An award-winning luxury camping business that received offers from four investors on Dragons’ Den has revealed how it earned £500,000 in just 16 days after appearing on the BBC show.
Derry Green’s The Secret Garden Glamping company, which featured on Dragons’ Den in January 2024, received investment offers from Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Sara Davies and Touker Suleyman.
All four Dragons offered the full £100,000 asking price in exchange for 5 per cent equity in the luxury glamping startup, however, Green ended up accepting Meaden’s offer.
Discussing the ‘immediate’ impact the show had, he told Business Cloud: ‘Dragons’ Den was a huge moment in our journey and it’s been incredible to see how much the business has grown since the episode aired.
‘Our episode aired on January 16 and by February 1 we had generated an additional £500,000 in bookings,’ he said.
‘The exposure introduced The Secret Garden Glamping to a national audience overnight and website traffic, enquiries and bookings all surged.
‘What’s been particularly powerful is that the impact wasn’t short term. Demand has remained consistently strong in the two years since the show aired and it helped accelerate the growth of the brand significantly.’
Offering advice for future contestants on Dragons’ Den, he added: ‘The Dragons see hundreds of pitches, so they can quickly tell when something is over-rehearsed.
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‘Be clear about what problem your business solves, why you’re different and what you’re asking for. It also helps to have a tight pitch that explains the opportunity in simple terms.
‘Investors respect founders who understand the risks as well as the potential.’
After originating as a lockdown project, the Lancashire-based camping business became a viral sensation with a two-year waiting list, offering bespoke, high-end units.
Amenities such as log-burning hot tubs, outdoor cinemas, private outdoor areas and high-end interiors are also included with the product.
This comes after another Dragons’ Den business raked in in £11,000,000 one year after their £75,000 investment.
Omni, which is a a vet-founded brand specialising in plant-based dog food, received offers from Meaden and Bartlett when it appeared on the BBC show in February 2025.
Since then, the company has gone on to add more than 100,000 new customers.
Closing out in 2025, it also boasted £8.4 million in sales, which was a sharp rise from £2.7 million in 2024 £1.2 million the year before.
Dragons’ Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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