A pandemic-born glamping site has been allowed to open its doors to tourists throughout the summer.
According to a report, Duncan Smith’s Hengrave Meadow Glamping opened last summer at his two-acre meadow located in Swannington near Reepham.
The glamping site was founded following the fact that COVID-19 caused the closure of the previous company owned by Smith, GGS, which hired and constructed exhibition stands for various events throughout the country.
Hengrave Meadow hosted guests in August and July 2021, following rules that allow individuals to use their land for an alternative purpose for a limited time without requiring an official planning permit.
However, after filing a proposal with Broadland District Council, Smith was told that he could stay open between May to September to serve as a seasonal holiday destination.
Smith said that they had always intended it to be a long-term project. Things like constructing the shepherd’s hut, which houses the bathroom, have been an expensive undertaking.
We may have believed that the council wouldn’t grant us permission to plan in the event that we had too many camping sites in the area, so this is a great thing.
“The that we’ve been granted permission means that we will now be able to operate an efficient website for the entire year.”
“We have already contacted some of those who stayed last time, and they have already booked to come back.”
The main focus of Hengrave Meadow, which, last year, attracted guests from as far as London, Manchester, and Birmingham, is on providing a luxurious stay in tranquil, private landscapes.
The site is home to three bell tents, and to preserve the peace, Smith will not expand anymore.
Each tent is completely isolated, and visitors can use their own private bathroom.
“We didn’t want to be greedy,” added the 62-year-old. “We always wanted to go for quality, not quantity.”
“The whole point is that it is luxurious, peaceful, and people have got their own space,” he added.
“You often come across sites where the accommodation is regimented and packed together. We have got this wonderful meadow, full of wildlife and trees dotted around, and the tents themselves are deluxe.”
“It feels like we are doing something different, and people love it. We want coming here to be more of an experience.”
To book, visit hengravemeadow.co.uk.