TWO successful glamping sites in a village near Bridgwater have been named as finalists for a regional award.
Othery-based glamping sites Tractors & Cream and Little England Retreats make up the only two finalists remaining in the Glamping Business of the Year category at the Somerset Business Awards.
Both businesses have been recognised for their exceptional sites, amenities, and above-and-beyond attitudes to customer service.
Tractors & Cream owner Vicki Jones was shocked when Little England Retreats owner Emma Shepherd informed her they'd both been announced as finalists for the award.
"We’re good friends," Vicki explained.
“We don’t feel like we’re in direct competition with each other.”
"We’re both through, so we’re going to have a great night out," said Emma, reminiscing on receiving the email notifying her of the two Othery glamping sites' combined success.
The two local business owners also frequently refer their customers to each other's sites.
Vicki has been running the Tractors & Cream glamping site since 2017, and has built up a loyal client base thanks to her site which spans six acres, and features five glamping pods, a mini geodesic dome, and ten metre event dome.
Some of the stand-out features of the site include en-suites, private mini-kitchens, and private shower rooms.
The local business prides itself upon not raising prices during the school holidays.
“We’re trying to be as accessible to families as possible,” Vicki said.
“We aren’t campers ourselves, so we’ve tried to think of everything a family could possibly need.”
The family-friendly site hopes to offer a "camping without the stress" experience, and includes extra beds, travel cots, highchairs, and more for no extra cost.
Tractors & Cream can also accommodate for whole-site bookings to celebrate special occasions, or just to enjoy a big family holiday.
Emma Shepherd took over the Little England Retreats site in 2020, and immediately got to work on improving the site, developing an outdoor picnic area, pizza oven, and outdoor kitchen, as well as other major renovations.
The site offers several glamping huts, as well as a unique yurt hut, and a two-bedroom holiday cottage.
"The main thing for us is that guests have a great stay," Emma explained.
"We will do everything in our power to make sure a guest has a good stay.
"I want somebody to walk away feeling relaxed and like they’ve had a good break."
One of the most unique features of Little England Retreats is the authentic outdoor pizza oven, which was imported all the way from Portugal.
Guests can pay for a Pizza Pack, which includes a pizza base and wood to cook it on, meaning visitors are able to cook their very own wood fired pizzas.
Emma said that many of the guests visiting Little England Retreats frequently return, and become "quite involved in the community."
"We often get guests who come and join in with the village activities and stuff like that,” she added.
The site is also dog friendly, and can supply essentials such as highchairs, potties, and more to accommodate family bookings.
Little England Retreats is also available for whole-site bookings.
The winner of the Glamping Business of the Year award will be announced at the Somerset Tourism Awards ceremony on November 30 at The Bristol Hotel.
Regardless of which business takes home the award, it will be a huge victory for the village of Othery.
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