Riverside Haven: A Partner Site Case Study
Transforming an outdated website into a booking magnet for a riverside oasis.
The Challenge
Riverside Haven is a 5-acre mixed-use site in Cambridgeshire offering camping pitches, residential moorings, and electric boat hire. Despite their beautiful riverside location and excellent facilities, they were struggling to attract new customers.
The problem? Their website.
Key Takeaways
Outdated Presence
Website hadn't been updated in 10 years, leading to poor user experience.
Mobile Incompatibility
No mobile responsiveness, causing 70%+ bounce rate on phones.
Limited Engagement
No online enquiry form, forcing customers to call during office hours.
Poor Performance
Slow loading times and outdated imagery deterred potential customers.
What We Found
- A 10-year-old HTML website that hadn't been updated since 2014
- No mobile responsiveness — over 70% of visitors bounced immediately on phones
- No online enquiry form — customers had to phone during office hours
- Outdated imagery that didn't showcase their recent facility upgrades
- Slow loading times (8+ seconds on mobile)
💡 Pro Tip:
Even with stunning locations, an outdated website can severely hinder customer acquisition. Prioritise mobile-first design and modern imagery to effectively showcase your offerings.
The Discovery Process
Using our Discovery Wizard, we captured everything we needed to know about Riverside Haven in just 15 minutes:
Business Goals
Increase camping bookings and promote the new electric boat hire service
Pain Points
Phone-only enquiries meant missed opportunities
Design Preferences
Natural, riverside aesthetic with professional photography
Competitors
Several nearby sites with modern, booking-enabled websites
Site Analysis
Our Site Analyzer reviewed their existing website and identified:
- 12 pages of content that could be consolidated to 7
- Missing meta descriptions and poor SEO structure
- No mobile viewport configuration
- Unoptimised images (some over 3MB each)
Occupancy
78%
+4% vs last period
Revenue
£2,480
+12% vs last period
Outstanding
£340
-8% vs last period
Daily Occupancy
Switch time periods above — stats and chart animate instantly
The Design Solution
We built a completely new Partner Site using our Professional tier:
Hero Section
A stunning full-width hero image of their riverside camping area at sunset, with clear call-to-action buttons for enquiries and viewing facilities.
Mobile-First Approach
Every element designed for phones first, then enhanced for larger screens. Touch-friendly buttons, readable text, and fast loading images.
Integrated Enquiries
A simple but effective enquiry form that captures:
- Customer name and contact details
- Type of enquiry (Camping, Moorings, or Boat Hire)
- Preferred dates
- Special requests
All enquiries flow directly into their PayCamp dashboard for immediate action.
Professional Photography
We arranged for a professional photographer to capture:
- Riverside camping pitches with morning mist
- Moorings with boats at sunset
- Electric boats on the water
- Facility buildings and amenities
The Results
The new Partner Site launched just 12 days after the initial discovery call.
First Month Metrics
- 312 enquiries (vs. approximately 80 phone calls the month before)
- 4.2 second average page load time (down from 8+ seconds)
- 2.8% bounce rate on mobile (down from 73%)
- First page Google ranking for "camping Cambridgeshire riverside"
Owner Feedback
"We couldn't believe the difference. Within a week of launching, we'd had more enquiries than the previous three months combined. The phone still rings, but now most people contact us through the website — often outside office hours."
🌐 Did You Know?
Over 50% of global website traffic comes from mobile devices. Optimising your site for mobile isn't just good practice; it's essential for reaching the majority of your audience.
See Yard Manager in Action
Discover how marinas and boatyards streamline operations with PayCamp's purpose-built tools.
Customer
James Mitchell · Berth A1
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Why This Worked
The transformation succeeded because we focused on:
Speed
Fast loading times mean visitors stay and explore
Mobile
Meeting customers where they are — on their phones
Simplicity
Clear navigation and obvious calls to action
Integration
Enquiries going directly to one dashboard
Imagery
Professional photos that showcase the real experience
What's Next for Riverside Haven?
They're now considering upgrading to our Premium tier to add:
- Online booking capability (not just enquiries)
- Virtual tour integration
- Seasonal pricing display
Next Steps for Your Business:
- ➡️ Review your current website's mobile responsiveness and load times.
- 📸 Consider professional photography to highlight your unique selling points.
- ⚙️ Explore solutions for integrated online enquiries or booking systems.
- 🚀 Start with our Discovery Wizard to kickstart your transformation!
Interested in a Partner Site for your leisure business?
Start with our Discovery Wizard — it takes just 15 minutes and gives us everything we need to create your transformation plan.
Happy Valley
Lake District · Open Mar–Oct
24
Pitches
4.8★
Rating
£22
From/night
Welcome to our site!
For bookings please call: 01onal-555-0123
Or email: [email protected]
★ NEW: We now accept cheques! ★
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