10 replies to this topic

[gmancrew]

Although my campervan can sleep four it would be a bit too cosy for me and three other large guys...  The T&Cs seem to suggest you can't put tents or awnings up alongside your van so we've always camped in the past.  Last year I got talking to someone who was in a campervan who said that they had tents pitched alongside their van and there was no problem.

Can anyone confirm this or more importantly impart a tale of woe where they weren't allowed to put tents up alongside their campervan?

[xxtinkerbellxx]

gmancrew, on May 4 2010, 10:59 AM, said:

Although my campervan can sleep four it would be a bit too cosy for me and three other large guys...  The T&Cs seem to suggest you can't put tents or awnings up alongside your van so we've always camped in the past.  Last year I got talking to someone who was in a campervan who said that they had tents pitched alongside their van and there was no problem.

Can anyone confirm this or more importantly impart a tale of woe where they weren't allowed to put tents up alongside their campervan?

Personally I wouldnt risk it its hit and miss depending on what mood the security are in. I've seen people being kicked out of the campervan area for putting tents up, and then not being able to get into the main camping area as they've got campervan wristbands (which really doesnt make sense as you pay for a full weekend camping anyway!!) and then ive also seen the security taking tents down while people are in the arena.

[swanseajack61]

xxtinkerbellxx, on May 4 2010, 01:25 PM, said:

Personally I wouldnt risk it its hit and miss depending on what mood the security are in. I've seen people being kicked out of the campervan area for putting tents up, and then not being able to get into the main camping area as they've got campervan wristbands (which really doesnt make sense as you pay for a full weekend camping anyway!!) and then ive also seen the security taking tents down while people are in the arena.

As the previous poster said it’s a difficult one to call. Last year anything seemed to go, tents, gazebos you name it they were up early on the Friday morning. However the year before they were kicking people out for having tents and gazebos were a massive no no. It only tends to be the Friday that people have problems; they tend to give up by the Saturday morning.

[mil1212]

You'll be fine with an awning, but the last few years they've been quite strict with tents

[Ali_D]

gmancrew, on 04 May 2010 - 09:59 AM, said:

Although my campervan can sleep four it would be a bit too cosy for me and three other large guys...  The T&Cs seem to suggest you can't put tents or awnings up alongside your van so we've always camped in the past.  Last year I got talking to someone who was in a campervan who said that they had tents pitched alongside their van and there was no problem.

Can anyone confirm this or more importantly impart a tale of woe where they weren't allowed to put tents up alongside their campervan?

There's a gang of us that camp together in our vans, we use awnings - they are a must for such large numbers of us to meet if it's raining. We've never had a problem. We see tents there all the time (not allowed), next to cars (not allowed), besides transit vans with no fixed bed or cooker (the thing that defines a campervan for their purposes) (not allowed).
Take one, take your chance, what's the worst that could happen?

[Liblar]

If was definitely laid back in the campervan area last year, so hopefully it should be the same this year...I love the campervan area, lots of random campers/caravans etc...

[gmancrew]

Thanks for all the replies - still not sure what to do but the consensus opinion seems to be 'take a chance'...

Hopefully see some of you there - look out for a 1972 Green Westy, three tents and four 'mature' guys arguing with the site staff!

[JeannieM]

We've always been to the Chelmsford site and had tents in the campervan field and had no problems at all. It looks like they are more strict in Staffordshire - don't know why. I've heard stories of tents being removed during the day and people coming back to find all their stuff gone. It seems a bit mean to not allow campsite wrist bands into the campervan field or campervan wristbands into the campsite AND then stop you camping next to your mates if they are in a van. That means you can't all hang out at night after the arena unless you all have vans, or you're all in tents - surely some sort of discrimination ;-)
Me and my mates are taking our chances with a tent next to the van. We'll mabe see you there and join you in an arguement with security. Good luck!

[gmancrew]

Again, thanks for all the replies.  Just in case someone's searching for the topic next year, I thought I'd confirm that after all the worry there was absolutely no problem with three tents by a campervan.  There were loads of people stretching the definition of campervan and I didn't see any evidence of them getting hassled.  After years of camping, the V experience was much more enjoyable - I'll never go back to that walk from West Car Park to Green Campsite...

[al_coholic]

gmancrew, what was the traffic like getting in and out of the campervan fields? How noisy was it late at night? and did you get any stuff nicked?

[gmancrew]

Hi Al
Getting in was fine - arrived about 5pm on the Friday.  Tried to leave some time around 11 on Monday and it was a bit disorganised and slow to get out but certainly no worse than other years in a car (an hour or so before we got off the site).

Really quiet at night compared to the camping fields.  Despite some scallies hanging around the entrance to the campervan field (checking themselves for testicular cancer whilst they waited for an opportunity to bunk in) it seemed secure.  I did wander round to check out a few VWs one morning and was challenged myself more than once.  Only been burgled at V once and that was last century...

It's festival going with the rough edges taken off...