This winter, outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com has revealed its figures for farm bookings over 2014, showing over 18,500 bookings at farm sites throughout the UK and Ireland over the last year – representing a massive 85 per cent growth on 2013.

One farm site listed with the provider took £29,000 in bookings in the past 12 months alone. Given that the average farm earns just £28,000 in net farm income this is a huge opportunity to grow income and make farming an overall more viable and attractive business.

Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates commented: “The British farming industry has seen a serious decline over the last couple of decades, with farm income 26 per cent below its 1995 peak and financial difficulties a continuing cause for concern to farmers. However, farmers can invigorate their finances and their farms by diversifying into other areas, and this is easier to do than they might think.

“The way to help farms is via a diversification programme and this is where we can assist. The set up and running of a farm-based campsite is a relatively simple process and by working with us many farms could see their income rise dramatically, as the follow figures show:

• The average farm campsite earnt £6,461 in bookings on Pitchup.com over the last year.

• Average net farm income was £28,000 in 2012/13.

• 44 per cent of farms earned £10,000 or under in net farm income of in 2012/13.