A Lancashire-based glamping company that began as a backyard project during the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded into a multi-site business and recently showcased its services at the Royal Cheshire County Show, held June 16–17.
Horseshoe Glamping, founded in 2020 by Eccleston resident Simon Schofield, started with a single tent erected in his garden for his children during lockdown restrictions. Six years later, the company operates across multiple locations in Lancashire, including sites in Chipping, Burscough, and Eccleston, while also supplying bell tents for events throughout northern England.
The business was among the exhibitors featured at this year’s Royal Cheshire County Show through a collaboration with Lauren Simon, known for appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and The Real Housewives of Cheshire. Simon attended the event to promote her perfume brand, Lauren Simon Collection, while using a Horseshoe Glamping tent as part of her display.
In a video shared on Instagram during the event, a media volunteer commented on the structure, saying: “We’re here with Lauren today who is in the incredible tipi tent which I’m not sure if I’ve seen something like this before at Cheshire Show.”
Lauren Simon also praised the company’s work during the event.
“I just want to say how great, professional, and wonderful Horseshoe Glamping is. This tipi is incredible. People have literally stopped me and said, ‘Wow. This set, if I can dare say it, is the best stand at the whole of the Cheshire Show’. So, I can’t recommend it enough and I’m really excited to maybe sleep under one with fairy lights. Service is amazing. Looks fantastic. Well done and thank you so much to Horseshoe Glamping”
According to the Lancashire Post, the business gained momentum shortly after launching during the pandemic, when outdoor gatherings and garden events became one of the few available options for celebrations.
“During COVID, I put a tent up in the garden for my boys for when they came to stay. I decorated it all nice and put it on Facebook. Someone said ‘Oh, that’s a great idea. I’d like to hire it’ and I thought, right, okay. My boys set me up with an Instagram page, because I had no idea, and within three or four months, it literally just took off.
“It boomed really, really quickly. I think probably because we got a lot of celebrities involved, pretty much straight away, you know, we had the likes of Paddy McGuinness, all the Cheshire Housewives. Because of Covid, there was nothing else that people could do apart from have parties in the garden so it started from there. We’ve been in OK Magazine, we’ve been on ITV but I don’t think a lot of people know about us. At our site in Eccleston, we’ve got 18 acres of land and we do like exclusive events for hen parties, birthdays, mini festivals, but we don’t have any signs up because it is exclusive. We have celebrities, private events, and these people do not want anyone turning up so that’s why we keep it quiet.”
Today, Horseshoe Glamping provides accommodation and event tents for several destinations, including Wild Boar Park in Chipping and Orrell Park in Burscough. Schofield said the company is also discussing potential involvement with Glastonbury-related operations next year.
In addition to supporting partner venues, the business hosts private events on its 18-acre Eccleston property, including celebrations, festivals, and group gatherings.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the company’s growth illustrates how demand for experiential accommodations and event-based outdoor lodging has continued beyond the pandemic period.
The business has expanded from mobile tent rentals into destination-based experiences and private event hosting, reflecting a broader trend in the glamping sector toward diversified revenue streams. Industry operators increasingly combine accommodations, event services, and exclusive-use experiences to attract different customer segments and reduce reliance on traditional overnight stays alone.
Schofield, who previously worked as a tiler, has stepped back from the day-to-day management of the business due to health issues. Operations are now supported by family members, including his partner Jen, brother Lee, and parents.
Reflecting on the company’s growth, Schofield said: “We’re a local, small, family-run business, and we started off with just one tent, but like I say, it’s gone off.
“Our reviews are all five stars. I mean, I don’t know anything similar in the local area that’s got as many good reports as what we have. From what I can see, I think we’re the only one in Lancashire with so many good reviews, and obviously we do the top celebs and stuff, so I’m not going to blow my own trumpets and say ‘I’m the best in Lancashire’, but you know, we have grown quite quickly for a reason.”