International Glamping Business | July 2022

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Issue 32 July 2022

SHEPHERDS HUT

Africa

ROUND-UP

CONSERVATION & INNOVATION

THE BEST ONLINE FOOD SUPPLIERS

LOOKING AHEAD

INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION FOR GLAMPING OPERATORS

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Welcome to

BUSINESS

Contents

Welcome to the July issue of International Glamping Business.

In this issue, we take a look at the glamping industry in Africa, including a focus on the continent as a whole, the birthplace of glamping, and Trienke Lodewijk, co-owner of Nuarro Lodge in Mozambique and Hluhluwe Bush Camp in South Africa talks about her journey of setting up multiple sites in Africa.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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AFRICATHE BIRTHPLACE OF GLAMPING

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BRINGING GLAMPING TO SOUTH AFRICA WITH DUTCH TENTS

We also have a comprehensive guide to shepherd huts, made up of some of the best hut manufacturers in the industry and Martha Fosberry explains how to utilise third party food vendors to elevate your guests’ experience.

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A GUIDE TO SHEPHERD HUTS

Dan Wiseman, Exhibition Manager at Swan Events, joins us to let us know a bit more about the upcoming Glamping Show UK 2022 with some sneak peaks at the big changes that are coming for this year’s event and, as always, a roundup of industry and product news.

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ONLINE FOOD SPECIALISTS WITH MARTHA FOSBERRY

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

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THE GLAMPING SHOW UK

Will

International Glamping Business is published by: Upgrade Publishing. Registered address: 47 Oliver Close, London W4 3RL Publisher: Upgrade Publishing, Steph Curtis-Raleigh. e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Design: Dean Coulter, Design on Tap. www.designontap.co.uk www.glampingbusiness.com Instagram @thisisglamping Facebook @thisisglamping Other Events: The Glamping Show w: www.glampingshow.com e: dan.w@theglampingshow.com Glamping Show USA w: www.glampingshow.us e: david@glampingshow.us Eco Hotel Summit w: www.ecohotelsummit.com e: contact@ecohotelsummit.com © 2022 Upgrade Publishing Ltd. International Glamping Business is published 6 times a year.

No reproduction of any part of the magazine is permitted, nor storage in a retrieval system without prior consent of the publisher. No commercial exploitation is permitted. No warranty is implied in respect of any product or trader mentioned herewith.

Editor: Will Rusbridge Advertising Sales: Kathryn Kelly t: +44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kath@upgradepublishing.com Paula Worswick t: +44 (0) 7360 041486 e: paula@upgradepublishing.com Social Media Editor: Annabelle Hilton e: media@upgradepublishing.com

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NEWS UNDER CANVAS PIONEER LAUNCHES INDUSTRY’S BIGGEST INVESTMENT FUND

Industry pioneer and co-Founder of Under Canvas, the leading US glamping brand, Sarah Dusek, is returning to the sector with a $600 million investment fund.

The Quiver Tree Collection (named after an indigenous species from South Africa, where she is now based with her family) will acquire, launch and develop glamping/eco resorts around the world, driving impact in environmental and social responsibility.

Sarah and her husband Jacob sold Under Canvas in 2018 and Sarah then focused on Enygma Ventures the Venture Capital

Fund, which invests in female founders and entrepreneurs in Southern Africa.

Sarah chose the recent Eco Resort Network event in Slovenia to announce the new Quiver Tree Collection and she is now actively looking for projects to invest in around the world.

“Our vision is to empower the glamping industry to protect wild spaces by launching the largest fund of its kind,” she told delegates over a live link from Africa.

“Our fund – the Quiver Tree Collection should be live later this summer – we are hoping to deploy over US$600m over the next three years with the vision to increase that capital to a billion dollars by the end of next year. I really believe the capital markets need to see that we can drive significant

financial return as well as environmental and social impact in this space and that we can act with a long-term vision in mind. One other frustrating thing for me has been this idea of short-termism and thinking of the glamping industry as if we build something – who buys it and what happens to it – what’s the longevity of what we are doing and how do we use what we are doing to create bigger impacts and bigger platforms?”

“Quiver Tree will be the biggest fund of its kind and will invest in, acquire and develop outdoor hospitality concepts around the world with the focus on utilising that investment to really impact biodiversity, conservation, protecting wild spaces, rewilding spaces to increase habitat green spaces,” added Sarah.

TURKEY AND CYPRUS MOVE FORWARD WITH GLAMPING BILLS The Culture and Tourism Minister of Turkey, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, has stated that glamping investors will be supplied with an ‘elementary accommodation certificate’, and that the western province of İzmir will be serving as a pilot region, working to promote tourism alternatives.

A law on glamping in Turkey was introduced last year and states that luxurious tents located on wooden platforms must have no further infrastructure and that the site itself should be ‘nature friendly’. The Turkish Government believes that glamping will be a great alternative form of tourism for the country, drawing tourists away from over-populated resorts and bringing employment to rural areas.

Speaking to Hurryet Daily News, Oğuz Tokalak, the deputy head of Turkey Camping and Caravanning Association, clarified that, “The number of caravans in

Turkey has risen fivefold.

Glamping sites or camping sites with luxurious tents are mostly of interest to the hotel owners.”

Turkey is not alone in trying to advance the glamping industry, with very similar initiatives also being seen in Cyprus. In May, the House Commerce committee in Cyprus heard that the addition of accommodation options such as glamping sites and hostels, would help attract a new niche market focussed on younger visitors.

After initial discussion in mid-2021, the issue was opened for public consultation where an initial draft of the bill was added to the government website open for views submitted by the public. In a press release, the ministry said, “Glamping is a new international trend in tourism, which has been growing rapidly around the world and offers a luxury stay in the countryside.”

The committee concluded discussion of the government’s bill on glamping in May and is forwarding it to the plenary for a vote. The bill’s purpose would be to introduce new provisions modernising the exiting regulatory framework in Cyprus, including provisions which would regulate the operation of luxury camping sites.

Speaking to Cyprus Mail, Committee president Hadjiyiannis discussed both the glamping bill and the hostel bill saying, “With these two bills we are taking steps forward so that we can have a comprehensive tourism service, so that the tourism product is not restricted to specific areas but is distributed throughout Cyprus.”

The current aim is for the glamping bill to be enacted before the House breaks up for summer.

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FIRST EVENT INSPIRES The Eco Resort Network in-person event in Slovenia at the start of June proved to be hugely enjoyable and informative.

Around 46 delegates gathered in Bled to discuss sustainable resort operation, investment, effective marketing, clever site construction, interior design and wellness trends – plus much more.

The group was also treated to a tour of the award-winning Garden Village Bled plus dinner in their restaurant complete with grass-topped tables, as well as a welcome reception and a raucous last night at a traditional Slovenian restaurant-cum-gingerbread museum where they were regaled by a harmonica-playing host.

“Much fun was had and friendships were made. Delegates included those new to the industry and seasoned operators, suppliers and consultants who generously shared their knowledge and delighted in learning about new eco ventures joining the space,”’ says Steph CurtisRaleigh, co-organiser.

“I was not sure what to expect, but I was really impressed with Slovenia, Bled and the convivial esprit de corps of the delegation. I cannot remember an event quite like this. Such a diverse and eclectic global group of entrepreneurs and driven but warm business people,” said Todd Wynne-Parry, Managing Director, Horwath HTL. Industry newcomer Astrid Arlove said, “Thank you so much for this truly enriching event. I met some incredible people, integrated new perspectives and knowledge, discovered a beautiful country and had a lot of fun as well!!”

Plans are now afoot for next year’s event which is in the diary for June 7 and 8, 2023 in Croatia.

Find out more about the event in this excellent podcast from attendee and speaker Sarah Riley – who interviewed Steph Curtis-Raleigh about the event and sustainable operation. https://www.inspiredcoursesvip.com/glamping-business-podcast If you would like to catch up with some of the sessions from the event on our digital platform, please visit https://networking. ecohotelsummit.com/

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AFRICA the birthplace of glamping

The African safari mobile camps have offered luxury in nature since the 17th Century, but the origins go even further back to trading routes between the African and Arabic lands.

In fact, the word safari originates from the Arabic verb ‘safar’ which means to make a journey.

Africa now offers much more than just the traditional safari tent option to today’s travellers. Unique accommodation abounds and many African countries are now involved in developing new types of nature-based tourism.

In May this year, Business Insider Africa ranked the top 10 economies in SubSaharan Africa enabling Travel and Tourism development 1. Mauritius 2. South Africa 3. Botswana 4. Kenya 5. Tanzania 6. Cape Verde 7. Namibia 8. Rwanda 9. Zambia 10. Ghana Much of the attraction of glamping in Africa is obviously focused on the amazing wildlife that can be found but this can also be a challenge for hospitality operators. In Kenya, safaris take place in the National Parks and Reserves, with the Masai Mara Game Reserve still the most popular with international guests.

Africa has been called the birthplace of humanity but we could also argue that it is the birthplace of glamping too.

In June of this year, The Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife launched a new strategy that seeks to diversify the country’s tourism offering, moving away from dependence on Safari and Beach tourism. Dubbed “the new vision for Kenya’s tourism” the strategy will provide a road map for the sector and will shape the future of Kenya’s tourism industry by providing a framework that details how to successfully develop sustainable tourism in Kenya.

In Namibia, however, the wild animals are not contained in national parks but still roam freely. This poses a unique challenge for Journeys Namibia – a management company that takes the strain off lodge owners by taking care of the day to day running of lodges. Marta Bormioli Gambardella was

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Mauritius tops the bill for economies allowing for tourism development. While most of the tourism on the island is understandably beach-based, there is a new exciting urban glamping project being developed by Astrid Arlove. OBOĒ Ltd. is being built from shipping containers and will be a cultural hub for native Mauritians and travellers to the island. “It will be an Eco Urban Boutique Bill Bensley

present at the Eco Resort Network event. She says, “The more specialised tourism becomes, the more we recognise the necessity and importance of promoting Namibia’s hidden treasures. We are tremendously proud to be part of a country that protects more than 44% of its land surface under some kind of conservation policy, allowing wildlife to roam freely.”

“In Journeys Namibia I follow the international marketing and the conservation as we are starting to link a nature conservation project to each lodge. We think it is really important for tourism to support environment conservation as well as the wellbeing of the local communities. “ Shipwreck Lodge, Namibia operated by Journeys Namibia

Rwanda looks set to be a country to watch in terms of new development. It is famous for its Mountain Gorillas, whose numbers are actually on the rise – thanks in part to tourism. This is as a result of a joint effort by scientists and government to save gorillas and help the human communities around them, with a key role played by tourists.

However, the consumer tourism potential hasn’t delivered on its early promise as yet and some of the businesses tied into the tourism ecosystem have struggled, especially owners of mid-range hotels. We know of a number of eco tourism projects looking for funding to attract the many visitors looking to see the gorillas, who then disappear back over the border to Uganda to stay.

hotel where business meets community and technology meets nature,” says Arlove, who is utilising solar power in the design and creating spaces for performance and art, which will be for sale via a custom app.

One of the most unusual eco tourism projects in Africa was announced at our Slovenian event by Bill Bensley, the leading experiential architect and interior designer. He is involved in a project in the Congo “This is one of the most exciting projects we have had in a long time,” he says. “We are going to the French Congo – the safe side – we are going to open up with a series of five, six-tented camps. In Ozala there are three different camps – one inspired by African Grey Parrots that flock in their thousands. Another one is all about the gorillas and another about the hyenas and the anthills that are in this giant plain. Then you go north to a place called the Trinational Park – mostly in the Congo but some of it is in Cameroon and some in the Central African Republic (CAR) – there are two new camps up there which are among the chimpanzees and the elephants and something that looks very strange called the bongo – a mix between an antelope and a zebra.

“We are elevating the camp on high stilts as the forest elephants are aggressive and everything is connected by bridges. You can see gorillas, chimpanzees, the tiger fishing is magnificent, there are elephants and the elusive bongo. It is extremely exciting.”

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Bringing Glamping To

SOUTH AFRICA with Dutch Tents

In 2000, Trienke Lodewijk and Peter de Wit left the Netherlands for Africa with plans of setting up an Eco Lodge. In the years that followed they achieved their initial plan, as well as much more. International Glamping Business Editor Will Rusbridge spoke to Trienke Lodewijk, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Nuarro Lodge and Hluhluwe Bush Camp, to find out more.

Trienke and Peter have always been passionate about Africa since a trip in 1999, which left a lasting impression. “In 2000 we decided to sell everything in the Netherlands, although we had a good life with a big house, nice cars and lots of holidays, but all of that came with a lot of work stress. We left with one suitcase, some money and our diving certifications,” says Trienke “Our aim/dream was to do something in Sub-Saharan Africa to do with diving,”

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adds Trienke. “Between 2000 and 2007 we lived in South Africa and would travel to Mozambique to learn about the country and see if it was a place where we’d be able to achieve our dream.”

pristine place but the location came with some challenges. It is very remote, and the official language of the country is Portuguese.

Thankfully, alongside Dutch, I can also speak Afrikaans and Portuguese,” she adds.

Nuarro Lodge

Sustainability is hugely important to the couple as well as sense of place. Nuarro Lodge was always meant to be an extension of the place where it was located, not some alien location that stuck out from what surrounded it, “Nuarro Lodge was built as an eco-lodge

“In the north of Mozambique, we found a concession of 800 Hectares with a stunning 6 km coastline and started building our Eco Lodge, Nuarro Lodge, with the local community. A very beautiful and very

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made from local materials, by locals, the local way,” says Trienke. Nuarro Lodge was to be an extension of not just the physical area, but of the local community too, “When we started building Nuarro, we also built a community centre with a school. Before, there was no school, and now there are around 400 kids are getting an education, which is something we are incredibly proud to have been a part of,” she adds.

Nuarro Lodge is a beautiful place, totally off grid and green, able to offer world-class diving to guests. “When building Nuarro Lodge, we told everybody, you build in remote Africa only once in your life,” says Trienke.

“However, after some research we had the idea to start a glamping camp in South Africa, which at the time was not a concept that was well known in the region.”

accommodation because, “It is an easier, quicker and greener way of building, but more than any of that, we think that the atmosphere in a canvas structure is fantastic.”

And so, construction of the Hluhluwe Bush Camp began, “We imported our stunning glamping tents from YALA Luxury Canvas Lodges and started building. We have five large family tents at the main site, and at my glamping village there are two adventure tents with private outside bathrooms, three Tipi tents, a Gypsy caravan and two campsites. The property is 21 hectares and in total we can have up to 40 guests.”

When work started on building the camp, Trienke and Peter did a lot of research on glamping manufacturers in South Africa,

“Obviously, the safari tent originates from Africa, so we were originally looking to buy locally, but the quality of the canvas, zippers and the lay out of the tents at YALA are among the best in the world. When we were in the Netherlands, we visited the showroom and were amazed about the quality and possibilities, so we ultimately decided to import the tents.”

The local climate can become incredibly hot as the north of KwaZulu Natal is sub-tropical in the summer months. “When it is hot and humid guests have a fan in all rooms, but the nice thing about canvas is that it is breathable, this means that it quickly cools down in the evenings and during the winter months, it is very cosy. Choosing canvas glamping accommodation over traditional brick and

Hluhluwe Bush Camp “When we decided to start a glamping camp, we were looking into remote Kwazulu Natal and found a nice farm outside Hluhluwe, far away from the main roads, with stunning views and bordering one of the Isimangaliso Wetland Parks (a World Heritage Site),” says Trienke. Hluhluwe is very well-known due to the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park, which the oldest National Big Five Park in South Africa.

At the time, there were lodges, guesthouses and B&Bs in the area, but no glamping. “We started Hluhluwe Bush Camp because are in love with glamping,’ says Trienke. “It is funky, it attracts nice people, it is affordable, and it is great for families, couples and groups.”

Trienke and Peter initially chose glamping

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mortar accommodation means that no heater or air-conditioning are needed,” says Trienke.

work as owner of B&B Orange, a travel and marketing company.

“The camp is mainly self-catering, but we have a farmstall where we make fresh food from our greenhouse,” she adds. “At the farmstall, we serve breakfast, we cater for groups, including vegans and gluten free, and we also sell sourdough bread. So, guests can make their own food and BBQ, but they can also order breakfast or a yummy fresh take away.”

“At Hluhluwe Bush Camp, I arrange private game drives in the oldest game park in South Africa Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park, hippo/croc boat tours in St Lucia, renting out mountain bikes so guests can enjoy the stunning trails, arranging horse-riding, fishing and whale watching. Close by are Zulu Croc, an elephant interaction farm and a cheetah rehab centre. Within B&B Orange Marketing, Accommodation and Travel I arrange tailormade tours in Southern Africa and Uganda, having lived in Africa for 23 years I know it well.”

Also available at the site are a pool with sun loungers, games, a climbing wall, jungle gym, swings, and a bush trail. Trienke also organises a number of activities, having gained experience in doing so during her

Trienke and Peter made the choice to avoid having ‘dangerous’ wildlife at the farm so that they are able to offer activities, but at Hluhluwe Bush Camp guests will be able to see, reedbucks, nyalas, duikers and suni that freely roam around the tents. “Our animals are in their own habitat meaning that we do not have to feed them,” says Trienke.

Both Nuarro Lodge and Hluhuwe Bush Camp are run completely off-grid which has been aided by the fact that Peter is a solar specialist, “At Nuarro there is no municipality water and electricity. We built two boreholes,

one for us and one for the community. We built a water treatment plan, and a solar power system with solar panels, inverters, batteries to generate power,” says Trienke.

At Hluhluwe Bush Camp there is municipality water and electricity but the electricity company in South Africa is failing, and water is bad quality. “We built a borehole, water treatment plan and a solar/inverter/battery system that generates electricity 24 hours per day,” she adds.

“The pandemic affected us quite badly because we had opened just before Covid hit. But happily, the local guests are also in love with the glamping experience, from the bigger towns coming to the bush and wildlife in the self-catering tents,” says Trienke. “When I started the camp at the end of 2019, we only really saw international guests, then when Covid kicked in, only local. Now we see a mix of international and local guests.”

“I just started the glamping village at my glamping camp, and it would be great to open a second glamping camp because glamping has had a huge boost in popularity and is now a must to do in South Africa,” says Trienke. nuarro.com/hluhluwebushcamp.com.

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MAKING THE MOST OF OUTDOOR SPACES Nomadik Tents developed the first Stretch Tent way back in 2001 from a modest premises in Cape Town South Africa. 22 years later, Stretch Tents have become integral to the hospitality and wedding industry and are highly regarded and well known throughout the global outdoor event and entertainment industries.

Stretch tents originated in South Africa and until recently there have been very few credible Stretch Tent manufacturers in the world, mainly from South Africa where the product was pioneered and developed. Stretch fabric is a speciality product and is manufactured under exclusive licence in South Africa and not available on the open market.

The majority of stretch tents are sold to the Event & Hospitality Industries and are generally used as a weather/shade structure for various functions including weddings, parties, festivals, etc throughout the sector. With the recent Covid pandemic, stretch tents have become ever more popular due to the Social Distancing requirements, to provide covered outdoor areas.

spaces stylishly and effectively without having to be removed or taken down.

But, due to the robust nature and longevity of the fabric, stretch tents are also used as custommade-to-fit solutions to cover outdoor spaces in buildings, glamping sites, schools, bars, restaurants, yoga studios etc on a permanent basis. The product has a lifespan of up to 10 years and is ideal to cover awkward outdoor

Their new fabrics are certified to all EU and UK fire & safety standards and the product has a lifespan of up to 10 years. Their focus on quality and longevity gives clients great returns and high re-sale value of used tents.

Nomadik offers in-house Custom-made tent design services and tent rigging/installation instruction anywhere in the world. They sell directly to the public without clients having to purchase through agents or third-party distributors.

To find out more, visit nomadiktents.co.za.

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In the next Issue n The Glamping Show Preview n Scandinavia Market Report

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STOCK TENTS AVAILABLE FROM OUR DUTCH OFFICE QUICK DELIVERY TIME TO ALL EU & UK DESTINATIONS > TENT INSTALLATION & TRAINING SERVICES WITH ON-SITE INSTRUCTION > EXTENDED PRODUCT WARRANTIES AND PROFESSIONAL BACK-UP SERVICES > COMPLIANCY CERTIFICATES FOR ALL EU & BRITISH FIRE STANDARD BS 7837 > MARKETING ASSISTANCE + IMAGES WITH BULK TENT PURCHASES > COMPETITIVE PRICING – NO AGENTS – BUY DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER > CUSTOM TENT MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN SERVICES

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A Guide to

SHEPHERD HUTS

Where America has their covered wagons, and Africa their safari tents, Britain has the Shepherd’s Hut. Quintessentially British, the shepherd hut has always been a popular choice in the country due to not only it’s beautiful design but also, it’s practical use as year-round accommodation type and the fact that most shepherd huts come with a draw or tow bar so can be moved into place with a tractor or 4×4.

Modern day shepherd huts are a reimagining of the original where shepherds would spend the night. Often found in isolated areas, these tiny huts would provide

shelter for the shepherd and their dog while they tended their flocks. The modern version keeps the same character but adds a few essential conveniences.

Modern shepherd huts can include: n Steel chassis, which is less likely to deform than wood. n Insulation that is breathable and able to keep guests warm in the cold and cool in the heat. n Woodburning stove or central heating for when it gets cold on those clear evenings. n Double glazed windows to help keep draughts at bay.

n Gas, electricity, and water connections to ensure those modern conveniences will work.

These advantages have not gone unnoticed, and it is now not uncommon to see glamping sites across Europe and even America utilising the beautiful and practical shepherd hut.

The current market is full of amazing shepherd hut manufacturers to choose from, so International Glamping Business Social Media Editor Annie Hilton reached out to some suppliers to get you the information you need.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

All our huts are hand built and delivered to site complete ready to go.

GREENDOWN SHEPHERD HUTS greendownshepherdhuts.co.uk What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

It all started in 2016 with a love for outdoors and the desire to create something that sat perfectly in nature but was a great useable space.

What type of structures do you create?

Steel chassis, timber framed and oak clad.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

Arguably more beautiful than a pod a shepherd hut looks completely natural in the wild and typically commands the highest nightly rental out of any glamping unit.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

The quality of materials we use and our build standards. We also get told we’re very good value compared to other manufactures.

What geographical markets do you cover?

The UK and Europe, we recently delivered one to Norway.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

Yes we do. Bigger sites take a lot more planning but we love to get involved early and give as much advice as we can to help the owners.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

30 Years plus and 10 year structural warranty.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

Very little, we’ve worked extremely hard to create the perfect lowest maintenance hut possible. Yes absolutely we’re always there to help.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

4-8 weeks. We have one of the lowest if not the lowest lead times due to recently moving in to our new bigger premises.

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SHEPHERD Huts Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

Our shepherd huts are built in our workshop in Barcombe, East Sussex.

They are then transported to site as a complete hut, ready to use.

DICKY DEANS www.dickydeans.co.uk What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

We are Dicky and Helen and we started Dicky Deans Shepherd huts just over a decade ago, as the business grew, we decided to incorporate as a limited company in 2019.

We lived on a mobile home on a farm for two and a half years before discovering an old shepherd’s hut amongst the brambles on a walk and this inspired us to design our first hut. The first was built in 2012 and since then the business has evolved into what it is now.

What type of structures do you create?

We design and build high end bespoke shepherd huts. Our shepherd huts come in a range of different sizes from 12’ x 7’ up to 26’ x 9’. We have also made our own unique designs joining huts together to form a horseshoe and crescent, allowing different rooms within the space.

Each shepherds hut we design is unique, offering choices of layout and interior finish.

We offer on-grid shepherd huts and off-grid shepherd huts for those who do not have access to mains electricity or water.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

They are versatile. The shepherd huts we build come in a range of different sizes and

the layouts inside can be adapted to the shepherd huts end use, whether it be a mobile bar, self-catering accommodation or a kitchen for a catering business.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

Our shepherd huts are built to the highest standard. Each shepherds hut we build is individual; giving our clients a choice of interior styling. We also offer shepherd huts that can be off-grid allowing them to have less impact on the environment.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

The maintenance on our shepherd huts is minimal.

The huts can be externally clad in corrugated steel or timber. Our huts come with a choice of aluminium or oak double glazed windows. We would recommend that oak windows and doors are oiled once a year, to help protect them. Aluminium windows do not require maintenance.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We cover all of the UK and would consider international delivery if requested. Currently our furthest trips have been to Guernsey in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

Yes absolutely How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

We would like to think our huts are built to last a lifetime however we would suggest a minimum of 15 years.

We do not currently offer a formal warranty but are in the process of organising one, we are always on hand to help and advise with any potential issues that may arise.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

6 to 8 months

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SHEPHERD Huts What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

We started this family business in 2020 after building a shepherd hut for a family member. We looked at what the market had to offer and decided to use our experience as a carpenter of 30 years to build our own more luxurious and sustainable hut. Once built; our community thought it stood out from other hut makers and encouraged us to turn it into a business and offer the public the opportunity to own a beautiful custommade luxurious Wedmore Shepherd Hut. What type of structures do you create?

We hand build to order luxury shepherd huts for all uses, from fully self-contained accommodation huts, complete with ensuite, bed, kitchen & dining areas to spa treatment rooms and empty shells for use as a site office. We can even join two huts together creating the space for a family to stay.

We offer various length chassis starting at 14ft, 16ft, 18ft, 20ft to 21ft all by 8ft wide.

Externally clad in beautiful cedar or oak or a more traditional look of “wrinkly” tin. All are fully insulated and designed with all year use in mind with underfloor heating and options for extras.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

If you are wanting to offer an experience not just a bed for the night, a shepherd hut can be a romantic hideaway set in your grounds, often accompanied with a hot tub and fire pit. Our timber framed structures are built to last, so season after season you will be

WEDMORE SHEPHERD HUTS wedmoreshepherdhuts.co.uk able to welcome back your guests knowing your Wedmore Shepherd Hut still looks good inside and out.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

The care and level of attention given to the small details on the whole build make our huts stand out from the crowd. You and your guests will be able to experience that wow factor as your step inside. All our fittings are commensurate with 5* deluxe property, creating the sense of luxury living outdoors.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

Our shepherd huts are designed with features that mean little or no maintenance is required such as our galvanized and powder coated steel chassis.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

Our builds take around 16-20 weeks from date of order confirmation.

Can your products be assembled on-site, or do they require transportation?

To ensure you received the quality you deserve we construct all our huts in our workshop and then arrange the transportation to your site. We work with you to provide the details to set up the infrastructure for water, electrics and sewerage.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We are happy to deliver all over England & Wales.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

We will always welcome a conversation, for those who are considering a volume order we will prepare a personalized quotation once we understand the clients’ needs and wants.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

Our huts are built to last as we construct them to the same standard as a timber framed house.

Therefore, we happily offer a 10-year warranty (from date of delivery) which applies to the chassis, cast iron wheels and external structure will be free from defects in design, materials, and workmanship, subject to our T&Cs.

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www.glampingbusiness.com

SHEPHERD Huts

BLUEBELL SHEPHERD HUTS bluebellshepherdhuts.com What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

I have always had an interest in traditional shepherd huts and was looking to restore an original hut or to build a new hut from scratch but to an original design.

This led to me, five years ago, to building a hut which we now use as a holiday let. We had a lot of interest in the hut, particularly as it was traditionally built, with many people asking whether it was a restoration.

This led to the construction of huts for other people.

What type of structures do you create?

We build traditional shepherd huts, but with all the modern requirements of modern glamping.

The huts are clad in black corrugated steel, with timber panelled interiors. The wheels are unfinished cast steel.

The huts have wood burning stoves that are used for cooking as well as heating.

We use reclaimed timber kitchen dressers that we modify to accommodate a fridge and water heater and include a sink on the worktop.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

We have found that the shepherd hut offers a romanticism and a traditional way of staying in the environment that guests seem to like. The huts are insulated and can be used all year round that adds to both the adventure and the feeling of nostalgia.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

I believe that our huts offer a more traditional approach, each hut is built for the client and is not in any way mass

produced. This gives each hut a unique character.

Our finish is aimed at giving a hut that fits into the environment and appears to have been always part of the landscape.

The traditional finish also appears to appeal to planning authorities and national parks.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

Generally the only maintenance required is to the paint finish to the windows.

The corrugated sheet is best weathered, and we leave the cast wheels unfinished to rust.

We provide follow up advice and are happy to visit to help with anything that may come up.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

Each hut is uniquely built with no mass production. We limit production to around 12 huts a year. Lead in times depend on orders but are currently around 5 months.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

We complete the huts and arrange for delivery to site.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We have provided huts throughout the British Isles.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

We would not be looking to provide large scale orders, with a maximum of 2-3 per client, this allows a reasonable turn around.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

Our shepherd huts are expected to last a lifetime.

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www.glampingbusiness.com

SHEPHERD Huts

REGENCY BESPOKE regencybespoke.co.uk

What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

We were inspired to make Shepherd huts after taking a break in one and we thought we can enter the market with our huts as part of our Bespoke Cabinetry and joinery company. The two companies complement each other as the high-end finishing that is achieved with our cabinetry and joinery.

There is a huge demand for them at the moment due to the Pandemic and the challenges in taking a foreign holiday which still exist.

We are a very new company in the Shepherd Hut world. We started building our first few huts in March of this year.

What type of structures do you create?

The type of huts that we make are the typical glamping structures that can be used all year round with the beauty of a wood burner for those cozy winter nights and also with a curved sky light above the bed to stargaze. The huts also come with a full en-suite bathroom with shower, basin and toilet and a kitchen with sink, hob, fridge and microwave.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

In our opinion, Shepherd Huts are great for glamping sites and even at home as

extra accommodation, due to the fact that they are so well insulated with sheep’s wool insulation and they are fitted with all the mod cons, so it feels like a home from home if it’s just the bottom of the garden, or in a remote tranquil setting. You can escape the toils of the modern day living and relax to the max.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

I guess we will stand out from our competitors in the finish and price points of our huts. We can achieve these finishes by using all our skills from our sister company and high-quality end products.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

Our huts are very low maintenance with oak cladding on the outside with the typical wriggly tin roof that is poly coated in black. All the doors and windows are made in-house and are of solid hardwood made in the traditional way and are fully double glazed.

We do also offer follow up services to make sure everything is running smoothly and there are no issues with our finished Huts.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

The average wait time at the moment is around three months, this mainly depends

on the lead times of some of the raw materials to us.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

They will come as turnkey Huts but there will be a degree of on-site fitting work needed due to the nature of the Shepherd Huts being large and some items can’t be fitted until they are sited.

What geographical markets do you cover?

When we are up and running fully, we will like to cover all of Great Britain first of all and once we are established, we can easily make them for the continental European Market.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

Yes, we would offer discounts on larger purchases for the bigger Glamping sites.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

We would say that as long as the huts are set in good positions and the paint work on the doors and windows is upkept and the general maintenance and care is kept on top of, the Shepherd Huts should last for a good 25 years.

Yes we do offer Warranties on all of our Shepherd huts.

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SHEPHERD Huts

RIVERSIDE SHEPHERD HUTS riversideshepherdhuts.co.uk

What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

We went to see a friend who collects vintage tractors one day and he had an original hut in his field he had restored, I said to Dave that would be lovely to have one in our back field by the stream , Dave said he could build one with Steel as he has his own construction company and then someone suggested we try and sell them so we took our first one to Moreton Show in August 2011 and that’s how it all started,

What type of structures do you create?

Anything anyone wants form home office to full live in hut maximum size 30ft x 10ft.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

As they are all bespoke it can be built to suit the customers exact requirements What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

We were the first company to build a full steel frame so it can build bigger and stronger than using a wooden frame and

moved around a lot more on uneven ground without the worry of it twisting.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

The corrugated comes with a 25-year guarantee as long as you’re not within 20 miles of the coast. We offer a 30 year guarantee on the steel frame and cassis, the wheels are cast iron so they are not going anywhere.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

Depends on the bookings for huts we already have and what the customer wants so we can only confirm once we find out what they want.

What geographical markets do you cover?

Anywhere! been as far as south of France.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

All huts are bespoke so we talk to the customer about their exact design and try to offer a deal if we can.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

As above 30-year etc.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

They come fully assembled, we do not offer a flat pack, we do offer a self-build, but that’s a complete frame delivered ready built.

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SHEPHERD Huts

WELLS SHEPHERDS HUTS wellsshepherdhuts.com

What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

My inspiration came from the shepherd huts themselves: the romantic vision that these nearly lost icons from the farming past could be used as accommodation within the glamping sector. Also, the thought that this idea could bring new life into the shepherd huts with modern home comforts. Managing Director, Ian Wells, has been in the carpentry industry for over 20 years, having a brief few years in different sectors, however he began manufacturing shepherd huts in early 2019 his true passion.

What type of structures do you create?

Our family run small team manufacture bespoke hand-crafted shepherd’s huts. Our shepherd huts are individually handcrafted to our customer’s needs, there is no rule book thus allowing customers imaginations and

creativity to become a reality within their Shepherd huts. There really are no limits to what we can create for customers.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion? n Our shepherd huts allow guests to experience the outdoors without sacrificing the home comforts, all whilst still allowing the shepherd’s hut to encompass its original origins. n Our shepherd huts can be moved easily as and when required. n Planning permission is not required for the Shepherd huts themselves, only the ground they are sited on which is not always required, unlike other glamping choices.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers? n We do not have set designs for our shepherd huts as each shepherd’s hut is unique. n All our work, whether it be the Shepherd huts or the furniture within them, is handcrafted to a high level. n We use a sustainable source of insulation sheep wool insulation. This natural insulation is thermally and acoustically superior to anything man made and allows the space inside the hut to be warm in winter and cooler in summer.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

We offer two options for the exterior of the huts, wriggly tin, or timber cladding. Our

most popular option is the wriggly tins as this is the same material the original shepherd huts was made from when used by farmers. Other advantages are the ease to keep clean and the low maintenance. Timber cladding requires a little more attention with yearly maintenance of staining/paining. We provide advice on maintenance for our shepherd huts to all our customers. We provide warranty with all our shepherd huts.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

This is dependent on each customers specifications as some shepherd’s hut builds are more involved than others. However, as an idea of timescale a hut build will approximately take between 8-12 weeks.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

Our shepherd huts are delivered to site as a completed item and unlike some of our competitors we do not offer the self-build shepherd’s hut kits as this option does not suit our business.

What geographical markets do you cover?

Currently we only produce our huts within the UK market, however this is an avenue that we are not shy to explore in the future.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

We are always happy to discuss costing with a customer when multiple shepherd huts are being purchased.

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Luxury Glamping Pods and Lodges for all budgets

Achieve all year round bookings, with our unique luxury glamping cabins EN-SUITE AVAILABLE • OFF-GRID OR ECO OPTION BESPOKE SOLUTIONS • FULLY INSULATED AND HEATED OPTIONS

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

SHEPHERD Huts

WHITE DOVE SHEPHERD HUTS Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

Our huts are all bespoke and manufactured at our fully equipped workshop. Then transported to site where we’ll have a small amount of work to done in its final location.

whitedoveshepherdhuts.co.uk What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

We decided to do start making Shepherd huts after being asked by a few of our customers if we could make them. We’ve been manufacturing bespoke timber windows, doors and wood frames for over twenty years, so we were well equipped and had the manufacturing experience to produce very high-quality huts at very competitive prices.

What type of structures do you offer?

We don’t have standard huts or put our huts into categories. We manufacture and create unique huts to suite all your needs. Come to White Dove Shepherd Huts with your ideas and plans and we’ll do our very best to accommodate your ideal hut.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality in your opinion?

Market research is showing more and more people looking for alternative accommodation, especially with the WOW factor thrown in that the shepherd huts offer.

Also, the security and peace of mind of the locking doors and windows. Guests get the ultimate outdoor experience without losing the home comforts.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

White Dove Shepherd Huts are hand built by craftsmen in the heart of Lancashire, from

locally sourced high-quality material. We will build your hut with attention to detail and practicality with great pride taken in our quality, with endless design and colour finishes.

Built on a strong box section chassis, with a strong timber base using C24 grade structural timber gives the base for your hut. All our huts are designed along with you to meet you the customer’s need and requirements. Fully insulated for coolness in summer and warm in the winter with double glazed sealed windows and doors. Internally, we can manufacture bespoke furniture in our fully equipped joiners’ workshop to a very high standard.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

We only use the highest quality materials available to us and build our huts for longevity. The materials we use are all weather resistant and built for durability and year-round use. The steel galvanised curved roof with dripstop (condensation-controlled fleece) and external steel walls come with 200 micron resistant top coat. Performance warranty up to 30 years dependant on colour and location. External timber painted with 10 years protection.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We supply throughout the UK. Though we are currently getting enquiries from a supplier in New Zealand.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

Yes, for multiple orders we will offer discounts. For more information, please contact sales on 01772 721093.

How long is the lifespan of your product? Do you offer any warranties?

Our well cared for and maintained huts should last for 20+ years. We are UK based and always on hand to help out our clients, should any damage or accidents occur that may need a repair.

What is the average time form workshop to site?

Our huts take around 5 or 6 weeks to build, depending on the final layout and internal finish. Delivered complete with usually a small amount of work to be done once in final location.

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SHEPHERD Huts

HARROGATE HUTS harrogatehuts.com

the savings you can make on price. We also offer a very fast lead time (2-4 weeks) compared to retailers of complete Shepherd Huts. The biggest advantage though is that a customer can make a Harrogate Hut their own, decorating and finishing it exactly how they want. When the hut is finished, our customer can feel truly proud of their achievement.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

As with any building or temporary structure, maintenance is important, but if built properly a Harrogate Hut should be extremely resilient and long-lasting.

We offer build guides on our website and our team is always at the end of a phone call or email to answer construction or maintenance queries.

What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

Harrogate Huts has been trading since 2018, when the first of our Shepherd Hut frame designs was manufactured. We loved Shepherd Huts, but we loved the idea of building one ourselves even more.

It quickly became clear that a lot of other people liked the idea of building their own Shepherds Hut too, with our products simply streamlining that process, while allowing them to customise and finish their hut exactly how they wanted.

What type of structures do you create?

In addition to Shepherd huts we also make Glamping Pods and Garden Offices. Our team of joiners manufactures doors and windows that slot easily into all of our

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frame kits; we also make chassis for the Shepherd Huts themselves.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

Shepherd huts look lovely on a landscape; they can also be constructed as temporary or movable structures - which can provide some planning benefits (depending on your location). Our Shepherd Huts really can be used all year round as they are very easy to insulate and keep warm. With frames of up to 7m in length, our Huts can also be built to accommodate families, providing plenty of space.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

A key advantage to building your own hut using our frames and components is

www.glampingbusiness.com

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

Our typical lead time from order to delivery is up to 4 weeks for frames and joinery, or up to 6 weeks for our chassis.

Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

We deliver all of our components in kit form, ready to be assembled upon delivery.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We cover all of mainland UK, with deliveries going anywhere from Cornwall to Northern Scotland on a weekly basis!

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

Yes, we offer discounts for 2+ Shepherd Huts.

SHEPHERD Huts Can your products be assembled on-site or do they require transportation?

With a full-build shepherd hut absolutely everything is done for you and they are delivered complete on a lorry.

BLACKDOWN SHEPHERD HUTS blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk What inspired you to start a business for the glamping and camping industry? How long have you been trading?

Blackdown Shepherd Huts was established in Ilminster, Somerset in 2011 and builds bespokeluxury shepherd huts for the hospitality and domestic market. Historically shepherd huts would have been a standard fixture on many farms across the UK and the modern equivalents are well equipped to cater for the glamping market.

We’ve always been inspired by creating stay spaces that have inspiring interiors and have a real connection to the outdoors, so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

What type of structures do you create?

Bespoke shepherd huts built to customer specification, in the form of our Turnkey single shepherd huts and our proprietary double shepherd hut called the Brace. We also provide a self-build solution for people to create their own builds.

What are the main advantages of using shepherd huts for hospitality, in your opinion?

Shepherd Huts provide year round occupancy and we find that guests love the flexibility of the space being a cosy space to snuggle away in for the winter months, but then so connected to the outside for the summer months.

They’re also incredibly easy to install, most deliveries are completed within a few hours if our customer has prepared their site correctly

and then they can be up and running as soon as they have put their accessories in.

What makes them stand out from your competitors/other manufacturers?

There are a number of shepherd hut suppliers in the market now and each have their own unique proposition, however we’re known in the marketplace for being bespoke builders, who manufacture everything in Somerset to an extremely high quality standard with outstanding customer service.

How much maintenance do your huts require? Do you offer any follow-up services?

We build our shepherd huts to last with an eye for detail and the beauty of a shepherd hut is that they are really easy to maintain. We recommend that you let our oak cladding age to its natural silver and then check and wear and tear parts regularly.

Our self-build solutions offer options for customers who want to build their own shepherd hut or who have access issues which would make it difficult to get a fully-built shepherd hut in. We’ve been delivering for 11 years now and all our deliveries our handled by our own team, very often headed up by our founder, Will Vickery, who still get out and see the shepherd huts settled in their final destination.

What geographical markets do you cover?

We’ve delivered to Australia and the US and often takes shepherd huts over to Europe.

Would you offer discounts on larger purchases for bigger sites?

We have already supplied multiple shepherd huts to hotels and look at each project on its own merit.

How long is the lifespan of your products? Do you offer any warranties?

We build to last and select material accordingly, we offer a warranty with all our shepherd huts and more importantly, we look to give our customers the solution they need as much as we possibly can.

We provide a strong warranty and are always around if our customers have issues at all.

We also support our glamping owners with advice and listing services to help them make a success of their business.

What is the average wait time from workshop to site?

It really depends on which hut you are ordering, at the moment it varies from 4 months for a selfbuild solution and 12 months for a fully built, although we do occasionally get an odd delivery slot here or there due to date changes.

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POSTAL PARTNERS How to offer guests the world, without the work

By Martha Fosberry

From fire side faves like toasted marshmallow kits, to full on, off grid gourmet; this month’s feature will be showcasing the finest selection of possible “postal partners” (meaning food and drink businesses who offer nationwide delivery of their products) for you to share with your guests. We have rounded up an exquisite selection of epicurean entrepreneurs from around the UK who are all poised and ready to post your guests some flavour and fun.

When we head off on holiday the last thing you want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove, unless you are packing Jamie Oliver in your suitcase. Guests want convenient, experiential cooking experiences, with high quality produce, giving them the chance to treat themselves, unwind and focus on making memories, not the dinner.

As ever, the spotlight is largely on small scale independent businesses from around the UK who have a passion for ethical and sustainable production as well as providing the best food and drink in the business. These are just a few of the thousands of fab postal partners available across the UK; and you don’t always

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need to go far to find them! Why not pop into your local bakery, butcher or deli and ask them about delivery options for your site?

Or (as suggested in last issue’s outdoor spaces feature), why not pop a few items from local producers in an on site shop to encourage guests to order from local businesses during their stay? However, you choose to consider adding postal partners to your site, you really can’t lose! From postal pizza kits that bring the family together, fresh pies hot from the baker’s oven; or even if it’s just chatting up the local milk man to offer guests a fresh pint of local milk in the morning, the convenience, experience and fun of it all will be worth its weight in gold to your guests.

www.glampingbusiness.com

*top tip – seek out your local farm shop and discuss hamper / delivery options with them.

They are sure to be a fountain of local foodie knowledge.

Now, let us begin!

Snacking is the best policy – perfect nibbles to get your Glamping party started Snowdonia Cheese www.snowdoniacheese.co.uk These mean cheese making machines create the most delicious range of colourful wax sealed cheeses that “marry an extraordinary

depth of flavour with remarkable creaminess”.

We love their “Black Bomber”, an extra mature cheddar that packs a punch and their new “Rock Star”, cave aged cheddar, matured in the Welsh slate caverns in the heart of Snowdonia. Also available from their online shop is a range of crackers, oil and chutneys to accompany their cheesy choices. (wax sealed cheese are available in three sizes 200g, 400g or a whopping 2kg and range in price from £4.75 - £37)

diversify their potato farming into a business that gave back to the earth what it was giving them. With their fabulous flavours and pioneering TOTALLY home compostable crisp packaging, this dynamic duo have forged a foodie businesses to be reckoned with.

We love their 150g sharing bags available in woodland mushroom & wild garlic, Herefordshire sausage & mustard and many more. (150g sharing bags £2.50 each or splash our on the epic 500g sharing tin for £15)

Borough Olives www.borougholives.co.uk These guys can offer your guests a postal taste of the Med, with everything you need for an al fresco picnic. Choose from a huge range of lip smacking flavours, including earthy black olives with sun-dried tomatoes or fiery green olives stuffed with piri piri (huge selections available ranging from £3.55 for 150g)

The Main Event – click your way to a conveniently crafted dinner with these suppertime superheroes

Weald Smokery www.wealdsmokery.co.uk This award winning smokery has been a small family run businesses for over 35 years. A fish lover’s delight with a huge range of smoked fish & shellfish, meat and cheese, these guys can provide the perfect luxury picnic hamper to accompany your guests on their adventures. You can shop online for items individually (such as their mouth watering sliced Smoked Salmon, available in 100g £8.95 – 400g £29.95 packs or smoked locally sourced mussels 100g £8.50 ) OR your guests could really push the regal boat out and opt for a luxury hamper to celebrate the start of their holiday in style! (Hampers range in size and price according to contents from £108 £267).

Two Farmers Crisps www.twofarmers.co.uk This lovingly created brand was forged by two Herefordshire famers who wanted to

Pasta Evangelists www.pastaevangelists.com UK based, Italian inspired. These guys are the postal pasta kings and queens! Guests can order a freshly made dish for every day of their stay should they choose, each kit includes everything they need portioned and ready to cook. Ingredients are sourced from the finest Italian suppliers for an authentic taste with each bite. (Kit options include flavours such as; Reginette with Beef Shin & Barolo Wine Ragù OR Vegetarian / Vegan options such as; Pea & Shallot Ravioli with Belazu Garlic Oil and Lemon. And many more – All ranging in price from £3.50 - £10.50 per portion) Currently they are offering 50% off your first two orders if you join their mailing list AND the company also only use 100% recyclable or compostable packaging – Hurrah!

The Cornish Company www.thecornishcompany.com Is there anything more delicious than a traditional cream tea in the sun? In the UK, Cornwall is among the crème de la crème of cream tea creators (Don’t worry Devon, we love you too). Why not suggest a bit of Cornish charm to your guest and introduce

them to The Cornish Company, who offer postal cream tea kits so that you can tuck into your favourite Cornish treat wherever you are.

(Hampers range from £16.95 - £25.95 and you even have the option to add cheeky pasty or two)

Yorkshire Hand-made Pies www.yorkshirehandmadepies.co.uk Pies, by post! This family run business based in the heart of Yorkshire has been making pies for over a century. Traditional ingredients and locally sourced meat makes for a mean selection of deep filled deliciousness. Now firmly in the 21 century, these age old family fillings are available by post. (A 6 pie mixed taster case ranges in price from £22.50 £24.50 – Vegetarian and vegan pie selection box also available £22.50) Neal Powell Butchers www.neilpowell.co.uk Get those guests grilling! If your site has outdoor cooking areas it would be worth your while befriending a local butcher who can offer BBQ & breakfast hampers to your guests – they are a meat eaters must. Should no one local offer delivery; we love Neal Powell based in Herefordshire who offer a stonking range of meaty postal packages. (The burger box is a BBQ must have at £34.43 or the Summer

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BBQ special box £48.44 and for the morning after the breakfast club box for four people at £33.38)

Birtellis postal pizza kits www.birtellis.co.uk If you have a wood fired pizza oven on site these guys can offer your guests some memory making magic. Simple, delicious and so much fun to put together, these postal pizza kits are spot on for a speedy off grid supper. We love that Birtellis celebrate quality produce from around the UK in their kit range, including spicy Doreset Nduja sausage, English pepperoni from award-winning charcuterie, Cobble Lane Cured in Islington, and so many more. Kits are delivered ready to assemble, all you need to do is get the fire started (or pop the oven on). All of the packaging used is 100% compostable or reusable which is must for any eco conscious outdoor business owner.

(Each pizza kit ranges from £10.99 - £12.49 and you currently get a discounts of up to 15% per pizza when building an order online with 2+ pizzas)

guys. Perfect if your guests are celebrating birthday celebration while staying at your site.

(Brownie and shortbread postal boxes range in price from £15.99 - £28.99 depending on portion size, cake range from £35.99 £37.99; Currently customers can get 15% off if you take their online survey when making an order.) the look of their new boozy marshmallow collection, 3 packs for £15)

I’ll drink to that – the best delivery drinks to delight

Conscious Candy Co www.consciouscandy.co.uk Sweet treats galore, straight to the front door.

The Conscious Candy Co are one of the UK’s first vegan postal sweet service. Stocking a huge cruelty free range of midnight munchies for your guests to grab. (1kg “pick and mix” bags available for £9.99 plus delivery. All packaging is home compostable)

Artistraw cider www.artistraw.co.uk These Hereford heroes have built their award winning natural cider business (made using no added sugar or sulphates) lovingly one apple at a time. Such care is taken in the production right down to inventing the natural glue used to stick the hand designed labels to the bottles – that love is evident in the taste too, delicious, crisp and refreshing; just what your guests need after a busy day exploring. (A mixed sample case of 5 x 75cl bottles is £80, plus shipping which includes two glasses and a tote bag featuring their signature blue shrew design hand painted by Lydia herself.)

Sublime sweets - to tempt your guests to treat themselves The Naked Marshmallow Company www.nakedmarshmallow.co.uk These cheeky chaps have created a really fun range of gourmet marshmallows with some exciting flavour twists. Partnering up with these guys will allow your Glampers to glam-up the fireside tradition of marshmallow toasting with the family. (mini hampers that even include a little toasting fire should you need it, start from £22 and include a dip, S’mores biscuits and two flavour combinations of marshmallows. We also love

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Cutter & Squidge www.cutterandsquidge.com The cake-tastic team of sisters behind this family run business sure know their creme-pat from their buttercream. Offering nationwide delivery of delicious postal brownie boxes (vegan options available), afternoon tea hampers and even full on celebration cakes!

The postal possibilities are endless with these

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Qwerty beer boxes www.qwertybeerbox.co.uk Quirky Qwerty is a new beer box service offering postal delivery on over 1000

independent craft brewers from across the country. Signpost your guests to their website and let them browse the regional brews on offer. (Their “best of Devon” selection containing 8 independent craft beers is currently on sale for only £35.40 or why not head to the South-West and try some of Bristol’s finest independent brews for £28.90 for a selection of 6 bottles) Small is mighty, but big can also be a belter - Here is a small selection of some businesses who offer a larger selection of online goods that can be pre ordered and delivered nationwide; offering a wide range of specially selected products so your guests can stock up for their stay at your site.

The Fine Cheese Company www.finecheese.co.uk Also a cheesetastic champion offering a huge range of cheeses, crackers, wine, charcuterie & sweet treats delivered to your door or dome

British Fine Foods www.britishfinefoods.com Much like the title suggests; large online retailer of fine food from across the Britain.

Why not push the British boat out and celebrate in style with their “Royal Picnic Hamper” for £75

The Vegan Kind www.thevegankind.com Similar to the Good Club above, but specialising in only vegan society approved produce

Artisan Deli Market www.artisandelimarket.co.uk Offering a “build your own” online hamper service of goodies for your guest to get stuck into. Dreamy charcuterie & cheeses that please

Postal Pantry www.postalpantry.co.uk From the basics (tea, toilet roll) to the best (hampers and handmade gifts) these guys have got it covered

The Good Club www.goodclub.co.uk (please note, this service requires membership) As the name suggests, the good club have goodness at the heart of their business. Guests can select from a HUGE range of eco, organic and sustainable products – and they can even order in bulk! Saving money and ensuring the cupboards aren’t bare when they return from holiday

Riverford Organic – for all your fruit & veg needs www.riverford.co.uk These guys have eco credentials that would make a polar bear grin! Usually offering delivery once a week of seasonal, fresh organic fruit, veg, dairy & baked products. They also offer step by step meal kits.

Daylesford Organic www.daylesford.com (breakfast box) Daylesford offer the most wonderful range of high quality, organic meat, luxury ready meals, INCREDIBLE hampers, seasonal fruit, veg and dairy. They even offer lifestyle products such as vitamins & juice shot! Just in case guests need a good old detox after your break away.

TOP TIP

If you have a blow the budget booking for a large group, celebration or big family get together why not chum up with a local chef to offer private on site catering? There are online services that can hook you up with a trained local chef who will have references and their own insurance, so guests can dine with peace of mind.

Happy Grazing Glampers!

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2022

PREVIEW

The Glamping Show is fast approaching, set to take place at NAEC Stoneleigh from the 15th to the 17th of September. The growth that the industry has seen over the past couple of years will be mirrored in the event with some big changes coming this year.

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The Glamping Show remains the only dedicated event in the glamping sector providing a place for people to get together and discuss all the new products and services available, learn from recognised industry experts who give seminars covering every aspect of successfully running a glamping business, and catch up on all the news and trends in the industry.

Swan Events (organisers of The Glamping Show) are excited to once again put on a show that brings the glamping industry together.

While safety is still a primary concern, the lack of restrictions means that the Swan Events Team are able to make certain decisions that have not been possible over the last two years, such as holding the seminars live at the event.

International Glamping Business Editor Will Rusbridge caught up with Dan Wiseman, Exhibition Manager at Swan Events, to find out what we can expect at The Glamping Show 2022.

The Glamping Show has moved to a new location, why did you decide to make the move?

TGS has continues to grow since its launch in 2015 and quite simply, we ran out of space at the existing enclosure. To allow us to continue to improve the show for both exhibitors and visitors we have moved to a new spot for 2022.

Where is the new location?

Don’t worry, we are still at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park, and all visitors will use the same entrance. (for full details visit - https://www. theglampingshow.com/arrive).

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What does the new location offer?

The new area is just a stone’s throw away from the previous location and offers a fantastic layout, and great surroundings. As well as being a beautiful area, it offers far better access and much more space for the exhibitors to demonstrate their products. It also gives us a chance, as organisers, to try new things and make The Glamping Show a really great event to visit.

Will the seminars be held online again this year? Or will they be held live at the event?

I’m pleased to confirm that we will be able to return to face-to-face seminars taking place during the show. The online platform was great, but everyone has been asking when the live sessions will start again.

The seminar programme will take place in a structure that offers professional conference space but also the chance for us to include some indoor exhibit space and additional catering areas.

Why should people who are looking to set up or upgrade a glamping site come to the glamping show?

The Glamping Show is simply the most comprehensive, one-stop-shop for anyone involved in the business of glamping. In one visit, attendees can find a combination of structures, services and accessories that will cover every aspect of their business.

Whether they are just beginning their journey into glamping or established operators look for ways to expand and enhance their offering, they will be able to find and explore the very latest and best that the glamping industry has to offer.

www.glampingbusiness.com

Add to this the opportunity to hear and speak to some of the most experienced experts in the sector and a trip to the Glamping show becomes pretty compelling proposition.

What kind of glamping structures will be at this year’s event?

The answer is a huge range of every type of structure, from pods to tipis, shepherd huts to safari tents, geometric domes to yurts, bell tents to converted containers and tiny homes to bespoke treehouses.

There will be brand new companies with brand new structures, and it is also exciting to see the innovations and inventions from returning exhibitors who continue to develop their products every year. It is hard to think of any other event or venue that can offer such a comprehensive range of products to see and touch, all in one place.

What kind of glamping services will be at this year’s event?

The importance of glamping services is sometimes not always fully understood. From setting up your first destination to enhancing a group of destinations the implementation of services is as key as selecting your preference of structure(s). From booking systems to fire pits, from stoves to wild kitchens, from matting to interior design, from cool boxes to chartered surveyors, from hot tubs to waste solutions, from finance companies to toilet/shower blocks to off-grid and solar technology.

Glamping has seen a huge boost in popularity over the past couple of years, how is this being reflected in the event?

The Glamping Show 2022 will be the largest

glamping show so far. Established suppliers and returning exhibitors are increasing their space to showcase their product ranges and we have a healthy and growing list of first-time exhibitors.

Over the years I’ve watched exhibiting companies become more professional, improving their product ranges and branding and presenting some spectacular displays. As UK staycations are here to stay with increased levels of investment in the sector, the future looks bright.

Having held safe and successful events throughout the pandemic, what is it like organising the event without the threat of lockdowns and new rules?

The Glamping Show was one of a very few trade events to remain open throughout the lockdown periods. It was challenging to handle such a fluid situation and try to cover all of the risks, but working closely with the local authority, the venue and relying on the advice of our floor management and security experts, who are amongst the best

in the industry, we were able to stage events in both 2020 & 2021. The most important element however was the positive attitude and willingness of all the exhibitors and visitors who worked with us, obeyed the rules and made both events a real pleasure to attend.

Will there be Covid related safety measures in place at this year’s event?

At present, there are no rules in place for mass events. We will however monitor the situation and all guidance and make whatever changes may be necessary.

Will dogs be allowed?

YES! Everyone loves the dogs and as so many visitors work in the open air and are dog lovers/owners they have become a very important and enjoyable element of the Glamping Show. As usual we will be asking owners to keep the dogs on leads at all times, but they are more than welcome.

To find out more about The Glamping Show UK 2022 or to register for your place, head over to the website at theglampingshow.com.

We think it’s time for something different.

For the last nine months we have been planning, designing, and building a brand new and unique platform to take the marketing burden away from glampsite owners and we would like to introduce ourselves.

Hello, we are glamp.

Running your glampsite is glorious right?

When you shut your eyes at night and drift off to sleep, you are thinking about the amazing place you have created and the wonderful glampers you have met that day.

We like to think this does happen, but probably more often than not bookingworry takes over and you end up thinking about making your website and Instagram better! Standing out in your field (excuse the pun) is hard and getting harder with new competitors popping up every day.

We’ve created something new because we think the current ways available to get bookings are a little limited and try to compete against each other. In the red corner we have some great commissionbased listing sites and in the blue corner your own ‘independent’ marketing (Ding Ding, Round 1).

Our new glamp platform handles the listings part AND gives you your own unique and brilliant website which is highly optimised for bookings - and we always keep improving.

All the Search Engine stuff is handled, and we can even run your Google Ads for you as well, if you go in for that sort of thing.

We left the coolest part till last though. A huge number of glampers these days are Millennials and Gen Z and for marketing, that means Instagram, TikTok and mobile friendly. We built our new listing platform for the very best experience of researching through and booking directly from social channels. What’s more, it’s all fully linked up with your new website and direct booking system!

So it’s taken a while, but we are getting everything ready to launch at the Glamping Show in September. We can’t wait to show you and help to get you a step closer to those perfect glamping dreams.

Find out more at glamp.com and Instagram @glamp_owners

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ADVERTORIAL

WORRY LESS ABOUT MARKETING WITH GLAMP

ADVERTORIAL

MEETING DEMAND WITH CERTAINLY WOOD With the numerous campsites we supply across the UK, not only is there an ever-increasing demand for campfires, but also more sites have community pizza ovens and wood fired hot tubs and more provision of firepits for safer, controlled fires.

Plastic a concern?

Don’t forget we have our range of plastic free packs and recently we have launched our new Firekit pack which contains the equivalent of two bags of our premium kiln dried logs along with 3 of our fantastic new KindleFlamers – a complete fire kit all in one and perfect for a welcome pack for the yurts, tipis or glamping pods. Looks professional and premium and no plastic.

Are you buying Ready to Burn approved fuel?

Don’t forget that if you are in England, by law you can now only sell firewood that is ‘Ready to Burn’ accredited from an ‘approved supplier’. This guarantees the wood is dried to below 20% to minimize particulate emissions. Not yet law in Scotland and Wales, but it’s only just around the corner, so why not be ahead of the game. Also, all our firewood is hardwood which burns for much longer than softwood and does not spit which is a very important factor. Do the packs of

However, with massive price increases in cardboard, the packaging costs for non-plastic is high and so don’t discount plastic completely. All our plastic log bags are 100% recyclable and made using a minimum of 30% recycled plastic, and they take up very little space in the recycling!! There are pros and cons to both, but we can offer either.

THE GREAT SUMMER ESCAPE!

wood you are buying carry the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo and do you know if you are buying softwood or hardwood?

Storage space an issue for logs and kindling?

It is often the case that storage is a problem, particularly at the point of sale by reception or in the site shop – making sure all the product is stored under cover and kept dry is vital.

We are really excited about our new KindleFlamer product which is basically a very long Flamer, but it’s got a lot more firepower and its massive selling point is that it negates the need for kindling. Just one kindleFlamer and 3-4 kiln dried logs is all you need to light the fire and it makes fire lighting super easy. Our new 3 pack is perfect for the weekend campers and supplied in shelf ready outer cartons of 16. It’s a revelation in firelighting and just think how much space you can save on pallets of kindling and how much less packaging to recycle!! Scan the QR code to see the KindleFlamer in action

The Glamping Industry has enjoyed more growth in the past decade than ever before. Now, TruDomes are taking to the international stage and popping up in far-flung corners of the world. From humble beginnings in our Nuneaton manufacturing factory, TruDomes are now globetrotting to warmer climates and finding themselves at top holiday destinations!

One such sunspot added to the map is Corfu. Nestled on a rural hillside with picturesque views of the ocean, boasting an alfresco dining area and stunning panoramic views from the dome.

The photos of this place do all the talking… but just how practical are TruDomes when it comes to the heat? Geodesic Domes are famous for their weather resistance and have been known to stay standing strong in the most testing and extreme weather conditions, from record breaking wind speeds to heavy rain and freezing temperatures.

TruDomes have created several solutions to keeping domes cool in hot climates. The Corfu Glamping Dome has an installed air con unit, which is a fantastic option to really make sure that the dome is cool and comfortable. However, if your Glampsite is off-grid, or you are looking for a more financially economic option to keeping the dome at the optimum temperature, a solar extraction fan and range of opening window and vent options can be easily added to your bespoke dome package.

The solar-powered fan supports natural ventilation and efficient air circulation, which also limits moisture build up and condensation too.

The solar extraction fans sit at the top of the dome, to utilise and harness the sun’s rays to their optimum capacity. As hot air rises, the extraction fan keeps air flowing and extracts the hot air from the dome. TruDomes are available in a huge range of colours but opting for white will help to reflect the suns powerful rays.

Create your own stunning summer escape with TruDomes.com

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www.glampingbusiness.com