Issue 58

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
14 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM