Is there any retailer close to London where you can see tents setup?

[johnnybuoy]

We've never been camping but want to start but would like an idea of what the different tents feel like when you're inside.
Is there anywhere within an hours drive (ish) of West London where we could do this?
Thanks

don't know about west Lon but Decathlon over by Surrey Quays shopping centre (SE17?) usu has a selection of tents.

We went to www.skcamping.com a couple of years ago. There was a good range set up.

go outdoors some place past Wembley - Collingham perhaps?

These are in Shepperton - west of london not far from m3 and often have quite a few tents up - I would phone them first.......

www.thefamilytentshop.com/template1.aspx?PageID=4

also a bit further out

maidenhead way.. not far off m4/m40
www.intertent.co.uk/

or near Farnham - so quite a way but had loads on display are (big on Outwells)
www.campingworld.co.uk/

also GO Outdoors near Basingstoke (m3)have a huge room full... again I would phone as were all their own make last time and I'm not that keen on them !

not that i like tent shopping - oh no

Tony Wild's Camping has masses of tents set up outside.

It's just as you go down to Woburn Abbey/Safari Park; off at J13 of the M1

Well worth a visit

Pj camping at Hatfield, just up the a1?

why not google 'ukcampsite' (sorry, don't know it exactly) - excellent forum on all things camping and should have loads of suggestions for you depending on which way you want to drive out of London!

I researched and shopped online only and found the perfect tent for us. If you find some types you like online, go to YouTube and - sad but true - there are videos showing tents being pitched, and showing you around inside. Some are very detailed!

The Go Outdoors at Colindale www.gooutdoors.co.uk/edgware-road has tents set up indoors and have a pretty good range inc Outwell, Vango etc. They also have a price match policy - worth finding the info on it on their website and printing it out. So if you find a tent you like online which they stock you can bring them the details of the tent and price at a competitor, and they'll sell it to you for 10% less than the competitor. Just read about this at ukcampsite (timetosmile is so right, it is a goldmine of information - great for tent reviews, campsite reviews, and camping advice).

But like DiveBomb we bought our tent online after just reading lots of reviews and watching YouTube videos. We definitely chose the right one for us, and got a really good price too.

Yes SK Camping mentioned earlier is very good. It is in Surrey (Godstone area I think).

I second the Family Tent Shop in Shepperton. They're super helpful.

Not sure how west you are but Notcutts garden centre in St Albans had a great range up last year. They have a few branches west of London (Staines, Bagshot, Booker) so they might do them there as well?