Wigwams Q&A

On Wednesday 9 June, SRUC held an online consultation event on the Strathfillan Wigwams. You can read a report of the event here. Below is a Q&A based on the questions asked during the event, along with some of the additional comments received.

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Wigwams Q&A

We are looking at all options over the summer. We will have an update in September.

If you have any comments, please email principal@sruc.ac.uk, with “wigwams” in the subject line.

We are not planning to close the Strathfillan Wigwams and, as we do not own the land, selling the land is not within our gift.

The Strathfillan Wigwams have the potential to support knowledge exchange, learning and engagement around the green recovery. This consultation is about how we build a resilient model that fits into the whole of SRUC and our purpose.

SRUC is on a journey to become Scotland’s enterprise university at the heart of the sustainable natural economy.

Its mission is to create and mobilise knowledge and talent, drawing upon its longstanding strengths in world-class and sector-leading research, learning and teaching, skills and training and consultancy (through SAC Consulting).

As part of our lease with the Scottish Government, the land is primarily to support education research and knowledge exchange. Therefore, the wigwams are part of a wider set of considerations.

We have an excellent relationship with the Scottish Government, with whom we have held discussions about the site. They are prepared to be flexible and are awaiting the outcome of this consultation.

Demand for the site is seasonal and very dependent on the weather. We need to look at a new way of operating the site to smooth out the peaks and troughs and reduce the financial risk to SRUC. The operating model must be resilient, sustainable and align with our strategy.

Members of the public will be able to book a stay in the wigwams until the end of September 2021. We hope that they will still be able to welcome visitors next year. However, given that the site will have to align more closely with our education and research requirements, the future capacity and availability of the wigwams will form an important part of the consultation.

The site has the potential to help develop our academic portfolio into the areas of nature-based and sustainable tourism. We see this as an interesting area to explore during the consultation. We are working on a new Carbon Management Plan and thinking about ways in which we can reduce our environmental impact will be a core part of SRUC going forward.

This is not something that has been explored, but could be looked into as part of the consultation.

In addition to this event, our consultation has to date also included conversations with the Scottish Government, Stirling Council, and a number of interested commercial partners who have expressed interest in the business.

We will be exploring these options in more detail, including the size and shape of the enterprise; any possible commercial partnership; as well as looking at required investment and staffing levels.

We welcome the input of members of the community and businesses who can help us to find a mutually agreeable solution.

We have been having conversations with Wigwam Holidays. However, at this stage the conversations are commercially sensitive.

The business has previously been profitable, and could be profitable again, but we need to think about how this can be achieved.

At best, the enterprise broke even in terms of income before 20/21. However this was ‘masked’ by the overheads that SRUC supplied – in the last few years this has included works on the sewage tank (£123k) and water pipe and filtration (£71k). The pandemic has, of course, exacerbated any position of loss.

However, we need to view this financial position in the wider context of the institution and the fact that we balance out other parts of our operations and portfolio with strategic choices – it’s about who we are and what we are here to do.

In 2020/21 the operation lost approx. £162k prior to the receipt of £20k of furlough monies.
The site needs material investment to bring up to the standards now required in the industry. Even on a downsizing basis, this is estimated at £300k and could be two to three times this to maintain current scale and develop out.

Since the start of the pandemic, SRUC has been using a blended learning approach – a combination of in-person and online teaching. However, practical sessions and field trips are vital aspects of many of our courses and which elements of the site could be utilised as teaching spaces will be considered during the consultation. We propose to use the site as a base for students to take learning trips, as well as give them exposure to research activities and projects.

We recognise the potential value to our students of having a ‘living’ example of a diversified farm business at the site and this will certainly be among the considerations during the consultation.

Any solution needs to be sustainable – for SRUC, for the local community, for job stability and to serve the tourism sector. As an affirmation of our commitment to the local communities in which we sit, and the power of a ‘sense of place’. This is an intrinsic part of our value set and commitment to inclusivity. This means that we are prepared to make some compromises in order that we continue to be a supportive partner and institution.

We agree that having the facilities to widen access would be of huge benefit to all users. This is part of the investment required by the business and would be considered.

We very much appreciate the value to the community of an affordable site for camping and outdoor accommodation. Widening participation and access to rural interests is a key part of education at SRUC and this would be discussed with a potential partner.

SRUC has been looking at options to introduce high speed internet access. We welcome support and advice from third parties on how best to achieve this and to realise wider community benefits.

Comments

There are already a lot of expensive glamping sites in Scotland, so perhaps indeed the wigwams should stay affordable (and perhaps not necessarily too fancy).

I have been organising a number of trail running races and trailing camps for ten years on the WHW path and I think the site has huge potential to be the hub for more sporting events utilising the local trails and hills.

I am a Scout Leader based just outside of Glasgow and have visited this site on a number of occasions, as I know other similar groups have over many years. I believe the educational element you are looking for is very much there already.

I would suggest that there is a substantial and receptive market if new and innovative tourism initiatives can be put in place. Yes, some investment is required but the future return could be huge both economically not to mention social and cultural values that could be generated.

It is good to hear positive responses on keeping the wigwams open, becoming more energy efficient etc. I hope all these changes do not outprice the people who really need this site - inner city families whose only experience of the countryside is here.

To make the site commercial an idea would be to sell novel bio-based products and hands-on activities where the general public can create their own biomaterials that can be used at home or anywhere with accessible buildings.

A range of offerings being available from cheaper to top end can provide revenue from the more expensive to provide opportunities

Wigwams Q&A

Wigwams Q&A

When will the consultation period end?

How do I get involved?

Are you planning on selling the business? What will happen to the site and existing infrastructure in the event of closure?

What discussions have been held with the Scottish Government (which owns the land) regarding its view and flexibility it will extend to provide as many opportunities as possible to find a sustainable long-term future for the wigwams?

If people are going to have more staycations in the UK, isn’t it there a future opportunity for this sort of place - easy to reach and family friendly holiday site?

Can a clear commitment be given that a sustainable future for the provision of visitor accommodation at this important location will be found and that capacity will be maintained?

What elements are being considered to market the site as a “green” or nature-based tourism opportunity?

The site is currently heated with oil and direct electric. Is there a potential for water-source heat pumps?

What efforts have been made to secure match-funding in the past?

Is it more financially effective to run the wigwams ourselves or contracting it out to another party?

Are you looking for an entrepreneurial leader (thinking group) to maximise the potential of the site in line with the SRUC big ambition?

Wigwam Holidays has been a partner from the beginning. Have they been approached?

You mention that the wigwams have been a drain on finances, especially in the last 18 months or so. The site has been operational for 27 years, so presumably this wasn’t always the case. Can you elaborate more on why you believe the site is now making a loss?

I think having the students using the site for staying and doing study trips/courses is something that was already being done on the site (e.g. freshers’ week for the Edinburgh Agriculture students). The issue was always to lack of teaching room on site. Could this be part of your future vision?

There is a lot of local expertise within the staff team at the wigwams, particularly the site management. It’s important to value the local contextual and community based experience and knowledge alongside the need to bring in new expertise. This is also social capital. Would the panel agree?

Tourism built around disabled provision is hugely important and provision of a changing places facility would be fantastic

There are already a lot of expensive glamping sites in Scotland, so perhaps indeed the wigwams should stay affordable (and perhaps not necessarily too fancy).

There is an opportunity to pursue an ultra-fast broadband capacity that will facilitate national/international digital learning capacity from this brilliant location that can combine with a cohort staying onsite to create a world leading facility.