With a July 4th opening date expected by site operators across the country, a continuing lack of Government guidance leaves owners unsure of what they will be expected to do to ensure the safety of their guests.
So far, information given by the Government applies to sites with self-contained accommodation such as caravans, but very little advice is available for glamping units and even less about shared facilities.
With the opening date drawing ever closer, the need for clear guidance is paramount. Currently, there are operators who are having to cancel or pause bookings with others suggesting they may have to close their site for the entire Summer.
Cleaning Methods
One of the main issues facing site operators is hygiene. The majority of glamping sites in this country rely on shared facilities such as communal showers and toilet blocks. While most sites are already prepared to offer improved cleaning measures, no one knows whether they will comply with government guidelines.
Will communal facilities need to be manned 24 hours a day? Is it the responsibility of the glamping site to clean these facilities between every use or will it be down to the campers themselves? The earlier this information is released; the more time owners have to prepare.
Why the 4th?
The July 4th opening date has also become a sore issue for glamping site owners. This year, July 4th falls on a Saturday and as many of you will know, weekend bookings typically start on a Friday. This may seem like a small issue, but sites have already missed out on a lot of business due to the lockdown and many are questioning why this date was chosen in the first place.
This seemingly arbitrary date is leading some to believe that the people in charge of making the rules for the reopening are at best out of touch with the sector they are trying to reopen and at worst, completely ignorant of it.
Is it still two metres?
Another issue is whether or not the two metre rule will be lifted by the time sites reopen. The government has clearly been trying for a way to cut the two metre rule to one metre but have so far been unsuccessful.
At the moment, most glamping sites are planning to reopen at a reduced occupancy. They are making the decision to sacrifice some of their units so that the site as a whole can reopen. Opening at a reduced occupancy means that less people will be on site at any given time, and the space between units, and therefore groups of people, is increased.
While social distancing remains of upmost importance, the change from a two metre distancing rule to a one metre rule could mean that sites are able to open up more of their accommodation units. With the lockdown having already cost glamping sites dearly, this could mean the difference between survival and shutting down.
These are just a few of the issues that glamping site owners across the country are facing, and without clear guidance from the government they could spell disaster.
