Pop-up campsites to meet demand for staycations in the South West this summer

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Hundreds of pop-up campsites are expected to appear across the South West this summer to cope with a surge in demand for staycations.

The Government has reintroduced temporary licenses which allow landowners to offer camping in empty fields for up to 56 days. 

Some claim it could be a lifeline for rural businesses looking to recoup lost revenue due to the pandemic. 

Tamara Hick owns Tintagel Duck Farm in Cornwall and plans to make the most of the license this summer.

She said: "We've decided to open a pop-up campsite this year because there's no guarantee for the future. I know it feels as if things are going well with the coronavirus, but there's no certainty and so I was looking at our situation with what else could we do to look at bringing income in.

"Once the campsite is finished we'll go back to farming the land with the ducks."

More than 100 pop-up campsites emerged last summer after the laws permitting temporary use of land for camping was extended from 28 to 56 days.

One booking website says they already have 300 sites advertised and are expecting hundreds more across all kinds of locations.

Some wildlife organisations have expressed concern pop-up sites can impact on the local environment.

But Leonie Mcintosh, whose family run a farm, says she feels a big responsibility to ensure campers leave no trace once they have left her campsite.

"I'm not sure anyone would like to see permanent facilities built here, so that is the joy of the pop-up site that literally you close your doors on a Sunday evening and by Monday you'd never know there'd been anyone here," said Leonie.


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