Carry on Glamping – Part One
Anyone considering opening their own glamping site should watch the highs and lows that comedian Johnny Vegas went through in setting up his own site at Breaks Fold Farm, located in the Washburn Valley, in the Yorkshire Dales. This location was found after their original site in Snowdonia fell through due to planning concerns.
The location issue wasn’t the only thing that Vegas and his team had to contend with – there were many issues with the procurement and restoration of the vehicles he chose to be converted into glamping accommodation, not least the old bus from Malta that he wanted to be the centrepiece of the site. Vegas acquired the bus on eBay in the early hours of the morning after a few drinks, not noticing the location of the vehicle at the time. Getting the bus back from Malta was fraught with difficulty, starting with getting the engine running at the garage where it had been stored and becoming even more tense when the ferry that the bus was being shipped on caught fire.
Eventually the old tourist bus got to the restoration workshop, and more drawbacks became clear here. The structure was unstable and needed to be totally re-built from the chassis up, exceeding the initial budget by £15,000, and this was not including the fit-out inside. The engineers salvaged as much of the original bus as possible but had to create new walls and a roof, even adding new windows. Inside, a sliding semi-circular sofa creates a cosy area in which to spend an evening, while the shower is tiled with ceramic artwork created by Vegas himself. The bus is now called Patricia, after Vegas’ mother.
Vegas studied ceramics and used his artistic talents to create a three-sided abstract portrait of his sons, which he painted directly across the tiles before they were glazed and fired. He also used his artistic influence to commission a sculpture made from reclaimed panels from the Maltese bus which sits at the entrance to the Field of Dreams campsite. Plans are underway for a sculpture park next to the site.
In addition to the Maltese bus, there is an old Mercedes fire engine with a trailer, formerly used to carry the hoses and equipment, but converted into a small bedroom for two kids. Unfortunately the health and safety requirements meant that the mini bedroom could not be used for guests, so it has been converted back into storage.
An old American school bus was also converted along with a Citroen camper van. A hybrid Morris Minor pick up combined with a Fisher Holivan junior caravan was loaned to the site, and horse boxes have been converted into private bathroom facilities for each unique vehicle, along with outdoor seating made from the seats from the bus. Vegas also refurbished a 1958 Austin Paralanian as a gift for his long-suffering assistant Bev, who was with him throughout the whole process.
Billy the Snail, the restored caravanette, has a similar history to Patricia. The owner, Claire Swingler, also purchased the vehicle in the early hours after a few drinks but set about lovingly restoring the vehicle into a workable glamping unit. At the Field of Dreams site, Billy comes with a bell tent for sleeping, allowing more guests to enjoy the unit as the main vehicle can be used for dining, cooking and relaxation while the sleeping accommodation is provided in the tent.
The four-part documentary series showed all the trials and tribulations that went into setting the Field of Dreams up; a process which took place over two years, including time during the pandemic which brought added challenges to the project.
Please join us for part 2, where we give more helpful advice and look at lessons learned by others, for those of you thinking of undertaking your own glampsite project.
