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We are booked into a site for the bank holiday weekend just for a couple of nights with the TT.  Because it is just a few nights I decided that I wanted to try the TT without setting up the awning and take a gazebo instead, merely for quickness as I don't want to be pitching a full awning for just this short time.

I mentioned this to the owner of the site and they replied that they would have to charge extra for the gazebo, which is their normal policy and I dont have a problem with that, besides for three nights it will only cost me an extra £3.

But just a little thing that I queried with them was that if I was to set up the awning on the TT, the cost of the weekend would be cheaper, ie not paying for gazebo, the ironic thing is that the gazebo takes up less space than the awning and it would be placed in the position where the awning would normally go, as I said I dont mind paying the extra and had a little laugh with the owner about it, but I do think that some pricing schemes can be a little bizzare.

I also note from others peoples comments on here that some sites charge extra for awnings, would this include TT's as some of them have integral awnings and not zipped.

This is definately not a gripe but would be interested in other peoples comments and experiences with this.

To all going away this bank holiday......ENJOY

Andy

I`ve never been charged extra for a TT awning, because it`s the "tent" bit, really. The "extra for awnings" normally only applies to caravans.

A lot of sites charge for gazebos. Two reasons...

1) it discourages folk from filling their pitch to bursting if you charge extra for pup tents/kitchen tents/dayrooms/gazebos. Filling a pitch solid can be a fire risk, not to mention that if too many people do it the site can start to look like a canvas jungle with no room to breathe.

2) The vast majority of gazebos are unsafe to use on a campsite anyway. They`re designed for occasional supervised day use. They`re not designed for high winds, or to be left up overnight or when the owner is off site. Most have crappy little pegs, inadequate pegging points and pathetically few gulines, and there are plenty of stories on here of gazebos tearing loose in just a stiff breeze and cartwheeling across site, damaging other tents and cars. Many sites have banned gazebos altogether.

So you`re lucky to be allowed one at all, I feel. I take my kitchen tent when I just pitch the cabin, btw, and have never been charged for it.

(And make sure you guy the thing down well, eh? Must admit, my heart sinks when the next door pitch starts putting up a gazebo.)

My fault I should have explained, the gazebo is a khyam day shelter which is a little more rugged that what is perceived as a four post open gazebo.  I inadvertently used that expression as that is what the site charges under.

The issue is not wether to use a "gazebo" but merely should it be charged extra for when the TT awning is not being used and this day shelter takes up less space.

We too will use it as a kitchen and sitting area.

Sorry for the confusion

Andy

Quote: Originally posted by andy100 on 18/8/2006

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The issue is not wether to use a "gazebo" but merely should it be charged extra for when the TT awning is not being used and this day shelter takes up less space.

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A Kyham Day Shelter is probably sturdier than a lot of tents, methinks!

I think the problem with the charging would arise in that tents vary a lot in size, so how can you make a fair rule about when to charge for auxiliary tents? When the main tent was less than 3mx3m, less than 20sq m, or was only one unit? I can count to one more easily than work out what square meterage each individual tent on the market covers. Simpler calculation. I expect that`s why the campsite owners use it too. Yes, I see your point too, but it`s easier just to apply one rule for all.

I agree Andy, things are so stuck to rules that the flexability has been lost... We have an 8 berth tent that covers less ground than a caravan without the awning, but we've been turned down from a site because of the berthing...yet we could have had a gazebo as well as a 6 berth tent on the site quite happily!

I've cheated and bought a 6 berth trailer tent...that has an integral awning. Anything for an easy life, me!

I have to agree Andy.... I can not understand why they charge for utility tents etc but you would not have to pay anymore to put up an awning, which would be much bigger. I have just sold my T T but had not used the awning for at least two years. Most of our trips were weekend stopovers and our children no longer come camping with us, so it really wasn't worth it. I have to say I was not ever charged for my utility tent (which is smaller than a day room) as I used to say I have a HUGE awning but aren't going to use it this weekend so will just use my small cooking tent and they would say ok. Our T T before that had the awning permanently attached.

Have fun

Quote: Originally posted by blood on 20/8/2006

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I put my awning up all the time,it only takes 20 minutes with the new plastic poles that make the frame.It's worth the extra room it gives you (6.5m x 2.5m)

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20 minutes...wow...I'm still peggin down at the three hour point, hence not putting it up for a quick few days stopover.

Andy

We had a two day stopover on the way down to Cornwall and, for all the above reasons (it takes us three hours too) didn't put the awning up and took a Khyam Day tent to use as additional space - I'll stick a photo on my profile at some point. The C&CC site at Lydford didn't seem bothered as long as we didn't exceed our pitch. We had a feeling that it was going to rain the day before leaving our main site so we took the awning down early and stuck essentials in the tent - didn't think to inform the managers but they certainly walked past and didn't say anything.

Really awkward getting to the loo in the middle of the night!

Oh, and it did rain, massively, so it was worth it!