Are you looking to invest in shipping container glamping in the UK? This booming market is already believed to be worth over £2bn worldwide — and is expected to double in value within two years. Driven largely by eco-conscious younger demographics, it’s an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to offer a sustainable modern spin on the traditional holiday home.
But before you commit to this vibrant new wave of staycation, it’s important to first know what’s involved. In this blog, we’ll take you through the basics of finding land, arranging planning permissions, and everything else that comes with creating amazing glamping experiences. You’ll find every bit of information you need to establish yourself as a leading name for the eco-travellers of the future.
Key Considerations for Shipping Container Glamping in the UK
Getting into the world of shipping container glamping in the UK requires investment, knowledge, and time. From the logistics of running a business, to working around local regulations, there’s plenty to consider — all of which can be simplified if you have the chance to work with an established provider of the latest container homes and/or glamping parks.
For anyone dipping a toe into these waters, the basic considerations are as follows:
Land and Planning
If you’re looking to turn shipping container glamping in the UK into a business opportunity, the location you choose could be crucial. Although your instinct may be to settle in any area that has stunning views, it’s not always this straightforward. Firstly, you’ll need to think about any permissions you might need — and any regulations that could stop you from planting roots.
In general terms, individual shipping containers are regarded as being temporary structures. However, when you combine a few of them to form an actual campsite, as is often the case with the compact and cosy Tiny Homes, this definition can quickly change. In fact, if your shipping container glamping pods stay in the same place for over 28 days they will be classed as permanent buildings — which usually requires planning permission.
This can be problematic for some business owners, as planning can cost £20,000 plus and may take as long as 12 months to get permission. To hit the ground running and avoid missing out on valuable revenue, it is often much easier to work with a supplier that already owns exempted land. These companies specialise in all things off-grid, making it easier for you to tap into their expertise without being bound up in red tape.
Marketing
Even the best shipping container glamping sites the UK has to offer need to spend money on marketing. If you’re starting from scratch this can be an expensive factor as, by the time you’ve done market research, built a website and created a funky brand, you could be looking at a minimum spend of around £20,000. And that’s before you start entering into partnerships with local businesses who can help you to diversify your services and offer activities like hiking, fishing, yoga, etc.
Some off-grid businesses make this easier by marketing on your behalf, which can be a great way to tap into an existing audience.
Customer Experience
Once you’ve set up your shipping container glamping site, the next — and arguably biggest — step is delivering amazing experiences. You’ll want your business to be the full package, a beautiful retreat among a stunning local environment, with plenty of activities, classy designs, comfort, all the mod cons, and more. To make your mark in this exciting new market, you’ll need to deliver elite customer experiences.
Here are all the things you should offer to make staycationers happy:
- Responsive Service: Holidaymakers expect a high standard of customer service. Make sure your shipping container glamping business responds quickly to enquiries from current guests — and future ones. The better your service, the more positive the online reviews — which is huge in the modern age.
- Make it Personal: No two glampers are quite the same. Some want to switch off their screens and endlessly soak in a hot tub, others want to have an adventure. You can make everyone happy by catering to all tastes, from foodies and fishers, to falconers and fun-lovers.
- Creature Comforts: Shipping container glamping in the UK houses the word ‘glam’ for good reason. For every person content with the bare essentials, there’s plenty more who demand comfort and access to all the mod cons. After all, they are on holiday! The very best units in the industry boast stylish interior designs, comfortable beds, elegant furniture, hot tubs, smart hubs to control the temperature etc, and much more. This is the standard you will need to meet.
- Cleanliness: Shipping container glamping guests expect their units to be cleaned regularly and supplied with fresh toiletries and towels. Again, this could be the holiday event of someone’s year, so it pays to roll out the red carpet and keep them content at all times.
Sustainability
One of the driving forces behind the rise of the off-grid movement is the growing appetite for sustainable living. More and more people are adopting eco-conscious practices to get back in touch with nature and minimise their carbon footprint. However, sustainability demands a commitment from shipping container glamping sites to be considerate about the materials and energy sources they use.
The very best tiny houses use repurposed shipping containers to give a new lease of life to existing materials. Additionally, many use alternative sources of energy, such as solar, wind, or water to avoid dependence on ‘dirty’ fossil fuels. Finally, water and waste are managed sustainably, via the latest water filtration units and composting systems.
It’s vital to take every possible measure to make sure your shipping container glamping site is eco-friendly. Although it might take longer to get set up — and there could be additional costs — it won’t alienate any potential holidaymakers. So, in the long run, it’s an investment that promises dividends over time.
Infrastructure & Logistics
There are a host of investments you’ll need to make when starting a shipping container glamping business in the UK. Some of these, such as energy solutions, a water supply, and waste management, will need to be in place from the beginning. Other running costs, such as cleaning expenses, will grow in line with your operation.
In many cases, you will have to work with the relevant public bodies to get hooked up to electricity, water and sewage. This can be quite time-consuming and expensive due to the planning involved. However, if you work alongside an established container provider, you can drastically cut the cost of infrastructure, as they will already have a fully-compliant site.
These companies adopt sustainable practices such as solar energy and compost toilets. Meanwhile they also install water filtration systems to ensure that waste is kept to a bare minimum. This means that investing in an existing shipping container glamping site could save you an average of £40,000 compared to setting one up from scratch. Better for you, better for your customers, and better for Mother Nature.
Make Big Plans With Live Off Grid’s Tiny Homes
Live Off-Grid has been at the forefront of the quest for better living since our inception in 2020. Starting from the belief that modern society has lost touch with what really matters, we began looking into ways to help people reconnect with nature. The result of this was our decision to transform shipping containers into sustainable buildings that could be used as homes, offices, gyms, temporary housing, and beyond.
At the centre of our range are our irresistible Tiny Houses. These compact marvels are completely self-contained, coming with an en-suite bathroom, fittings, and waste management system. With a lifespan of up to 65 years, our units are also built to last. Aside from being durable, they are also fully insulated, and can be adapted to include sustainable features like solar cells.
Whether you want to expand your own shipping container glamping UK site, or would prefer to build on one of our plots, we can help. Our products are made to the highest standards, are fully-designed, high spec and incredibly versatile. Perhaps best of all, when you work with us, you get to work alongside an industry leader who has the knowhow to give you a better chance of making your investment a success.
To take your next steps in this bold new world, get in touch with us today!
