Land rental per day for wizards and dog walking

B.Will

Member
Been looking for passive income streams to supplement the farm.

Approached by 1 dog walking company that wants an area for their business due to councils 'cracking down on them', what ever that entails. Have some stock proof, empty woodland they can use. Any ideas on what price to put on this?

Also, approached by one of these Role play groups where they dress as wizards and all sorts, they're looking for 1 day a month and maybe camping as well. Any price ideas again?

Neither are my cup of tea but just trying to sweat the assets and all that.
 

Daniel Larn

Member
I have no idea what to offer them, but maybe consider what you would let the land for 12months and then calculate a day rate.

I'd say that day rate is a good starting figure, and you want to work on multiples of that.

If your dog walkers are using it 5 days a week, 52weeks a year, then they want to be pretty close to that day rate. Maybe x1.5.

For 12/24 days per year, to include overnights, I'd go for maybe x5 on the day rate. Maybe consider a deposit for overnights as well, to cover clean up if needed.
 
Location
Suffolk
For small private bushcraft events a decade past I used to charge £5 per head per night. For events (up to 60 bods) there was a £250 event insurance so I thought the minimum for a WE should be £15 to camp which is £7.50 pn. Test the figures on todays charges & expected numbers. I was lucky to have x4 loos, a washing area & an enormous cesspit that was emptied every other year & I seem to remember it being about £150 for a full lavender lorry. Portaloos cost so that's something to consider & fresh water. Our set up was run on the 28 day rule & included film co's & I made use of their HSE policies surveys which was useful. They always paid a damage deposit cheque up front & had public liability for £20 million on some occasions (dependant on the actor) but £5 mil is usual.
SS
 

Goweresque

Member
Location
North Wilts
Get someone to enquire as to the cost of walking their dog on a daily basis from the company in question, estimate how many dogs per day they could be walking in your woodland, that'll give you an idea of how much the facility will be worth to someone to be able to stay in business. Local authorities are indeed starting to restrict professional dog walkers from using public parks - they often walk 4 or 5 at a time and this can cause problems for other park users. So dog walking businesses in less rural areas are struggling to find facilities suitable for their needs.

Forget agricultural/forestry type values, they'll be pence per day. Base the rental value on a % of what the user can be making out of it.
 

MrNoo

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Cirencester
Have a friend's wife who has a dog walking business, think she charges £25/day, walked twice during that day, she would have anything up to 10 dogs of all shapes and sizes and reckoned to clear over £1k/week. She used to walk them down one of our farm tracks, which I didn't mind until one of her walkers, took them all around all the game strips a week before a shoot, so that was the end of that. But I seem to have acquired another "walker" on our footpaths, she tends to have 4-8 dogs at any one time, all off the lead running riot but I never seem to be able to catch up with her as she only comes occasionally.
But dont be fooled, it is a very profitable business indeed to be involved in regardless of what they may tell you.
Overheads virtually zero, a van and a facility to clean the dogs (in winter) and somewhere to walk, simples!!!
But do be prepared for a breathless female to come knocking on your door to tell you she has lost a dog, it happened quite often here.
 

Pilgrimmick

Member
Location
Argyll
Have a friend's wife who has a dog walking business, think she charges £25/day, walked twice during that day, she would have anything up to 10 dogs of all shapes and sizes and reckoned to clear over £1k/week. She used to walk them down one of our farm tracks, which I didn't mind until one of her walkers, took them all around all the game strips a week before a shoot, so that was the end of that. But I seem to have acquired another "walker" on our footpaths, she tends to have 4-8 dogs at any one time, all off the lead running riot but I never seem to be able to catch up with her as she only comes occasionally.
But dont be fooled, it is a very profitable business indeed to be involved in regardless of what they may tell you.
Overheads virtually zero, a van and a facility to clean the dogs (in winter) and somewhere to walk, simples!!!
But do be prepared for a breathless female to come knocking on your door to tell you she has lost a dog, it happened quite often here.
I'm always ready for breathless females turning up at the door!;)
 

D14

Member
Been looking for passive income streams to supplement the farm.

Approached by 1 dog walking company that wants an area for their business due to councils 'cracking down on them', what ever that entails. Have some stock proof, empty woodland they can use. Any ideas on what price to put on this?

Also, approached by one of these Role play groups where they dress as wizards and all sorts, they're looking for 1 day a month and maybe camping as well. Any price ideas again?

Neither are my cup of tea but just trying to sweat the assets and all that.

Both are commercial operations so need to be charged commercial rents and not agricultural. Be careful they don't create a right to do this so you need a license in place clearly stating when, where, how many per week/month/year and both parties details clearly set out. At no point are they allowed to sublet etc etc. Work out what they are charging their customers and how many customers each one has then work it backwards but I would think you should want between 25% and 50% of their gross income because without your facility they can't operate can't they!
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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