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Really sad - They said my tent is too big.

16 replies

debbiewebweb · 02/07/2007 12:32

After what seems like weeks of searching I decide on where to go for our first camping trip but when I tried to book the man said it our tent is too big. Peachy did worn me though

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Lucycat · 02/07/2007 14:37

oh no - which otent / site did you go for?

Do you need to book 2 pitches?

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flibbertyjibbet · 02/07/2007 14:44

Good heavens how big is your tent? Pre kids we used to go in our little 2 man tent and some people on the sites had tents that looked like small planets - and they paid the same bloody fee per tent as us!!

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redfairymagic · 02/07/2007 14:47

We have found this loads this year. Lots of places that took our tent over the past 2 years either want to charge us for 2 pitches or won't let us go there

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Whizzz · 02/07/2007 14:50

We have an 8 man tent & when we went to here it was £20 a night for us all (2 adults 1DS) because of the tent size (a little miffed that it didn;t say that on the website) - but it was a lovely place

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flibbertyjibbet · 02/07/2007 14:51

Perhaps its because recently tents seem to have got bigger and bigger and they can fit less on the sites?

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Skribble · 02/07/2007 16:53

I quite understand them charging for two pitches, considering the size of some, bit unfair to charge the same for a 2man tent.

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purpleturtle · 02/07/2007 16:56

That's the reason I avoided buying a 'pod' tent. Their footprint is such an irregular shape that they need a huge space. As a kid we camped in Europe where they tend to have very regimented sites, and I imagine this could be an issue.

I think a lot of places have a small tent/large tent price differential already.

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slayerette · 02/07/2007 16:58

The site I go to each year does have restrictions on the size of tent - it's a really popular family site and the pitches are not v. big. I know the owners get worried about families with smaller tents feeling that they are being crowded out by the large tents which fill up a pitch before the car has been parked and the windbreak set up...

It doesn't seem fair not to take your booking at all - surely you could just be allowed to book two pitches?

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Tentiebug · 02/07/2007 16:58

What tent do you both have dww & whizzz?

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Whizzz · 02/07/2007 17:12

Ours is a Wynnster Hawk 8

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PandaG · 02/07/2007 20:18

we have an enormous pod tent - like the space - and have resigned ourselves to paying for 2 pitches when needed, or going with friends and sharing 3 pitches between 2

we are looking for a smaller tent for just DH and I though, when DC are at Ps for a week in Aug!

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debbiewebweb · 02/07/2007 20:51

We have a Khyam Ontario 8. Its a tunnel tent, we decided against a pod thingy expecting them to be too large, but thought we'd be ok with this. Tried a C & C Club site and they said nothing bigger than 4m by 3m! We are going with friends so offered to stray onto their pitch but he still said no .
Am now going to try Hayfield Derbyshire as they take big tents and have some good reviews - anyone been?

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flibbertyjibbet · 02/07/2007 22:17

Next to our 2 man tent last time we went, there was this massive sort of Y shaped tent with 3 mums in and 5 assorted kids. They all arrived in 3 huge cars, at the weekend their dads arrived in 3 more large cars, and also several sets of grandparents! And they were paying the same fee per night as us!
I don't do camping now, DP can take the boys when they are old enough and I will stay at home in comfort with glass of wine.

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magnolia1 · 03/07/2007 11:05

We have a 6.5m x 7m tent and I always email ahead and ask for price based on our tent. Only one campsite has charged extra.
This saturday we are going to Henfield in Sussex. Small farm campsite and only £10 for the night for all 7 of us!!!

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Pixel · 03/07/2007 21:57

A friend of ours runs a campsite. He grew up with the business and took over from his dad. When we were down there at half-term he was saying that in his dad's day they would have had twice as many tents as everyone had frame tents and they just pitched in rows back to back. Now of course the tents are all different shapes and sizes so they are all over the place. He doesn't turn people away for having a big tent though, just has a scale of charges which seems to me much fairer and a much better way to run a business than turning away customers!

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UniSarah · 04/07/2007 22:29

Hurrah, a campsite that might not be full of hotel sized tents. where is it ,I want to go.
I must confess I am slightly mystified why people buy an 8 man tent for a family of 2 adults and 1 or 2 kids.

At Some of the sites we stayed on in Britanny a large tent would not have fitted on the pitch and with hedges or ridges between using 2 pitches for 1 tent would not be possible.
On only 1 site did we get a price that took into account our lack of car, they charged per tent + per person + per vehicle seemed fair to me.

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