Derry Green worked so hard that he answered his own question
The Green family: Derry, Chelsea, Nova, and Noah
“Why would anyone want to holiday in a back garden in Skelmersdale?” is what Derry Green originally thought to himself when he began receiving Facebook messages. Fast forward to today, and the 43-year-old, from Wigan, has given people plenty of reasons to book a trip to the town.
The dad-of-three is the founder of The Secret Garden, a glamping experience in Skelmersdale. What started as a family adventure in the Green’s backyard has flourished into one of the Northwest’s largest sites.
The businessman explained how he found himself at a loss for activities during the Covid-19 lockdown, so he began camping in the garden with his kids.
A single tent quickly turned into a decked area followed by a fire pit, living pods and even a television to enjoy outside. Before he knew it, Derry had established a successful “side hustle” that would help him out of his financial struggles.
Derry Green in the outdoor bar at Secret Garden Glamping in Skelmersdale
The former transport worker told the ECHO: “I came back from France on the 30th of March, fully expecting to go back 10 days later, and I got stuck here in that first lockdown.
“I had two young children at the time, my son Noah and my daughter Sophia, and I was stuck at home with them for the entire duration of Covid. It was awful because I lost my job, lost all the business and everything – we couldn’t cross over the borders.
“So it was trying to find things to do each day with the kids. I had a camping trip in the garden on the first night in a little two-man tent with half the poles missing, and we loved it. “But waking up on the wet grass in the morning wasn’t exciting for them, so I built a small deck to put the tent on.
“And as days turned into weeks and then into months, I kept building a bit more each day and by the end of lockdown, I’d kind of created this whole outdoor area in my garden. When everyone was building home bars and gyms, I was doing this for me and my kids.”
Chelsea, Noah and Derry Green in the treehouse in Secret Garden Glamping in Skelmersdale
Derry said he was contacted by a news outlet to report on what he had built. He said at the time it went viral with over 10m views, and following this, “everyone” began messaging Derry’s personal Facebook asking them if they could book it for a holiday.
He said: “I thought this was ridiculous. Why would anyone want to book it for a holiday in the back garden of Skem? The honest answer is I had taken mortgage payment breaks, was on universal credit and I had no income so I saw it as bit of a side hustle.
“I put it on Airbnb at half nine on the first night. I went to bed, thinking nothing of it and by the morning I had 150 responses. By the Sunday, I was booked for two-and-a-half-years in advance. It all just blew up from there.”
Inside Secret Garden Glamping in Skelmersdale
Derry expanded his backyard business into a full-fledged glamping site on the acres of land surrounding his house. Now known as Secret Gardens Glamping, guests have 12 units to choose from, including ‘the wilderness spa’, ‘the oasis’, ‘the tree tops’ and ‘the lodge’.
The five-star glamping facility provides everything from stylish rooms and pads to outdoor bars and hot tubs. The award-winning luxury business also boasts stunning views of the Lancashire countryside, perfect for a relaxing getaway for two or for the entire family to enjoy.
Derry was then asked to go on Dragon’s Den by the BBC, and he got exactly what he asked for. All five entrepreneurs on the panel agreed to £100,000 in return for a 5% share in this business.
The hottub area at the Secret Garden Glamping in Skelmersdale
Derry said he was spoilt for choice, adding “I couldn’t believe it.”. The dad accepted Deborah Meaden’s offer, leaving the den with a huge investment for his business.
He is now using these funds to expand The Secret Garden into another 10 locations in the next year.
He said: “Every time something happens it is just like another level for us, an upgrade we can’t believe.” You can find out more and book the Secret Garden here.
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