UK FARMERS could still benefit from a summer boom in camping despite August having already started.

Figures from popular booking website Pitchup.com have revealed one in 20 bookings in June were made after 1pm on the same day holidaymakers travelled to their chosen campsite.

In the same month, more than 3,600 campers booked after 5pm on the same day they started their holiday.

Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, said the figures demonstrated how quickly agritourism projects could start generating revenue.

Many new farm-based campsites received their first bookings within minutes of listing on Pitchup.com, with the UK record standing at less than a quarter of an hour.

Mr Yates said: “The popularity of camping in the British countryside is growing year-on-year.

“On Monday, August 13, this year, we set our record for the number of bookings in a single day – 9,078 – which equates to nearly 24,000 people.

“Despite being midsummer, there’s still time for farmers and other landowners to cash in on the camping boom.

“All it takes is a small piece of ground, a running water supply, and some facilities.

“With those in place, our figures show farm-based camps in particular get booked up in no time at all. So many farmers report they get their first bookings within the first hour of listing on the site.

“And with camping remaining popular throughout September and into early October, there’s really nothing to lose.”

The figures also reveal that three quarters of pop-up campsites listed on the platform are on farms, many of which have lost income due to the phasing out of basic payments and agflation.

Four out of the top five campsites booked on Pitchup.com are also based on farms, demonstrating the huge popularity of farm-based holidays.

Mr Yates said: “Growth in agritourism is outstripping growth in every other type of holiday.

“Even at the most basic level, farm campsites are in huge demand.”

And it’s not just the farms themselves that benefit, Mr Yates added.

In 2021, temporary campsites – which includes the majority of farm-based sites – listed on Pitchup.com generated £25m for the rural economy, which was divided equally between the campsite owners and local businesses such as pubs, restaurants, local tourist attractions and shops.

This means that by setting up a temporary campsite, farmers and landowners can support their local communities while providing much-needed pitches for those in need of a tranquil break.

“It’s a real win-win for both cash-strapped farmers, rural communities, and holidaymakers,” Mr Yates said.

“Temporary campsites are a great way to generate revenue across a community with relatively little effort and potentially significant returns.”

In England, farmers and landowners are able to set up temporary campsites for up to 60 days per year, without having to apply for extra planning permission.

In Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, the figure is 28 days, but the Welsh government recently consulted on bringing the rule in line with England.

One smallholding business that’s benefited from a pop-up campsite is The Little Bitty Farm and Campsite near Mold in Flintshire, North Wales. 

Owners Kelly and Darren Skillin applied for planning permission for a campsite more than a year ago after investing tens of thousands of pounds in creating a tranquil environment for visitors, including two large ponds and three wildflower areas. 

Initially, the planning application was rejected, but the determined husband and wife team refused to be beaten and set up a camping site under Permitted Development while appealing the council’s decision. 

Since then, they haven’t looked back, securing more than £9,000 in bookings since the site launched in May, despite only opening on weekends. 

Kelly said: “We didn’t think we’d need the 28 day rule because we thought we’d get planning permission. But actually, it turned out to be a blessing. 

“Launching as a pop-up enabled us to see how it was received before we invested any more money in it, and to see how we liked it. 

“And wow do we love it! It’s given us a taste of it and it’s given people a taste of us. We’re planning to open 14 weekends which is our 28 day allowance. We’ve already been open eight and from the third weekend we’ve been full.

“The saddest thing is having to turn people away in the week. We’ve had people from the Netherlands, Brussels, France, Ireland, who’ve come over on the ferry and wanted to stay with us. But we’re not open in the week so we’ve had to turn them away.”

Kelly added she couldn’t believe how quickly bookings came in once she’d listed the site on Pitchup.com. 

She said: “It’s a case of list it and watch people book. People love to camp in the countryside; we’ve only been open eight weekends and already we’ve had one person stay three times. If you create the opportunity, people will come. My advice would just be to give it a go.”