sheep Land” in Höör, Sweden, to make 

a feature, double hut for a new section of 

the park. 

After months of planning, designing 

and costing, all was agreed and the 

Scandinavian outfit wanted the hut 

delivered by the end of April, giving the 

Regency team three months to complete 

the build before setting off across Europe. 

The remit given for the interior was 

bright and colourful. The double unit 

consisted of two separate huts which gave 

a total floor space of a colossal 48m2! 

After a few late nights and weekends, 

both directors, Drew Davis and Mark 

Rimmer, voyaged through six countries to 

Sweden in a van full of kit, following the 

hauliers who were tasked with transporting 

the XXL huts to their destiny. The logistics 

went to plan and the boys arrived after 

a 1,000 mile expedition at the beautiful 

national park to be greeted with a 30 tonne 

crane ready for action. 

The operation was very smooth and the 

owners were delighted with the finished 

product, so much so that future orders are 

already underway! ‘Shaun’s Wagon’ will 

subsequently be getting themed by a team 

from Aardman Animations in the coming 

weeks ready for the arrival of families in the 

summer season. 

01531 821599, info@ 

regencyshepherdhuts.co.uk, 

www.regencyshepherdhuts.co.uk 

New Premises for Bond 

BOND FABRICATIONS is 

thrilled to announce a big 

move into new premises 

in the beautiful Cotswolds 

town of Nailsworth. 

The new building allows 

the British manufacturer 

to increase its production 

capacity and gives 

more space for design 

and development of its 

bespoke tents. All of its 

structures are designed 

and manufactured in house 

by a skilled production 

team. Proud to be a true 

British manufacturer, Bond 

does not import any of its 

products and is excited 

to be able to champion 

British design from its new 

premises. 

Bond often works with 

clients who require a 

Retro 

Range 

custom approach and 

the new premises offers 

more space to test and 

develop structures. There 

are now demo tents on site 

and a stunning glamping 

location in the heart of 

the Cotswolds is just a 

few minutes’ drive away 

where two of its huge fully 

furnished safari tents can 

be seen. 

Give Bond a call to book 

a visit so you can see where 

all the magic happens. 

01453 767171, enquiries@ 

bondfabrications.co.uk, 

www.bondfabrications.co.u 

OUTDOORSY LIVING are proud 

to announce the addition of a 

new range of retro corrugated 

iron shepherd huts to its 

selection of shepherd huts. These 

bespoke huts are perfect for a 

wide range of unique holiday 

retreats, enabling year-round 

occupancy and the wow factor 

of being close to nature without 

losing any creature comforts. 

If you are planning elegant 

glamping site development, 

charming hideaways or delightful 

guest rooms, these shepherd huts 

will fit right in. In keeping with 

the traditional wooden shepherd 

hut style, Outdoorsy Living creates bespoke contemporary spaces with meticulous 

craftsmanship, patience and care. 

Layouts can be modified to your specifications, with hut sizes ranging from 16 to 20 

feet. You can choose between one or two double bedrooms that can also be configured as 

snugs. Additionally, huts can be twinned to create bigger entertaining spaces. 

The new corrugated iron clad shepherd huts will add variety to the current timber clad 

options, providing both stylish protection against the elements, with the fully insulated 

walls, floor and roof keeping guests cool in summer and warm in winter. 

01622 844238, info@outdoorsy-living.co.uk, www.outdoorsy-living.co.uk 


• Handcrafted shepherds hut 

• Solid oak axel 

• Solid wood frame clad with aluminium covered tin 

• Insulated walls and roof 

• Stable door 

• Built in double bed with storage 

• Small seating area with storage underneath 

• Kitchenette with wood burning stove/oven 

• Shower room with WC 

Contact: catblaw1@gmail.com / 07507 976516 

UNIQUE DESIGNS FOR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES 

Sustainable Bespoke Buildings 

Designed For Private Owners & Exclusive Retreats 

urbanblossom.co.uk 

hello@urbanblossom.co.uk

PEOPLE 

INTRODUCING… 

Some new faces to get to know! 

VENUES 

GLAMPING 

Cameron 

Gray 

Director, Atlas Domes 

07446 241486, 

info@atlasdomes.co.uk, 

www.atlasdomes.co.uk 

What does your company do? 

We design and manufacture bamboo 

geo-domes to hire UK wide and sell 

globally. 

How long have you been established? 

I have over a decade of dome building 

experience, but have been operating as 

Atlas Domes since 2016. 

What makes your company’s services 

special? 

We are the only bamboo geo-domes 

manufacturer in the UK. 

What is your hero product? 

Our bamboo domes. They are not only 

sustainable but are also light, strong and 

beautiful making them ideal for a wide 

variety of uses. 

A little bit about you 

If I am not in the workshop designing 

and creating various projects, I will be 

camping with my family and of course 

the dome dog Luna. 

Why should a customer get in touch? 

We are a family run business that makes 

bespoke bamboo geodomes for hire and 

sale 

Clare 

Macleod 

Wedding and events director, 

Deckerdence 

01675 463555, 

clare.macleod@deckerdence.com, 

www.deckerdence.com 


We are a unique mobile venue hosting 

weddings, parties and events. 

How long have you been 

established? 

10 years. 


special? 

We offer a truly unique, one-of-a-kind 

venue. Our vintage doubledeck bus 

with a traditional bar and cocktail 

lounge is the centrepiece inside our 

circular marquee. 

What is your hero product and why? 

With a truly unique venue available 

almost anywhere and at our own 

events festival field – almost anything 

and everything is possible! 


I love hosting events, but I love 

attending them too. I’m a huge sports 

fan, my favourite being F1; it’s a great 

mix of sport and putting on a show. 


To a host a fabulous wedding, party 

or event in one of kind venue with the 

WOW factor creating a day and night no 

one will forget. 

Chris 

Lievesley 

Managing director, Nottingham 

Specialised Timber Buildings 

0115 947 3749, nstbltd@gmail.com, 

www.nstb.co.uk 


We manufacture bespoke cabins with 

the option of purchasing on a shell 

basis with internals completed by the 

purchaser offering large savings. 


established? 

The company was established in 2007. 


special? 

We also offer a unique on-site 

construction which enables us to 

supply our cabins where the purchase 

of a fully finished cabin would not be 

possible. 

What is your hero product/service? 

Our versatility to manufacture cabins 

to suit individual requirements without 

any additional cost to the client. 


I’m a keen tennis player and enjoy 

music, with a preference to 70s & 

Motown. 


We offer a no obligation quote along 

with a computer generated image of 

the cabin based on your individual 

requirements. 


PEOPLE 

GLAMPING 

EVENTS 

Charlie 

Bullock 

Founder, Bespoke Hideouts 

07703 387322, hello@bespokehideouts.com, 



We are a small company focused on 

crafting beautiful and unique spaces 


established? 

Two years. 


special? 

We pride ourselves on our creativity, 

outstanding craftsmanship and 

providing a tailored service from initial 

idea to project completion. 


We take a personal approach to 

creating high quality bespoke cabins 

for many uses including on-grid/offgrid 

glamping, studios and kitchens. 


I can often be found by the campfire 

kitchen, hiking in the hills or building 

pieces of furniture. 


Always bespoke and always 

handcrafted, we’re so proud of our 

creations that every project receives 

our trademark engraved plaque! 

Drew Davis 

and Mark 

Rimmer 

Co-directors, Regency Shepherd Huts 

07807 072080, info@regencyshepherdhuts. 

co.uk, www.regencyshepherdhuts.co.uk 


We make bespoke, premium shepherd 

huts. 


established? 

Two years. 


special? 

The ability to custom build and 

be versatile. We can cater for any 

ideas thinkable and any size. Most 

importantly we provide a very high-end 

finish. 


Shaun The Sheep’s double shepherd 

hut. It’s big, bright, colourful and a true 

one off! 


We both love anything woodwork 

related and being creative. Family time. 

All sports. Smoking meats. Travelling. 


They will be looked after from design to 

the final installations and will receive 

a very high-end product to be proud of 

and to provide a high income. 

Robert Nisbet 

Managing director, Event 

Production Services 

01844 278446, robert@epsoxford.com, 

www.epsoxford.com 


EPS exists to solve technical challenges 

at events and event venues including 

sound, lighting, video, staging and 

power distribution, all as dry hire or 

crewed. 


established? 

Eight years. 


special? 

We use our technical expertise, 

knowledge and experience to help 

organisations deliver outstanding 

events. 


We specialise in high quality audio 

systems from conference to theatre to 

festival from our loudspeaker partner 

NEXO. 


I love bouldering, cycling and reading 

– especially books around personal 

development and entrepreneurship. I 

am also (slowly) refurbishing a small 

river boat and do a bit of DIY. 


Our team’s diverse skillset and 

attention to detail ensures you receive 

outstanding service and support for 

your event or venue from concept to 

completion. 


Lisa Vickery 

and Nick Daley 

A move to Cornwall and an impulse buy – four years and two children 

later Lisa and Nick have just taken their first holiday! 


PEOPLE 

ormer BBC journalist Lisa Vickery and her partner Nick 

Daley, a property developer, had no experience of 

running a glampsite when they took on Macdonald’s 

Farm in 2019, but that didn’t put them off taking a 

leap into the unknown. “It’s funny because, having 

worked as a journalist at the BBC for 20 years, I’ve made 

documentaries about people like us!” says Lisa. 

“It was after I was made redundant and expecting our 

first child that we decided to make the move to Cornwall. 

We then found this campsite within a year of moving here. We had no 

intention of buying a business, but it seemed like a really good idea, 

and given that my job involved a lot of organisation, we thought it’d be 

quite a good match for me. Although to be honest, it was the alpacas 

that sealed the deal for us!”. 

The existing business had been running for around 20 years, 

primarily as a day attraction, and was very much in need of 

modernisation, as Nick explains: “The place hadn’t been updated for 

about 15 years, so we decided to focus on the accommodation. We 

refurbished the B&B rooms, created a glamping area, extended the 

camping pitches, and reduced the size of the day attraction, which 

meant we could reduce the day entry fee.” 

The couple originally did away with the attraction aspect of the 

business altogether but then realised there was still a demand for it. 

“Despite competition from bigger and shinier attractions in the region, 

people who had been visiting for years kept turning up, so we decided 

to offer it again, but for a much more realistic price,” he says. 

In terms of the site’s appearance, the pair opted for a ‘rustic luxury’ 

look. “We wanted to create something that had that real, ‘glampy’ feel 

to it,” says Nick. “We didn't want a traditional toilet block, for example. 

Instead, we created cladded buildings with uplighting and little plant 

areas where guests come in. But at the same time, we wanted to offer 

a bit of luxury for all seasons as well because, in Cornwall, the weather 

can be both amazing and awful!” 

This led to the purchase of four safari tents after a visit to the 

Glamping Show. “I was surprised at the lack of quality with some 

of the more expensive solid structures – we looked at units costing 

£60,000, but just weren’t confident about their longevity.” 

An additional arm of the business is the café, although Nick and 

Lisa decided not to run it during their first year. This led to much 

disappointment from the day visitors, reveals Nick, “People would pay 

to come in, have a lovely time, and then head to the bar/café point and 

say, ‘what’s for lunch?’ and we’d have to tell them that we didn’t do 

lunch; the best we could offer were some sandwiches from the fridge! 

This didn’t go down terribly well, as you can imagine. 

“So now we have a fully functioning kitchen run by a local chef who, 

until recently, had his own two-rosette restaurant nearby. It does, of 

course, mean that it’s another business to manage, but it’s definitely 

worth the effort. Word of mouth about the changes at Macdonald’s 

Farm is starting to make us a destination for people, which is a huge 

help during the quieter months when we’re still paying for the café to 

be staffed from 8am to 8.30pm every day.” 

Another aspect of attracting visitors to Macdonald’s Farm is the 

entertainment offering, which is Lisa’s remit. As she explains, “We’re 

kind of in the middle of nowhere here, so we figured when we got 

people in, we should capture them and make them have a nice time 

here rather than going elsewhere for their entertainment. We really 

wanted to support local, and I had an enjoyable couple of months 

sourcing local talent, of which there is no shortage in Cornwall. And 

there are lots of young musicians, very talented musicians, that really 

want an opportunity to play. We also want to engage with families that 

come here. We do things that a lot of campsites do, like family quizzes 

and games, but because we have the animals, we really wanted to 

make the most of that, and so we offer anything from goat walking to 

pony experiences. It’s all about making the most of the opportunities 

within the farm to create an income, but also to give people a unique 


PEOPLE 

“WE'VE HAD 

PEOPLE THAT 

HAVE BEEN 

COMING BACK TO 

US FOR THE LAST 

FOUR YEARS 

THAT STAYED IN 

THE BELL TENT 

AND ARE NOW 

WANTING TO 

COME BACK AND 

TRY THE SAFARI 

TENTS. THEY’RE 

REALLY EXCITED 

BY ALL THE 

CHANGES” 

time when they come here. Our USP is definitely the little petting 

farm; it really helps us to sell the place, especially to young families.” 

Macdonald’s Farm has been attracting families back every year for 

20 years, and Lisa and Nick wanted to recreate the magic that kept 

visitors returning for so long. “John and Karen, who built the site, are 

still very much loved and respected in the community,” explains Lisa. 

“They managed to capture all the things that make for memorable 

childhood holidays, like the ones we used to have. So we wanted to 

do the same but in our own way. We've had people that have been 

coming back to us for the last four years that stayed in the bell tent 

and are now wanting to come back and try the safari tents. They’re 

really excited by all the changes. We love the enthusiasm from many 

of our repeat customers for the continual improvements we’re 

making; they’re genuinely recognising the effort we’re putting in.” 

The focus on family is a big part of the inspiration at the site. 

“We’ve got a three-year-old and nearly two-year-old, so we looked 

at our garden, and we looked at our campsite and asked ourselves, 

as a family, what would we want? Clean and child-friendly facilities, 

a garden where parents can relax and have a drink, and not worry as 

it’s totally safe. I certainly need that when I go out with my kids, so we 

really have designed this with parents in mind.” 

The drive to attract families, although hugely successful, has 

caused the couple to question whether they are potentially losing 

out on visitors looking for a quieter place to stay. “One thing we’ve 

realised we need to do is to review our marketing strategy in order 

to reach people who may not know that we do have quiet periods, 

school term time, for example,” says Nick. “But long term, we do have 

plans to offer retreats of various kinds, and that will certainly raise our 

profile among that demographic.” 

And how has it been making the switch from their previous roles 

to becoming hospitality entrepreneurs? “Horrific!” laughs Nick. 

“There have certainly been times when I’ve asked myself why I did it. 

Especially having come from a property development background 

where I was used to working with professionals who knew what was 

expected and required minimal management. If there were ever 

problems, you could have a discussion, resolve them, and move 

forward. Unfortunately, before we had the team we do now, there 

have been occasions that left me somewhat bewildered – like the 

time someone just walked out and drove off without even attempting 

to discuss why they were unhappy!” 

The business now employs 20 staff working a mix of full-time and 

part-time roles. “We really do have a solid team now, though,” adds 

Lisa. “We’ve learnt a lot and know what to look for in people. There 

was a time when, post-Covid, many people were looking for a career 

and lifestyle change and had very unrealistic expectations about what 

a park warden’s working life was like. Some of them honestly thought 

they would just potter around the grounds during the day and then 

head off to the beach every evening!” 

As with any new business venture, there has been a steep learning 

curve, and the pair are still finding their way. The café, for example, 

is a separate business in itself and requires careful management. As 

Nick explains: “If you were to set up a café tomorrow, you’d have at 

least three people working there, cooking, serving, cleaning up and 

so on. And you can’t predict demand very reliably; some days, the 

place is constantly buzzing with customers, but then you get the odd 

day where you cook just one lunch. It’s something we’re monitoring 

closely to try and get the balance right.” 

It’s Lisa who works on-site day-to-day and is, therefore, best 

positioned to describe the reality of living the dream. “Even with a 

goal of spending more time with your family, if you own and live on a 

campsite you’re never actually fully out of the business – even if you 

can find someone to manage it for you! If you want the site to work, 

you need to be customer-facing. The site is marketed as a family 

concern, and visitors really appreciate seeing you there as part of their 

stay. I would also say that having put so much blood, sweat, and tears 


PEOPLE 

into Macdonald’s Farm; I’m not sure we could ever step away completely. I 

think this is the case for pretty much all business owners during this early 

stage. 

“It’s hard work, has taken a lot of money, and there’s a lot of risk, but it’s 

such a lovely place to be that I don’t regret it. When I think how far we’ve 

come, from being completely green at the start, to having an in-depth 

understanding of what it takes to run the site, I’m proud of where we’ve 

got to. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Nick was running around in flipflops 

trying to catch goats while I was staring at the booking system on the 

computer, not having a clue what I was doing! There’s still a lot to learn, 

though, and we still consider ourselves newbies to all this.” 

There is also the challenge of managing two children as well as the 

business. “When we bought the place, we had just the one, but when our 

second child came along, it was a total game changer,” says Nick. “Don’t 

believe the nonsense about two children not being much harder than having 

two!” 

On a happy note, the family have just had their first break since the 

children were born. So what did they choose to do? Go camping! “Yes, it’s 

true, we’ve become campers,” laughs Lisa. “We bought a camper van and 

drove up the coast to a site in a really beautiful location and had the most 

amazing time.” 

DETAILS 

McDonald’s Farm, Porthcothan Bay 

Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8LT 

www.macdonaldsfarm.co.uk 

Deckerdence 

UNIQUE MOBILE VENUE 

A one of a kind venue perfect for weddings, 

parties, events & corporate hospitality 

enquiries@deckerdence.com | 01675 463555 



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CASE STUDY 

Sheepy 

A new tipi venue with a 

relaxed bohemian feel 

in Leicestershire 

Meadows 

We talk to Ellie Cashmore 

about the launch of a tipi 

venue by the team behind 

the award winning Mythe 

Barn and corporate events 

company Eventurous. Created 

in response to the pandemic, 

Sheepy Meadows has gone on 

to achieve a Silver ECOsmart 

award for its sustainability 

practices. 

When did you start your venue 

business and what is its history? 

We began our journey over a 

decade ago and now own multiple 

enterprises at Mythe Farm, 

including award winning wedding 

and events venue, Mythe Barn, 

and corporate event management 

company, Eventurous. 

We decided to launch Sheepy 

Meadows tipi venue in 2021. The 

launch came after we recognised 

a growing need for unique 

wedding and event venues that 

“COVID WAS 

A BIG DRIVER, 

CREATING 

A DEMAND 

FOR SPACES 

THAT COULD 

BE WELL 

VENTILATED” 

offer something different from 

the traditional, something that is 

easy to bespoke and eco-friendly. 

Covid was a big driver, creating a 

demand for spaces that could be 

well ventilated. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

The venue is at Mythe Farm in 

Sheepy Magna, on the borders of 

Warwickshire and Leicester. Sitting 

within 150 acres of picturesque 

countryside, it really is a magical 



place and home to a plethora 

of wildlife, making it a secluded 

paradise for any wedding party. 

What facilities for outdoor 

functions do you offer? 

We offer outdoor space with 

picnic benches and patio seating 

so guests can enjoy the fresh air. 

Outside the tipi we also offer a 

generous decking area and field 

for outdoor ceremonies, activities 

and garden games, not to mention 

unique character rustic features 

such as our corrugated metal 

barn wall, popular for stand out 

photography shots. 

Although we do not have 

accommodation on site, we have 

a list of local hotels, B&Bs and 

transport companies which we 

provide for our couples and their 

guests. 

What services do you offer? 

Our package includes exclusive 

hire of our three giant hat tipi 

for up to 150 people and all of its 

facilities inside and out, including 

a rustic bar, wooden flooring, 

dance floor and firepit. We have 

a list of suppliers we have known 

and used for many years and are 

happy to recommend those to 

couples to help them with the 

planning process. Included in the 

hire is a state of the art flat ceiling 

sound system. It blends into the 

tipi really well and has an amazing 

sound. 

“WHETHER 

THEY ARE 

SEEKING A 

FESTIVAL- 

THEMED 

WEDDING 

DAY OR 

SOMETHING 

MORE 

CLASSICAL, 

WE CAN 

RECOMMEND 

SUPPLIERS 

WHO CAN 

HELP BRING 

ANY VISION 

TO LIFE” 

How do you work with your 

customers to make their event 

unique? 

A tipi is great for pushing the 

boundaries of a traditional 

wedding, it provides couples 

with a blank canvas to bespoke 

completely to their taste. Whether 

they are seeking a festival-themed 

wedding day or something more 

classical, we can recommend 

suppliers who can help bring 

any vision to life. Our suggested 

suppliers are very familiar with 

Sheepy Meadows and understand 

how best to complement its 

distinctive structure. You can 

see inspiration on a large variety 

of theming ideas within our 

tipi on our Instagram page @ 

sheepymeadows. 

How do you publicise yourself? 

We use a combination of social 

media, local PR, open days, 

supplier relationships, reviews, 

directories and visits. 

How would you describe your 

style or unique selling point? 

Our unique sustainability efforts 

and ECOsmart Silver accreditation 

sets Sheepy Meadows aside from 

the competition. Like so many 

of our clients, we care about our 

impact and do what we can to be 

as green as possible. 

Sheepy Meadows is a secret 

paradise with a relaxed bohemian 

feel, set in a breath-taking rural 

setting. Our USPs are our credibility 

and knowledge of the wedding 

industry, having won many awards 

over the years. And finally, our 

quality finishes in the venue itself, 

such as solid wooden flooring, 

which is quite unique for a tipi 

venue, and stunning bespoke 

decorative lighting incorporating 

natural hops. The quality and detail 

we put into our tipi really is stand 

out. 

At the moment one of our USPs 

is availability – being a new venue 

we still have plenty of prime dates 

available. 

How did you cope through the 

pandemic? 

The pandemic was one of the main 

drivers for creating a tipi venue. 

From a standing start it was very 

successful for corporate events due 

to the ventilation it offered. We had 

some fabulous corporate events 

towards the end of the pandemic 

which included food stalls, a 



Ferris wheel, bumper cars and a 

DeLorean to tie in with the forwardlooking 

theme of the event. 

Being in a fabulous central 

Midlands location and having 

Eventurous, our events business, 

located right next door at the 

farm, it was ideally suited to take 

advantage of the pent-up demand 

for getting teams back together 

again. 

How large is your team – any 

special people you’d like to 

mention? 

We have a small, close team 

working on the tipi and we 

concentrate heavily on our values 

and culture across all the brands. 

In our team we have 

event management 

professionals and 

wedding experts with 

endless amounts of 

experience and we 

all believe strongly 

in delivering 

the very best 

experiences. 

The broader Eventurous team is 

always on hand to assist whenever 

needed, bringing broad expertise 

for more challenging event 

briefs along with most of the kit 

you could possibly want for any 

corporate or festival-style event. 

Have you worked with any 

industry bodies or consultants? 

Yes, we are delighted to be working 

with hospitality sustainability 

specialists Greengage Solutions, 

who are supporting us with our 

roadmap and achieving green 

targets. 

This year Sheepy Meadows was 

presented with a Silver ECOsmart 

venue award which came after 

we met over 50% of the already 

recommended green initiatives 

which included our wildflower 

meadow, 500 solar panels, 12,000 

newly planted trees, zero to 

landfill waste management and 

homes for bees on site. We are 

also MUTA venue members, giving 

clients confidence in our tipi as a 

structure and its maintenance and 

management. 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

With being a new venue, we have 

lots of ideas. This season we are 

launching a new ceremony area 

and will hopefully have our civil 

ceremony license for both the tipi 

and the new ceremony canopy in 

the coming weeks. 

We’d possibly like to incorporate 

the adjoining old rustic Dutch barn 

and create a backwater bar to 

accompany the tipi’s rustic natural 

bohemian style. 

Describe your average day 

mid-season? 

Anyone experiencing the 

day here gets to arrive via 

the breath-taking journey 

up the long farm drive, 

soaking up the wildflower 

meadows and spotting 

wildlife from pheasants to 

rabbits and our very own flock 

of sheep on the way. 



A typical day always includes 

some mowing or grounds 

maintenance to keep the farm 

looking wonderful. Client meetings 

are frequent both for corporate 

clients and engaged couples, and 

event set up/take down is never 

the same. Every event is different 

and that’s where our teams’ 

strength really lies – in its ability to 

arrange and host everything from 

a small team gathering with a BBQ 

and archery to a full on multi-day 

conference and festival with a 

glamping field and fairground. 

What do you enjoy about the 

business and why? 

We have multiple event and venue 

enterprises, all leading the way 

in their own sectors of weddings 

and corporate events. No two 

days are ever the same and we are 

continually expanding. We have 

always shared a passion for live 

events and make it our mission to 

deliver unforgettable experiences. 

In addition to the tipi we also 

have our well established wedding 

and events venue Mythe Barn that 

we opened 10 years ago. With 

over 1,000 weddings successfully 

delivered we can safely say we 

know weddings. With Eventurous 

we also deliver corporate events 

at venues nationally, with services 

including conference organising, 

event management, team building 

days, AV hire and support, venue 

finding, interactive treasure hunts 

and evening entertainment. We’ve 

been delivering corporate events 

a lot longer than weddings and 

“WE HAVE ALWAYS SHARED A PASSION 

FOR LIVE EVENTS AND MAKE IT OUR 

MISSION TO DELIVER UNFORGETTABLE 

EXPERIENCES” 

are one of the most experienced 

companies in the industry. 

What are you most proud of? 

We are proud of our team and the 

outstanding efforts they put in 

each summer to ensure our tipi 

is built to a high standard and 

looks out of this world with all 

the finishing touches in place. As 

owner directors we are always 

considering new avenues for the 

business and the team are so great 

at getting on board with our vision 

and helping bring it to life. We 

couldn’t do it without them! 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

Sheepy Meadows 

Pinwall Lane 

Atherstone 

Leicestershire CV9 3PF 

01827 949944 

www.sheepymeadows.co.uk 


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Venue MOTs 

What is a wedding venue deep dive audit and why do you need 

one? The Venue Experts’ Stacey Ferguson-Czersovski explains 

NO MATTER the time of year, it is always 

the perfect time to undergo a deep dive 

audit. Deep dive audits are all about 

getting your venue ‘shop front ready’. The 

wedding venue market is a competitive 

one, and if you’re not meeting the needs 

of your potential customers effectively or 

marketing your venue correctly, you are 

going to miss out on those all-important 

bookings. 

We all know that when you’re close to 

and involved in something it can be very 

hard to pinpoint areas where you can 

improve, or work on how to do that. Think 

of a deep dive audit as your wedding venue 

MOT. Every venue needs to keep evolving 

and reassessing to exceed the expectations 

of couples. 

If you fancy giving it a try yourself, I have 

put together a summarised list on how to 

get started on turbocharging your venue. 

1 

DETERMINE YOUR VENUE 

GOAL AND DEFINE YOUR 

PRODUCT 

The first thing to do is assess what 

your goal is. Would you like to increase 

the number of bookings? Increase 

the revenue per booking? Perhaps 

you want to reposition yourself in the 

market. Whatever your goal is, you 

must ensure that all of your marketing 

activities and sales processes align 

with this goal. Is your team on the 

same page in terms of what you’re 

offering? You must establish a clear, 

refined product that will attract your 

chosen clientele and consider your 

tone of voice and language when 

communicating with these couples. 

2 

KEEP A TRACK OF 

YOUR FIGURES 

It is vital that you record 

your figures in order to work 

out your conversion rates and 

then compare these against 

the industry averages. This 

highlights the weak points 

in your sales journey and 

where you need to improve. 

For example, if your enquiry 

to viewing rate is low, then 

this might be because your 

pricing is not advertised on 

your website or your third 

party sites aren’t optimised. 

If your viewing to booking 

rate is low, this might be 

because your couples haven’t 

been pre-qualified or your 

viewing process isn’t selling 

your product. You should 

be analysing these figures 

monthly to ensure that you 

are aware of which areas 

need improvement. 



3 

ASSESSING YOUR 

MARKETING ACTIVITIES 

Create a marketing 

strategy and assign an annual 

marketing budget. Keep in mind 

your venue goal when looking at 

your strategy and only advertise 

on third party sites that align with 

your desired couple. Monthly 

analysis will help maximise your 

return on investment. 

4 

YOUR SALES PROCESS 

Don’t ghost your couples, make sure 

you respond to their initially enquiry 

as soon as possible. Make it memorable 

and don’t say congratulations on 

your engagement! Ensure all 

emails have a great call to 

action to come and view 

your venue. Consider 

implementing a five week 

email journey to subtly 

remind the couple of your 

venue and keep you at the 

forefront of their minds. 

5 

QUALIFY YOU COUPLES 

Self-qualification and 

prequalification are vital parts 

of your sales process. Allow couples 

to self-qualify by having all of your 

pricing and FAQs online. This allows 

couples to save time as they don’t 

need to send an email to find the 

information and allows them to 

easily compare you against other 

venues. 

Pre-qualification before a viewing 

is just as important. Make sure that 

you are the right venue for them 

and they are the right couple for 

you. Are you within budget? Do you 

have the date available and do you 

have the correct capacity? Asking 

these questions before a viewing will 

ensure that your time is spent with 

the couples most likely to book your 

venue. 

6 

NAILING YOUR VIEWING 

AND POST VIEWING 

PROCEDURES 

Tailor your viewing to the couple. 

What is the most important 

aspect of their wedding day? 

What time of year are they 

looking at? Use this information 

to conduct a bespoke viewing. 

Remember to match the couples’ 

excitement – they don’t just buy 

into the venue, they buy into you 

too! Make sure you follow up on 

the day of the viewing and don’t 

be afraid to ask for the sale. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Stacey Ferguson- 

Czersovski is the 

founder and CEO of The 

Venue Experts which 

offers deep dive audits to 

make sure wedding venues 

are in the best possible shape. The 

team will comb through your website in 

tiny detail, look at how well your social 

media is working for you and analyse 

your customer sales journey from initial 

enquiry to showround and beyond. The 

resulting advice and plan ensures your 

venue has everything in place to perform 

to its fullest potential. 

It’s not too late to book a deep dive audit 

before the summer wedding season 

really kicks off. 07880 312303 / hello@ 

thevenueexperts.co.uk 



Tipi Build 

Hayley Harthern explains the process of building and 

breaking a tipi structure 

TODAY, LARGE event tipis are a soughtafter 

option for those seeking a unique and 

captivating atmosphere for their outdoor 

events, blending tradition with modern 

event design. One of the benefits of giant 

event tipis is that they can be interlinked 

to create a formation for many hundreds 

of guests and adapted to suit a venue’s 

requirements. The other main benefit is that 

they can be built and disassembled quickly 

and easily. 

The sides of a tipi can be lifted and 

lowered, depending on the weather, and at 

The Tipi Company we have also designed 

a range of enhancement kits that can be 

fitted into the open side of tipi, where giant 

windows can be rolled up or down quickly 

and easily without altering the structure – 

perfect for weekend events. 

For venues who wish to use their tipis as 

a temporary “pop-up” structure to create 

extra capacity or space for a weekend event, 

we would recommend either a Midi Hat or a 

Big Hat. The beauty of both these structures 

is that all or part of their sides can be lifted 

like a witch’s hat, so it can create a fantastic 

space for outside dining, as a dancefloor, 

entertainment area or chillout zone. Should 

the weather be forecasted “British”, we 

would recommend closing all the sides 

down to create a cosy retreat for guests. 

For a Big or Midi Hat, along with lifter 

beam sets, you would be looking at a 

£11,000-£13,000 investment. This in turn 

can be rented onto your end customer for a 

£1,000-£2,000 additional fee per weekend 

event. 

“FOR VENUES WHO WISH 

TO USE THEIR TIPIS AS 

A TEMPORARY “POP-UP” 

STRUCTURE TO CREATE 

EXTRA CAPACITY OR SPACE 

FOR A WEEKEND EVENT, 

WE WOULD RECOMMEND 

EITHER A MIDI HAT OR A BIG 

HAT” 

PARTS OF A TIPI 

Giant event tipis are characterised by 

their conical shape, spacious interiors and 

durable construction. They are typically 

made from a high-quality weatherresistant 

canvas. We use a canvas called 

Coated Campshield. It’s flame-retardant, 

waterproof, UV resistant, rot-resistant and 

much more, making it ideal for outdoor use. 

The mudwall is the contrasting-coloured 

trim around the bottom of the canvas, and 

for this we use a military-graded fabric, 

that is incredibly strong and durable, in 

addition to being tear-resistant, making it 

ideal for tensioning tipis in adverse weather 

conditions. Along this mudwall are stainless 

steel D-rings, which act as the anchor points 

for the canvas, using hookpegs to secure it 

into the ground. 

Our framework is made from the 

strongest wood we could source – northern 

Scandinavian spruce which is slow-grown 

in freezing temperatures. Nine main poles 

are affixed together using a central crown at 

the top, horizontal purlin beams part-way 

up, and 750mm round anchor stakes driven 

through holes at the base of the poles to 

secure the framework into the ground. 

A smoke hood is the final design piece 

located at the top of the tipi. The opening of 

this feature provides natural ventilation for 



guests during warmer weather. 

The time it takes to build a Midi or Big 

Hat is around two hours with four team 

members. Add more time if installing 

carpet, furniture, lighting, facilities etc. 

We’ve always found that teams who work 

in pairs are much more efficient. For all 

our clients who wish to build and break 

the tips on a regular basis, we provide free 

access to our online training portal, which 

is a comprehensive collection of manuals, 

videos, photos and guidance. It can be 

accessed by any smartphone, tablet, or 

laptop, so it’s great to access while onsite 

and training your team. We’d strongly 

advise that any member of your team who 

is working on a tipi build be trained for 

Working at Height. 

PREPARING THE SITE 

For a quick and easy build, a surface such 

as a lawn, field, paddock or gravelled area 

is the best option. Please bear in mind that 

the surface you choose will need to be flat 

and level – after all, your guests will be 

walking directly onto it. Even if you choose 

to lay a woven matting flooring onto the 

ground, guests will feel any lumps or bumps 

underneath, so a lot of our clients use a 

roller to create a flatter surface. 

When you have decided where you want 

the entrance into the tipi, you will need 

to find the centrepoint, and using a string 

line (to the measurements on our training 

portal), measure out the circumference 

of the tipi. We’ve found that clients like to 

mark out the circumference with pegs so all 

of their team understand the alignment and 

placement of the tipi during the installation 

process. 

Standard anchorage is by means of 

750mm stakes driven into the ground to 

secure the main tipi poles. Then a mixture 

of 450mm stakes and hook pegs are used to 

Top Tip 

Layout clean waterproof sheeting to 

roll the tipi canvas out onto – never 

roll out directly onto grass as you will 

mark the canvas overtime. 

secure the canvas. This is for soft-standing 

temporary installations on surfaces such 

as fields, gardens and gravel areas. For 

installations on hard standing surfaces, 

such as carparks and courtyards, we have 

designed a range of anchorage solutions to 

ensure you can always build your tipi. For 

hard-standing surfaces you will be able to 

install your tipis using ballasts. 

PROCESS OF ERECTION 

A quick summary of a Big Hat with all sides 

down, using a zip for entry, onto a softstanding 

surface, would be: 

1 

Once the position of the tipi is agreed 

and marked out, you will need to 

place four of the main tipi poles onto 

the ground and affix them onto the central 

crown (from above, the poles will follow 

the lines of a bow tie). 

2 

The base of two of the main poles will 

need to be pegged out to stop them 

from sliding away during the lift. 

Once pegged out, two of your tipi fitters 

will need to take the base of the other two 

main tipi poles, lift and walk them towards 

the centre, thus creating a “quadpod”. The 

base of these poles, once in the correct 

position, will also need to be pegged out to 

secure them in place. An extension ladder 

will then be placed against the central 

crown, and a fitter will then climb to the 

top, ready to receive the other five main 

tipi poles that their team will pass up to 

them one by one. 



3 

When all nine main tipi poles are in 

position, the canvas pulley can be 

positioned on the top. Working at 

step ladder height, the team can then fix 

the horizontal purlin beams in place, which 

will ensure the spacing of the framework is 

correct. 750mm long stakes are then driven 

through the base of the poles, to secure the 

tipi to the ground. 

4 

Once the framework is in position and 

anchored, the canvas can be attached 

to the pulley and pulled up and over 

the top of the framework. It is important to 

take note of where the zip locations on the 

canvas need to be, as these will be the exit 

points in the formation. The canvas will then 

need to be pegged out using 450mm stakes 

at the main pole points, and hook pegs 

along all the other D-rings, to secure the 

canvas into position. 

5 

Once tensioned and totally pegged out, 

the zip can be opened and used as for 

entry/exit. At this point, the internal 

dressings can be installed, including carpet, 

furniture and lighting. 

“WE’VE FOUND THAT A GREAT WAY TO GET AROUND THIS IS 

TO ADD OUTDOOR INDIAN FIRE BOWLS TO YOUR INVENTORY 

AND SUGGEST TO YOUR END CUSTOMER TO USE THEM AS A 

GATHERING SPACE OUTSIDE” 

Top Tip 

Fairy lights are the traditional lighting 

enhancement used within tipis, with 

them wrapped around the main poles. 

We have found that attaching the fairy 

light ring connector to the crown at 

the very beginning of the build will 

mean less time working at height for 

your team. 

DISSEMBLING AND PACKING AWAY 

All of our tipis are provided in heavy duty, 

waterproof PVC bags. Once all the pegs have 

been removed and canvas pulled off, lay it 

onto the clean waterproof sheeting and roll 

it tightly together. Please note that if it has 

been raining, we would not recommend 

you pack the tipi away and leave it on the 

storage shelf for months damp. It will be 

fine for a couple of days, but any longer and 

we would recommend you hang your tipi 

canvas up to dry. 

Top Tip 

If there is any dirt or bird droppings 

that have landed on the canvas during 

the course of the event, ensure you 

brush/clean this off before packing the 

tipi away. 

STORAGE 

We recommend all our clients store their 

canvas components inside, somewhere 

dry, well-ventilated and raised off the floor. 

Due to the incredible strength of the Nordic 

spruce that we use, the poles can be stored 

outside in the elements, should you not have 

the internal space available. That said, we 

would recommend they be stored off the 

ground to avoid them sitting on the wet floor 

and soaking up water, with a mesh sheet 

over them to protect them from the sun and 

snow. 

MAINTENANCE 

There are a number of things you can do that 

will help to maximise the life of your tipi. All 

of our clients receive fully comprehensive 

maintenance guidelines, that they can also 

access via our online training portal but 

some highlights are noted below: 

› Keep your firepits outside! Controversial 

yes, because we all know that a firepit 

inside a tipi is such a cosy, welcoming 

addition but it will affect your canvas. In 

the same way that lighting a fire in your 

living room will stain the walls, lighting a 

firepit inside a tipi will darken and mark 

the canvas, meaning that you will have to 

replace it sooner. We’ve found that a great 

way to get around this is to add outdoor 

Indian fire bowls to your inventory and 

suggest to your end customer to use them 

as a gathering space outside. 

› Before taking down your tipis, inspect 

them. Keep an eye out for any nicks, tears 

and holes that may have arisen during the 

course of the event and patch-repair any 

that you see. With every tipi purchase we 

provide a canvas repair kit. 

› For any larger repairs, get in touch with 

the after sales team as soon as possible 

so that they can advise on the next best 

steps. 

› Clean your canvas. The use of harsh 

chemicals isn’t recommended so get 

ahead of your maintenance routine by 

brushing off any dirt with a soft dry brush, 

and then wash with warm water. White 

vinegar is an incredibly useful household 

cleaning agent that works wonders on 

algae and stains on the canvas, so as soon 

as you spot an issue, work fast. 

› Conduct regular inspections of the fixtures 

and fittings on both the poles and canvas 

to ensure they are all secure and in good 

working order. 

› Conduct an annual inspection of all your 

poles. 


Hayley Harthern is the 

managing director of 

The Tipi Company, a 

British manufacturer 

of high-quality giant 

event tipis. By offering a 

comprehensive range 

of additional services including before 

and after-sales support, training, 

installation and repairs, The Tipi 

Company has become a significant 

player in the market, serving customers 

both in the UK and internationally. The 

company is proud to have been awarded 

the Made In Britain mark, the official seal 

of approval that is a true indication of 

quality and reliability. 


LUXURY ECO BUILDING 

KIT MANUFACTURER 

WITH INSTALL PARTNERS ACROSS THE UK 

Find out more outerspacegroup.com 



PRODUCT IN FOCUS 

Marquees and Structures 

Blyth Hall Farm Festival 

Field, Warwickshire 

Product: Deckerdence with 

extension marquee styled as a 

cabaret club 

Supplier: Deckerdence, 01675 

463555, enquiries@deckerdence. 

com, www.deckerdence.com 

Details: A truly unique one-ofa-kind 

venue, there is nothing 

else like Deckerdence. A vintage 

double-deck bus with a traditional 

bar on the lower deck and a 

cocktail lounge above, forms the 

centrepiece inside a 360 degree 

circular marquee. 

With a pipe band welcoming the 

arrival of over 250 guests, birthday 

boy Mark Clark made his entrance 

into the festival field on his tractor. 

Fake signage outside stated 

the extension marquee was 

just the backstage kitchen. A 

theatrical performance throughout 

Deckerdence began, ending with the 

fake marquee wall being removed 

unveiling the room styled as a 

cabaret club with floor-to-ceiling 

FROM PRE-RECORDED CONTENT ON SCREEN TO A RANGE OF LIVE 

ACTS PERFORMING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, DECKERDENCE 

TRANSFORMED INTO AN EPIC CABARET CLUB. 

LED screen and performance 

stage. 

From pre-recorded content 

on screen to a range of live acts 

performing throughout the 

night, Deckerdence transformed 

into an epic cabaret club. 

Customer feedback: Mark 

Clark, co-owner and events 

director, said: “Perhaps for my 

business partner Clare, I was the 

toughest client she had worked 

for. It has become a tradition 

to throw a party for significant 

birthdays and I wanted this 

to be the biggest and best 

yet! Working with some of the 

best suppliers in the industry 

we certainly achieved that. 

Welcoming family, friends and 

clients who couldn’t believe the 

transformation of Deckerdence 

into cabaret club! An amazing 

night no one will forget.” 



Redcatch Community Garden, Bristol 

Product: Bespoke 9x18m permanent safari tent 

Supplier: Bond Fabrications, 01453 767171, enquiries@ 

bondfabrications.co.uk, www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

Details: This volunteer-led venue in Bristol is aimed at 

bringing a community together through the love of food, 

growing your own produce and learning together. Offering 

festival-style events, music, comedy, art, yoga and more, 

Redcatch offers a valuable space for community centred 

events and entertainment. 

The team at Redcatch were looking 

for a flexible space to host a wide 

range of interesting events year 

round. So, after much chat Bond 

came up with a large bespoke safari 

tent that would give optimum space 

at 9x18m with a 3m covered front 

porch. 

It was a large project and installed 

in the winter so not the best time 

of year to work outside, but Bond’s 

carpenters worked hard getting the 

decking base ready for an on-time 

installation in mid-February. It was 

a grand team effort, and the result 

was a superb bright space for the 

whole community to enjoy, set 

harmoniously within the Redcatch 

gardens in the heart of Bristol. 

Customer feedback: Events manager Mike Cardwell said: “Working with Bond was 

a great experience, we found them knowledgeable, professional, flexible and 

approachable which is very important as we had little experience. 

“They were always available to ask questions and address any 

concerns, and years after the installation are still available. We 

continued to work together as we made additions to our structure. 

We would thoroughly recommend working with Bond to provide 

a quality, cost effective, customer minded service and product.” 

Flexlight Lodge 6002 

from Serge Ferrari 

Kayospruce 

01489 581696 

info@kayospruce.co.uk 

www.kayospruce.com 

Introducing the innovative Flexlight Lodge 6002 from Serge 

Ferrari, now available at Kayospruce. This high-performance 

fabric has been designed specifically for use in marquees and 

structures, offering unparalleled durability and versatility. 

Its unique construction ensures maximum strength, while 

remaining lightweight and easy to handle. 

The Flexlight Lodge 6002 also boasts impressive weather 

resistance, making it ideal for use in all climates and conditions. 

The fabric is fire retardant, ensuring the safety of all occupants, 

and its superior UV resistance means it won't degrade or 

discolour over time. 

At Kayospruce, we are committed to providing our customers 

with the highest quality products, and the Flexlight Lodge 6002 

is no exception. Its superior performance and ease of use make it 

the perfect choice for any marquee or structure project. 


LUCIEHAMILTONPHOTOGRAPHY / BABYLON_FLOWERS 


LUCIEHAMILTONPHOTOGRAPHY / BABYLON_FLOWERS 

El Paso Timber 

Marquee 

Nottingham 

Specialised 

Timber Buildings 

0115 947 3749 

nstbltd@gmail.com 

www.nstb.co.uk 

Grymsdyke Manor, Buckinghamshire 

Product: 15x21m gold package stretch tent 

Supplier: Alternative Stretch Tents, 01920 455461, info@ 

alternative-stretch.co.uk, www.alternative-stretch-tents. 

co.uk 

Our outdoor El Paso marquees are the 

perfect answer where outdoor cover is 

required. They can be supplied with either 

an apex or pent roof design and are perfect 

for a variety of uses be it live music/dancing 

or simply as a smoking area. 

Details: The couple asked for it all and Alternative 

Stretch Tents provided. Its gold package contains 

nothing but the best from its optional extras selection. 

Fantastic features to complement the already stunning 

stretch tent. Dance floor, stage, flooring, lighting, 

tables, chairs – all the top priorities ticked off for the 

big day. Alternative Stretch Tents has been accepted 

and recognised by MUTA accreditation. It is now part of 

the UK's only trade association dedicated to marquees, 

tents and structures so clients can be assured the 

highest standards of quality, workmanship, service and 

professionalism within the industry. 

Customer feedback: The happily married couple said: 

“More than we could have asked for, absolutely first 

class – thank you so much Alternative Stretch Tents.” 

Timber Frame Geo Dome Spaces 

The Dome Company 

07876 673354 

info@thedomecompany.co.uk 

www.thedomecompany.co.uk 

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. 



Yip Cider, Canada 

Product: Two bamboo domes 

comprising a 15m dome joined to 

a 10m dome 

Supplier: Atlas Domes, 07446 

241486, info@atlasdomes.co.uk, 

www.atlasdomes.co.uk 

Details: Yip Cider is a great third 

generation family run cidery, 

located in New Brunswick, 

Canada. It was looking to expand 

its cidery venue services to host 

weddings and events within a 

separate unique venue alongside 

a spectacular new tap room. 

Yip was looking for a venue 

that would capture the beautiful 

views of the St Lawrence river and 

would allow it to host all manner 

of events. Atlas Domes designed a 

dome with large window sections 

facing towards the river and made 

sure that plenty of mesh panels 

allowed a breeze to pass through 

the dome on a hot day while 

keeping insects out. 

Customer feedback: Yip’s 

co-owner Hugh Mackay said: “Three years ago we hired 

Cameron from Atlas Domes to build us a double dome to 

complement our new modern cidery. We decided to do 

significant landscaping with the domes as the centrepiece 

to serve as a stunning and original event space. Originally 

we thought maybe a marquee tent, but after seeing Atlas 

Domes online and speaking to Cameron I couldn’t imagine 

anything else. 

“Cameron was excellent to deal with, very 

accommodating and professional. He came to Canada 

personally to show us how to erect the domes two years in a 

row! We couldn’t be happier with this stunning and unique 

bamboo structure. People are mesmerised by the space 

when they walk inside and look around and we are booked 

solid this upcoming season for weddings.” 

MESR-Technic 

CORE Bar and Event Hire 

0845 299 6499 

sales@core-barandeventhire.com 

www.core-barandeventhire.com 

The MESR-Technic structure from CORE Bar and Event Hire takes 

advantage of the extensive benefits of carbon fibre and carbon 

fibre composite materials. Create structures for almost any 

outdoor or even indoor event, with multiple levels and numerous 

shapes and configurations. 

Infinite flexibility means endless possibilities. These structures 

are modular and adaptable, light enough to be transported 

and assembled by a small team, yet strong enough to provide 

a festival stand or community space for those events that need 

it most. Fully assembled within a few hours, MESR-Technic 

provides quick and safe solutions with a zero waste philosophy. 


Glamping Pods | Tiny Houses | Mobile Cabins 

We craft beautiful spaces, providing a tailored service 

from initial design ideas to project completion. 


hello@bespokehideouts.com 

instagram: bespokehideouts 

07703387322 

Full system price including Airforce ® 1 Wind Turbine, AirForce Control, 

Manual Stop Switch and Anemometer £3,295 inc VAT 

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 


GLAMPSITES 

CASE STUDY 

Coastal Cabins 

Timber cabins with Atlantic views on the Hartland Peninsula 

We talk to Melissa Sheldon 

about the development 

of her family’s coastal 

glamping retreat which 

features 10 cabins designed 

by her father, persevering 

with planning and the future 

sale of the business. 

What’s your back story – your 

life before glamping? 

Before starting up Coastal Cabins 

I was a journalist at the BBC 

working in business news mainly 

producing for radio shows such as 

The Today Programme on Radio 

4 and Wake up to Money on Five 

Live. 

What made you decide to 

start offering glamping 

accommodation? 

I’m originally from North Devon 

and, after nearly 10 years in 

London, I decided to move back 

to the South West. My parents 

had some land around a pretty 

fishing lake with views towards 

the Atlantic Ocean near their 

home which we thought would be 

perfect for glamping. 

How did you research the 

business before entering it? 

We checked out the competition – 

which nearly 10 years ago wasn’t 

very much! The glamping industry 

was relatively new in the UK. Yurts 

seemed to be the only real form of 

“YURTS 

SEEMED 

TO BE THE 

ONLY REAL 

FORM OF 

GLAMPING, 

SO WE 

DECIDED TO 

GO FOR THE 

HIGH-END 

MARKET AND 

INCLUDE 

MORE 

FACILITIES 

AND 

AMENITIES” 

glamping, so we decided to go for 

the high-end market and include 

more facilities and amenities. 

Tell us about your location 

and site 

Coastal Cabins Glamping is in a 

stunning position on the Hartland 

Peninsula. It is a very unspoilt spot 

within a UNESCO biosphere site. 

Just one and a half miles from the 

coast and the popular South West 

Coastal Path, and one and a half 

miles from the pretty village of 

Hartland with plenty of local pubs 

and shops. 

How did you tackle getting 

planning? 

It took us years to get planning! 

Being part of the UNSECO 

Bisophere area and also in a 

designated Area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty means we are 

located in an amazing spot – but 

getting any type of planning 

took years of hard work and 

perseverance. We got there in the 

end! 


GLAMPSITES 

“WE DECIDED TO 

PERSEVERE WITH 

THE PLANNERS AND 

INSISTED ON HAVING 

SOLID CONCRETE 

BASES TO MAKE THE 

CABINS PERMANENT 

STRUCTURES” 

How did you finance the project? 

In the very early days we had 

some minor grant funding (around 

£5k), but unfortunately at the 

time there wasn’t much available. 

My parents had another holiday 

cottage business and I ran another 

successful spa business too – so 

we used profits from these to start 

up Coastal Cabins. 

What glamping accommodation 

do you offer and why did you 

choose it? 

We have 10 wooden glamping 

cabins designed by my dad and 

manufactured by a joinery in 

the UK. We decided to persevere 

with the planners and insisted 

on having solid concrete bases 

to make the cabins permanent 

structures. They are fully insulated, 

ensuite and have kitchens inside 

too – all the mod cons! We run the 

business seasonally, however they 

could be occupied all year around. 

What occupancy levels and price 

per night do you achieve? 

For the past few years our 

occupancy levels have been very 

high. The summer that lockdown 

was lifted we had every single 

cabin fully booked all season. Our 

prices vary from £372 for a three 

night break in the low season, 

to £1,130 for a week in the peak 

summer holidays. 


GLAMPSITES 

How did you work out your 

brand and how do you publicise 

yourself? 

Our cabins are around a lake, 

just over a mile from the sea so 

we were keen to emphasise the 

coastal element in our marketing, 

hence the name Coastal Cabins 

Glamping. We have never been 

with an agency, preferring to 

market the business ourselves 

obtaining direct bookings. We use 

social media a lot! 

How would you describe your 

ethos and unique selling point? 

Unique and quirky family friendly 

cabins in the perfect setting by the 

sea. With over 40 years living in the 

area we are experts on where to go 

and what to do – making the most 

memorable holiday. 

Outdoor Toilets 

and Showers 

• Portable 

• Customisable 

• Quick delivery 

• Instant solution 

www.sheepshed.co.uk • 01865 600400 


GLAMPSITES 

How did you choose your 

interior decoration? 

There is a strong nod to the sea 

and all things beachy! 

What challenges have you faced? 

Planning was the main challenge 

we faced but once we were up 

and running it’s been relatively 

plain sailing – apart from Covid 

obviously! 

What are your plans for next 

season? 

We are always looking to expand 

and improve and we have lots of 

great ideas for the next season. 

However the big news is that 

after 40 years in the tourism 

industry my parents (and business 

partners) have decided it’s time 

“ USING OUR 

LIFELONG 

KNOWLEDGE 

OF NORTH 

DEVON AND 

CORNWALL, 

I ENJOY 

SHARING OUR 

INSIDERS’ 

GUIDE TO THE 

BEST PLACES 

TO EAT, SHOP, 

VISIT AND 

EXPLORE. I 

LOVE GIVING 

PEOPLE 

HOLIDAYS TO 

REMEMBER!” 

to retire! So if you’re looking for 

the perfect lifestyle business then 

Coastal Cabins is currently on the 

market. You heard it here first… 

(contact Stephen at Carter Jonas 

01823 428855). 

Do you enjoy the business? 

Yes! After nearly 10 years I still love 

sharing our beautiful part of the 

world with our guests. Using our 

lifelong knowledge of North Devon 

and Cornwall, I enjoy sharing our 

insiders’ guide to the best places 

to eat, shop, visit and explore. 

I love giving people holidays to 

remember! 


Last year we were awarded a 

coveted Visit Devon tourism 

award. We were chosen from 

hundreds of competitors in the 

industry and won Bronze in the 

category of Glamping Business of 

the year. 

What advice could you give 

to someone coming into the 

industry? 

Strap in and enjoy the ride! 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

Coastal Cabins 

East Long Furlong 

Hartland 

Near Bideford 

North Devon EX39 6AT 

07966 192116 

www.coastal-cabins.com 

FOR SALE LISTING: 

www.carterjonas.co.uk/property/ 

for-sale/bideford/tau220145

Free next working day delivery* on 

beds & mattresses. No minimum order. 

We’ve made sure our trade mattress range caters to 

all budgets, and types of accommodation. Check out our 

Landlord, Leisure, and Hotel Pocket ranges, exclusively 

available through Mattressman and then, whether you 

need one mattress or one hundred, get in touch with 

our Trade team for the very best deals! 

Call: 0800 5677625 

Visit: mattressman.co.uk/contract 

Source 5 fire regulation products available. Standard and special sizes. Fast, free national delivery, installations, assembly and disposal services available. 

* Thousands of domestic mattresses and frames in stock. Terms and conditions apply.

GLAMPSITES 

Google Ads 

Another tool in your direct bookings arsenal 

WONDERING HOW to attract 

visitors to your glampsite? 

Perhaps you’re thinking of 

handing this task over to a 

booking agency and have 

accepted that the fees are worth 

it, especially if it means you 

don’t have to get your head 

around all that digital marketing 

stuff. 

However, as one of the more 

effective ways to reach potential 

guests, Google Ads isn’t 

anything like as scary as it might 

look at first glance. With this 

article, we hope to allay your 

fears and set you on your way to 

successfully using Google Ads in 

your marketing efforts. 

STEP 1 

Setting Up Your Google 

Ads Account 

First things first, let's get your 

account set up. Head to the 

Google Ads website and click 

the "Start Now" button to do 

this. You will be asked to enter 

basic information, such as your 

business name, website, and 

contact details. 

STEP 2 

Choosing Your Campaign Type 

Google Ads offers several 

different campaign types, each 

with its own set of features 

and goals. The most common 

campaign types in the case of 

glampsite marketing are Search 

Ads and Display Ads. 

Search Ads are shown at the 

top of Google search results 

when someone types in a 

relevant keyword. Display Ads, 

on the other hand, appear on 

websites across the internet. 

Choose the campaign type 

that best fits your goals and 

budget. 

STEP 3 

Creating Your Campaign 

Once you have chosen your 

campaign type, it's time to 

create it. This involves 

setting your 

budget, selecting 

keywords, and 

building your ad 

copy. You will 

also set a goal 

which could be 

clicks, conversions, impressions, 

and so on. 

› Budget: Set a daily budget 

for your campaign. This is 

the maximum amount you 

are willing to spend per day. 

Google Ads will automatically 

adjust your ad serving to stay 

within your budget. 

› Keywords: Choose the 

keywords you want your ad to 

appear for. These should be 

relevant to your business and 

the services you offer. The 

keyword planner will make 

suggestions, and you can 

see the number of monthly 

searches for each term, as 

well as whether the trend is 

increasing or decreasing. 

› Ad Copy: Write the text for 

your ad. Be sure to include 

your unique selling points 

and a call to action. Be 

prepared to get your 

thinking cap on as 

Google asks you to 

generate several 

different headlines 

and descriptions, 

which 

it then uses in different 

combinations. 

STEP 4 

Targeting Your Audience 

Google Ads enables you to 

target your ads to specific 

audiences based on a variety of 

factors, including demographics, 

location, and interests. 

To target your audience, go to 

the "Audience" section of your 

campaign settings. Here, you 

can select your target audience 

based on their interests, 

behaviours, or demographics. 

STEP 5 

Creating Ad Extensions 

Ad extensions are additional 

pieces of information that 

appear with your ads. These can 

include a phone number or a 

link to a page on your website. 

To create ad extensions, go to 

the "Ads & Extensions" section 

of your campaign settings. Here, 

you can add call extensions, 

sitelink extensions, and location 

extensions. 


GLAMPSITES 

STEP 6 

Monitoring Your Campaign 

Once your campaign goes live, 

it's essential to monitor its 

performance. This will allow you 

to adjust as needed to optimise 

your ad spend and improve your 

results. 

To monitor your campaign, go 

to your Google Ads dashboard's 

"Campaigns" tab. You can 

view metrics such as clicks, 

impressions, and click-through 

rates here. 

STEP 7 

Optimising Your Campaign 

You may need to adjust based on 

your campaign performance to 

improve your results. Here are 

some useful steps you can take to 

optimise your campaign: 

› Adjust your keywords: If specific 

keywords are not performing 

well, consider adding new ones 

or removing underperforming 

ones. 

› Adjust your ad copy: If your ad 

copy is not hitting the mark 

with your target audience, try 

experimenting with different 

messaging. 

› Adjust your targeting: If you 

do not see the desired results, 

try adjusting your audience 

targeting to reach your ideal 

customers better. 

› Adjust your budget: If you are 

not seeing a positive return 

on your investment, consider 

GLOSSARY 

adjusting your budget to reduce 

spend, or allocate it to more 

successful campaigns. 

STEP 8 

Analysing Your Results 

Finally, analysing your campaign 

results is crucial to understand 

what's working and what's not. 

You can then make informed 

decisions about allocating your 

ad spend and improving your 

campaign performance over time. 

To analyse your results, go 

to the "Campaigns" tab of your 

Google Ads dashboard and click 

on the campaign you want to 

study. Here, you can view metrics 

such as clicks, impressions, clickthrough 

rate, conversion rate, and 

cost per conversion. 

Use these metrics to identify 

areas where you can improve 

your campaign, such as adjusting 

your keywords, ad copy, targeting, 

or budget. You can also use 

this information to identify the 

campaigns which are generating 

the highest return on investment 

and focus your efforts on those. 

In conclusion, utilising Google 

Ads can be a highly effective way 

to promote your glampsite to 

potential guests. By following 

these eight steps, you can set up 

and optimise your own Google 

Ads campaign with confidence 

and start driving more traffic 

and bookings to your glampsite 

today. Remember to monitor your 

campaign performance regularly 

and adjust as needed to achieve 

the best possible results. 

TIPS 

› Use location targeting: Use location targeting to 

ensure your ads are only seen by people located 

within a reasonable travelling distance of your site (or 

whatever geographical area you feel is appropriate). 

› Highlight unique features: Use your ad copy to 

highlight the special features and amenities of your 

glampsite, such as hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, or 

picturesque views. Drawing attention to these will 

help you stand out from other accommodation 

options and attract more bookings. 

› High-quality visuals: Use high-quality photos and 

videos in your ads to showcase the beauty of your 

glampsite and the experience that guests can expect. 

Including these will help you capture the attention of 

potential customers and entice them to book a stay. 

› Focus on seasonality: Consider creating separate 

campaigns or ad groups for different seasons, such 

as summer, autumn, or winter. You can then tailor 

your messaging and targeting to seasonal trends and 

attract more bookings during peak times. 

› Use ad extensions: Use ad extensions such as 

callouts, sitelinks, and structured snippets to provide 

additional information about your glampsite, such as 

the types of accommodation available, the activities 

and amenities on offer, or any special deals or 

promotions. 

› Monitor the competition: Check out your competition 

by monitoring their ads and targeting strategies. You 

can then identify gaps in the market and adjust your 

campaign to stay ahead of the competition. 

› Test and optimise: Experiment with alternative 

formats, messaging, and targeting to see what 

works best for your site. Use the data and insights 

provided by Google Ads to continuously optimise your 

campaign and improve your return on investment. 

Clicks - Number of times users clicked on 

your ad. 

Impressions - Number of times the ad was 

shown. 

Click-through rate (CTR) - Percentage of users 

who clicked your ad after seeing it. Calculated 

by dividing the number of clicks by the number 

of impressions. 

Cost per click (CPC) - The amount you pay 

each time someone clicks on your ad. 

Conversions - The number of times users 

completed a process on your website after 

clicking on your ad, such as completing a 

booking or filling out a contact form. 

Conversion rate - Percentage of users 

who completed a process on your website 

after clicking on your ad. The percentage 

is calculated by dividing the number of 

conversions by the number of clicks. 

Cost per conversion - The average amount 

paid for each conversion. This is calculated 

by dividing the total cost of your campaign by 

the number of conversions. 

Average position - The average position 

that your ad appeared in search results. This 

metric ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being the 

highest and 10 being the lowest. 

Quality score - A score that measures the 

relevance and quality of your ad and landing 

page. This metric ranges from 1 to 10, with 10 

being the highest. 

Ad rank - A metric that determines the position 

of your ad in search results. Calculated by 

multiplying your maximum bid by your quality 

score. 

Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) 

- The amount you pay for every thousand 

impressions of your Google ad. 

Return on investment (ROI) - The amount of 

revenue you generated from your ad campaign 

divided by your spend. 



GLAMPSITES 

LAUGH, 

CRY, SMILE 

Readers share their most memorable moments 

in running a glamping business 

Meet our Contributor 

Vicki Jones 

Tractors & Cream Glamping 

www.tractorsandcream.co.uk 

All these incidents are featured on 

YouTube channel www.youtube.com/ 

tractorsandcream 

LAUGH 

I'm laughing about these things now but at the 

time I may have cried a bit! We had a very windy 

day here, some might say a good day for kite 

flying, but we have an 11,000 volt power line 

running across the field and, on this particular 

day, some guests decided to fly a kite. They gave 

it to their four year old who promptly let go of it… 

It wrapped itself across two power lines. I phoned 

National Grid who powered off the whole village 

for three hours. Five vehicles and a cherry picker 

later and they had rescued the kite and given me 

an official warning! 

The other event that I can laugh about now 

was when a guest turned up to stay in 2018, but 

we were full. I went into a flat panic thinking I 

had double booked a yurt; turns out she was a 

year early! We turned our afternoon tea yurt into 

accommodation for her and she had a great time. 

our two yurts. We put it up in beautiful, glorious 

Easter bank holiday sunshine and it looked 

amazing. The following weekend we had a group 

in to celebrate a 40th birthday and storm Hannah 

also came to the party! The wind was so bad the 

pole pierced straight through the top of the tent 

and ripped the whole side leaving us nowhere to 

put the guests who were staying in it! 

Suffice it to say we went off bell tents, and 

went to look for the most wind resistant canvas 

structure we could find. Now we've replaced all 

our structures with geodomes; there is no more 

panic about wind! 

SMILE 

Every time a guest leaves and says how 

wonderful their stay has been is a great 

experience, especially when the kids are crying 

because they don’t want to go home! There 

is a family that has come every year and last 

year they stayed in July. Their son wanted his 

9th birthday here so they booked again for 

September and we gave him a party in our event 

cabin. He said it was his best birthday ever! It 

makes me feel so happy that Tractors and Cream 

is such an integral part of his childhood. 

CRY 

We had just opened for our 2019 season 

launching our brand new 7m bell tent to go with 

“I WENT INTO A FLAT PANIC 

THINKING I HAD DOUBLE BOOKED 

A YURT; TURNS OUT SHE WAS A 

YEAR EARLY! WE TURNED OUR 

AFTERNOON TEA YURT INTO 

ACCOMMODATION FOR HER AND 

SHE HAD A GREAT TIME” 


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 

SUPPLIER PROFILE 

Glampsan 

Waste sanitation solutions 

for ‘off-grid’ glamping, 

caravan, camping and 

event sites 


If you are diversifying into 

the buoyant glamping 

sector, Glampsan supplies an 

‘evolution’ of toilet and waste 

handling solutions. If you have 

selected your shepherd’s hut, 

for example, but don’t know 

how to handle the waste when 

someone flushes the loo or 

takes a shower, Glampsan 

provides you with choices and solutions. 

How do you do it so well? 

We have lots of relevant experience in the 

team. Some of our people have been in 

the waste industry since the early 1990s, 

so it’s fair to say they’ve already come 

across most of the same challenges our 

customers face today. 

We’ve been involved in waste as 

manufacturers and rental companies, 

so we’ve seen both sides of the portable 

sanitation business, and some of us are 

keen caravanners, so we know what’s 

important for that market, too. Above all, 

we know waste is a bit of a difficult subject 

for many, even to talk about sometimes, 

so we try to keep it as easy as possible by 

breaking our product offering down into 

simple guidance on our websites, on our 

social media platforms, over the phone 

and face-to-face at exhibitions. 

Please give us a potted company history 

We’ve been manufacturing and supplying 

off-grid sanitation products for the 

construction and outdoor event industries 

under our www.plasticsol.com brand 

since 2010. In recent years we’ve fielded 

enquiries for those same products from 

the glamping sector; it’s the same ‘waste’ 

being flushed away after all. Yet the 

questions asked by the glamping sector 

are subtly different, hence the creation of 

our www.glampsan.com division and the 

addition of a whole raft of extra products 

just for the glamping and leisure sectors. 

Describe your brand proposition 

We help customers navigate the tricky 

subject of off-grid toilet, shower and sink 

waste and 

offer them 

choices. Just 

as the best 

hi-fi in the world is no good if you have 

the cheapest speakers, the best glamping 

pod in the world is no good if you can’t get 

waste away from it. We’ve listened to our 

customers and have come up with a range 

of solutions suitable for their sites. We 

want to understand customers’ needs and 

offer the right, long-term solution, not just 

any old solution. 

What are your ‘hero’ products? 

One of our biggest sellers is our lowprofile 

Flat Tank, which sits unobtrusively 

underneath your shepherd’s hut etc. to 

capture waste for later removal by a waste 

collection company. These allow many 

sites to start up and make money whilst 

waiting, and waiting, for planning approval 

for sewage treatment plants. For campers, 

it also serves as an Elsan Tipping Point. A 

superbly flexible product. 

For the camping and caravanning 

sectors, Glampsan is the UK and Ireland 

reseller for superb CampPlus en-suite 

bathroom and toilet pods. The most 

popular DUO unit contains two separate 

en-suite bathrooms in a back-to-back 

layout. Positioned between two pitches, 

the DUO will provide each caravan or 

tent pitch with its own private bathroom 

facility. Sites will be able to increase 

revenue and command higher pitch fees 

while raising customer satisfaction levels 

and extending the rental season. 

Our Saniflo sewage lifting stations 

can pump waste over height and 

distance while the top end of our waste 

handling range is a sewage treatment 

plant, formerly known as a septic tank. 

We concentrate Glampsan’s efforts on 

the typical sizes required by smaller 

glamping sites: the two, three and five 

person Portapura units are designed and 

manufactured in the UK specifically for 

glamping sites, holiday homes, static 

caravans, site offices, site toilets, garden 

rooms and small leisure developments. 

Hot off the press in 2023 is Lapee, our 

ground-breaking women’s urinal. 

Any extra special people? 

Everyone in our team is special to us and 

we all have slightly different skillsets which 

complement each other. Whether on the 

phone, on the PC, loading trucks on the 

yard or meeting face-to-face, the customer 

service ethic is ingrained in everyone’s 

DNA. For us, it’s all about the customer. 


Despite the challenges of recent years 

we’ve increased the product range, we’ve 

taken on more people and we’ve grown 

the business. 


We’re friendly and approachable. We’re 

committed. We’re not going to supply 

you something you don’t need. We’re not 

afraid to say, “We don’t know,” because 

we will know someone who does. We have 

the experience and the product range to 

supply you a solution. 

DETAILS 

Glampsan 

01922 7587545 / 0800 999 6010 

sales@glampsan.com 

www.glampsan.com 

See more on page 42 


14-16 September 2023 • NAEC Stoneleigh Park 

The UK’s only trade show dedicated 

to the glamping industry 

Just wandering around the show... 

I’ve seen so many people swapping business 

cards, working together, collaborating. It’s an 

awesome show for anyone involved or wanting 

to get involved… 

MAX MCMURDO TV presenter and upcycler 

Reach Every 

Market Sector 

Reach 

Operators 

Buyers Travel 

To You 

Full Seminar 

Programme 

We deliver qualified 

glamping operators and 

start-ups direct to your 

stand 

Establish meaningful 

business relationships 

that last 

In 2022, we welcomed 

visitors from a total of 

47 countries 

Information and 

inspiration that can help 

take your business to the 

next level 

To book a stand, or register to visit: www.theglampingshow.com

GLAMPSITES 


Pods, Huts and Lodges 

Seal Point and Seal Cove 

Cabins, Argyll 

Product: Supply and 

installation of two lodges 

Supplier: Logspan, 01389 

734572, info@logspan. 

com, 

www.logspan.com 

Details: Seal Point and 

Seal Cove are two cabins 

in a wooded parkland 

area on a coastal property 

in St Catherine’s, Argyll. 

They are situated at the 

end of a private road on a 

point of the shoreline of Loch 

Fyne. Logspan supplied both selfcontained 

units which feature spacious 

living areas and full-size ensuites. 

As the grass area where the cabins were to 

be located was sloped, Logspan used its post and rail system 

comprising composite posts concreted into the ground, levelled 

off and a 6x4 pressure treated frame built on top. This minimised 

disruption to a mature grass area and also provided a stable 

platform to build on. 

Logspan installed the kit on-site within three days for each lodge 

and worked with sub-contractors on the electrical and plumbing 

works. 

Bookings are steady and year-round. We’ve had repeat 

bookings, a marriage proposal (she said yes!) and 

honeymooners who extended their stay as they 

loved it so much here. Everyone is complimentary 

about the cabins. 

“Logspan are a joy to do business with. 

From the get-go we found the entire team 

to be professional, friendly, knowledgeable 

and efficient. The construction team are so 

talented – it was no mean feat to get these 

cabins looking this snazzy, and they worked 

flat out. After-sales service is exemplary. 

In fact I’d go as far as to say that Logspan 

are friends as well as part of our business 

structure. Thank you Logspan for helping us 

give guests a great stay in Bonny Scotland.” 

Customer feedback: Louisa Walker, Seal Point and Seal Cove 

Cabins owner, said: “We put the first cabin up for August last year 

and its popularity got us putting the second one up this spring. 

Quality Container Homes 

Dyester Corp 

+1 305 490 5911 

bsendach@dyester.com 

www.dyestercorp.com 

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container homes and a large selection of 

containers – all of the highest quality in the US. 

Launching in 2017, Barry broke into the outdoor 

business with shipping container homes and 

alternative uses for containers. His company 

Dyester also makes high-quality domes and yurts. 

Homes made from shipping containers are much 

cheaper and easier to assemble! 


GLAMPSITES 

The Forgotten Coast Cabins, Inverness 

Product: Kabina Classic cabin 

Supplier: Enchanted Creations, 01252 561060, sales@ 

enchantedcreations.com, 

www.enchantedcreations.co.uk 

Details: Aline Park is a picturesque location in Scotland that offers 

breathtaking views of the stunning Loch Aline and the Isle of Mull. 

Nestled on a gently sloping, south-facing site, it’s the perfect spot 

for anyone seeking a peaceful retreat amidst Scotland’s natural 

wonders. 

The Kabina Classic cabin installed on site exudes an inviting 

ambiance thanks to its natural Silver Barn spruce internal 

cladding, smoked charcoal flooring and high curved ceilings. The 

kitchen and shower room feature copper splashbacks and taps 

atop golden-stained worktops completing the rustic charm with a 

touch of modern comfort. A luxurious king-size bed also provides 

ample storage space with three generous drawers beneath it. 

The exterior of the Kabina features vertical larch cladding and 

a unique three-part curved roof that exudes elegance. The cabin 

was constructed at Enchanted Creations’ new factory in Leeds 

before being transported 350 miles to Aline Park in Scotland. 

Manoeuvring the nine tonne Kabina into the site was a 

significant challenge due to its size and the presence of overhead 

powerlines. The task was eventually accomplished, thanks to the 

help of a number of machines. The effort was well worth it, as the 

Kabina Classic now proudly holds the title of the largest glamping 

pod in all of Lochaline! 

Customer feedback: Glampsite manager Doug Taylor said: “The 

Kabina is fantastic, great job. It’s absolutely huge inside, far bigger 

than I expected.” 

Bespoke Log Cabin Kits 

Scandinavian Homes 

0845 299 6337 

homes@scandinavianhomes.com 

www.scandinavianhomes.com 

Work with Scandinavian Homes to create the ideal bespoke 

log cabin lodge for your location. Designed for year round use 

to maximise your returns, and cool in summer yet warm in 

winter, you choose the style and we’ll help create the perfect 

space. Your ecological and sustainable log cabin kit includes 

double or even triple glazed windows, with optional roofing as 

you wish. 

You can easily manage the build yourself; but we’re always 

available for support as well. Why not add luxury features such 

as a sauna and hot tub? Or just pare things back to nature. 

From cabins for couples to (large) family sized holiday homes, 

a beautiful log home is perfect. Just imagine your guests being 

able to sit on the decking enjoying the weather – sun or rain! 

Traditional, contemporary or even quirky designs, we can help. 

Contact us today to discuss your plans. 


GLAMPSITES 

Meadow Vale Retreats, Nottinghamshire 

Product: Design, manufacture and installation of a log cabin 

Supplier: Nottingham Specialised Timber Buildings, 0115 

947 3749, nstbltd@gmail.com, www.nstb.co.uk 

Details: Meadow Vale Retreats comprises four fabulous yurts 

named Fire, Wind, Earth and Water. Communal facilities 

include a firepit and a multi-purpose log cabin supplied by 

Nottingham Specialised Timber Buildings (NSTB) which 

houses luxurious showering facilities and a kitchen area. 

On receiving the enquiry, NSTB worked with Meadow Vale 

Retreats to establish all the requirements of the building and, 

after several consultations, supplied a computer generated 

image which enabled any alterations to be made before 

manufacture took place. 

NSTB delivered the cabin to site and erected it. The client 

decided that they would like to carry out the internal fittings 

themselves. 

The Farm at Avebury, 

Wiltshire 

Product: Luxury mobile glamping pod 

Supplier: Bespoke Hideouts, 07703 

387322, hello@bespokehideouts.com, 


Details: A working farm situated 

inside the Avebury World Heritage site, 

The Farm at Avebury provides luxury 

accommodation to guests looking 

to explore the UNESCO-protected 

landscape 

Bespoke Hideouts created a luxury glamping pod designed to 

immerse guests within the natural landscape. The off-grid pod is built 

with a wriggly tin roof and flanked by shadow gap larch cladding. A 

spacious double bed is surrounded by low level windows, designed to 

give a wide angled view of the surrounding countryside. 

Inside, the cabin is fitted with a kitchen area and bathroom, 

including rain shower, and inside seating for those wetter days. The 

cabin is built on a trailer to allow easy transportation between sites. 

Before delivering the cabin to Avebury, Bespoke Hideouts 

conducted a site visit with the farm owners. They toured the farm and 

advised on a number of suitable locations for the trailer to be sited on. 

The agreed site was an orchard near the other guest accommodation; 

the only neighbours being the friendly flock of sheep. 

Customer feedback: Owner Alice Hues said: “A great experience 

from start to finish. Seeing the beautiful Bespoke Hideouts cabins in 

the backdrop of the farm was great, exactly as we had imagined. The 

quality of the cabin was amazing and the space was efficiently used to 

provide everything you could want from a luxury glamping pod. It was 

easy to maintain after the initial installation and our guests loved the 

unique experience of staying off-grid in such an attractive cabin and 

location.” 


GLAMPSITES 

Holiday Let, Kent 

Product: Shepherds hut 

Supplier: Outdoorsy Living, 01622 844238, info@outdoorsy-living. 

co.uk, www.outdoorsy-living.co.uk 

Details: Customer, Van King, was looking to break into the holiday 

rental market by creating a lovely little holiday getaway for guests 

looking for a coastal break. Based in the charming seaside town of 

Whitstable, only a short walk from the beach, he had the perfect 

spot in mind for this venture. On the lookout for something unique, 

contemporary but traditional and welcoming, he decided that a 

luxury shepherd hut would fit the bill perfectly and made a beeline 

for Outdoorsy Living’s stand at the Kent Garden Show to discuss his 

ideas. 

He settled on a bespoke 20ft long hut with a double bedroom, 

wet room (including shower, toilet and basin), a kitchenette with 

microwave and a living space that could double as a sleeping area 

for two more guests. This size is perfect for small groups or family 

holidays as a self-contained base from which to enjoy the nearby 

beach and surrounding areas. With hardy external timber cladding 

providing smart protection against the elements, the internal colour 

scheme of soft grey with accents in Farrow and Ball’s ‘Railings’ gives 

the interior the modern yet cosy look Van was aiming for. 

Once delivered, he was raring to go with the holiday lettings, but 

the original location of the shepherd hut was found to be unsuitable 

due to its proximity to the neighbour’s garden. Undaunted, the team 

swiftly returned and moved the hut to the opposite side of the back 

garden. 

Customer feedback: Owner Van King said: “Outdoorsy Living was 

such a pleasure to work with from beginning to end and I couldn’t be 

happier with the finished product – it’s beautiful. It felt like the team 

really cared, not only about the design and production of the hut but 

about the service they provided. I really couldn’t recommend them 

highly enough.” 

Introducing the Hök 

Urban Blossom 

07973 672889 

hello@urbanblossom.co.uk 

www.urbanblossom.co.uk 

New Accommodation 

Range 

Woodpecker Tubs 

07435 866929 

info@woodpeckertubs.co.uk 

www.woodpeckertubs.co.uk 

Here at Woodpecker Productions, it is important that we 

stay up to date with current trends in the marketplace, 

as well as delivering bespoke, handcrafted products that 

meet and exceed the needs of our customers. 

Our product ranges include accommodation units which 

can be designed to a customer’s specific requirements. 

Pictured is a fantastical unit featuring a sleek oval design 

which can be configured with various uses including as 

a seating area for dining, a kitchen space or purely for 

sleeping. 

The team is able to design and create bespoke units 

whether they are just simply for sleeping in, or 

alternatively for the whole family to stay in, with the 

sleeping area being on the upper level of the unit, 

accessed by a flight of stairs. 

Urban Blossom launch the Hök, a new 

lodge with incredible attention to detail throughout. Statement 

architectural glazing and angular rooflines lines create a 

contemporary escape for guests. Designed to create a luxurious 

and comfortable space for two both inside and out, the Hök has 

access points for either rear or side terraces to create perfect 

entertaining spaces. Design devices such as sliding screens 

ensure privacy without having to close doors, ensuring a fresh 

flow of air in the summer months. 

Built to BS3632 standards to ensure improved energy efficiency, 

the Hök runs on electricity and can be 

modified to be off-grid if required. 

A contemporary living and 

dining space leads to 

a master bedroom 

suite with a stylish 

wet room. Glazed 

doors lead from the 

bedroom to a private 

part-covered rear 

terrace. This creates a 

protected year-round 

space to take an alfresco 

dip in a stunning 

freestanding bath. 


BRINGING CREATURE 

COMFORTS TO THE 

GREAT OUTDOORS. 

Easy, discreet waste solution. 

Underground but on top of everything. A Sanifos lifting station can 

handle waste water from multiple structures on your caravan, camping 

or glamping site. Sited underground, you may not see Sanifos at work, 

but this range of powerful lifting stations gets the job done, pumping 

up, and along to mains drains, a septic tank or waste treatment plant. 

For more information visit saniflo.co.uk

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ADVERT-EVENT-STRUCTURES.indd 1 27/01/2022 12:07:22 

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EVENTS 

CASE STUDY 

The British 

National Ploughing 

Championships & 

Country Festival 

We talk to Sue Frith, chief 

executive of the Society of 

Ploughmen, about arranging 

a huge, travelling annual 

event with very specific 

requirements. From finding 

250 acres to plough each 

year, creating plots for 

competitors of the same size, 

making provision for steam 

engines and heavy horses 

and creating trade areas 

to maximise footfall, she 

handles it all! 

Celebrating 72 years, this historic farming event moves 

around the UK each year 

Describe your event 

The British National Ploughing Championships 

& Country Festival is held in a different part 

of the country each year. It covers around 

250 acres (100 hectares) and includes 

ploughmen and women from throughout the 

country taking part in various competitions, 

using modern tractors, vintage tractors and 

magnificent heavy horses. 

The ultimate goal is to be Champion of 

Great Britain and for some classes to represent 

England in the World or European Ploughing 

Championships (held in a different part of the 

World or Europe each year). 

Alongside the competitions are 

trade stands, agricultural machinery 

demonstrations, static exhibits of vintage 

tractors and machinery, giant steam ploughing 

engines, trade stands, shopping stalls and 

crafts. 

Explain a bit about your venue 

We don’t have a permanent venue as the 

event traditionally moves around the country. 

Farmers/landowners very kindly allow us 

to use their land on the second weekend in 

October. This year’s event will be held on 14-15 


EVENTS 

October 2023 on land near Bishop’s 

Lydeard near Taunton, Somerset, 

by kind permission of K S Coles and 

family. 

What is the event’s history? 

This will be the 72nd 

championships, the first was 

held back in 1951 near Tadcaster, 

North Yorkshire. Since then it has 

been held in 27 different counties 

in England, once in Wales and 

four times in Scotland. We are 

constantly on the lookout for new 

sites, especially in the 16 counties 

we have yet to visit, or the areas it 

hasn’t been to for many years. 

Everyone involved in running 

the championships are volunteers 

and they live anywhere between 

Cornwall and Aberdeen. 

How does the relationship work 

with the venue? 

Our hosts allow us free run of 

the land for a week to allow us to 

prepare the event, hold it and then 

clear it all up. We have had some 

wonderful hosts over the past years 

“IT’S ALSO 

NICE FOR 

CHILDREN 

– AND 

ADULTS – TO 

SEE HOW 

FARMING HAS 

CHANGED 

OVER THE 

LAST 200 

OR MORE 

YEARS...” 

– in fact this will the third time that 

the Coles family has invited us back 

to hold the event on their land in 

Somerset. 

How is your relationship with the 

local authority and community? 

We work with many different local 

authorities and communities 

and find that they are all very 

welcoming. Because the event is 

usually something very different, 

communities look forward to seeing 

everything, especially the horses 

and the steam engines. It’s also 

nice for children – and adults – to 

see how farming has changed over 

the last 200 or more years, from the 

horses, steam engines and vintage 

tractors right through to the most 

up-to-date tractors and machinery. 

I find all the appropriate 

information and liaise with all the 

local authorities and SAGs and will 

travel to meet them if necessary. 

I do all the prep work – the only 

paid people in our organisation 

are myself and Claire who helps in 

the office. The rest of the team are 

volunteers. I only came to help in 

the office for one year after I left 

school – 40 years later, here I am as 

chief executive! 

How do you plan the layout of the 

event? 

Every site is different and it’s 

impossible to have two the same 

as sometimes we might be in one 

or two massive fields or, such as 

last year when we were on the 

Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire, 

we had 10 fields to fit it all in. So 

it all depends on the size of fields, 

the hedges and even how the crops 

have been harvested. 

We plan the layout ourselves 

– the land for ploughing is a bit 

more technical than just putting 

competitors in a field as we have to 

take into consideration the direction 

the land has been drilled/worked by 

the farmer as they will plough in the 

opposite direction. We need to make 

sure they all have the same size plot 

too, which will vary in size for each 

class depending on the equipment 

being used to plough. I don’t think 

there are event specialists who 

specialise in ploughing! 


EVENTS 

The trade stands we try to 

plan between the car park and 

something like the horse ploughing 

or steam engines, so we get the 

most footfall through them. Again, 

depending on the layout of the 

fields, they might be in a block, in 

rows, back to back or one year we 

had a field which allowed us to put 

them all around the edge of the 

horse ploughing so the traders had 

something to see! 

How did you research and source 

your marquees, flooring, bars etc? 

We usually hire marquees locally. 

We scour the internet and ask 

for local recommendations for 

companies in the area and secure 

the best quotes. Sometimes we use 

companies more than once if we 

return to an area or close by. 

Will the ban on red diesel be an 

issue this year? 

We were very worried about the 

“THE TRADE 

STANDS WE 

TRY TO PLAN 

BETWEEN THE 

CAR PARK AND 

SOMETHING 

LIKE THE 

HORSE 

PLOUGHING 

OR STEAM 

ENGINES, 

SO WE GET 

THE MOST 

FOOTFALL 

THROUGH 

THEM” 

ban on red diesel – it doesn’t really 

affect us for things such as power 

supplies but it affects most of our 

competitors who run tractors on 

red diesel and also the vehicles 

we borrow such as tractors and 

telehandlers, as the majority are 

used on farms. 

The original proposal was that it 

would be banned completely and 

therefore everyone using a tractor 

on their farm with red diesel would 

have to flush it and use white for 

a ploughing match. This would 

have meant less competitors and 

we wouldn’t be able to borrow 

machinery easily, as the majority 

of farmers wouldn’t want the 

hassle. It was good to see the 

government amend this to allow 

users in agriculture to continue 

to use red diesel including 

the running of outdoor events 

and participation in ploughing 

matches. 

How do you manage admissions 

and visitor safety? 

Visitors pay whilst still in their car 

and then park up. All the ploughing 

is roped off so moving tractors and 

machinery are secure. With the 

event being held over such a huge 

area, we don’t have problems with 

huge crowds of people as visitors 

are spread around the site. 

How did you cope during 2020 and 

2021? 

We didn’t run in 2020 but we 

managed to hold a very successful 

event in 2021 near Mindrum in 

Northumberland. 

What ground protection do you 

use for cars and footfall? 

Depends on the site we have. If the 

weather is good, nothing. 

How do you publicise the event? 

Local advertising and some 

advertising in vintage tractor/ 


EVENTS 

farming/country magazines. Most 

of our advertising is done online 

through Facebook and Twitter. 

How do you finance the event? 

We rely on sponsorship from local 

and national companies and income 

from trade stands, visitors and entry 

fees. We are a registered charity so 

we don’t need to make a profit, just 

stay in the black and any gains are 

“ploughed” back in! 

What are your plans for next year? 

In 2024 the championships will be 

held on the Thoresby Estate near 

Newark, Nottinghamshire. We are 

actively looking for suitable sites 

from 2025 onwards. 

What advice could you give to 

someone coming into the outdoor 

event industry? 

Be honest and fair and you won’t go 

far wrong. 

ADDRESS BOOK 

DETAILS 

72nd British National Ploughing 

Championships & Country Festival 

Bishop’s Lydeard 

Near Taunton 

Somerset 

www.ploughmen.co.uk/ 

events/2023-british-national-ploughing-championships 


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EVENTS 

Industry Comment 

Steve Heap 

AFO general secretary Steve Heap gives a round up 

DRAWING A LINE UNDER THE RE- 

INSURANCE SCHEME 

During Covid we were introduced 

to the government’s live events reinsurance 

scheme. At the time insurance 

companies were quite rightly not able 

to deliver insurance that covered Covid. 

Cancellations of events were quite 

deliberately left off the policies because 

the insurance world had not gathered its 

underwriters and investors in support 

of what could be a series of dramatic 

cancellations. 

So, the government stepped in. 

Unfortunately they stepped in with an 

insurance policy that really was never fit 

for purpose. Wind forward to 2023 and 

we were invited to join a panel to draw a 

line under live events reinsurance scheme 

and make comment. Before the panel was 

assembled, I made comment on behalf of 

AFO and had to be honest and critical; and 

of course, never heard from them again. 

The outcome? There was one single 

claim made which cost the policy £180,500, 

but actually the premiums that covered 

169 events amounted to £6m, so where 

did the funds actually go? Maybe one day 

we will find out. And why did 169 events 

want to take on the cover whilst literally 

thousands of others clearly did not? 

According to the Freedom of Information 

request by a national newspaper, the 

scheme resulted in just one payment to 

organisers of an electronic music festival 

after the event was called off due to the 

“ACCORDING TO THE 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 

REQUEST BY A NATIONAL 

NEWSPAPER, THE SCHEME 

RESULTED IN JUST ONE 

PAYMENT TO ORGANISERS 

OF AN ELECTRONIC 

MUSIC FESTIVAL AFTER 

THE EVENT WAS CALLED 

OFF DUE TO THE VENUE 

BEING REQUIRED AS A 

VACCINATION CENTRE” 

venue being required as a vaccination 

centre. The Department of Digital Culture, 

Media and Sport at the time were boasting 

that they had provided over £100m worth 

of cover for the events industry and 

wasn’t that an exceptional step? Well, in 

all honesty no it wasn’t. Some big names 

took it on like Wimbledon, the Brit Awards, 

Virgin Radio’s Big Thank You Tour and 

the London Art Fair. But in the main no 

one could afford it and very few people 

believed it was actually fit for purpose. So 

there’s the line. Now draw under it. 

NEW SECRETARY OF STATE FOR 

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT 

I recently wrote to Lucy Frazer to 

congratulate her on her appointment as 

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and 

Sport, you will notice Digital has been 

dropped and moved over to a different 

department. Kindly, she replied personally 

and said, “I fully recognise the UK’s 

position as a world leader in the (festival 

sectors). Events have an incredible impact 

on people’s everyday lives and hold huge 

importance in the economy”. She went on 


EVENTS 

to say, “I will be focussing on delivering 

our shared priorities for the sector so that 

we can continue to grow the economy 

(through festivals and events) and enrich 

lives across the country”. 

So, there it is, we are now back on 

the radar of the 13th DCMS minister in 

recent years. From discussions I believe 

she genuinely agrees that our events 

are important to communities and the 

economy, and I believe we will get her 

support whenever possible. We can also 

recruit support through her opposite 

number in the Labour Party who is 

now a permanent member of the APPG 

Events. The best way for you to join in this 

correspondence is to write to your own 

local MPs and keep up the profile of you 

own event in their mailbox. It is through 

these actions that government will be 

ready when we turn to them for further 

support. 

Remember government needs positive 

messages, not problems. i.e. what are 

we looking for, what solutions can we 

offer, what can be achieved and how 

might government assist? Don’t take your 

problems to your MP, take your ideas of 

what the solution might be. 

SOME OLD, SOME NEW, SOME 

STRUGGLING, SOME SUCCESS 

Variation on a well-known phrase, but 

it is very appropriate. I must say I am 

surprised to see new festivals popping 

up all over the UK. Not hundreds, but a 

good few. Whilst others are struggling 

to sell tickets, blaming the economic 

climate, struggling to cover the costs of 

infrastructure, blaming Covid and lack of 

funding, blaming government. You have 

my support and indeed my sympathy, but 

we are on the cusp of the 2023 season. 

We have now got to start coming up with 

solutions, ideas on how we are going to 

solve these problems. If they remain as 

problems, then we are doomed. Why is 

it that Shambala has sold out along with 

Beautiful Days? How come Medicine 

Festival is down to their last couple of 

dozen tickets? 

Have a good look at their websites, their 

publicity and marketing, their artistic line 

up, their target audience, their philosophy, 

their modus operandi. Maybe there is 

something that can be learned that will 

help you if you are struggling to get your 

event back on the road. 

I remember saying at the end of the 

second year of Covid that by 2023 if our 

industry grew by 17% we would be back 

to where we were before Covid. I am sorry 

to say that I think I was wrong. I think it is 

going to take until 2025 for us to properly 

recover, but you are the most resilient, 

creative and imaginative people in the 

arts world. You will dig in and make your 

festivals happen one way or another and 

gradually we will recover. There may be 

political debates to be had but festivals 

will live on as they have for thousands of 

years. 


Steve Heap is the 

general secretary of the 

Association of Festival 

Organisers (AFO). AFO 

membership is open to 

festival and event organisers, 

associates, suppliers and sole 

traders within the festival industry. For more 

information visit 

www.festivalorganisers.org, drop Steve an 

email at sh@festivalorganisers.co.uk or give 

him a call on 01629 827014. 

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EVENTS 

Let There be Light 

Liz Pugh, creative producer for Walk the Plank, reviews the trends 

around the use of light, fire and fireworks at public events 

LIGHT HOLDS us all in its grasp – and the 

use of light at live events in the UK and 

Europe has developed into events that are 

now all about light. 

For countries like the UK in the northern 

hemisphere, light holds a special resonance: 

it helps to make us feel safe, it reminds us 

that we are not alone in the long dark nights 

of winter, and it’s part of many communities’ 

rituals – from the Christmas Lights Switch On 

to the lights of Diwali to the candles we light 

on special occasions at home and the fires 

we love to light when we go camping. 

Light – and its counterpoint darkness – 

can evoke deep emotions, and great light 

art often offers both the artist’s message 

and space for our own connection to deeper 

narratives, as well as a deeply sensory 

experience which we are increasingly willing 

to pay for. 

The power of light at live events has 

always been significant, but festivals and 

events have usually spent more money on 

sound. However, over the last few years 

we have seen a huge increase in light trails 

and light festivals, and light is increasingly 

“THE PANDEMIC 

ACCELERATED THE GROWTH 

OF EVENTS THAT COULD 

OFFER A DURATIONAL 

EXPERIENCE THAT COULD 

BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED, 

TARGETED AT FAMILIES AND 

FRIEND GROUPS WHO WERE 

DESPERATE TO GET OUT AND 

GET TOGETHER BUT NOT IN 

LARGE CROWDS” 

dominating the outdoor arts and festival 

sector. 

The international network Lighting Urban 

Community International (LUCI) is based 

in Lyons and we at Walk the Plank are 

members. It is home to one of the world’s 

first light festivals, has seen its membership 

grow and it now extends to more than 500 

cities and other organisations that work with 

light. 

As we know from those transformative 

experiences at concerts, festivals or other 

gigs when the lighting designers illuminate 

us, the audience, as well as the stars on 

stage, we can feel a sense of connection and 

elation thanks to great lighting outdoors. 

Many festivals use light installations 

and light art works to create ambience, 

transform spaces and build excitement 

– from the Big Chill’s pioneering art trails 

to the Outer Space Zone at a festival like 

Bluedot, the combination of light and 

landscape has always been beguiling. 

Pre-Covid, we could see the market for 

installations that used light or fire – like 

fire gardens or torchlit processions – 

growing alongside the traditional firework 

celebrations of 5th November, Chinese New 

Year, Hogmanay and such like. 

The pandemic accelerated the growth 

of events that could offer a durational 

experience that could be socially distanced, 

targeted at families and friend groups who 

were desperate to get out and get together 

but not in large crowds. Light trails and light 

festivals offered a great way to celebrate 

58 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM

EVENTS 

Christmas, Halloween or winter – from the 

RHS Gardens Glow events to the National 

Trust’s embrace of all things illuminated in 

every stately home across the country, we 

now have a light trail on every corner. 

Music festival promoters like From 

the Fields pivoted to become light trail 

providers and the opportunities for artists 

and designers that work with light have 

increased – from work by established artists 

like Mick Stephenson or Yayoi Kusama and 

designers like Stephen Page of dbnAudile 

to the Creative Europe project Beacon by 

Craig Morrison, co-commissioned by three 

European cities. UK-based Light Collective’s 

recent publication, Women Light Artists, 

highlights the contribution of over 150 

women like Punjabi Liverpudlian artist Chila 

Kumari Singh Burman, whose artworks use 

light as a medium to represent a tangle of 

cultural inspirations, and Frankie Boyle who 

works at the intersection of light, colour and 

form to create a sensory experience for the 

audience. 

A NOTE ON FIREWORKS 

Fireworks bring joy and offer great value for money if you want to create a visual 

moment that can be shared by hundreds or thousands of people all at the same time. 

But there is a perception that they are disproportionately environmentally unfriendly. 

Nathan Jackson, who has led Walk the Plank’s sustainability strategy over the 

past 15 years, said: “We have done lots of research into the environmental impact 

of fireworks, and the largest component of the carbon footprint of an event with 

fireworks, lights, drones or whatever is typically audience travel because it’s the 

thousands of car journeys that have the most impact on the environment, dwarfing 

the impact of the creative content of the show itself.” Walk the Plank is a member of 

the British Pyrotechnics Association. 

POWERFUL MAGIC 

As one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts 

companies, Walk the Plank has always 

worked with light and fire as tools for 

engaging communities – making processions 

and creating participatory art works like 

our recent Green Space Dark Skies project 

which lit up 20 National Parks and AONBs, 

with a finale featured on BBC Countryfile. 

From beautiful homemade lanterns made of 

tissue paper and willow created by people in 

their own towns and villages to skilled artists 

making lanterns for the closing ceremony 

of the XVII Commonwealth Games, or the 

handheld Geolights engineered for Green 

Space Dark Skies – we use light because it’s a 

powerful magic. 

For Hull’s Freedom Festival, we led a 

torchlight procession of more than 800 

local people through the streets of the unlit 

and unloved ‘old town’ area which had 

been home to MP and abolitionist William 

Wilberforce. This journey to the festival site 

was a way of signalling that the festival was 

going to shine a light into the town’s hidden 

heritage and foreground its connection to 

the abolition of the slave trade and other 

fights for freedom. 

Walk the Plank also instigated a series 

of Art Car Parades in 2007-2009, including 

illuminated Art Car Parades in Blackpool, 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne for its Glow festival, 

Edinburgh and Manchester. These playful 

reimagining of vehicles – everything from 

an illuminated milk float (by artists Jon 

Large and Spencer Marsden) to a sliced-up 

London taxi which glowed red (by sculptor 

Pete Mountain) – which were illuminated and 

driven through the streets, to the delight of 

huge crowds. 

Our most recent project involved 

thousands of people signing up to become 

‘Lumenators’, participants in a series of 

lightworks in the landscape, including on the 

highest peaks of England, Wales, Scotland 

and Northern Ireland. Green Space Dark 

Skies prioritised sustainability and its impact 

report makes for interesting reading for 

anyone interested in minimising the negative 

environmental impact of their event (Issue 

57, Open Air Business). Nathan Jackson, 

head of production, said: “We did not take 

a ‘business as usual’ approach to this work 

and we hope that Lumenators will become 

caretakers of nature for the future. Our 

landscapes are places worth protecting, for 

everyone, forever.” 

“Working with Siemens, CORE Lighting 

and the best engineers and lighting 

designers in the UK last year, we developed 

technology that enables us to choreograph 

mass lighting in the landscape as well as in 

stadiums or cityscapes,” said John Wassell, 

creative producer for Green Space Dark Skies 

and one of Walk the Plank’s co-founders. The 

Geolights use GPS technology, as well as Wi- 

Fi, and have been developed to take account 

of the environmental sensitivities that are 

an increasing factor for anyone working 

outdoors, where the impact of light pollution 

on insect and wildlife populations can be 

significant. By remotely changing the colour 

of the Geolights, each participant effectively 

became a pixel within a coordinated image 

of live art across the landscape. The result 

was impressive lighting displays that were 

recorded from above and on the ground 

to create 16 free to watch short films, 

distributed online. 


Liz Pugh is creative 

producer and cofounder 

of Walk the 

Plank, which has a 

30+ year track record 

of making art, festivals and 

events that engage citizens in 

public celebration . 

From opening European Capital of Culture 

celebrations (Liverpool08, Turku2011, 

Paphos2017) to immersive installations 

like BODY (Science Festivals in UK & Ireland 

2021/22), from parades to fire gardens, 

Walk the Plank consistently attracts 

acclaim and showcases talent. 

Liz now leads teams working on festivals, 

parades, and site-specific performances 

including Manchester Day (2010-22), 

Grimsby’s Festival of the Sea (2021-22), 

Winter Light, North Wales (2019-20) plus 

many more events animating town and 

city centres. www.walktheplank.co.uk, 

info@walktheplank.co.uk, @walktheplank 

(Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook), @ 

walktheplankarts (Instagram). 


EVENTS 


Flooring & ground 

Protection 

Private Wedding, 

Andrews Marquees 

Product: Cassette flooring, entrance platform, 

steps, ramp, balustrading and FloorStak support 

and levelling system 

Supplier: FloorStak, 07841 069627, alan@regenteng.com, 


Details: The 12x36m cassette flooring system was supplied complete with FloorStak 

support and levelling to allow Andrews Marquees to install its Custom Covers tents. 

Special design features of the system enable floors to be adjusted for use with 6m, 

9m, and 12m wide configurations. The entry platform, steps and ramp can be arranged 

to permit side or front access according to site requirements. 

Customer feedback: Shaun Andrews, owner of Andrews Marquees, said: “I would like 

to take this opportunity to say how much we appreciated the service from you and 

your team, especially the staff that you sent out to show us and help us put the cassette 

flooring in place for our son’s wedding. 

“The product itself is excellent (we did not realise how uneven our lawn was) and the 

end result was perfect, after going over the shrubs and tree trunks. I would recommend 

this product to any other marquee hire company that is thinking of going down the 

cassette raised flooring route; the product speaks for itself.” 

Blenheim Palace Triathlon, 

Oxfordshire 

Product: 550m2 M4A4 Herringbone coir matting 

Supplier: Coir Store, 07884 303082, 

andy@coirstore.co.uk, 

www.coirstore.co.uk 

Details: This hugely popular sporting event is 

Britain’s second biggest triathlon. Every year over 

7,000 triathletes take part, with first timers accounting 

for more than half of the field. Not only does this event raise 

thousands of pounds for charities, but it’s also a great opportunity for many of 

Britain’s top athletes to hone their skills. 

Starting with a 750m swim in the Great Lake, the competitors enter a ‘transition 

area’. The M4A4 Herringbone coir matting supplied is laid onto the pathways to 

protect the athletes’ feet as they run from the swim out to the transition area. 

The route between lake and transition area is long and meandering, so it’s not 

always possible to lay a full 12m length. Fortunately the matting is easily cut to 

shorter and more appropriate lengths. Being 100% natural and extremely durable, 

it gives good traction for the runners even when wet. Capable of withstanding 

thousands of feet means previously supplied mats will be used again! 

Customer feedback: Clayton Payne, senior operations manager, IMG UK, said: 

“We use the matting for both the Bloodwise Blenheim Palace Triathlon and the AJ 

Bell London Triathlon. In both cases it is used to protect athletes’ feet as they run 

from the swim out to transition.” 


EVENTS 

Stuttgart Regional Agricultural 

Festival, Germany 

Product: 2,000m2 PERFO-EQ Tiles 

Supplier: S2T Group (PERFO), 01992 522797, info@perfo.co.uk, 


Details: The Landwirtschaftliches Hauptfest takes place in Stuttgart in 

South West Germany over nine days in late September/early October 

to coincide with the popular Cannstatter Volksfest Beer Festival. 

It showcases machinery, structures and a wide range of solutions 

employed across the agricultural sector, from rearing livestock to 

working the land. 

A large part of the show ground is covered with gravel and not 

ideally suited for pedestrian traffic, pushchairs or those 

with mobility issues. For this reason the organisers were 

looking for a product that could be quickly and easily 

deployed as a walkway on the gravel surface for the 

duration of the event to provide a more suitable 

and comfortable surface for pedestrians, especially 

for wheelchair users and children’s buggies etc. 

Another requirement was that the product could 

be removed quickly after the show and would 

take up little storage space when not in use, as the 

operators of the Cannstatter Wasen showground 

planned to use it for other events held at the venue. S2T 

Group’s PERFO-EQ system of interlocking plastic tiles was 

the ideal solution, meeting the client’s requirements. 

Customer feedback: “After a trial in 2010, the operators of the 

showground were suitably impressed and the PERFO-EQ product has 

since been used at subsequent events to great effect. Furthermore 

the PERFO-EQ interlocking plastic matting was also used to provide a 

walkway when part of the showground was temporarily transformed 

into a reception centre for refugees arriving in Southern Germany after 

fleeing the conflict in Syria.” 

Market Leading 

Flooring 

Marquee Floors 

01787 372988 

info@marqueefloors.co.uk 

www.marqueefloors.co.uk 

Market leaders for the marquee industry with high 

quality traditional matting for use in marquees, party 

tents and indoor/outdoor exhibitions and functions. 

From Dandy Dura – the market leading polypropylene 

matting for marquee flooring in the UK – through 

to Dandy Coco, Dandy Weave and some essential 

glamping and sundry products to ensure your event or 

structure has the perfect finishing touch. 

We offer a bespoke service with most of our ranges 

available in any size or bespoke shape complete with 

binding and eyelets. 

LuxTrax Tiles 

GT Trax 

01487 823344 

info@gttrax.co.uk 

www.gttrax.co.uk 

LuxTrax from GT Trax is a high quality plastic modular flooring 

system ideally suited for marquee flooring, walkways and 

display areas both indoors and out. 

Each LuxTrax tile is swiftly installed without the need for 

any special tools or skills. There is an underside channel 

for electricity cables ensuring that wires are conveyed 

safely underfoot. LuxTrax tiles measure approximately 

500x500x32mm and weigh just 1.5kg, equalling 6.0kg per 

square metre. 

Tiles are manufactured in the UK from reprocessed 

polyprop co-polymer, which offers a high impact resistance 

even at low temperatures. LuxTrax is BS certified for anti-slip 

and has been professionally load tested. It is available for hire 

or sale throughout the UK exclusively from GT Trax, which 

offers a complete installation and removal service. 

LuxTrax complements existing flooring products within the 

GT Trax range including temporary roadways, walkways and 

ground protection panels. 


Spot light 

A roundup of products for the outdoor hospitality industry 

LOG CABINS IN EVERY STYLE 

Scandinavian Homes 

0845 299 6337 

homes@scandinavianhomes.com 

www.scandinavianhomes.com 

From cabins for couples to family 

sized holiday homes, a beautiful 

log cabin will last a lifetime. 

Contact us today to discuss your 

ideas. 

Log cabins to suit all situations, 

self-contained and ideal for year 

round use. With traditional, 

contemporary, and even mobile 

home options available, take a 

look at our portfolio of ideas and 

work with us to develop your 

perfect guest accommodation. 

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING KITS 

Outerspace Group 

01978 532930 

hello@outerspacegroup.com 

www.outerspacegroup.com 

Looking for a sustainable and ecofriendly 

solution to your building 

projects? Look no further than our 

Luxury Eco Building Kits. Our SIPs 

(structural insulated panels) kits 

are energy-efficient and incredibly 

fast to build, making them the 

perfect choice for anyone looking 

to create a stylish and sustainable 

living space. 

Whether you’re looking to create 

glamping pods, lodges or outdoor 

living spaces, we’ve got you 

covered. With our install partners 

across the UK and our commitment 

to sourcing and delivering 

everything you need in one simple 

delivery, you can trust that your 

project will be up and running in 

no time. 

BESPOKE, PREMIUM 

SHEPHERD HUTS 

Regency Shepherd Huts 

07807 072080 

info@regencyshepherdhuts.co.uk 

www.regencyshepherdhuts.co.uk 

We offer a totally bespoke service, 

building premium shepherd huts. 

Each hut is custom made and 

totally different. We pride ourselves 

on high-end finishing and like to 

co-design with our customers, 

listening to their creative ideas, 

whilst lending our experience to 

advise what is achievable. 

The most popular cladding we 

cater for is green oak or coloured, 

corrugated tin. We love to create a 

sumptuous feel to our huts so we 

include quartz worktops, chunky 

oak steps, an over-bed roof light 

and a pop up TV as standard. All 

internal decor is tailored to suit the 

taste of the customer. 

DOMES FOR THE MOON? 

Dyester 

+1 305 490 5911 

kathfleisch@gmail.com 

www.dyestercorp.com 

Domespaces provides weatherproof 

housing units of the future 

for all of your needs and activities. 

Dyester Corp, the parent 

corporation of Domespaces, could 

provide future domes for the Moon. 

Renderings have been sent to 

NASA who may buy the domes for 

the practice area being developed 

in the USA. Experts say we could 

be living on the moon in 10 years. 


HANDCRAFTED SHEPHERD HUT 

FOR SALE 

07507 976516 

catblaw1@gmail.com 

Built by a local joiner this bespoke 

shepherds hut would be perfect 

for rental holiday let or extra 

accommodation in your garden. 

It is a cosy space with a wood 

burning stove/oven, double glazing 

and insulated walls. The hut is 

self-contained with its own shower 

room and WC. There is also a 

kitchenette and space for a small 

fridge. 

The double bed and small seating 

area has storage areas underneath. 

The hut was built to be off-grid 

however the wall lights and 

sockets can be connected to mains 

electricity if required. 

Unused and sold due to a change 

in circumstances. 

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. 

TOTAL WASTE SOLUTIONS 

Glampsan 

0800 999 6010 

sales@glampsan.com 

www.glampsan.com 

Glampsan supplies an 

“evolution” of toilet and waste 

handling solutions. At one end 

of the spectrum, choose from 

composting, separating and low 

volume flush toilets, or even the 

new CampPlus ensuite washroom 

pod, which includes a toilet, 

shower, heating and wash basin. 

Once you have a toilet solution 

in place, you may need waste 

collection tanks – above or below 

ground. Glampsan can supply these 

and also sewage lifting stations and 

pumps (to move waste across your 

site) as well as sewage treatment 

plants. 

PERFO GROUND REINFORCEMENT 

SYSTEM 

S2T Group 

01992 522797 


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. 


Classified Directory 

01453 767171 

www.bondfabrications.co.uk 

enquiries@bondfabrications.co.uk 

Finman 

Glamping 

Cabins and 

BBQ Huts 

From 

£5,540 

UNIQUE • QUALITY • CUSTOMISABLE 

01389 887205 www.logspan.com 

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 

CREATED BY YOU, MADE BY US! 

Innovative products 

for Temporary Structure installations 

• Structure Support and Levelling 

• Modular Steps & Ramps 

• Balustrades 

• Cassette Floors 

• Bespoke Engineering 

+44 121 526 6060 

info@regenteng.com 


Nottingham Specialised 

Timber Blds Ltd 

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

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Nottingham, NG3 2EG 

01159 473749 www.nstb.co.uk 


PEOPLE 

Behind the Scenes with… 

Clare Macleod 

How Clare Macleod came to own and run 

one of the UK’s most unusual venues 

WHEN I was 16 I organised my school’s first 

ball to take place outside of the sports hall. I 

always knew I wanted to be in events! Little 

did I know when planning that first event in 

a marquee at a local golf course, my career 

journey via marketing and PR for global 

technology brands would lead me to host 

weddings, parties and corporate events in 

the most unusual and spectacular marquee 

of them all. 

So many venues describe themselves as 

unusual and unique but Deckerdence really 

is! There is no other outdoor structure or 

venue quite like it. A vintage 1967 Leyland 

PD2 double-deck bus is the centrepiece of 

our 360-degree circular marquee. The bus 

is home to a traditional bar on the lower 

deck and a fabulous cocktail lounge on the 

upper deck. Elements inside our marquee 

provide everything that a conventional 

venue offers and more. We have a dining 

space for up to 150 guests, an entertainment 

area with stage, dancefloor and disco lights 

complemented by our vintage lounge with 

oak-panelled walls, Chesterfield sofas and a 

working fireplace. 

Running Deckerdence alongside our 

other businesses, Clarky’s Marquees and 

Commbus, truly means that no two days 

are ever the same. Clarky’s Marquees 

specialises in vintage marquees, and very 

often these structures are part of larger 

client set-ups with Deckerdence. Commbus 

provides event support for festivals and 

outdoor events and has a fleet of custombuilt 

vehicles, including many more buses 

used for event offices, dressing and green 

rooms. 

As everyone who runs a small business 

knows, your job role is extremely varied 

and needs to cover all aspects, from the 

critical areas overseeing and implementing 

marketing plans and finance management 

to sales and operations. My business partner 

looks after all the infrastructure of our site 

and the build of Deckerdence including the 

power and events field set-up, alongside 

elements that are brought in for each 

client’s event. My main focus is looking after 

our clients and working with them on their 

plans for their wedding or event. It is really 

important for me to get to know them well 

and to understand them as individuals in 

order to provide what they are imagining. 

My daily routine depends significantly on 

whether it’s an office or event day. Either 

way, it always starts with lots of tea and 

plotting my to-do list in my diary. Even 

with the best pre-event planning there are 

always tasks that need to be done on the 

day. 

Our office is based at our events site 

in North Warwickshire. Having the office 

and the events field in one place is a great 

advantage. Joining me in the office every 

day are two labradors, Blyth and Mazie. 

They love the chance to show off in the 

background of a Zoom meeting when they 

get the chance. Being able to step out of 

the office and wander into our events field 

is great for them, as well as for me. Being 

able to walk around the field when working 

on a new client brief often gives me great 

inspiration and new ideas. 

For an office day, well, there is no typical 

day. Currently, I am trying a block-andtackle 

method of working as I can be guilty 

of working on one task and seeing an email 

pop in my inbox, becoming distracted like a 

magpie, and getting carried away. A neverending 

cycle of working on the business and 

in the business. 

My favourite areas are working on our 

own series of public events for this year and 

working with our clients to develop their 

concepts from the dining area to venue 

styling and floral – and of course creating a 

bespoke cocktail menu (which sometimes 

involves tasting new cocktails with our 

mixologist – tough job but someone has it 

do it). I am hoping this year that the new 

fresh crop of herbs I have grown will be a 

great addition to our cocktails (and yes, 

for those who know me – the gardener is 

keeping a close eye on me, as our florist 

Penny is in constant disbelief that I still kill 

every succulent that she gives me!). 

Having started my career before social 

media existed, I would never have believed 


PEOPLE 

how much of a working day could be spent 

watching cat videos. By that I mean trying to 

stay up to date with the latest Instagram reels 

trends! 

On an event day, much of the hard work is 

completed during the planning process. This 

means event days are super exciting; all we 

need to do is execute our plans. Some days 

can start early morning and finish at 3am – 

it’s a long day and hard work but I love it! 

When events are based off-site, I’m lucky 

that I don't have to drive the bus. As a vintage 

vehicle, speed is definitely not her forte, and 

then there’s the parking! Let’s just say I still 

struggle to park my smart car. 

Our team at Deckerdence includes some 

great freelancers and an excellent supplier 

network. Working this way allows us to bring 

in the right people for each event. So far, 

we have never had a request that the team 

and I haven't been able to meet, from the 

last-minute request for donkey rides at one 

wedding to keeping an ice sculpture cold in 

the marquee in 30-degree heat! 

Last month we hosted a spectacular 

party for my business partner's 50+1 

birthday celebrations. With one of our 

sister company’s marquees, we created 

an extra entertainment space attached to 

Deckerdence. Our stylist designed and built 

a cabaret theatre theme, with a 3m high LED 

video wall as the backdrop to the stage. With 

a range of live acts performing throughout 

the night, it was undoubtedly one of the 

most fun parties we have organised. 

Last year we hosted our first three-day 

wedding celebration and we have some 

fantastic events coming up this year. We are 

heading down to Devon for a Mad Hatters 

Tea Party-themed wedding, and one of our 

autumn weddings has Alpacas as the guests 

of honour. We believe that just because 

you want an outdoor event or party, you 

shouldn’t have to compromise on glamour, 

style or content. 

“I AM SUPER PROUD OF 

BEING HERE AS A SMALL 

BUSINESS WITH EVERYTHING 

WE HAVE HAD TO FACE. 

NOT THAT I WANT TO BRING 

THAT C WORD BACK TO THE 

FOREFRONT, BUT I AM PROUD 

OF HOW WE MANAGED 

TO SURVIVE DURING THE 

PANDEMIC” 

One of our early challenges was finding the 

correct category to describe Deckerdence. 

While the biggest part of the structure is 

marquee-based, we operate quite differently 

than traditional marquee hire companies. 

Taking time out to work on the business with 

our industry-leading mentor has helped 

us position Deckerdence as a truly unique 

venue. As a small business, you find the todo 

list is never-ending, but taking time out to 

reflect, evaluate and make plans for growth 

is essential. 

I am super proud of being here as a small 

business with everything we have had to 

face. Not that I want to bring that C word 

back to the forefront, but I am proud of how 

we managed to survive during the pandemic. 

I remember wondering if people would 

ever want to be in a space with hundreds 

of other people again. When we couldn’t 

host events we collaborated with other local 

event and exhibition companies to support 

the national campaigns generating local 

and national press coverage on the lack of 

support for the industry. This included a slow 

drive event through Birmingham City Centre, 

with over 70 companies joining. Many who 

saw the local press coverage said they had 

never considered how important the events 

industry was to society. 

There are so many things I love about my 

job. One of my favourites is when our clients 

keep Deckerdence a secret from their guests; 

I love watching the reactions and amazement 

as those guests arrive at Deckerdence and 

find the bus in the centre of the marquee. 

I also love that every day is different; I 

love starting with a blank piece of paper 

and creating that dream wedding or event. 

Currently I am designing a new website to 

bring all our companies together, and I enjoy 

working on our business now as much as I 

love running events. In fact, while working 

on the new website I came up with our new 

tagline: Experts in our field – in a field! 


Clare Macleod is the co-owner and events 

director at Deckerdence. Alongside business 

partner Mark Clark, they provide a truly unique 

venue experience for their clients. Events can 

be hosted at their site in North Warwickshire or 

Deckerdence can travel to you. 



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 

ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

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 

ENTREPRENEUR’S CHAT 

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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