Dawn Chorus Holidays, a farm-based tourism business in Barsham near Beccles, England, will close its glamping operations on August 31, 2027, after 15 seasons of welcoming guests. Owners Helen and Bob Bradshaw said the decision follows considerable reflection as they prepare to move toward semi-retirement. The closure will affect the site’s safari tents and three shepherd’s huts, but other parts of the business will continue operating.
The Bradshaws diversified their farm business in 2012 by introducing glamping accommodations. Since then, Dawn Chorus Holidays has developed into a countryside retreat combining overnight stays with opportunities for visitors to experience farm life. The business also operates three holiday cottages, named Lavender, Bluebell, and Daisy, which will remain available after the glamping operations end. The farm shop and resident animals will also continue to be part of the visitor experience.
In a message to guests, the owners said the decision had come after “a tremendous amount of thought and consideration” following recent milestone birthdays. They also reflected on the relationships developed with guests and staff during the business’s years of operation.
Mr. Bradshaw told East Anglian Daily Times: “The thing we are most proud of in the past 14 years is how many repeat guests we get, the wonderful reviews and our team that are not only work colleagues but our friends.”
The couple also highlighted the memories created by groups who booked the entire site for family gatherings. These bookings allowed multiple generations to stay together while enjoying the rural setting and farm activities.
Mrs. Bradshaw said: “It’s lovely to hear the laughter and the noise.”
Although the glamping accommodations will no longer be available after August 31, 2027, the owners intend to maintain the farm’s other attractions. Plans include welcoming pigs in the spring, alongside the chickens, sheep, and cattle already associated with the property. The couple said guests who are interested in learning about farming have been among their most memorable visitors, highlighting the role that agricultural experiences have played in the business’s appeal.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the announcement illustrates one of the considerations involved in running a diversified, owner-operated tourism business: deciding how individual accommodation offerings fit into longer-term personal and operational plans. Dawn Chorus Holidays will discontinue its glamping units while retaining its cottages, farm shop, and animals, allowing the business to preserve several sources of visitor activity without continuing every aspect of its accommodation operation.
The planned closure also gives the owners and their guests an extended transition period. Visitors will have until the end of summer 2027 to book a final stay in the safari tents or shepherd’s huts. The holiday cottages and farm attractions will continue beyond that date, meaning the end of glamping operations will not mark the complete closure of Dawn Chorus Holidays.
