Issue 2 February 2016

Flooding andInsuranceHow to protectyour business

Flooding andInsuranceHow to protectyour business

Show your

best site

web designsecrets

Spatex

makes a

splash!

Inspiration and Information for Glamping Operators

lGBUSINESSmping

DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR GLAMPING?PUT THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY NOW!

THE GLAMPING SHOW 2016 22ND – 24TH SEPTEMBER 2016NAEC, STONELEIGH PARK, WARWICKSHIRE.

SEE OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS …. LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS….SHARE YOUR DREAMS!

THEGLAMPINGSHOW.COMWHO SHOULD EXHIBIT?● Bell Tents

● Camping Vans

● Camping Wagons

● Consultants and Planners

● Eco Toilets

● Gypsy Caravans

● Landscaping

● Lighting

● Log Cabins

● Magazines and Websites

● Medieval Tents

● Outdoor Garden Offices

● Portable Toilets/Washrooms

● Safari Tents

● Shepherd Huts

● Solar Energy

● Storage Containers

● Tipis

● Tree Houses

● Utilities and Accessories

● Wigwams

● Wooden Tent Structures

● Yurts

WHO IS GOING TO ATTEND?● Adventure Parks

● Architects

● Camping and Caravan Club

● Camping Sites

● Caravan Club

● Caravan Parks

● Country Houses

● English Heritage

● Farmers

● Festival Operators

● Fisheries

● Glamping Sites

● Holiday Park Groups

● Holiday Parks Independent

● Hotel Operators

● National Parks

● National Trusts

● Pre Pitched Tent Operators

● Pubs

● Theme Parks

● Visitor Attractions

● Woodland Managers

● Zoos

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPSExperts will be hosting a full seminarprogramme on all Glamping relatedissues. Assisting to increase revenues,service, profit and guests!

Holiday ParksManagement

Supported by

“The Glamping Show is a fantastic ideaand the timing is exactly right. HPM isfully behind this fascinating and excitingsector.”Nina Blanchard, Managing Director

Contact: Dan Wiseman, Show Manager T: 07958 030 785E: dan.w@theglampingshow.com W: www.theglampingshow.com

Contact Dan fordetails of how toexhibit:dan.w@theglampingshow.com

Follow us on Twitter for morenews: @TheGlampingShow

Glamping News

3lGBUSINESSmping

Who can forget the images of thefloods at the beginning of this year?Villages stranded from the rest of thecountry, livestock being moved to

These are exciting times for the team behind Holiday Parks Management as we prepare to pitch our ownindependent camp with the next issue of Glamping Business which will be launched as a separate publicationin April. There is no doubt that the market is ready for a business title which is dedicated to Glamping in all ofits wonderful forms. I have never known an industry as diverse as Glamping. It covers everything fromfarming, handicrafts, environmental issues, tourism through to high end luxury and architecture withthousands of other related accessories and nuances thrown in. Many have tried to define it but to me it is aboutchasing a dream. People dream of many different things - for some the ultimate luxury is peace and quiet andthe simple life. For others, it involves novelty, quirkiness and all of the mod cons. We aim to reflect the widedreamscape of glamping from a business perspective. We will show you what people in the industry are doing,how they are doing it and why it works. It doesn’t matter what your dream of glamping involves, if is donewell, using quality materials, offering the best possible service it counts.

StephGlamping Business Editor

03 Industry news

09 Minimise the effects of flooding

11 Website Building and how to get it right

12 Glamping Pinboard Products and services for

the discerning operator

13 Spatex show report

Contents

Welcome to lGBUSINESSmping

Next issueWe bring you the definitive round-up of glampingstructures for all kinds of locations and all budgets.Whether you are looking for all-out luxury, a simpleaesthetic or a quirky makeover, there will be somethingfor everyone.

Photo courtesy of The English Shepherd Huts Co.

4 www.theglampingshow.com

Glamping News

A North Wales businessman has set up a company dedicated toexploiting the boom in glamping in the region.

Gareth Jones, head of the CarbonZero Group, which specializes

in solar panels, believesglamping is ready to takeoff in North Wales andhe has set up a newdivision of his companyto build bell tents andeco domes. He will beoffering customers

complete packages,including planning,

design, construction andeven the furnishing.

Gareth, the North Wales President of the Federation of MasterBuilders, said: “We’re expanding our existing offices in St Asaphand opening a new office in Mochdre to allow us to grow andcreate new employment opportunities, so it’s an exciting year andwe’re looking forward to 2016 and beyond. We still see solar as abig part of our business, with other technologies such as batterystorage coming online in the coming months, thanks to the likesof Tesla and its Powerwall.”

“But the biggest part of the growth of the group is the leisurebusiness, and it’s got potential for significant growth. We are theUK’s first dedicated glamping construction company as we will beconcentrating solely on building glamping sites. We’re workingwith existing camping and caravan sites to utilise areas of landthat may not be suitable for existing business but would be perfectfor glamping pods, and domes, which offer a fantastic return as aninvestment.”

First Dedicated Glamping Construction Firm set up in Wales

NEWSlGBUSINESSmping

Chessington World of AdventuresResort has ordered 35 tents fromGlamping specialist Boldscan for theirbrand new “Explorer Glamping” sitewhich opens next May.

Situated next to the exciting Wild Asiasection, home to the colourful lorikeets,the camp will consist of 31 bespoke kakiBell tents and 4 safari style Amboselitents, which blend seamlessly into thelandscape. Subtle Asian themedinteriors will complete the feeling ofbeing explorers in an unknown land.

Greg Martin, Project Manager, said, “Ichose Boldscan for the quality of theproduct, the ease of dealing with a UKbased company and the speed ofproduction.”

Merlin Entertainments, who runChessington, set up Glamping atanother of their sites, Warwick Castle,last season and found it to be verypopular. A prototype of one of the tents

is already in situ at Chessington forguests to view.Bookings have just opened with pricesfor a family of four staying 1 nightstarting at £275. For details visithttp://www.chessington.com/glamping/

Boldscan’s products range fromtraditional Safari style tents to ultra-modern Geodesic Domes, plus aClubhouse to use as shop, bar, tearoometc, all hand made at the Somersetfactory using British canvas. In additionto advising on planning permission,green finance, supplying and fitting outthe tents with kitchens, wood burningstoves and even en-suite bathrooms, thecompany offers an after salesmaintenance programme.

Boldscan, has just launched a new range– the innovative and stylish “Etosha”with big picture windows and two deepwooden verandas covered by a canopy,one of which can feature a hot tub.There are two design options: the Safari

and the Contemporary. The Safari is asubtle sand canvas with green roofswhich blends seamlessly into thecountryside. In contrast TheContinental evokes a cool villa on theMed with elegant white walls, slate blueroofs and can have transparent bluewalls surrounding the verandas. Thelow, one level design has been developedwith disabled guests in mind. The Tshaped floorplan can be configured tosleep up to eight including a masterbedroom, guest bedroom plus cabinbeds, with heating provided by a woodburning stove. There is an option to adda wooden pod with a bespoke en-suitebathroom with a roll top bath, deluxeshower and separate proper loo.

Chessington add more Safari Tents to their park

The EnglishShepherds HutCompany haslaunched its ownpop-up glampingventure called“TheEnglampment”.

This consists of ishigh-end bell tentaccommodationwith kingsized beds,crisp white linens anddecorations deliveredand set up at venues,weddings and events. "Ofcourse, bell tent hire is already a tried and testedbusiness across the country, but our unique sellingpoint is that we also provide luxuriously high-end flushtoilets and hot showers, built into our towableShepherds Hut bathroom,” says Craig Nield, Founder."Also to add a 5-star feel to the experience, we supplyfluffy towels, bathrobes, flip flops and even provide a“chill tent” for kids and a brew-tent for refreshments.It’s a totally bespoke package and so far our soft-launchin Norfolk has received a huge number of enquiries.”www.englampment.co.uk

Glamping News

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Throw our tourism tradea lifeline, minister urged

Britain's Secretary of State for tourismhas been told that Northern England'svisitor industry could suffer "death bydrowning" if more attention isn't paidto maintaining the region's waterways.

The warning was delivered in Januaryby Lancashire and Cumbria parksoperator Henry Wild at a majorLondon tourism conference at whichcabinet minister John Whittingdalewas among MPs present.

Both Mr Whittingdale and Mr Wildaddressed delegates at the annual conference of the British Holiday &Home Parks Association of which Mr Wild is the UK national chairman.

Held at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, the event drewrepresentatives from many of Britain's 3000-plus park businesses, pluscross-party politicians and UK tourism chiefs.

Mr Wild, whose family business owns Skelwith Fold Caravan Park inAmbleside and Moss Wood Caravan Park near Lancaster, said that thegovernment needed urgently to address the problem of ill-maintainedinland waterways.

He said there needed to be a body appointed with clearly definedresponsibilities for ensuring that waterways were capable of removingsurface water from the land.

The Environment Agency, suggested Mr Wild, was clearly not up to thejob and needed to be given new powers and funding to act on behalf ofcommunities and businesses at risk.

Mr Whittingdale, whose portfolio as Secretary of State for Culture,Media and Sport includes responsibilities for tourism, undertook torepresent the concerns he had heard to government heads.

He also announced at the conference that prime minister DavidCameron was that day in Cumbria to unveil a £3 million fund to speedup flood repairs and promote the county to visitors.

Mr Wild said that recent events in Cumbria and Lancashire had shownthe potentially devastating impact that flooding could have on thetourism industry.

In the immediate aftermath of December's deluges, he commented,many of Cumbria's 100-plus caravan and camping parks had reported afall-off in bookings for 2016.

However, he added, the threat to Cumbria's £2.4 billion tourismindustry – which included his own park's 450 caravan and holiday homepitches - now seemed to be receding:

"It appears that many holidaymakers have been heeding the message thatthe county is determined to be back on its feet by spring with repairsmade to much of our damaged infrastructure," he said.

Yorkshire Yurts is holding an Open Day at WharfedaleGrange, ideally situated between Leeds and Harrogate.

The event takes place on Saturday 9th and Sunday10th April from 12pm – 4pm. It is free to attend andthere is no need to book.

Yorkshire Yurts will be showing its 42ft yurt, 25ft yurtand the 9x15m petal pole marquee they also have avariety of fantastic wedding industry suppliersshowcasing their work.

For more details email rosie@yorkshireyurts.co.uk

Yorkshire Yurts Open Day

Pop-up glamping venture

launched

Henry Wild

6 www.theglampingshow.com

Glamping News

The future of the 600-acre LoudounCastle estate now lies in the hands of theScottish Government. A long-runningapplication for 450 holiday lodges andglamping pitches, as well as other leisurefacilities has been taken out of the handsof the local authority after they failed tomake a decision.

The plans would also include therestoration of the old castle to a hotel, alake, indoor water park and spa and

retail units, plus a distillery and 300residential dwellings. They will now besubmitted to the Directorate forPlanning and Environmental Appeals(DPEA) in Falkirk for a reporter toexamine all of the evidence.

Ministers stepped in to take theapplication out of the hands of the localauthority in Kilmarnock “in view of thepotential economic benefit of theproposal and the heritage issues relatedto the A-listed Loudoun Castle and itsdesigned landscape”.

Nick Laister, of the RPS Group, onbehalf of Loudoun Woods Homes Ltd,submitted the application, which hasbeen altered and updated several timesover the last few years.

At one stage Loudoun was visited byformer British Open champion andfour-times US Masters runner-up Tom

Weiskopf, when a golf course appearedto be the way forward.

That idea has been dropped, but justeight weeks ago entrepreneur andregeneration specialist Paul Dixon wasput in charge of the ambitious project,which now has an estimated£525million price tag.

The scheme, if given the green light,will transform the old theme park,which closed in 2010, into a holidayand leisure destination along the lines ofa Center Parcs attraction – with theimposing castle, known as The Windsorof the North in its heyday, as thecentrepiece.

It’s anticipated that the project willcreate 1000 jobs during theconstruction process, for at least fiveyears, and an additional 2500 long-termjobs.

£525m Loudoun Leisure and Glamping Application now with Sco!ish Goverment

Blue Forest is pleased to announce a commisssion to produce thedesigns for an exciting and imaginative multi-million poundtreehouse development.

Aptly called ‘Nesting’, the scheme which comprises of 13 naturaltreehouses, 11 timber lodges and 40 glamping tents (for seasonaluse) is being created at the award-winning attraction, Robin HillCountry Park on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom,which is home to the world-renowned Bestival music festival. A planning application has recently been submitted by VectisVentures Ltd for the scheme.

The iconic design for the treehouses was inspired by nature andis based on the curvy and organic form of a Weaver bird’s nest.Consideration has been given as to how ‘Nesting’ can fit withinthe sensitive countryside environment.

Mr Andy Payne , Founder – Blue Forest, said, “Each treehousewill be positioned slightly differently within the woodland,perhaps rotated, sunken down within the valley or lifted up inthe surrounding tree canopy. Like a cluster of fruit, thetreehouses appear similar but not identical. They have beencreated to complement each other and will really come into theirown when viewed collectively, sitting harmoniously within thelandscape”.To ensure a sensitive design approach, Blue Forest is delighted tohave engaged the services of architect’s practice, Tate Harmer,who specialise in sustainable designs that work with nature. By a

careful selection of naturalmaterials, the lodges andtreehouses will blend intotheir natural surroundings,complemented by asensitive landscapingscheme.

The proposed treehouseswill be clad almost entirelyin sustainably sourced,premium grade Cedar shingles, giving an elegant yet naturalfinish. The combination of these neutral colours and textures hasbeen identified as being particularly effective for helping thestructures blend in with their surroundings. The cedar shinglesused for part of the wall cladding will weather in a relativelyshort period of time to a natural silver grey colour.

The development is to be sited in areas of Robin Hill, which arecurrently unused or in need of regeneration. The proposedaccommodation will nestle into the natural landscape of thepark, maximising on the most stunning views across the valleyand providing unique visitor accommodation. Phase One of‘Nesting’ is proposed for opening Spring 2018.

Local Planning Authority to ensure that it is a sympatheticdevelopment in keeping with the natural environment in whichRobin Hill sits.”

Multi-Million Pound Treehouse Development

Proposed at Robin Hill Country Park

Glamping News

7lGBUSINESSmping

Warwick Castle createsKnights’ Village with

Woodland LodgesGuests will be able to go back in time thanks to anew themed village, created by Warwick Castle,which is creating 28 timber lodges in its 64 acrewooded estate.

The attractive lodges will feature Mediaeval-themedlight fittings, door handles and crockery, loftyceilings, wooden beams, stonework and green oakwood-styled exteriors and will open in July 2016.

However, behind the façade, guests will be able tofind all mod cons including wet rooms, TV, fridge,coffee maker and central heating!Prices will start at £203 per two-bedroom woodlandlodge per night, including breakfast in thebanqueting hall and two days castle entry.

Geoff Spooner, general manager at Warwick Castle,says: “This is a new chapter for Warwick Castle asfrom July 1, we’ll offer guests year-round lodge-styleaccommodation to complement the Castle’s twosumptuous Tower Suites, set within the fourteenthcentury Caesar’s Tower, and our superb seasonalMediaeval Glamping Village."

He adds: “With the 400th anniversary of the death ofWarwickshire’s very own William Shakespeare beingmarked globally in 2016, Warwick Castle – justtwenty minutes from Stratford upon Avon – is theideal place to stay to discover over 1,100 years ofEnglish history.“We’re also very proud of our links to CapabilityBrown, who designed parts of the our grounds in theeighteenth century and whose genius will becelebrated nationwide throughout 2016.”

Holidaymakers looking for a five star, luxurious, unusual and verydiscreet getaway are in for a treat in 2016 with the launch of The SecretBus project in Devon.

A double decker bus, transformed to the very highest specifications, willbe located in an as yet undisclosed location somewhere deep in theSouth Hams countryside near the coast.

Sleeping seven people, with two double beds, one twin and one single,the bus will have a luxurious full size bathroom and shower, its ownkitchen and dining room, lounge, sun terrace and log burner.

The bus will be static in a fixed location for each week,rotating field locations during the Spring, Summerand Autumn. Each site will have a stunning viewand be within walking or cycling distance of abeach or estuary.

The Secret Bus will also have an outside shower,a barbecue and pull-out kitchen, electric bikesand a selection of outdoor games such as giantJenga, badminton, swing ball and croquet.

The secret bus project launches

A 14th Century mansion inPreston, Lancashire has beengiven the go-ahead to build anew hut hamletdevelopment.

The scheme will see 28shepherd huts, a tree houseand extended play area builton land at the 700-year-oldGrade I listed buildingSamlesbury Hall

Trustees of the Hall believe the development is key to raising funds inorder to sustain the Hall. “We’re absolutely delighted,” said SharonJones, hall director. “We’re hoping to do 10 huts this year and the restnext year, then the tree house the year after.”

She added, “Our main income is weddings and that helps keep the hallmaintained but it doesn’t provide enough income for things such as anew roof which we’ll need over the next 15 years.”

The huts and tree house are being made by Kirkham-based Pete Fryerand have been inspired by visits to look at other schemes in the countryincluding glamping at Warwick Castle and a tree house at AlnwickCastle.

The huts will be built on existing golf club course grounds which havebecome unsustainable. Each solar-powered unit sleeps three people andwill include washing facilities. Catering facilities would be provided inthe treehouse and in the Hall.

Shepherd Huts wi" su#ain Samlesbury Ha"

Floods can arise from a number ofcircumstances and sources. Businessesshould consider their susceptibility toinundation from rivers, seas, lakes andreservoirs to name but a few. What stepscan be taken to ensure your business hasprotection measures in place?

Impact a flood can have on

a business

Businesses rely on consistent income toenable them to function effectively. Alarge flood may have the capacity todamage a business by rendering anyincome potential non-existent anddamage it’s functionality beyond repair.Over a third of SMEs do not have abusiness continuity plan in place in theevent of a flood. This could be essentialgiven that 69% of SME revenues havebeen affected by poor weather in the last12 months, an increase of 46% on theprevious year (based on research carriedout by Towergate Insurance on 1,000SMEs).

How to protect the property

Proper planning is the most essential partof ensuring that the best possibleprecautions have been considered toprotect your business. This can rangefrom simple ideas such as storing valuableitems in high up locations to the morecomplex implementation of flooddefences. Whilst the latter could befinancially costly in the short term, itcould prove vital to an enterprise asupwards of 1.3 million properties since2013 have reaped the benefit.The UK government have released aflood plan template for camping andcaravan sites. It is important to considerthe specifics of your business when usingthis template as a guideline. For example,keep emergency contacts readily availablei.e. plumbers, managing agents and localauthorities. In addition, liaising withlocal emergency services (police and fireservice) can give an indication of whattheir emergency management plans are.

It is sensible to supportyour flood plan with asite plan detailingimportant aspects ofyour businesspremises specifically.Within this, it isimportant to considerthe following:

● isolation pointsfor services, such asgas and electricity, sothat you can turn them

off

● evacuation route(s)avoiding areas that could

flood; but make sure theroute is accessible for those

with disabilities

● traffic management plans

● assembly points, including a ‘crisiscentre’ which may be at an off-sitelocation

● location of life-rings

A flood plan template and additionalguidance on how to safely recover yourbusiness after a flood can be found on theHSE website. This is for not onlyminimising future risks, but also assessingelectrical safety, drying the premises,cleaning up and the hazards associatedwith such a task. Visithttp://www.hse.gov.uk for more details

How to protect individual

structures

As well as implementing procedures toprotect the property as a whole, businessowners should also consider precautionsto protect individual structures.

Although it may seem a simple notion tosituate caravans and glamping structureson higher ground, it could proveinvaluable for protecting your business’assets from a flood. If this is not apossibility, there are other options toconsider. Axle stands could raisestructures above ground level byapproximately 0.5 metres. This wouldallow for that extra bit of leeway if

Flooding is the UK’s most common and widespreadnatural disaster. Although a fire may seem immediatelymore fearsome, studies have shown that on average smallto medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are more likely tohave their businesses destroyed by a flood than a fire.

How can you minimisethe effects of floodingon your business?

8

Flooding and insurance

www.theglampingshow.com

inundation from nearby water sourceswere to impact your site. Floatationdevices and anchors could also serve toreduce damage to the structuresthemselves in such an event.

Insurance considerationsA study carried out by Towergate showedthat 3 in 5 SMEs are not insured againstthe elements. It is vital for any business tohave a continuity plan in place. Insurancecan play an essential part in that plan somake sure you have the correct cover inforce. As an addition to indemnifyingyourself against material damage to yourassets caused by major perils, businessowners should give close consideration toimplementing Business Interruption (BI)cover. BI cover could serve to ensure thatyour business continues to functionwhilst the relevant repair and recovery isbeing carried out. This is achieved bycovering the revenue that would be lost asa direct consequence of an insured perilsuch as a flood. When arranging insurance, businessowners should consider all eventualitiesand systematically weigh up what coverswould be necessary for their business tocarry on functioning should the worstoccur. Commercial insurance is designedby insurers as a support forenterprises throughout the highsand lows of trading so makesure you discuss yourthoughts and concernswith yourbroker/underwriter.

Launched in 1997, Towergate is the UK’s largest independently ownedinsurance intermediary, generating more than £3 billion of pro forma grosswritten premiums across its companies and employing c. 4,400 people across100 UK offices.

Towergate is an important distribution channel for a significant range ofinsurance products and a key strategic partner for the UK’s largest insurers. Towergate’s scales, customer insight and distribution relationships make it aunique business and a leader in the markets in which it operates. Thecombination of distribution and underwriting gives it unparalleled consumerdata and market insight.

Flooding and insurance

9lGBUSINESSmping

10

Website building

Creating a website for your Glamping siteis a great way to get the information outto a larger group of people. And ofcourse, the better your website, the morelikely a reader is to become a customer.Jonathan Knight, owner of CoolCamping, suggests that the more onlinepresence you have, the better, “Like anybusiness, you need a website! Customersmake most of their travel purchasedecisions by looking online...” By the endof this article, you should have a clearerunderstanding of the information thatneeds to be included on your website andhow to lay it out attractively. A websitecan be confusing, if not infuriating, tocreate but at its heart it is in fact a verysimple tool that allows you to pitch yoursite to potential customers.

Website ContentThe information on your website needsto be clear and easy to read. Researchingother Glamping websites is a good way tofind out what works and what doesn’t. Ifyou are not confident in your writingstyle then a copywriter can be used,Knight suggests, “Possibly, but what’simportant here is to really sell all thereasons to come to your particular slice ofglamping paradise – but not to exaggerateor over-sell. You need to be honest andclear about what you’re offering,especially the level of luxury customerscan expect.”

When thinking about what informationto include on your website, it isimportant to remember that there arecertain things that have to be mentioned

so that the reader has all the informationthey need to decide whether to make abooking.

PitchesThe reader wants to know what kind ofaccommodation is available, and howmany pitches your site offers. A great wayof getting around having large sections ofdescriptive text is to include pictures aswell. A picture, or ideally two or three,will give the reader an instantunderstanding of what you are offering.It is also worth noting the position ofyour pitches within the site, as largergroups may want to stay close together.

Who’s welcomeThis decision is up to you and dependson the type of customer you are lookingfor. A good example would be to say thatyou welcome families, couples childrenand small groups but to maintain apeaceful environment at the site, you donot accept large groups. It is also worthnoting whether you accept pets on site,but do not hold back from asking thatthe pets are well behaved and kept onleads in public areas.

On-site facilitiesThis would include shower blocks,toilets, washing up and launderingfacilities and any cooking facilities thatare available. There is no need to go intotoo much detail here, a short list thatinforms the reader is more thanacceptable. It is in this section that thereader will get a better understanding ofyour site as a whole so if you have largeopen areas set aside for sports or achildren’s playground area make sure tomention it.

Food and drink If your site offers any food or perhaps hasa small shop it is important to let thecustomers know, especially if your site isoff the beaten track with no local shopsor restaurants. A short description of theservices you offer will go a long way, andit is always worth noting the prices. A listof restaurants or local shops is also worthhaving, especially if you do not offer any

on site. A short list with a smalldescription of each place is ideal here andit is always worth including a phonenumber or a link to a website so that thecustomer can get in touch and find outmore.

Opening timesWhile your site may not be open all yearround, your website will be. It isdefinitely worth noting the months thatyou operate so that you don’t get callsfrom customers trying to book a stay on adate that you are not open.

PricesMaking sure that the prices for stays atyour site are visible and easilyunderstandable is very important. Listingthe different types of accommodationthat are available and giving prices pernight is a good way to ensure that thereader will have a clear understanding ofhow much they are going to be paying. Itis also worth noting any optional extrasthat you offer such as fire wood for acampfire or guided hikes.

Things to doHave a number of activities at your site?That’s great, mention them here. Butalways be sure to mention a few things todo in the surrounding area. These couldbe anything from country walks tonearby shopping towns. While the readermay choose to ignore these and explorethe surrounding are by themselves, theyare easy to include, and may help thereader plan their trip.

DirectionsWhile an address may be enough, it isalways good to include a set of directionsboth by road and by public transport.The directions do not have to be in-depth and can be from any local townand for public transport a list of localtrain or bus stations is always welcome.

LayoutThe layout of your website is also a veryimportant. A good website should be niceto look and provide all the informationneeded so that it is easy to locate and

Website Building for a Glamping Business

www.theglampingshow.com

You could have the bestGlamping site in the world,and yet without the rightmarketing, it could remainrelatively unknown. WilliamRusbridge explores theways in which you canmake the most of youronline presence.

Show checklist

9lGBUSINESSmping

Website building

11lGBUSINESSmping

understand. It is important to avoid large blocksof uninterrupted text as this will often put thereader off. It is far better to have a group ofsmaller sections of text with appropriateheadings. Knight mentions, “The main overviewshould convey all the main points in a conciseway. If that’s enough to get people interested,they will then want to read on in more detail, sohave different sections for information about theaccommodation, the location, and things to doin the area.”

Pictures are also a great way to not only catchthe reader’s eye, but also to easily conveyinformation. While a professional photographeris not required for these pictures, avoidingblurry pictures by using a camera that can takehigh quality pictures is. When asked about theneed for a professional photographer, CoolCamping’s Jonathan Knight says, “It might notbe necessary to use a professional photographeras it’s fairly straightforward these days to takedecent pictures on most cameras or even somephones. But if you are in any doubt as to yourability as a photographer, then it’s probably wiseto get a professional in! Customers will not betempted to spend hundreds of pounds on aholiday if they can’t see exactly what they aregetting first.” It is always good to include a fewphotos of the site and its surrounding landscapeas well as pictures of the accommodation thatyou offer. This includes pictures of both theoutside and the inside of your accommodation.Remember, a sun-soaked clearing filled withcolourful tents is a lot more appealing than adreary field, blanketed in clouds, so make sureyou make the most out of your pictures bytaking them on a day with good weather andusing the light to your advantage.

The Next StepThe next step is to get your website onto theinternet and the best way to do this is to workwith a website designer. When asked about webdesigners, Knight said, “It helps to have aninitial meeting early on, as then the writing andpictures can be crafted to the format of thewebsite. It’s also important to have access to thewebsite, to be able to add and amend your owncontent – so make sure that’s part of yourdiscussion with any web designer. You could alsothink about doing it yourself, using a websitetemplate like squarespace to create your ownslick-looking website.”

An example of interioraccommodation pictures

An example of exterior accommodation images

A goodexample a

wellorganised

text.

An exampleof too muchwriting.

Thanks towww.coolcamping.co.ukfor additional information

Sunshine in a boxPerfect for blackouts and emergencies. Ideal for glamping,

camping, fishing, and a few hours down the shed.

The Little Red Box is charged via the solar panel, which is big

enough to do the job, but small enough to carry in a shoulder

bag. It has a 10m lead.

The Little Red Box itself, has sockets in it. Some for lights,

(3 included) and some for USB devices (2 of these) so you can

run any USB appliance as well as charging pods, pads, phones

and tabs etc......

All light cables are 5M in length which means several rooms

could be lit up at once! Brilliant in black-outs and power-cuts,

Ideal for camping or fishing when away from the grid. The

pefect 'must have' for Glampers who want to stay connected

and have decent quality lighting at night.

The Little Red Box is the 'Must have' for 2016..... It's a

modern day box of candles whilst being very very useful inbetween emergencies

How long does the box last? 1light = 20 hrs, 3 lights = 7 hrs.

Charge time 4 hrs in bright sun,longer in cloud.info@thesolarshed.co.uk

We round up some of the interesting andunusual glamping accessories that havecome to our attention

★

lGBUSINESSmping

PinboardPinboard

12

Glamping Pinboard

www.theglampingshow.com

Sculptural Artist Andy Gage at The Firepit Company createsbeautiful, sculptured Fireballs, which are spherical firepits. Theywork very well as Patio Heaters for warming up those chillyevenings or as fantastic garden or glamping sculptures, especiallywhen illuminated with electric lights. Our Fireballs reallyenhance your outside space in a unique, beautiful and practicalway, other uses include unique driveway markers or whenincorporating a corporate logo they become great talking pointsaround business premises. Please take a moment to view our

pictures and see somecommissions we havealready completed. Wecan design and make aFireball to yourspecification or if youwould rather hire onefor your event, thenplease get in touch.

andy@thefirepitcompany.co.uk

Beautiful and Functional Fire Sculpture

Private Cinema Experience The Sol Cinema is a uniquemobile cinema in a caravanpowered entirely by the sun. Anaudience of 8 adults are treatedto red carpet, usherette serviceand popcorn for a uniquecinematic experience.

The Sol Cinema has beenlavished with pride and style. Weuse an LED video projector showing short movies in plush

surroundings. We can also produce your videos.

We use a solar generator to store renewable energy from the

sun. Our 120W photovoltaic panel harness the sunlight, even

as the movies are being shown, so we don't run out of power.

www.thesolcinema.org

ModulogThe moduLog is a unique glamping pod or garden office. EachmoduLog is made in modular form which allows you to design yourown moduLog by adding as many or as few modules as you wish.ModuLog is very green in its approachas we use home grown timber andlocally sourced materials in itsconstruction.

If you want a unique, luxury, eco-friendly, handmade, bespoke pod forglamping, summer house or gardenoffice then the moduLog is it.www.modulog.co.uk

Widely acknowledged as the best edition todate, for three days the Jaguar Exhibition Hallat Coventry’s Ricoh Arena was a vibrantnetworking extravaganza, bursting with hightech stands displaying all the latest wetleisure innovations and products. Every sectorof the wet leisure Industry was representedin all its glory, from saunas, steam rooms,swimming pools to spas and hot tubs andeverything in between. A comprehensivedouble seminar programme was extremelywell attended. Led by a stellar team ofIndustry experts, the seminars offered visitorsa chance to update their professional skill forfree and gain valuable CPD points. In fact, theevent was nothing short of what you would

expect from the UK’s number one wet leisureExhibition with an impressive internationalstanding.

Particularly rewarding was the significantincrease in commercial visitors, many ofthese drawn from the hospitality and holidaysector.

“SPATEX 2016 surpassed all our expectationswith a constant flow of high quality visitorsthroughout the duration of the Show,” saysexhibitor Cath Saunders from CertikinInternational, whose comments are typical ofthose that have flooded into the SPATEXoffice since the Show closed. “We wereparticularly pleased to see a largecommercial representation, particularly fromthe holiday park sector. SPATEX is easily thebest way of accessing all that the UK wetleisure Industry has to offer.”

Delighted SPATEX Organiser, Michele Bridlesays: “We pulled out all the stops to celebrateour 20th anniversary and the Industryhandsomely rewarded us with exhibitorspace sold out some two months early, but

the visitor numbers exceeded even ourexpectations. Visitors flocked from both homeand abroad, representing a huge crosssection of disciplines and facilities - leisurecentres, hotels, councils, schools, holidayparks, spas, animal hydrotherapy pools, toname but a few.”

Michele adds: “Far from resting on ourlaurels, it’s onwards and upwards for SPATEX!This year has proved to be a fantasticplatform upon which to build SPATEX 2017,which we are planning to make even biggerand better. Watch this space for news of ourlandmark 21st.”

Diary Date - Don’t miss SPATEX 2017 -Tuesday January 31st to Thursday February2nd - The Jaguar Exhibition Hall, Ricoh Arena,Coventry CV6 6GE.

With a staggering 28 percent year on yearincrease in visitornumbers (many fromthe commercial sector)and well over 120 highquality companiesexhibiting, the recentlyheld 20th anniversarySPATEX 2016 Exhibitiondelivered on all frontsand has been lauded anIndustry success story.

DIARY DATE - Don’t missSPATEX 2017 - TuesdayJanuary 31st to ThursdayFebruary 2nd - The JaguarExhibition Hall, Ricoh Arena,Coventry CV6 6GE.

is hailed a water leisure industry triumphis hailed a water leisure industry triumph

13lGBUSINESSmping