Vicky Meets: Louise McDonald - Event Manager at Plush Tents Yurt Village

My husband founded the business when he returned from travelling in 2012. He asked a landowner friend if could put tipis on a bit of his land and it went really well – we were offering glamping before the word existed!

A few years later we moved to this spot, which 30 years ago the same landowner had been given a grant to plant trees on.

So it was very natural but also very overgrown.

Over the years we have transformed it into a beautiful natural oasis, but with the city just down the road.

My husband is quite nomadic, so he knew how to do all the practical stuff with the yurts.

I came along with a corporate events background and took on the marketing element.

Who are your typical guests?

We’re facilitators for people to come together.

We call it a yurt village because it’s a place for friends, family or colleagues to form a community.

I think the sense of community has been so lost over the years.

Here people can connect with each other and with nature and parents can let their children run free.

We’ve hosted wakes, weddings, baby namings, family gatherings, photo shoots and corporate groups.

Even In the midst of a cost of living crisis people are still coming.

Many are local – they feel like they have escaped without having to travel far, which is also sustainable.

Is sustainability important to you?

We run on solar power and we try to keep things as natural as possible. We don’t use chemicals and we try to source what we can locally. We do our best.

The companies that come to us often have really strong values and ethics, so this works really well for them.

We don’t insist people bring eco-friendly products to use, but many do. They appreciate what we are trying to do.

Will you tell me about the Burning Ceremony?

This is how we finish corporate events. People write down something that they want to get rid of and then we burn the paper.

Even those that start out being cynical about it, this is a ritual that feels really special when you’re at the heart of nature.

Do you have a big team?

Not really, but we do have a great team. I’ve worked in jobs where you’re just a number, but here we really invest in our people.

Covid showed people that there’s more to life than being a wage slave.

What’s next?

While our yurt village may not generate great wealth for us, the smiles, laughter, and positive experiences we create for our guests are priceless. It’s the happiness we bring to others that enriches our lives and makes our work worthwhile.

As well as the village, we also rent out and erect yurts for parties and events and we’re doing something with Glastonbury this year. There’s also a possibility of a second site – watch this space!

Where can we find out more? www.plushtentsglamping.co.uk