In June 2022, Jon and Emilie James (aged 36 and 37) sold their home for £132,000 and bought a 25-year-old camper van covered in mould, along with a three-acre derelict campsite in Llanelli, South Wales, that had been closed since 1989, for £90,000. The site was littered with rubbish.
The couple lived for three years in an old caravan without basic amenities: the only shower was outdoors and froze every winter, and the toilet had to be emptied by hand. They learned renovation skills from YouTube and spent £43,000 on restoration. They now plan to open a glamping site with motorhome pitches. They share their journey on social media as @camp_out_west.