Meet the owners
We catch up with the couple behind South Lytchett Manor
How long have you been running your campsite?
We took ownership of the site on 24 December 2006.
How did you first become owners of the site?
We retired from a family business in 2004 and spent two years looking for a site, as we wanted to relocate from the Midlands. At the time, our eldest son, Ben, was travelling and looking forward to moving to Dorset with his fiancée. Matthew, our middle son, was looking forward to joining us in running the site, as he is a fully trained craftsman. Our youngest, Megan, was 13 and excited to move to Dorset to finish her education.
Tell us a little about your site and how it first began?
South Lytchett Manor was a camping park way back in the 1960s. Lady Lees, the owner of the manor, decided to set up the campsite on the impressive driveway to the manor to aid her Christian charities. She even sold teas at the front gates with her own china and silver teapots!
What did you do before becoming the owners of this site?
We worked in the family haulage business.
What do you like most about being a campsite owner?
We do love the interaction with our guests, including banter! It is lovely to see happy smiling faces enjoying the delights of our campsite and Dorset; it makes our job very rewarding. Reading the lovely reviews our guests put on social media channels is the icing on the cake.
What are the challenges?
Mainly the weather, and the recent uncertainty of being open/closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, of course.
What is a typical day like for you?
The day starts bright and early at 7am with the morning clean and check of the toilet blocks to ensure they are fresh and ready for the busy day ahead. Then it’s up to the shop to receive the delivery of freshly baked bread and croissants from the local bakers, ready for when the shop opens at 8am.
During the day, the phones frequently ring, with people enquiring about bookings and what’s available in the local area – we are tourist information one minute, camping connoisseurs the next and then, five minutes later, we are Google Maps! It is a very diverse job and involves everything from pushing caravans to repatriating lost children and naming ducks!
Meanwhile, the chaps are busy mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges and getting the pitches neat and tidy in preparation for our new arrivals at 12pm. As soon as it hits
12, there is a mad rush of arrivals. The shop is frantic, the phones are ringing, and people are being shown to their pitches. The hustle and bustle of the campsite means the afternoon quickly passes. Soon enough, it’s 5pm and the late shift commences. Occasionally, this involves a quick trip down to Domino’s for pizza, inspiring jealously among all the campers who usually end up ordering Domino’s, too!
At 8pm it’s time for the late clean.
Typically, the busy routine of campsite life means numerous loo rolls need replacing. The shop closes at 10pm so everything is locked up and put to bed, and the staff embark on the late-night walk around – ready to remind guests about the quiet time at 10.30pm. After a busy day at South Lytchett Manor, the large iron gates are closed at 11pm and the campsite sleeps, ready to start all over again the next day.
What do you feel makes your site special and appealing to the guests who return every year?
We have guests who are still returning after 14 years. It is lovely to remember children from 2007 who are now grown up but still visiting us with their families. Returning guests love the fact we do not sit on our laurels – every year, we reinvest in new pitches and upgrades on amenity blocks. We had new shepherds’ huts for the 2020 season and, for 2021, the extended shop has become our outlet for food.
What are your favourite local attractions?
We have a few! They include Brownsea Island, Bournemouth, the New Forest, the Purbecks, Old Harry Rocks, Corfe Castle, Swanage and Kingston Lacy House.
What do you like to do on a rare day off ?
We have two Labradors named Rosie and Penny. We love walking them from Sandbanks to Bournemouth and back. If we are not walking, we take our bikes from the site and cycle the 26 miles around Poole Harbour, taking in views of Wareham, Arne, Corfe Castle, and the short trip on the chain ferry back to Sandbanks with its stunning views over to Brownsea Island. The final leg is onto Poole Harbour for a rewarding swift beer on the quay, then back to the site via Upton Country Park. It’s a stunning, memorable ride! Sometimes, if 26 miles is too much, we enjoy the flat four-mile of road cycle ride into Poole.