Interview with Jules Hudson: Just for Two, Just for You

Jules Hudson is a versatile writer and broadcaster, and the leading face of the BBC’s rural property show Escape to the Country. A keen countryman and craftsman, Jules spends his spare time renovating his home in Herefordshire assisted by his partner Tania, their son Jack, and two labradors. International Glamping Business’ editor Annie Hilton spoke with Jules to find out about the process of creating his own glamping site, and what advice he would give to other operators.

Mole Hill Hut

Tell us about Mole Hill Hut – what’s it like?

Mole Hill Hut is a large en-suite shepherd’s hut, built for us by Riverside Shepherd’s Huts in Worcestershire. It stands in the corner of a three acre sheep field, with 270 degree views of the Wye Valley and the Black Mountains in Herefordshire. Alongside it sits The Trough, a bespoke break-out cabin carefully sited to take in the stunning sunsets we have here.

Mole Hill Hut was conceived as a couple’s retreat – a getaway from it all, including the job and the kids. The strapline “Just for Two, Just for You” was born from that idea. Being our first venture into the glamping industry, we were rightly cautious of over-building, and over-investing before we’d gained the confidence to get it working as we hoped it would. We’d get it right first, then think about expanding if the market allowed. It also meant we could focus our investment on a high-end offering that would leave no detail overlooked – at least that’s the hope!

Mole Hill Hut

Most will know you from presenting BBC’s Escape to the Country – what was the journey from helping others, to now creating your own slice of rural life?

Many viewers of Escape to the Country will have seen me and my colleagues helping countless couples over the years to find rural properties that offer them the chance to supplement their income, or indeed create a primary business by either establishing a holiday let or glamping business. When I joined the show in 2007, yurts were all the rage, but gradually many more tantalising options have entered the market. I’ve always loved the idea of a shepherd’s hut – both for looks and all-year practicality. When we eventually found ourselves the right piece of land adjacent to our home, the idea of creating a small bespoke offering was inevitable; it’s a journey that now enhances the advice I give to buyers keen to get involved in the market.

You described your site as a “labour of love” – could you elaborate on this?

I do love a practical project! I’ve always enjoyed renovating and building, and so the chance to design and create Mole Hill Hut, here at home, was an opportunity I really relished. We took some time assessing the shepherd’s hut market, but eventually decided upon Riverside Shepherd’s Huts based upon design, proximity to us, and price. The result has been amazing, but commissioning the hut build was the easy bit. What followed was almost a year of tree felling, fencing, trenching for new power and water, and then building The Trough. This element I felt was really crucial in creating a destination that would genuinely work all-year round, whatever the weather. Having useable and memorable additional living space is, I hope, one of the aspects that distinguishes us to our guests, many of whom are no strangers to the shepherd’s hut market.

Mole Hill Hut

What were the highs and lows of creating your own site?

I’m not a great fan of paperwork and bureaucracy, so the planning process was really frustrating – as I’m sure it is to many others – but we got through it. We also had to have two new power connections to both our home and to the hut site, all of which took up time and money. However, the reward of actually spending time at home project managing, designing and building most of it was just great. I also think that being hands-on allows you to constantly adjust what you’re creating as you focus ever more on what you’re making, and how your guests are going to use and experience it. It was all planned, but it had space to evolve.

Which project has been your favourite to work on?

Building The Trough was the most creative and rewarding element of the site. I was keen to try and create something that felt homely, but which also felt different. I’ve come to understand that for sites like ours, they’ve got to offer something that is architecturally memorable to really create a ‘destination’ in its own right. We were keen to make good use of upcycled and repurposed elements, from doors and windows, to the marmalade pan sink and drawers made from old floorboards. Both Mole Hill Hut and The Trough provide two very different settings; the former a boutique ensuite bed space, with some cooking and living room facets, and the latter unashamedly hand-built and quirky. Together, they share the wear and tear that is inevitable in a busy holiday let.

In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently?

The cost of materials that lockdown accelerated made the build far more expensive that it would have been pre-COVID. Looking back, I might have tried to buy more in bulk so that it was ready to go.

What was the planning permission process like?

Planning took us about 7 months, which, compared to many, wasn’t too long. For us, its main focus was change of use for the small plot upon which the hut sits, whilst the result is still effectively a temporary structure. Overall, it was relatively straight forward –once we’d got past the intricacies of the online planning portal!

What have you got planned for the future?

Right now we are entering our second summer, and are looking forward to increasing the tempo of our guest stays. When we started last July we were in no rush to be overwhelmed, as we tried to work out how best to present and run it. We are also now firmly focused on marketing it ourselves, having found that the use of a national agent did not allow the flexibility to sell the region as a whole and Mole Hill Hut in particular.

Mole Hill Hut

What is your long-term goal for Mole Hill Hut?

We’ve tried to create a place that we hope is a chance for our guests to really get away from it all in the stunning Wye Valley. Whilst many who come here travel to see the sights, such as Hay-on-Wye, the Black Mountains or canoeing on the Wye itself, many now also just come to enjoy the views, the peace and Mole Hill Hut as it is. That is perhaps the best compliment: that guests share in what we’ve created, and that hopefully we’ve built something that stays long in the memory. But we are always learning, always tweaking, and that’s the fun of it.

And finally, for soon-to-be site owners, what is the one piece of advice you can give?

Don’t rush, and try to understand your market. Once we’d decided upon a shepherd’s hut, we spent about 4 years on and off looking into different makers – trying to match what was on offer with the market we were aiming for, whilst balancing that against what we could afford.

We were greatly helped by the team at Riverside, and once we’d got the planning and ordered the hut itself, it was all-go for about a year, working weekends, evenings and spare days to get the whole thing finished. Perhaps the most exciting part was allowing the build to, at least in part, inform how it would eventually turn out. I could have sketched it in minute detail before we started, but the small things – the details that our guests remember and that I hope will bring them back – all came along as we went. It has been one of the most creative things I’ve ever done, and I wouldn’t have missed any of it. So if you are thinking about it, go for it! The reward of seeing your visitors and guests enjoying all your efforts is the best feeling in the world.