Popular Gedney Broadgate campsite Laurel Park is on the market
A popular campsite has been put up for sale by its owners, who are launching an exciting new venture which they want to focus on.
Andy and Emma Bacon bought Laurel Park Campsite, in Huntsgate, Gedney Broadgate, in 2018 after relocating to the area from Milton Keynes, but have decided the time is right for them to move on at the end of the summer season in September.
Andy said: “We’ve loved being here and running the campsite, but we’ve always run it as a semi-retired operation to suit our lifestyle. There are lots of things the new owners can do when they come in to increase revenue, like making the season longer, as we only open from April to September, and there is the possibility of increasing the number of pitches too.
“There’s been a campsite here for around 30 years, and at one stage, around 15 years ago, there was a cattery as well. We came here because the area was so nice, and there were lots of opportunities to enhance the site and live the kind of lifestyle we wanted to.
“We’re going to stay until the end of the season and are happy help the new owner settle in and learn the ropes.”
The couple said Laurel Park needed a lot of TLC when they took it on. They have transformed the award-winning site by adding facilities including a yoga studio and a communal lounge with a piano, pool table and microwave, they’ve renovated the shower block and site shop and introduced animals for visitors to interact with such as donkeys, goats, chickens, guinea pigs and rabbits.
The site has 17 camping pitches, plus a couple of glamping tents as well as accommodation in two converted railway carriages, and there is permission in place to add more pitches and glamping accommodation.
Emma runs weekly yoga sessions on site as well as retreats and the couple have been developing a new business – LearnLiveGive.co.uk – based around this and will provide yoga retreats and courses in places such as India, Sri Lanka and Morocco as well as in the UK.
The couple, who have two grown up children, are also planning to launch a podcast and hope their venture will encourage others, and particularly more middle-aged men, to consider the appeal of yoga.
“It’s all about promoting a much more sustainable lifestyle and trying to promote that youcan still learn things in every stage of life, put that into practice and give the benefit of that knowledge to other people,” said Emma. “We’re also trying to reach out to more middle-aged men who perhaps don’t see the huge benefits of yoga.
“We’re working on a podcast where I will talk about the meaningful side of yoga, while Andy will be coming at it as a more sceptical, scientific thinker.
“We’ve had a fantastic time at Laurel Park but now it’s time for us to move on to the next chapter.”
* To find out more about Laurel Park or to contact Andy and Emma visit lpcampsite.co.uk
