Clubmate - Running a fishing club just got easier

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Purple Badger Fishing Lakes

KEY BENEFITS

Improved organisation, increased customer engagement and allowed us to spend more time managing the fishery.

Our story is one born out of a love for the outdoors. After many family breaks exploring the UK and France in Bella, our VW campervan, we dreamed of one day of opening our own campsite. This brought us to Spring Grange Fisheries, where there have been lakes for over 40 years. The lakes are an important part of our campsite, becoming Purple Badger Fishing Lakes. We know for many it will still be Spring Grange Fisheries or the lakes at Beeby, but whatever you choose to call us or know us by we hope that you will always feel welcome to come and fish as often as you can.

Becoming Purple Badger Fishing Lakes

Our coarse lake was originally dug in 1978 when it was created to act as an irrigation pool for the then “pick your own” strawberry business in Beeby. It was previously used for trout fishing before being developed into a coarse lake. This bottom lake is 17ft deep and is surrounded by 18 pegs, which we have refurbished over the last six months. The lake holds some lovely roach, perch, rudd, tench, and smaller carp up to 12lbs in weight. ​Our top lake was dug out in 1990, is 6ft deep at its deepest point, and has a central island covered in trees and bushes. It has 12 pegs each offering its own unique features. If you are staying in one of our shepherd’s huts for the night, there are a further 2 pegs allocated to each hut. This lake holds carp up to 25lbs and also some nice rudd and roach. 

We have been busy developing the site with additional facilities, including the Coffee Cart for those essential hot sandwiches and snacks, new toilet and shower facilities for anyone fishing, as well as a separate small campsite with facilities just 50m from the Bottom Lake.​

Using Clubmate to help us with our transformation

Before Clubmate, we just took cash payments on the day, which we collected from customers. We never knew how many people to expect, which made managing night fishing, in particular, more of a challenge as we limit the numbers to 6 per lake at night. This is also meant contactless ticketing was impossible. 

We wanted to find a solution that would help us become more organised and appear more professional. We wanted a system that would let customers know when, and if, there were free pegs – especially for the local clubs who wanted to plan matches. 

Collecting money is a time-consuming task, and we wanted to free up time to manage the fishery rather than just collecting money. We still check bookings so that we can engage with our customers but in a less transactional way, and have found that all customers are very positive.

How Clubmate has helped us

The Clubmate platform has allowed us to access the data we need quickly and easily. Customers can check availability in advance, allowing them to book and pay before they arrive at the lakes. This meant we knew who was due to arrive and didn’t have to worry about handling cash or taking payments so that we could concentrate on enhancing their overall experience instead.

When the COVID-19 lockdown first happened, Clubmate provided their service free of charge, helping fisheries transition to contactless bookings. For us, that showed us the type of company that Clubmate is, doing what you can to support the fishing sector – making me feel as though we were in it together. 

Clubmate was also recommended by the Angling Trust, which gave us the confidence to try your service.

A positive step forward

One of the things we were most apprehensive about when it came to signing up to Clubmate was the cost. We were unsure if our customers would accept paying an extra 50p per booking. But, we needn’t have worried as we have never been busier and nobody has mentioned the extra fee once! 

What we love most about Clubmate is the fact I can see all upcoming bookings in advance, including via my mobile. 

There is great support from their team and help setting things up and addressed any issues. From a marketing point of view, the increased visibility of the fishery has no doubt seen our bookings increase.

What’s great about working with Clubmate is we feel confident with the support and assistance available. The feeling that there are still further developments that will benefit us and customers. We’re a growing business, and this ideal for us to evolving how we operate – great partnerships grow together!

Would we recommend Clubmate? Yes! The system works well, and we’ve had great support and positive feedback from many customers about it. In the current climate, this had made life a lot easier. 

Our business is going from strength to strength and is busier since using Clubmate. To anyone who has any doubts, go for it! 

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If you’d like to learn more about Clubmate and how it could benefit your fishing club, please get in touch (we don’t bite!):

hello@clubmate.co.uk

0333 987 4677

FISHERY NAME

Purple Badger Fishing Lakes

FACILITIES

2 x Lakes, Toilet, Shower, Camping, Shepherds Huts, Coffee Cart & Food

MAIN CONTACTS

Mark Redpath

WEBSITE

https://www.purplebadger.co.uk/

KEY CHALLENGES

Time-consuming admin

Being available to join 24/7

Multiple trips to outlets

Growing the fishery

Engaging with our customers

Fishery promotion

Make a Booking

If you live in or travelling through the Leicestershire area and would like to visit Purple Badger Fishing Lakes, click the button below to visit our website and make a booking.