Archive FM

The Bits You Don't See

#015 – Eamon Heggarty – £420K From 6 Glamping Units: The Mindset, Marketing & Mistakes Behind the UK's Coolest Retreat

Broadcast on:
10 Apr 2025

In this episode of The Bits You Don’t See, we sit down with Eamon Heggarty, founder of Coorie Retreats and soon Fort Springs Spa Retreat – two of the most exciting glamping projects in the UK.

After walking away from a corporate career as a quantity surveyor in Dubai, Eamon threw himself into glamping with zero hospitality background and built a premium retreat that now earns over £420,000/year from just 6 units.


We cover everything from funding, planning permission, construction timelines, and revenue models, to wellness upsells, automating operations, and avoiding common mistakes for glamping site owners.


If you're setting up a glamping site – or even thinking about it – this episode is an absolute must.


🔍 What You’ll Learn:

✅ How Eamon secured planning and launched in just 14 months


✅ What it really cost to build his glamping site (£450K breakdown)


✅ The clever marketing tactics that filled his site – including Highland cows


✅ Why underfloor heating, spa trails and saunas helped him beat the seasonal dip


✅ The automation systems he uses to stay hands-off


✅ How to make your glamping site a premium experience


✅ Real revenue numbers: occupancy, pricing, and channel breakdown


✅ Why his second site, Fort Springs, might be even bigger