The impact of corornavirus and the lock down in the UK is causing a really worrying time for many business owners. Here at Creative Content Company we are a small business ourselves and we are seeing the effects on the business and the business community. We know this is a scary time for many businesses, so we wanted to help you see that you’re not alone.
We took the time to interview some of our clients, from different industries, to see how they are coping through coronavirus. In this blog post we talk to Claire at Mad Hatters Campsite in Ely. Claire is known as a ‘Jack of all Trades’. She is an arable farmer, strawberry grower and campsite owner.
Read on to see how Claire at Mad Hatters is managing at present;
What is the name of the business and what do you normally do?
The business is called Mad Hatters Campsite, and School Farm. We have a campsite for tents, caravans, and glamping. We also grow milling wheat, barley, potatoes, feed peas, and small scale strawberries in polytunnels.
What services do you use Creative Content Company for?
Creative Content Company supports us with our Instragram and Facebook posts and general social media management.
As of 26th March, How has CV-19 affected your business?
On the campsite we have had to close, with guests either cancelling completely or defer their stays to late summer. We have closed the campsite monitoring government guidelines. So currently when this would have been a very busy time on the campsite we are closed. The farm is running almost normally – although we have had to pre-order all of our fungicides due to concerns over supply.
Have you changed your service offering to go online / digitally – if so, how?
Due to the nature of our campsite business we cannot sell anything online. Hopefully we can still sell our strawberries, but fear that some small farm shops may be closed so hopefully these will not be wasted. On the farm we will not have income until September.
What have you struggled most with during this time?
Financial stress! We have invested hugely this winter in a new toilet block and completely renovated the old block. We have had a new electric supply added and outside kitchenettes which are almost built but not completed as wood merchants have closed so we cannot get more wood to finish them. If we cannot sell our strawberries it will seem like all the hours of hard labour have been wasted.
Have there been any positive outcomes?
Not yet; we are hoping we can open the campsite later this year and sell strawberries. We are also hoping that the general public realise how important UK agriculture is in providing food which is fully traceable and with higher welfare standards than many parts of the world.
What is keeping you going every day?
Hope! It feels very surreal currently – like a sci-fi movie.
What are you finding hardest during this time?
The uncertainty!
What is your top tip for other business owners?
You need to keep looking forward. I believe that we will all be more resilient because of this.
Do you have something positive to say about CV-19?
It’s making our daughters appreciate what they have.
What does your new ‘day in the life of’ look like?
I still get up the same time, and do the jobs on the farm. I cannot do much at the campsite, so sorting the chairs for our Mad Hatters Tea parties and painting pictures for the new toilet block.
Do you have a positive quote to keep others going?
We all need to be positive; and looking forward.
We hope by reading this blog post and interview with Claire at Mad Hatters Campsite you will see that you are not alone. Perhaps there is something in here that will inspire you in your business too?
If you’d like to know more about Claire at Mad Hatters Campsite or the amazing camping and glamping experiences they offer, check out the website.
