A Northumberland brewery is to open a glamping site to boost the area’s tourism sector.
Cheviot Brewery will open the glamping site at Slainsfield, near Wooler, by the end of May, featuring both glamping pods and bell tents that each house a double bed, while the pods also have an en-suite shower room and kitchenette.
The brewery hopes that its on-site bar will be a particular draw for visitors. It also has three alpacas and is offering alpaca trekking in the local countryside. The site – which will create a number of new jobs – can accommodate 35 and has been built using locally sourced materials, including timber from the Ford and Etal estate.
Head brewer Jonathan Hodgson said: “From the first moment we visited what is now our brewery site on the Ford and Etal Estate, we knew we had a great opportunity to create a destination brewery. “We made the first steps towards that last summer when we opened Cheviot Tap, our on-site tap bar, which proved instantly popular.”
Site manager Ellie Bain said: “While glamping continues to grow in popularity, Cheviot Glamping is pretty unique as there aren’t many with an on-site bar serving award winning cask ale brewed on the site.
“But, in all seriousness, the Ford and Etal Estate, not to mention north Northumberland itself, has much to offer visitors; whether you are a real ale enthusiast or not.”
The glamping experience is being marketed with an appeal to dog owners and keen cyclists, as well as people wanting to explore the rich history and heritage of the Northumberland countryside.
Cheviot Tap opened last summer on the Ford and Etal Estate, offering fresh cask ale and stone baked pizzas made on-site.
It is run by the Cheviot Brewery, which opened in 2018 and also manages the Black Bull pub in nearby Etal. The brewery produces a number of beers that take their names from local landmarks, including Flodden Thirst, Harbour Wall, Holy Bounty and Upland Ale.
