"We have noticed that the demand for staycations has risen significantly in the UK and especially with people tightening up budgets among the uncertainty of BREXIT."
Sukhveer Chirrimar
Lara Collis and Jenny Lyon (both aged 27) launched Country Bumpkin Yurts to meet a demand in the market for more Great British staycations.
Based on working farm - Waterloo Cottage Farm - in Northamptonshire which also has an award-winning farm shop on site, the glamping site has three yurts which sleep between two and six people. The business has been funded by First Enterprise – the leading provider of responsible finance and business support services.
Jenny Lyon, co-owner of Country Bumpkin Yurts, said: “We started the process of setting the business up around 18 months ago. Lara and I were sat in a café and were talking about how much we enjoyed camping and would love to start our own business. I think that’s when we both realised we could make Country Bumpkin Yurts a reality.
“We’ve had some amazing support from a number of businesses that have guided us to this point and it is such a good feeling to see the yurts complete and taking our first bookings in two weeks’ time.”
First Enterprise provided a total of £45,000 funding through its Enterprise Loans East Midlands (ELEM) funding streams to help Country Bumpkin Yurts to set up - £20,000 of the loan was via Start-Up Loans.
The glamping site, on Waterloo Cottage Farm in Great Oxendon, is eco-friendly and has features like solar panels - which power electricity in the yurts - a log burner, a wood fired hot tub, and composting toilets. Country Bumpkin Yurts also does upcycling projects.
Lara added: “You can’t love being in the countryside without wanting to look after it. Our dream was to create a business that cared about nature and sustainability.
“We are so proud to have the business up and running. There is still a few final touches to make and we need to get the onsite café constructed but we are so excited for the future.”
Sukhveer Chirrimar, loan fund advisor at First Enterprise, said: “We have noticed that the demand for staycations has risen significantly in the UK and especially with people tightening up budgets among the uncertainty of BREXIT.
“In the last few months alone we have supported three glamping businesses. Lara and Jenny’s business idea is fantastic and something we were keen to support them with. More people are choosing to holiday around the country and Country Bumpkin Yurts is definitely well placed with its nearby links to Market Harborough.
“On the one hand Lara and Jenny are providing amazing accommodation in a rural location for people to escape and relax and on the other, they will be running a café on the same site for people to visit.”
The launch took place on 11 June (Open Farm Sunday) and saw around 500 people attend. For more information on Country Bumpkin Yurts visit countrybumpkinyurts.co.uk.
For more information on First Enterprise and its ELEM funding visit www.first-enterprise.co.uk
