Ted Howard-Jones

Cholsey Grange Farm,

CL Booking,

Buckinghamshire

Sponsored by: Lely

A MOBILE phone app and website launched by a group of farmers during the pandemic to help caravanners book a pitch on their sites now has 15,000 users and a listing of more than 225 farms. CL Booking, co-created by Ted Howard-Jones, Nicola Wetherill and other farmers, matches campers with operators who have vacancies on their sites. Ted says “We are solving a problem for campers looking for a pitch for their caravan or motorhome and for farmers operating or running these sites who are looking to increase their income and occupancy or fill a cancellation.

Launched less than two years ago it has so far generated more than £400,000 worth of bookings. And the service continues to grow with new sites added to the website every week. The app allows the 225 sites listed to quickly and easily advertise to thousands of campers in return for a monthly fee of £18. Last minute cancellations are a big issue for site operators but this new service helps to plug those gaps as a key difference between CL Booking and other campsite listing sites is that it shows availability.

“With the app, if I get a cancellation I can immediately update my site availability to thousands of members with just one click, so much easier than having to go onto Facebook and create a post, or just hope the phone will ring.” says Ted. A newsletter is emailed weekly to the 15,000 registered users. To complement this, there is also a ‘help’ website providing technical and marketing assistance to farmers wanting to improve their marketing. “It’s not just the site owners who are benefiting financially from the service but the rural economy too,” he adds. “These small sites are often in very rural locations and their local economies, such as village pubs and farm shops, also benefit greatly from visitors.”

SUCCESSES

  • More than £400,000 worth of bookings generated in less than two years
  • 225 caravan sites listed
  • Allows farmers to advertise their sites to thousands of campers
  • Vacancies caused by late cancellations can be quickly filled