We’d
like to introduce you to one of our members, The Dorset Hideaway.
Based
in West Dorset, near to Charmouth, Bridport and Broadchurch, Esther and Mike
run their Gold award caravan storage site alongside a camping and glamping
site.
Here’s
our interview with The Dorset Hideaway, giving you an insight into the running
of a caravan storage business.
How long have you been in
operation: We
opened in the summer of 2015, so will be coming up to our 4th year
this summer.
Have you always been in caravan
storage: No.
We became storage owners as a result of diversifying our former dairy farm into
a campsite and glamping site.
What has been the
biggest change in the caravan storage industry since you started?
The
biggest change I’ve seen in caravanning in the last few years has been the
number of people preferring not to tow anymore - young and old alike. They
prefer to stay in an area for a season or two with someone else towing the van
to & from storage or seasonal pitch sites and then the van being sited each
time for them. They see the cost savings in downsizing their car and running
costs and they tend to use their vans more as a result.
Having
an organisation like CaSSOA is helping to consolidate and regulate storage and
make it more viable for both customer and business provider with more secure
and better insured sites.
What do you find most
challenging about caravan storage?
The
most challenging thing is getting caravan owners to maintain their units. Once
stored, they tend to forget they still need as much maintenance as when they’re
in use. They need to be kept roadworthy for us to tow them in and out. Vans
sitting up tend to get seized brakes and high spots on tyres like all things
they are best used regularly! Thefts are a big issue for the industry but
investing in CCTV and security are the best deterrents.
What do you like most
about caravan storage?
For
us, caravan storage means seeing lots of new faces on site, so getting to know
a new family group is nice. It also uses an area on the farmyard to earn extra
income from.
We
are a former dairy farming couple of 30 years. My husband’s family have farmed
the Marshwood Vale for nearly 150 years! Diversifying has allowed us to keep
our land but use it in a different way to earn an income. It has allowed us to
stay and live out our later years in the area where we were born and have lived
in for decades. It’s great to be able to share this stunning location with many
thousands of people every year. With panoramic hills and fields as our backdrop,
and the Jurassic coast less than 3 miles away, it’s no wonder people return
year after year.
We
provide indoor and outdoor storage, caravan cleaning services, water, EHU in
the storage areas, toilets, a site to stay on with fab award winning facilities,
a spa with hot tub & sauna, and a fishing pond on site. We put up awnings
for customers and we offer to fully set up the caravan for arrival so the only
thing our customers have to do is take the beer/wine from the fridge and sit
down in their warm caravan! We can even provide pet and babysitting services too!
In addition, we have a petting farm and luxury glamping in 6m domes this
year.
What do you like to
do in your spare time?
We
love the great outdoors, so anything countryside or rural or animal related. We
own a menagerie of animals, dogs, 6 cats, 2 miniature Shetland ponies, pigs,
goats and chickens. We love gardening and visiting gardens. We have a shared
love of history and music and try to go to the cinema and concerts as often as
possible. That’s us!
For more information about The Dorset Hideaway, visit the
CaSSOA site listing, or head direct to The Dorset Hideaway website.
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