Camping dilemma since fire alert

[SaturdayGiraffe]

Off camping next week but been told no cooking stoves allowed now - so no hot water, no hot food.
There’s no pub or shops nearby either.

The site is saying we are inside 14 day cancellation so they are charging to move the dates back and we’ll lose full amount if we go elsewhere (although not even sure where else since the phone alert).

Camping with kids, with no hot food or drink - would you do it?

Does anyone know a site where we could cook still?

Yeah I’ve been there too, although we always had EHU as my straighteners were a red line!

I think I might still be traumatised by the cold baked bean sandwich referenced on a previous page 🥴

I’d cancel. It sounds miserable.

That only works if the site have installed hook up points. Lots don’t and others only have a set amount.

Ops said there is no hook up where she is booked.

😂😂😂😂
made me lol.

Just reposting this to add that there isn’t a nationwide ban on camping stoves, so OP would need to check her area to see whether the authorities there have placed a local ban. If not, then the campsite have imposed their own ban with no basis, so added to the above they have again changed the terms and conditions on which they offered the holiday.

Quite. There's no need for that kind of thing!

We always take these huge battery power banks and plug and take an electric pan. Took a while to find a pan that worked as you've to get voltage right but we take a few of the big banks and also if it's sunny we put the solar panels out. I would consider these camping essentials tbh unless you're doing a full wilderness run.

I couldn’t live without the heater. We camped this last week in this heat but by 3am I was shivering my ass off in My tent putting the fan heater on.

Our site was then still allowing bbqs and fires.

Everyone on site using them always seemed to have a full bucket of water next to theirs. We were actually pitched right next to the fire sand buckets and a water tap.

There"s more than one type of camping. But ive done hiking to a farmers field and i"ve done sites you drive too, with some camping pitches able to have electric hook up that are within walking distance of a nice town with loads of amenities and sime between the two.

Different types of holidays, but all camping.

Op clarified no electric hook up on thier site.

Cooking stoves are not banned because as long as they are a on stable surface and above the ground they don’t spark. There is no nationwide ban on them and unless there is a local ban imposed by the LA the campsite have done this themselves. Legally they’ve changed the terms of the contract on which they offered OP the holiday and she’s entitled to ask either for a rebooking or a refund so she can go somewhere where she can use a stove.

We've got the exact same issue OP, we go next week as well.

I can cope without hot food but not without a coffee in the morning 🤣. In our case the campsite has said they'll provide kettles by the washing up area so we're going ahead. If we're fed up after 3 nights or so we'll cut our losses and come home early but that feels better than not going at all.

We're going to do croissants and fruit for breakfast, take some cheese, crackers and deli meats and some pot noodles/porridge pots. If we can find a chip shop DDs will be happy with a bag of chips.

If you have no access to a kettle at all I'd buy some of the cartons of iced coffee. You could freeze them and use them as extra ice packs.

I'd go and make the best of it and if you come home mid week you've at least salvaged some of your holiday and not lost the entire amount.

Any idea how many people have died doing this ? Dozens of campers die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning from the stoves.

Lots of places are banning naked flames at the moment! I saw a post I think from the new forest saying no naked flames on site! You are aware of the amount of fires that are around at the moment?? I think the need to prevent fires is greater than an individuals need for a camping stove!!

The campsite have decided that they quite like their surroundings and don’t want to lose their business to a fire so have banned naked flames!!

Depending on the cancellation policy does it make sense to go 1-2 nights? Leave home really early one morning and buy a last tea at the final service station, then do iced instant coffee and cold meals for 2 days, maybe drive out for lunches. Make it one of those messed up holidays to remember instead of losing out on the whole thing

I agree, I’m stating it from a legal point of view. There is no nationwide ban on gas stoves because used properly they don’t spark. Unless there is a local authority ban on them where OP is, then the campsite have imposed the ban themselves. Either way they are legally bound to offer OP a rebooking or refund on her holiday because they have changed the terms and conditions, not OP.

I wouldn’t go, it sounds bloody awful. Long days as well, with no cooking to do

I think it’s really unfair of them not to refund you given the circumstances too

Are you definitely not allowed a small camping stove? They’re still allowed at festivals for example.

Yes, I know. Read the comments properly. What I’m saying is that there is no ban on properly used gas camping stoves, but by imposing the ban themselves, the camp site have changed the terms and conditions on which they offered OP the holiday, so they should be offering rebooking at a later date or a refund. Even if the local authority in that area have imposed a local ban, this would still be the case.

Gengha

It is crap and I know people don’t want to just make do but it’s better than not going

That’s generally because they are using the stoves or BBQs to heat their tents while they sleep. Not because they’re boiling water for a cuppa with the tent doors open.

Do you spend all day in the campsite? I'd want to go out during the day, so I'd buy a croissant or a roll from a shop for breakfast, or have a coffee at a cafe, then have a picnic lunch and then have a meal out in the evening.

The camp site are legally bound to offer OP a refund. These policies only refer to the holidaymaker cancelling because of their own circumstances/change of mind, not when the providers have changed the terms and conditions of the original holiday - which is exactly what imposing a ban on cooking does.

OP can take them to small claims court if they don’t offer a refund. The refund policy doesn’t cover anything other than the holidaymaker cancelling for their own reasons, not for the provider changing the terms of the holiday. Which is what this amounts to. That’s likely the reason they’re not answering emails.

https://www.campinginthenewforest.com/blog/bbq-restrictions-2026/

You can get car kettles at least then you could have a hot dtink.