A couple are celebrating success after their campervan rental business hit a new milestone, reaching nearly £60,000 in turnover. 

Turning their passion for interior design into a lucrative side-hustle, Eleanor Sinclair-Murray and Andy Murray from Blackburn, listed their first campervan with Camplify just over two years ago.

The husband-and-wife team, who now own three beautifully designed motorhomes, took on the challenge after becoming inspired by seeing converted campers online.

The pair began their first van conversion back in 2019, gradually building a business that’s expected to have a turnover in excess of £60,000 after their third year of listing their vans.

Mrs Sinclair-Murray said: “I decided to explore the possibilities of a van conversion when Andy was researching panel vans for another project.

“I kept seeing beautiful campervans online and it was only a couple of months before we purchased our first Citroen Relay.

“We partnered with Dalesman Conversions on our first van conversion and have been using their quality services ever since.

“After considerable market research and several design ideas, we went for a look inspired by my kitchen – and were very meticulous when it came to the detail.

“It has a similar colour palette and finishing touches; our kitchen is the heart of our home and we wanted to replicate the modern, cosy feeling for our guests – it had to look exactly as we planned it.”

After five months of hard work converting the van, ‘Lady E’ was born, and listed on Camplify in March 2020.

And it wasn’t long before the couple saw return on their first listing, which spurred their investment into two more vans – named after the couple’s daughters Lydia and Mary.

Each one in the fleet has its own design language and personality, with the goal of being pleasantly functional for all holidaymakers and road trippers that book them.

Hirers can expect lovely designs with all the necessities needed for a holiday on the open road - full heating, freezer, outdoor furniture, Bluetooth connection, and solar panels for power.

There’s no shortage of gadgets too, with each van featuring a coffee maker, mini sound system, and a super cool overhead projector.

And the couple has already invested in another van for 2023, as they set sights on the next milestone.

Mrs Sinclair-Murray added: “We’re pleased to be investing on a new upgraded van to add to our fleet for 2023 - our target turnover will be around £90,000, and our profit margins are constantly increasing as our early substantial investment reduces.

“Running this business is hard work but we pride ourselves on the cleanliness of the vans and our high levels of service. We absolutely love it and have a huge passion for it - we have made many great friends along the way.

“I love the fact that our side business can also be so rewarding, as we help holidaymakers create many happy memories on a break in one of our vans – they always return with the biggest smiles.

“We’ve had honeymooners, children conceived, and even a proposal in one of our vans! Camplify as a platform is so easy to use and really easy for those with no experience to get started and keep on track with their businesses.”

Camplify is one of the global biggest operators in the peer-to-peer RV rental market worldwide.

Head of Brand and Communications at Camplify, Caroline Simensen, said: “Eleanor and Andy have built a fantastic business, born out of what was a side hustle, that has gone from strength to strength in a very short space of time.

“It’s brilliant to see them inject their passion for interior design into their builds – all three of their converted vans are very unique and offer a simplistic luxury that lots of holidaymakers love.

“Their success really shows the revenue possibilities for owners of the Camplify platform.”

 Sleeping two with pick-up from Blackburn, Lady E, Lydia J, and Laura Mary are available to hire from just £100 (£50pp) per day.

For more information visit camplify.co.uk or call 0330 8081811.