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00:00I've run hotels most of my working life.
00:04So we've got 23 rooms in-house tonight.
00:07Thank you very much to all of you.
00:09So I know all too well how brutal the hospitality industry can be.
00:13That is terrifying.
00:15We've put everything that we have into this.
00:17And this year the situation truly is dire.
00:20You've got me worried about that now.
00:22I have a lot of pressure to make sure that I deliver.
00:26With businesses facing spiralling energy, food and wage costs.
00:30I have a big sense of responsibility.
00:33And customers who have less money to spend.
00:36Frankly, sweet Fanny Adams.
00:38From country pubs.
00:39Careful of the dog.
00:41To seaside hotels.
00:42This has got to be done for Friday.
00:44I have somebody in here Friday night.
00:46Shepherd's huts.
00:47You've got a big one.
00:49To family guest houses.
00:51Makes me think of Scarlett O'Hara.
00:53They're all in desperate need of my help.
00:55She's just pulled up and I'm terrified.
00:58I'll be getting my hands dirty.
01:00Come on, the pint work.
01:03And delivering some hard truths.
01:05I think you're bonkers.
01:07Hello.
01:08To help owners across the country get back in the black.
01:12Something has got to change.
01:14We're very silent.
01:16Why?
01:16You're the expert.
01:17Before everything comes crashing down.
01:20We're just hoping we can catch it before it's too late.
01:24That is my challenge.
01:26Should I choose to accept it?
01:27And I do.
01:31Hello, seed.
01:32This time.
01:33We've got this crippling low.
01:35So we just live a very modest life.
01:37A farming couple with a glamping sight that's struggling to pay its way.
01:41Let's diversify or die at this point.
01:43And a hundred years of family history at risk of coming to an end.
01:47I've got nothing else to fall back on.
02:03In Yorkshire.
02:04That's it.
02:05Shh.
02:06Come on.
02:08Shh.
02:0935-year-old former chef Louise.
02:12And her 48-year-old farmer husband Richard.
02:15You might have to give it a push.
02:18Are the tenants of the 225-acre Breaksfold farm.
02:23Would have eaten them, aren't they?
02:26The couple took over from Richard's father and his family have farmed this land for over 100 years.
02:33It's almost in my DNA.
02:35You know, it's part of me.
02:37The place and the things that we do in the place really matter to us.
02:43But with British farming facing unprecedented challenges, they struggle to make ends meet.
02:49And so, 14 years ago, they were forced to diversify the sheep farm and dip their toes into the increasingly
02:55fashionable world of glamping.
02:58Hospitality is extraordinarily tiring and farming is as well.
03:02So, combine the two together, you've got two of the hardest, most intensive things paired up.
03:09They started with camping pictures, which proved successful, and then three years ago, expanded, spending 70 grand on three shepherd's
03:18huts.
03:20We bought them as a basic kit and then I've built them.
03:23Each complete with double bed, kitchen and ensuite bathroom.
03:28We do laugh when people put that, you know, the staff were lovely in the reviews, when in reality, it's
03:33just the two of us.
03:35It's just 24-7.
03:38Just relentless.
03:42As well as managing their land and tending to their flock of 250 sheep, Louise and Richard are now working
03:48all hours to try and make their glamping business a success to save their beloved farm, which leaves little time
03:55to spend with 13-year-old daughter Faye.
03:58Other than sitting down and eating meals and an odd snatched afternoon out here and there, we don't always get
04:04a great deal of family time together.
04:06A child eating a vegetable.
04:10Get on a David Attenborough programme for that.
04:14But the farm and huts are barely turning a profit, leaving the family struggling to survive on less than minimum
04:21wage.
04:21We seem to be worse off now.
04:23I'm doing more work.
04:25So in an attempt to create additional revenue, in 2019 they borrowed £75,000 to open a cafe in one
04:33of their outbuildings.
04:35But thanks to the pandemic, their new enterprise lasted just six months before it was forced to close.
04:42The door was shut and that was that.
04:44We did literally sit and cry.
04:46Sad.
04:48Now they're stuck replaying a loan for a business that never got off the ground and counting the cost of
04:54a huge investment into a building they don't even own.
04:57That's one of our biggest financial hits because it's quite a big chunk of money that we're paying back each
05:05month.
05:06It's a really difficult position to be in.
05:09And it's not the only recent setback they've had to overcome.
05:15I was like, right, I'm going to pop outside, clean the showers and toilets and I'll be back in half
05:20an hour.
05:23And I came back and he was just like laid on the kitchen floor.
05:29For a split second I did think he was dead.
05:32You do get a little bit of PTSD from that, I think.
05:35After a serious fall inside the house, two years ago Richard suffered a traumatic neck injury and was rushed to
05:43hospital by air ambulance.
05:44I was, for about 18 months out of action, that was certainly something that affected me mental health because I
05:54felt completely useless.
05:57Well, if it weren't for Louise, the business would have collapsed.
06:03After suffering blow after blow, Richard and Louise are struggling to find the motivation to keep pushing forward.
06:10It's really hard to know what the right things to do are that are going to be successful and also
06:16without creating myself a whole load of extra work.
06:20But unless they can find a way to make their business pay, a hundred plus year family legacy of farming
06:26could be lost forever.
06:29I wanted to succeed because otherwise you feel like you're letting down the generations that have been here before you.
06:38I hope I'm not too late to give them the help they clearly need.
06:45I'm in the Yorkshire Dales and it's an area that's beloved.
06:50Packed with stunning scenery, this region draws more than six million tourists each year.
06:57And the southwest corner that I've come to, near the historic Bolton Abbey, is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
07:07It is a real tourist hotspot, which should be good news for anyone running a hospitality business.
07:13In recent years, the popularity of glamping getaways has exploded, with almost a thousand sights of all shapes and sizes
07:21popping up across the country,
07:23all offering the chance to enjoy the great outdoors.
07:27But with the UK glamping industry now valued in excess of £88 million, it's an extremely crowded market.
07:36Just within 20 miles of where I'm going now, there are 13 places you can glamp.
07:42So, competition is fierce.
07:46Greatsfold Farm Campsite.
07:48I must say, the signage is deeply underwhelming.
07:55Right, check in, ring the bell.
08:01Hello!
08:02Hi!
08:03Louise, I'm Alex.
08:04It's lovely to meet you.
08:06So, you meet every single guest who comes through?
08:08We like to meet everybody that comes through.
08:10I like to know that we've got them set up, ready for their stay.
08:14But it must take up an enormous amount of time.
08:17Yeah, it's a very large window that you really can't do anything in.
08:21OK.
08:21Well, I'm looking forward to my induction into my shepherd's heart.
08:25I'll meet you up there.
08:27With check-in open between 2 and 8pm, there must be a more efficient way of welcoming guests on site.
08:34But there's little question that this is a stunning location.
08:39Lovely, lovely view.
08:42I hope the huts are as impressive as their setting.
08:45There we go.
08:46Of course, it's very pretty.
08:48Oh, thank you.
08:49So, talk me through your usual check-in procedures.
08:52So, I tend to show people how the hob works, the process of unlocking.
08:56Right.
08:57And then we've got the little fridge in here.
09:00Yes.
09:00And then all the crockery.
09:02And in this one, the cotteries ended up in the wardrobe because we didn't have enough room in the cupboard.
09:06OK.
09:06And then we have a microwave up here as well.
09:08Gosh, lovely.
09:09How have you done this year?
09:10We've managed to fill all the weekends through the summer.
09:13Through the winter, it generally just whitens off.
09:17While occupancy is at 90% in summer, the campsite closes in the winter.
09:22So, Louise needs to be pulling in every penny from these huts for her family to survive the low season.
09:29How much would it cost me to stay here tonight?
09:31So, a single night is £125 in this hut.
09:34I try and keep the rates the same all year round.
09:37I mean, I'm assuming I'm here because you're not making enough money.
09:39Yes.
09:40Well, there's only two ways of making more money.
09:42One is to increase occupancy and one is to increase the rates.
09:45Yes.
09:46So, that's what we've got to look at doing.
09:48Definitely.
09:49If you don't mind, I'll settle in and then I'll come and chat to you.
09:51Enjoy.
09:52Thank you, I shall.
09:54There's a lot to like about Louise and her huts, but I can already see room for improvement.
10:02I think the immediate thoughts are some of the decor isn't particularly what I would have chosen.
10:09It's just working out whether they've made the best possible use of the space.
10:14And that thought also extends to the outdoor area.
10:18I can't quite understand why there's been absolutely no provision made to protect you against an unseasonably rainy day.
10:26It's a nice extension to what, after all, is quite a small space if you're a bit more covered over.
10:34With the farm stretching across 225 acres of this dramatic landscape,
10:41I want to meet Louise's husband, Richard, whose family have been looking after this land for over a century.
10:50You've got a big one.
10:53Are you Richard?
10:54Hello. Yes. Nice to meet you.
10:55So, has there always been sheep, this farm?
10:58Yeah.
10:59I am fourth generation here, so, you know, we're one of the longest standing sort of family farms.
11:05Farm, you know, it is in the blood.
11:07Is that the bit that you love, the farming then?
11:10Yeah.
11:10I mean, I've always been on the vein that, you know, why should we have to diversify?
11:15We should be able to make the farm pay.
11:18It seems to me like Louise quite enjoys the shakka tots.
11:21Really?
11:22No?
11:22She never says that to me.
11:24Does she not?
11:25The reason we've done what we've done is because I always looked at it as a long-term investment.
11:31You know, in the hope that my daughter, Faye, would take over.
11:35And so there was something there to pass on.
11:37It's not an option for it to not work, you know.
11:40Yeah.
11:40We've got to make it work.
11:42I've got nothing else to fall back on.
11:45Okay.
11:49I really want to help them.
11:51Like most farmers, they're incredibly resourceful and hardworking.
11:55But, you know, what the hell am I going to do?
11:58Answers on a postcard, please, and put it down quick.
12:12Meg, come on!
12:17At Bricksfold Farm, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales,
12:23fourth-generation farmer Richard and his wife Louise, a former chef,
12:27have called me in to help revitalise their flagging, glamping business.
12:33As a farm, we've been forced to diversify, to survive,
12:37because farming is like in its most uncertain time than it's ever been in.
12:42With farmers across the UK facing an uncertain future,
12:45as a result of low product prices and high running costs,
12:49the glamping side of their business has to bring in money
12:51so they can stay working on the land they love.
12:58But at the moment, their efforts are still only earning them far less than minimum wage.
13:04It's a scramble every day to fit everything into a 6am to midnight window.
13:10No downtime at all.
13:13Having spent £165,000 on three shepherd's huts and an on-site cafe,
13:19if they can't start to make it pay,
13:21they risk losing their investment and a farm Richard's family have worked for generations.
13:27Maybe they shouldn't have to diversify, but I think it's diversify or die at this point.
13:34Having cast my eye over the shepherd's huts...
13:37Hello, sheep.
13:40Of course you look grumpy.
13:42Next, I need to understand the state of Richard and Louise's financial situation.
13:47So where are your financial difficulties then?
13:49I think the crippler for us was losing the cafe.
13:53We opened that in November 2019.
13:57And then six months later, we've got complete and utter lockdown.
14:01We ended up just closing it down in the end, which is terribly sad, really.
14:06My gosh, that must have taken the stuffing out of you a bit.
14:08Yeah.
14:09So in that building, there'll be £95,000.
14:12We've never made a return on that money.
14:15Got another four years off paying it back.
14:17So that's all a bit depressing, really.
14:20With the nearest town a 20-minute drive away, offering food makes a lot of sense here.
14:25And the cafe could have pulled in some much-needed additional profit.
14:29So do you guys pay yourselves?
14:32He pays me a very small wage.
14:34Doesn't pay himself a wage.
14:35How do you manage?
14:36We just live a very modest life.
14:38We would like more.
14:40But obviously, we've got this crippling loan.
14:43So it's kind of out of reach at the moment.
14:45OK.
14:46Well, I do see that you've got a really nice product.
14:49And I'm sure that there's ways that we can enhance it.
14:53So that is what I'm going to be concentrating on, OK?
14:58With £95,000 lost to the ill-fated cafe and loan repayments leaving them with very little
15:04money to live on, I'm hoping to find a way to lift Richard and Louise's spirits and boost
15:09their business.
15:11We've had a tough few years, and it's just like, can we have a year where we just open
15:16and make some money, rather than massive financial outputs?
15:21With my first day here drawing to a close, I clearly need to help Richard and Louise maximize
15:27what they have on offer here and squeeze every penny out of this place.
15:31Louise said that they haven't adjusted their pricing structure, so now seems to be very
15:37much the time that it would be a good idea to do that.
15:40And then also, if I want to winter-proof this a bit better, we have to think about how
15:46to look after the guests better.
15:57It's the morning of my second day in Yorkshire.
16:00And with no food offering on site or nearby, making breakfast is my responsibility.
16:06I mean, scrambled eggs are my go-to in most situations.
16:10I love an egg.
16:12I'm wondering if there might be an opportunity for Richard and Louise to make more money by
16:16minimizing the stress to their guests of self-catering.
16:21You have to be quite prepared coming somewhere like this, because everywhere seems to offer
16:25something slightly different.
16:28Providing the option to add some morning essentials to a booking would not only offer additional
16:34convenience, it's also a great way to boost the bottom line.
16:37I think we need to at least have the conversation about why Louise isn't doing some kind of breakfast
16:42goods, if it's right for her.
16:44I mean, I'd like to open the debate at least.
16:47With the glamping market having moved on significantly since they first opened 13 years ago, I want
16:53to encourage Richard and Louise to revamp their offering.
16:56I think they don't understand how much now they've got to, you know, really keep on top
17:01of the game to make sure that they get their fair share of visitors.
17:06So, to help kickstart the process of getting Brakes Fold back on track, I want to show them
17:13how stiff the local competition is and inspire them to make some much-needed changes.
17:19Hi, hi.
17:20Hello.
17:21I'm Alex.
17:22Hi, nice to meet you.
17:23I've brought them to meet Sasha and Johnny, who opened their huts on a site that's only 20
17:28minutes from the farm, just four years ago.
17:31So, thank you for letting us come and peer.
17:34Lead on, because I'm longing to see.
17:37At £150 a night, they're asking 25 more than Richard and Louise, but they've implemented
17:43some clever ideas that could inspire some improvements at Brakes Fold and boost the bottom line.
17:51Go in, have a look.
17:53You're welcome.
17:55Oh, look, they've got one of those fold-out beds.
17:58Oh, yeah.
17:58Which opens up the space quite a lot.
18:01I guess that the duvet and the pillows must be in the seat, eh?
18:05Yeah, yeah.
18:06And then, under their shelf, there's all the games, binoculars, walking maps.
18:11Adding some space-saving solutions like these would absolutely improve the experience at
18:16Richard and Louise's huts.
18:18And it's not the only area where they could take some inspiration.
18:22Ooh, pizza.
18:24Very nice.
18:25The girls that are coming this weekend have got the pizza package.
18:28You get two pizzas and some marshmallows to cook on your own pizza oven.
18:33Upselling an easy-to-prepare meal, on top of the price of the overnight stay, is a great
18:38way to make extra money without too much additional effort.
18:43As well as selling this pizza package for £18, Sasha and Johnny also offer a simple
18:48breakfast that's included in the overnight price.
18:52What do you give us standard?
18:54So, we have bacon, two eggs, milk and orange juice.
18:57I think that's really good.
18:58Basic offering, but it works.
18:59Yeah, it's very nice.
19:00Very well thought out.
19:01It's been really generous of you to give us your time and to show us your cleverness.
19:10Back at the farm, I want to waste no time in showing Richard and Louise how I think they
19:15could enhance their huts.
19:18If it's peeing with rain, you're quite limited to the space you've got and to where you can
19:24put things.
19:25So, something that I've done before is like a little lean-to.
19:28So, you could put your boots in there and hang up your coat.
19:32Yeah.
19:33You know, have you never thought of putting something up here so that you can shield yourself
19:39a bit from the rain?
19:40I haven't thought about, you know, one of those sails.
19:43Yes.
19:46Weatherproofing this space would make the huts much more attractive through the winter
19:49and could help boost bookings in the low season.
19:53Here, could you add a little bit to make it a little bit more enclosed?
19:58I just think anything you can do to extend your season is going to be a good thing.
20:02Yeah.
20:04Inside, I want to highlight how making better use of space could enhance their customers'
20:08experience.
20:09I do think we need a little bit of storage.
20:12Where do you put stuff in a bathroom?
20:14Yeah.
20:15With the footprint of these huts so limited, anything that can be done to make them more
20:19functional and flexible is going to be beneficial.
20:22Instead of having a table like this to give yourself a bit more floor space, you could
20:27have a lift-up table so that it gives you a bit more room for manoeuvre.
20:32Finally, with the farm and huts competing for Richard and Louise's attention, I want to
20:38free them from the responsibility of always being available for check-in and buy them some
20:43much-needed time.
20:45In an attempt to try and make your time more efficient, we could do a few little videos
20:49of you.
20:50Right, yeah.
20:51We'll get you on a QR code.
20:54You could give the QR code to your guests and as they check in, they can be talked around
20:58the property themselves because that means even if you're not here, you're sure that they're
21:03going to get the information.
21:04That's a good idea.
21:07With two businesses to run side-by-side, having the option to greet their guests virtually should
21:13be a game-changer.
21:16Just a little welcome video to show you how everything works in our huts.
21:19They don't want to be stuck here waiting for people to arrive.
21:23So instead of having to go through the same mantra every time someone arrives...
21:27Regular questions we get asked are about the hob.
21:30If you do turn it on and it's locked, you simply have to hold down the padlock button there.
21:35They could possibly put all this in a short video explaining exactly to their guests.
21:41With your logs, you only need about three or four pieces.
21:44It doesn't stop them from meeting people.
21:46If you just break it up a little bit, it just helps it get going.
21:50It does free them up.
21:51It allows them their own time back.
21:54When you do it like that, it looks easy.
22:00With my second day here drawing to a close, I want to leave Richard and Louise with a
22:04clear plan for moving their business forward.
22:07As well as adding extra storage to the huts and asking them to winter-proof the outdoor
22:12space, with thousands lost to their failed cafe, I want them to look at their competitors'
22:17pricing and think about putting theirs up so they can claw back some of that lost cash.
22:22You can never underestimate the difference an extra 20 quid a night is going to make.
22:26You know, that's another almost five grand a year.
22:29And that's only over one hut.
22:31My next suggestion for upping their income is to harness Louise's cooking background as
22:36a chef and offer a homemade ready meal deal.
22:40If I had the option of just arriving and popping something in the microwave rather than having
22:45to go to the pub, I would definitely take it.
22:48Lasagna is an easy one, isn't it?
22:50Yeah, really easy.
22:51Something like that, yeah.
22:52I do also think that offering some kind of breakfast goods are not a bad thing either.
22:59Yeah, no, I think that's a good idea.
23:02I also want to create a stronger first impression when guests arrive on site.
23:09I would like very much to improve the signage.
23:13Yeah.
23:14I think that really lets you down.
23:16I'd like that to be my gift to you.
23:18Okay.
23:19Finally, I want to invite a returning guest to test if our changes meet their approval
23:24and justify the increased price.
23:26I'd love to get one of your customers back and see if they like it.
23:30I'm absolutely sure they will.
23:31What do you think?
23:32Yeah.
23:33You can't just keep on doing the same thing as you were doing 14 years ago and hope that
23:38it's going to work as well.
23:40Definitely, yeah.
23:41With my first two days here already done, I'm hoping my plan can help Richard and Louise
23:46rediscover the spark they've lost after so many setbacks.
23:50It's getting reinvigorated and connected back to the reason why you started doing it in the
23:56first place.
23:57Because there was a reason why we started doing it in the first place.
24:01Not only that, if they're going to continue the 100-plus-year legacy on Richard's family
24:06farm, they need to turn some proper profits.
24:10They need to be hard-headed and a bit more business-like about it and actually start making
24:17a bit more money for all their efforts.
24:19Otherwise, what's the point?
24:32Go on.
24:33At Breaksfold Farm in Yorkshire, 35-year-old former chef Louise and her 48-year-old husband
24:42and fourth-generation farmer Richard are attempting to get their glamping business back in the
24:48black to help subsidise the farm that Richard's family have been tending for over 100 years.
24:56To help bring in more money and allow them to keep their farming legacy and glamping business
25:01alive, I've asked them to start winter-proofing their shepherd's huts outside space.
25:13We've tried this sale.
25:15I'm not too keen on it personally.
25:18We need to come up with a bit better solution.
25:22I also want them to research their competition and look at increasing prices to speed up paying
25:27down their debts.
25:28Just adding a couple of pounds, I think, you know, it'd be surprising how it might add up.
25:34If they can't find a way to balance the competing demands of farming and hospitality and make
25:40more money, over 100 years of farming history could come to an end.
25:47It does deflate you a little bit and it's hard.
25:56I'm determined to show them how to make their business pay.
26:01They're on minimum wage between them and, frankly, I'm desperate to help them.
26:07And that starts by sorting out the farm's uninspiring first impression.
26:11I'm dying to replace that signage.
26:13Awesome.
26:16Hello, used twos.
26:18How are you doing?
26:18I'm fine.
26:20Well, I thought we'd start the day with something positive, so I shall bring you your new signage.
26:25Oh, wow.
26:25That's lovely.
26:27Then, we have glamping and camping signs.
26:32Shall we try and get them up?
26:33Yeah.
26:34Yeah?
26:34I'll go find some stuff.
26:36While we leave Richard to get busy sorting out the signage, I want to show Louise how the
26:43homemade ready meal idea I mooted on my last visit could add up to some tasty extra income.
26:49Come on.
26:49With Louise's returning guests set to test drive all our new ideas later today, we'd better
26:56crack on and cook.
26:57Tonight, it's lasagna.
26:59So, an onion and a carrot.
27:03Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be here cooking in the kitchen with you.
27:08Ready meals are a good idea here because anyone coming here to enjoy the peace and serenity of
27:15the natural landscape may not want to get back in their car and go off to the pub or cook
27:22in the, frankly, quite basic cooking facilities.
27:25Oh, that's enough.
27:27Talk it all in.
27:29Not a waste there, look.
27:30Lovely.
27:31With the vegetables, meat, and seasoning for a double portion totaling just £1.76, not
27:38only is this culinary concept cost-effective to produce...
27:42Right, so we just let that simmer from here.
27:44I'm hoping it can also encourage Louise and Richard to find time together and show them
27:49the value of attempting new ideas again after a difficult couple of years.
27:53I do enjoy cooking a lot because we do sit down and have family meals.
27:59As much as we live together and work together, we don't actually see an awful lot of each other
28:05when we're doing our separate things.
28:07The fact that the cafe has failed and all the things have happened subsequently, you know,
28:12Richard's accident, I've really made them retrench.
28:15I think this is a really good exercise for them to improve what they're already working so well on.
28:21Despite this recipe not being up to the standards I'd typically apply...
28:25I don't want any Italian to write to me about the fact that
28:29I'm using pre-grated parmesan.
28:32It wasn't me doing the shopping, okay?
28:34I'm sorry!
28:36With the bechamel, parmesan, and pasta sheets priced at a combined £1.04,
28:41the cost to assemble the entire lasagna is just £2.80.
28:45Honestly, darling, I'm absolutely sure that this is a money winner.
28:49Yeah.
28:50If Louise could sell the finished product for £11 to just half her guests at her current
28:5665% occupancy, the return would be well worth her effort.
29:00That makes you a grand total of £3,914.
29:04Well, I mean, it's a nice holiday every year, isn't it?
29:07Well, then it starts becoming interesting money.
29:10Yeah.
29:13Richard has made short work of putting up the new signage.
29:16Ta-da!
29:17These look very nice indeed.
29:19Are you happy with them?
29:20Yeah, I'm really happy with them.
29:22Next, I want to see if his handiwork has enhanced the hut's outside space.
29:26Just go and have a look at what you've done over there.
29:29And made them more attractive for guests to book all year round.
29:33I bet you hate that sale.
29:35Yep.
29:38I think it's a great concept.
29:40It's just the practicality of it, I think, out here with wind and rain.
29:44Looks like it's back to the drawing board to find a solution that can withstand the Yorkshire weather.
29:49But thankfully, Richard's custom-made boot and coat rack and hot tub cover...
29:54You're a clever man. I'm really impressed.
29:57..both look like they're made of stronger stuff.
30:00I think that's lovely.
30:02It's actually turned out a bit better than I was expecting.
30:05Not only will these changes make the huts more usable
30:08and hopefully encourage winter bookings,
30:10they're also essential to keep pace with the competition.
30:14What I hope I've reminded you is since you've started,
30:18there's new kids on the block who are all constantly innovating.
30:23And so you've got to, too,
30:25to make sure that you get your fair share and more of the available market.
30:31If Richard and Louise can up their winter occupancy by even 5%,
30:35it could earn them an extra £3,400.
30:39To help us justify putting up prices
30:42and taking a bigger chunk of the £88 million glamping market,
30:46next I want to make some inexpensive improvements to the inside space
30:50to make sure guests keep coming back
30:53and feel they're getting real value for money.
30:56There's various things I've got.
30:59These folding chairs are very comfortable.
31:02So if you wanted to,
31:04it just gives you that little bit more room.
31:07At the table, I think that's a really clever idea.
31:09If that went to the wall,
31:11that could be a leaf that pulled out.
31:14So it gives you a little bit more space
31:16for no extra space taken.
31:19While I leave Louise to assemble the rest of the table
31:24and ask very handy hubby Richard
31:26to add some storage solutions to the bathroom,
31:29I'm going to crack on in the living area.
31:33I've already popped in under here
31:37two fold-away boxes.
31:40Bit of storage there.
31:41In here, I have hung up already this,
31:46which I think is much better.
31:48As well as adding a clever sink cover to extend the worktop,
31:52plus a wall-mounted utensil rack to declutter the drawers,
31:55I also want to make the kitchen better equipped to cook in
31:58without taking up any more valuable space.
32:02Instead of your microwave,
32:04I have got you this incredibly useful
32:07and brilliant little machine
32:09with which you can toast, roast, air-fried, bake and grill.
32:15Blimey, right.
32:16And it would allow someone to heat up
32:18your beautifully home-cooked meal.
32:20Always thinking.
32:22Look how neat it looks.
32:24It's very cute.
32:26I mean, I think this is a game-changer.
32:28With the kitchen upgraded
32:30and the bathroom bolstered with storage solutions,
32:33all that's left is to sort out the seating arrangements.
32:36Okay, and then a little folding chair.
32:42Cute.
32:43And then, you know, look, darling.
32:46Just that extra space, isn't it?
32:49I mean, I think that's rather nice, I must say.
32:54Making this limited space more stylish and adaptable
32:57only cost £500
32:59and should help justify charging more for it.
33:03But before my returning guests arrive
33:05to take it for a test drive,
33:07we need to nail the new pricing
33:09that will help Richard and Louise pay down their debts.
33:12I know you've already had a little look at it.
33:14What is your conclusion?
33:16We've done £5,
33:18so we've put one night up to £130.
33:21Ooh!
33:21Ooh!
33:22But, I mean, honestly, not even a tenner.
33:25The difficulty was it pushed us above our competition.
33:28We might try and push it up again in high season.
33:31I would suggest that in high season,
33:34your one night stay has got to be closer to £150.
33:38Yeah.
33:38In July and August, we're busy with the camping,
33:41we're busy haymaking on the farm,
33:43so I have no objection to kind of really bumping that price in the summer.
33:47That uplift could earn Richard and Louise
33:50an extra £6,000 over the three months of high season
33:53if they hit their previous 90% occupancy.
33:56It's a hefty extra bit of money.
33:59Let's get the money in and keep the show on the road.
34:03Yeah?
34:03Yeah.
34:04With the new pricing strategy agreed
34:07only minutes ahead of our returning guests' imminent arrival...
34:11Oh, gosh.
34:12I've just about got time to finish off
34:14the new and improved offering in the huts
34:16by adding in a simple breakfast hamper.
34:19Right, my darling.
34:21Tuck it in.
34:22Take my mucky farm while he's off.
34:25Priced at £11 for an assortment of bacon, eggs, bread, milk and jam
34:29that cost less than £4 to put together,
34:32if just half their guests take up the option,
34:34it could generate more than £2,500 of additional profit across the year
34:39based on the current average occupancy of 65%.
34:42And then this is the last thing.
34:44I think it's ready to hang up.
34:47Well, hopefully, it might make your life a bit easier
34:51and free up some of your time.
34:53With QR code in place to take care of checking in our returning guests,
34:57we're all set for them to test drive our new and improved hut.
35:02Are you ready?
35:03Now we have to hope they'll think the improvements we've made are worth paying for
35:07and crucially lead to a five-star review and more return business.
35:26At Breaksfold Farm glamping site in Yorkshire...
35:29Ah, that's new.
35:31Yeah, that's new.
35:32If you scan the QR code and you can watch all the information.
35:36Returning guests Charlotte and Glenn are test driving the newly improved hut,
35:40complete with convenient QR code check-in.
35:44Welcome to our Shepherd's Huts.
35:45This is just a little short video
35:47just to show you how everything works in the hut.
35:50We've made a raft of changes inside the hut
35:52to make the limited space more practical.
35:55Ooh, that's very clever.
35:57And bolster the kitchen equipment.
35:59Is that a microwave?
36:01It's not a toilet swivel.
36:03It does make a big difference.
36:05Plus added some weatherproofing to the outside area.
36:08Oh, that'll be good.
36:09Well, it's chucking it down tonight.
36:11But will they be happy with the increase of £10 a night
36:15from what they'd previously paid?
36:17The view's just lovely here.
36:19Oh, I love it.
36:20I'm hoping the extra income will help owners Richard and Louise
36:24keep the farm Richard's family have worked for generations.
36:28Evening.
36:29Hello.
36:30Hello.
36:31Hi, I'm Alex.
36:33Hi, nice to meet you.
36:33I'm Charlotte.
36:34I'm Glenn.
36:35Glenn, lovely to meet you.
36:37I'm not going to ask you too many questions.
36:38I'm going to find out what you think tomorrow morning.
36:42But as another example of something we're trying differently.
36:45So I have brought you a lasagna,
36:47which will cook in the new little oven.
36:49So you've got tea.
36:50That's lovely.
36:51I hope you have a nice time.
36:53I hope tomorrow you'll have lots to say to me.
36:55Yeah.
36:55Look forward to seeing you then.
36:57See you later.
37:27See you later.
37:27Lovely.
37:27which could make an enormous difference to Richard and Louise's financial fortunes.
37:34Morning, morning.
37:35Hello.
37:36So I've got lots of questions for you.
37:39Did you eat the lasagna?
37:41Oh, it was lovely.
37:42Would you have paid £14?
37:44Yeah.
37:45Absolutely.
37:45I think we would have paid more.
37:46It was a massive fortune.
37:47It was lovely.
37:48And a nice little new oven that we've got.
37:52Does it work well?
37:53It does work,
37:54but you burn your hand quite a few times because there's no oven glove.
37:58Ooh.
37:59There we go.
37:59That's useful feedback.
38:02Did you make breakfast this morning?
38:03We did, yeah.
38:04And what did you think of what was on offer?
38:07I liked it.
38:08Yeah.
38:08That was really convenient.
38:09Lovely.
38:10And a little bit more cleared, a bit of a bigger table.
38:14A bigger table made a big difference.
38:16Oh, good.
38:16Being able to pull it out.
38:18Yeah.
38:18That was great.
38:18Did the extra storage help in the bathroom space?
38:21It is nice.
38:21And the little cubes in the cupboard as well.
38:24Do you think the QR code works?
38:26I think so, yeah.
38:27I think so, because when you first arrive and when people go through things, you might not necessarily be listening.
38:34Yes, I do.
38:35Don't take everything in.
38:36Oh, good.
38:36That's almost all thumbs up for our new ideas, but are they willing to pay Richard and Louise the £130
38:43they're now asking for?
38:45What would you think this experience is worth for a night?
38:49Somewhere else.
38:49This sort of size might be £180 a night.
38:53Hurrah.
38:54There we go.
38:57That's been really, really helpful.
38:59I do appreciate your feedback.
39:02With reassurance from a former guest that the food offering was well worth it and the price of the hut
39:08could climb by as much as £55 per night.
39:11Bye, darling.
39:12Bye.
39:14This business should start making more money and help Richard and Louise secure their family's future.
39:19I'm so pleased because what this has done is set Louise and Richard on the path to another generation at
39:27the farm.
39:33But before I go, I want to leave them with a parting gift that could make a huge impact on
39:38their winter occupancy.
39:40I've reached into my little black book to secure the services of travel influencer Danielle, whose videos reach as many
39:49as 16 million viewers each month.
39:52With the glamping market increasingly popular with 20 and 30-somethings seeking luxury in nature, social media marketing like this
40:01is invaluable to reach potential customers.
40:04Danielle.
40:05Hi.
40:05This is Louise.
40:07This is actually Louise.
40:08Richard, they're the owners of the farm.
40:09Nice to meet you too.
40:09Danielle has got amazing powers and hopefully is going to help us get some business for the winter.
40:16I've made a little voiceover style video that you can have a look through.
40:19Let's have a look.
40:20Okay.
40:21If you're looking for a peaceful countryside escape that feels miles away from everything, this is Breakfold's farm right on
40:28the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
40:30And honestly, it's got everything you could possibly need.
40:33A full-size double bed, a perfectly kitted out kitchen with a mini oven, grill, hob and fridge.
40:38Save this spot for your next glamping trip.
40:41Oh, my God, darling, that's amazing.
40:45I'm really well done.
40:47What sort of results do you usually get from these?
40:49I'm hoping like up to 100k views.
40:52I like them.
40:52And will you let us know when it does go live?
40:54Yeah, I'll take note of all the notifications and things and send it over to you as well with the
40:58results.
40:59That's really appreciated.
41:00Thank you so much.
41:01Thanks, darling.
41:01It's such a pleasure to meet you.
41:02It's so nice to meet you.
41:05With my time here at an end, all that's left for me to do is say my farewells.
41:11I really like what you're doing here.
41:13And you're so nice, both of you.
41:16You know, you deserve to do well.
41:18I'll pass you on all my details and then if you want to, you can always get in touch.
41:22Your fresh pair of eyes has been really useful to us.
41:25Yeah, definitely.
41:26Just with everything that's gone on in the last few years, we have kind of taken our eye off the
41:30ball, haven't we, a little bit?
41:31Yeah.
41:32It has genuinely been an absolute pleasure.
41:34Pleasure.
41:37On my first visit here, Richard and Louise were stuck in a rut after enduring the double blow of the
41:43cafe closure and Richard's accident.
41:46With £95,000 of debt to repay, a hundred years of history on the family farm were at risk of
41:52coming to an end.
41:54This clearly quite go-getting couple were really derailed by two quite dramatic incidents and it's really set them off
42:03track.
42:05But now, with the template for updating their huts and upping their prices, plus two food packages to roll out,
42:11they can be confident about writing a new, more profitable chapter.
42:17I'm hoping that this process has encouraged them to draw a line under it and to move on bravely facing
42:23the future.
42:25We really do care about what we do here, because there aren't many people that can say their family have
42:31been in one place for all that time.
42:35Some really good advice to take forward, isn't there?
42:37Yeah.
42:44So a bit of time has now passed since Alex visited us.
42:47We have put covers over all the hot tubs for all the huts.
42:50It has generally been well received because the weather has turned.
42:54We've improved the storage in all three huts, and we have had returning guests who've said that that was better.
42:59We bought some pizza ovens, which guests will be able to hire from us, and potentially will be able to
43:04upsell a pizza-making kit.
43:05We did get a couple of bookings from Danielle's video.
43:08So far, so good, isn't it, really?
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