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?

Well in that case it must be a short trip as you only get four days max out of a very good cool box, four days is fine with cold foods and drinks. If you drink coffee you can easily make coffee with cold water and milk. If you really want hot stuff and no eating out you’ll need to cancel and book a site with a hook up as you’ll probably only get two meals out of a portable power station.

Some sites have microwaves in with communal freezers etc
I would batch cook some chilli etc if they have a microwave to reheat and take some pouches of microwaveable rice, nachos, jacket potatoes etc
If you have electric hook up you’ll be fine if you take an 2 ring electric hob.
It depends how long you’re staying really, but I’d go if there is a microwave.
We are currently away in our van and I’ve seen quite a few campers with air fryers on tables, but each pitch has electric hookups and food vans are visiting.

I've never tasted one but I watch a few YouTubers who try out army rations.

You can get self heating cans too http://hotcan.com/how-it-works.html as I said they are not cheap, £4+ for sausage and beans but if you are going to be somewhere with no other means of heating then they can be useful.

That's ridiculous. Just came back from franc wildfire central and they certainly let us use our gas cooker. Just not open fires.

I would probably go rather than lose the money. You can make the best of it and have hot drinks and meals when you’re out and about during the day then just cold stuff in the evening.
Is there a shared area at all where you could boil a kettle?
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Ridiculous. I've just come back from a week of camping, ground just as dry as it is now. Bbqs and open fires were banned but not gas stoves. If I were you, I would either boil water on the sly in my tent (but hardly the relaxing trip you were planning) or cancel. Small claims court if they won't refund. A week of camping with no cooking facilities is unacceptable. At the very least, they should be providing a safe hardstanding area where people can gather to cook.

What has the camp site offered in terms of alternatives? I’m not talking about rebooking / cancelling but cooking facilities? Have they a shared kitchen for wash up where they might put kettles and the like?? Do they have a cafe / food facilities on site? Whilst I appreciate it’s no-ones fault you’d have hoped they would try and help with at least kettles because the expectation of camping is to cook your own food. Will they allow cookers that are off the ground? I’m not sure what the rules are!

unless you have an amazing coolbox which you precool and have ice bottles to keep cool, then it would be going out for food or shopping daily for bits to eat that don’t get heated.

Are you sure they don't have a communal kitchen area? Not ideal though, and it does seem that it could be a meaningful change in terms and conditions perhaps, although that's not their fault of course.

lots of questions , i’ll try answer

The site aren’t really replying to emails (1 in 3 so far) - we asked for hot water kettle but no reply
No electric, we are in a tent, not a camper
No communal microwaves/fridges - it’s basic but has showers
No shared area to boil a kettle
It’s Mon-Fri

I think we just have to go, can’t afford to lose the money

Don't use cookers inside tents folks! There have been deaths from CO poisoning.

Not the case, we are camping and been told stoves are ok if raised off the ground

The money has gone anyway. I wouldn’t go on a holiday like you describe with no means of cooking - why spend money to be more miserable than you would be at home?

People die by doing this - never use a stove inside a tent!

Yes we’re camping this weekend and they’ve said camping stoves are fine but keep water on hand, no fires or bbqs

It's fine. I've always done it when hiking and the weather is shit. There's plenty of fresh air.

I'd just move the date and would just be grateful my house hasn't been gutted by a fire. The idea of trying to find recommendations where you can start a fire while camping in this weather is alarming. There's a reason it's banned.

I don't think it is...it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Are you 100% sure they have banned all stoves and not just fires/BBQs?

It's completely unreasonable to prevent people from having hot food and drinks but expect the cancellation clause to apply. Looks like a knee jerk reaction to me.

They could at least set up some kettles or a hot water urn for campers to share. If they are worried about people having tiny stoves on the ground they could provide some bricks or slabs to stand them on.

That’s terrible of the camp site - they need to offer a shared kitchen or refund / move for free.

Id pop their T&C’s into an AI and get it to draft a formal complaint letter requesting a free move of date or alternative provisions. You could also ring nearby campsites or do a bit of research and see what other sites are doing as it’s a nationwide issue and clearly not everyone is having this problem so they need to find a better solution than a total ban!

It’s not fine. You absolutely shouldn’t do this.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/our-son-lay-dead-in-a-tent-for-five-days-the-scouts-didnt-help-him-8xhgc8028?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.advnture.com/news/two-climbers-die-from-carbon-monoxide-in-their-tent-camping-stove-could-be-to-blame
https://everwildoutdoors.com/camping-stove-may-have-lead-to-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-of-wild-camping-couple-found-dead-in-their-tent/

It's not fine

No using a gas stove inside a tent is not fine. People die every year doing this. It may be OK if the tent has a large well ventilated porch and a door/window is left open but a) this isn't stealth and b) we don t know what type of tent she has.

I’d still go. Make it an adventure.
it’s too hot for hot food anyway.
Does anyone you know have a camping battery you could borrow so you can take a kettle?

I’m interested to know how much you have to pay for a campsite with no facilities except showers and loos?

Absolutely!
Aside from the fire risk, they will be gassing themselves. I suppose evolution will rid us of this level of stupidity.