Glamping businesses invited to apply for The Secret Garden Franchise
The Secret Garden Glamping founder Derry Green is offering to sprinkle some of his magic dust on fellow glamping industry businesses. The award winning businessman, who made a success of the Secret Garden Glamping after a successful pitch on BBC show Dragon’s Den, has launched The Secret Garden Franchise, an opportunity for park owners to gain access to the winning formula for glamping success. Derry has launched The Secret Garden Franchise to provide opportunities to both existing glamping site operators and aspiring ones. Derry, who was recently re-elected as Chairman of the Glamping Industry Trade Association (GITA), said: “This is a first. What we’re trying to do by creating the franchises is to get people away from the OTA (Online Travel Agency) booking sites. “Rather than having to set up a site and then instantly give away 15 to 20% of revenue to Airbnb or Booking.com while getting no support from them, I think there’s a better way. “Right now if you don’t use OTAs there’s almost no way to get visibility. “We know how to get bookings – we turn away thousands of bookings a year. “But it’s not just that, I believe we can help the site owners with all the other things. “I know what the pitfalls are, what owners struggle with on a daily basis because I struggled with it too.” What do franchisees get? How many franchises are available? It is planned to accept up to 15 sites as franchises by the end of 2026 with continued future expansion into 2027/28. There are also ambitions to expand overseas. What does it cost? The costs will be based on the number of units on the site with Derry willing to offer franchises to both small, medium and larger operators. What criteria are there to be accepted? The types of accommodation are very flexible, from simple yurts, lodges and huts up to more quirky or unique options such as domes or bespoke tree houses. The Secret Garden Glamping is looking for a range of sites to partner with across the UK and is willing to look at any location so long as it has the feasibility to offer certain key facilities. What are the timescales? With permissions and regulations varying depending on the part of the UK it’s very hard to give set timescales, however, some existing sites could benefit from a Secret Garden makeover and rebrand within 6-8 weeks. Escaping the grind of running a business Derry believes the franchise scheme will give participants the dual benefit of boosting their revenue and freeing up their time to enjoy being a site owner. He added: “A lot of people get into this as a lifestyle business but they end up getting trapped in the day-to-day operations, because you are every part of the business. “One minute you’re changing some beds, the next minute you’re fixing a toilet, then you’ve got to send some emails, do some Facebook posts and so on and so on. “The question that comes up over and over again is; how do you go on holiday? “How do you get a holiday if you’re a site owner, because you’re stuck within the business. What I quickly realized from setting up The Secret Garden is that 90% of the work is actually all the back end. “It’s all the emails and the phone calls and the booking system and the marketing and social media and the content creation. “The remaining 10% is actually the bit we all get into it for, which is the forward facing customer stuff. “That’s what I love doing, and it’s what most site owners love doing. “None of us get into owning a glamping site so we can send more emails. “So this franchise scheme is the result of me trying to find a way out of all the problem points that I’ve had over the past five years. “How can I get rid of them for either new site owners or existing site owners? “And that’s what we do, everything, and I do mean everything, up until the customer turns up at their door before them. “Airbnb will get you a booking, and then it’s your problem to speak to them and find out why they’re coming and what time they’re arriving, and do they need any extras? “All these sorts of things are down to you to resolve. “But for our franchisees, we do all that. So by the time the customer gets to your gate or your door or your bridge or whatever it might be, they’ve got everything they could possibly need.”To find out more call Derry on 07732 812409 email him directly via info@thesecretgardenglamping.uk or visit www.thesecretgardenglamping.uk/franchise READ MORE https://caravanindustryandparkoperator.co.uk/news/glamping-breaks-canvas-ceiling/
How do I make my glampsite stand out after lockdown?
Glampsites have increased in popularity since their inception in the mid-noughties. The staycation boom had already started pre-Covid but this year, foreign travel options are still looking decidedly shaky. Glampsite operators say this uncertainty has led to bookings going through the roof, with some already turning down summer bookings while off-peak slots are filling fast. However, even in the midst of a market boom, there’s no place for complacency – 2020 profits were hit hard thanks to the spring lockdown, and it’s important for glampsite managers to keep in mind the long-game to ensure they see a healthy ROI in future. So how can you improve your glamping facilities this year, so your site remains a must-visit destination in 2022 and even beyond? Here, we take a look at two fantastic businesses – a glamping site and a pod manufacturer – that are ready to hit the 2021 season with a bang – and have no intention of slowing down thanks to some creative thinking and clever investment… A glampsite that’s truly glamourous! Marking its 7th year in the glamping arena, Mrs Mills’ Yurts continues to add to its customer offering, with the most recent addition being a glampervan that can be taken off-site. Mrs Mills’ Yurts is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo, Nicola and Gary Mills, which launched in 2015 on National Trust Landmark May Hill, Gloucestershire. Wanting to escape London and the suffocation of being in a great, grey city of busyness – and having watched too many home improvement programmes – the duo fell in love with a tired farmhouse on a hill overlooking the Cotswolds. Following a period of serious restoration, which involved the couple and their children staying in a kitsch caravan themselves, Mrs Mills’ Yurts was born. While glamping was still relatively new and a novel offering, Nicola was adamant that she wanted to put her style and taste into the business. And it was her love for novels, especially those by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which inspired the flamboyant designs and the names of the yurts too: Zelda, Hildegarde, Tanaduke and Gatsby. Each yurt offers the ultimate indulgent glamping. Sleeping up to four people, each has its own private bathroom with luxury sandalwood toiletries and flowers, luxury linen and soft cotton towels and bathrobes, and extravagant sheepskin throws to keep glampers warm around the campfire. Cream teas are offered on arrival and a mouth-watering breakfast hamper is also delivered, filled to the brim with local produce. The hosts also arrange for daily tea and buns served in the “home from home” kitchen, and offer an extensive and delightful range of home-cooked meals from the campfire menu. For that added indulgence and to further relax glampers, three of the yurts also have a private wood-fired hot tub. The start of 2020 saw Amory added to the family collection; a glampervan that can be driven off-site and to any destination where the heart desires. Amory is the ultimate glampervan for wild camping; featuring a solar panel on the roof and the interior decked out just as the yurts themselves are – no corners are cut, that’s for sure. While many campervans come bare, Amory comes with everything from beautiful bedding and linen, through to champagne glasses, cloth napkins and even a cheese hamper to be enjoyed while on an adventure. Restrictions permitting, people are now booking Amory for trips abroad as well as touring the UK. It offers the full glamping experience wherever the glamper wishes to experience it. Nicola and Gary have no end of secret gems to suggest, and Amory allows you to choose a difference location every day. Nicola Mills, co-founder of Mayhill Glamping, said: “We pride ourselves on offering something totally luxurious, indulgent and extremely stylish at our rural retreat. Everything at Mrs Mills’ Yurts comes with a nod to the jazz age, from the sheepskin rugs and the garish gold beds, through to the wood-fired hot tubs. “Our Yurts are indulgent hotel rooms under the stars – they’re to my style and taste and it’s always lovely to get such positive and warm feedback when people come to stay with us. “We’re especially excited to launch our glampervan; we’ve had it just over a year now, but this year is when it’ll really get its chance to shine.” As well as being within a short distance from many great local pubs, attractions and stunning walking routes, Mrs Mills’ Yurts is also a short distance from the Cotswolds, Cheltenham and the Wye Valley, situated between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye. Check out the glampsite at mayhillglamping.co.uk. Boxing clever with Maverick glamping pods Park operators are now looking at how every inch of property can be used to its full revenue potential, especially with increased demand for 2021 bookings. With attention predominantly turning towards lucrative accommodation options, now is the time to test the viability of expanding sites before having to heavily invest in complex infrastructure and committing to a large-scale public offering. Luxury temporary accommodation provider Caboose & Co. has produced a revolutionary travel pod, The Maverick, that will be the wingman of many a park operator this summer season. Caboose & Co’s managing director Tom Critchley says: “Having managed temporary accommodation sites for over 15 years, I’ve a wealth of valuable expertise when it comes to guest hospitality and assisting pop-up hotels, resorts and festivals diversify their offering. We work with landowners seeking to transform their sites into sought-after holiday destinations – whether that be for caravans, glamping or camping.” Born from wanting to solve the challenges faced when sourcing sleeping spots, Tom and his team supply shipping containers converted to the highest of industry standards, the cosy rooms can be simply and quickly deployed anywhere. Joining its impressive 54-strong converted container fleet, the first-of-its-kind product named The Maverick has been brought to the UK staycation and glamping markets as a direct response to increased staycations following COVID-19 international travel restrictions. With The Maverick also available with a hard deck atop the structure, it enables outdoor hospitality and event organisers the flexibility to
