Please tell me I'm not bad parent! I rang Hoburne Park, Cirencester, this morning to book 5 nights in August, hoping to get a pitch next to my sister who was already booked in with her two grandsons. All was fine until I was told that the site has a rule that says that children are not allowed to sleep in caravan awnings. Even teenaged children as in the case of my sons. For the past four years my boys have slept in the awning on every summer holiday we have had, both in the UK and in France.They see it as 'camping' and part of the fun of the holiday. Hoburne says it is a 'health and safety issue' and is a local authority rule. Any comments?
Sleeping in awnings?
- Thread starter Gerri_374308192
- Start date
I would pretend the boys were sleeping in the caravan. Once the awning curtains are shut who's gonna know. It's funny because sites have all these rules but lets face it not all are enforced like they should be. I don't think they will check.
Sorry you are having problems locating a suitable site. However, did you ask the site owners if you could put a 'pup' tent on your pitch for your teenagers to sleep in? This might just be a get-out for you and pup tents are not that expensive. If the weather turned really inclement they could always make a dash for the awning. I somehow think the teenies won't though as they would be having a great time being a little bit independent without going overboard!!!
Ann
Ann
Hi Gerri,
You're NOT a bad parent!
Awnings are fine for sleeping in. You can even buy annexes and inner tents for them - sleeping in an awning is exactly the same as sleeping in a tent.
Our boy slept in the awning in the snow a couple of months ago and he was fine!
Obviously we made sure he had an adequate sleeping bag - but that's just common sense.
It sounds like political correctness gone made, to me - do they allow tents on this site?
You're NOT a bad parent!
Awnings are fine for sleeping in. You can even buy annexes and inner tents for them - sleeping in an awning is exactly the same as sleeping in a tent.
Our boy slept in the awning in the snow a couple of months ago and he was fine!
Obviously we made sure he had an adequate sleeping bag - but that's just common sense.
It sounds like political correctness gone made, to me - do they allow tents on this site?
Gerri,
My daughter has slept in the annexe of the awning for the past three years hols, she would prefer to sleep there rather than in the caravan.
As far as health and safety, scouts have been sleeping in tents for years winter and summer and they don't have any problems.
If it a local authority rule i would check with the caravan club site in cirencester to see if they allow people to sleep in awnings - surely they are part of the same authority
My daughter has slept in the annexe of the awning for the past three years hols, she would prefer to sleep there rather than in the caravan.
As far as health and safety, scouts have been sleeping in tents for years winter and summer and they don't have any problems.
If it a local authority rule i would check with the caravan club site in cirencester to see if they allow people to sleep in awnings - surely they are part of the same authority
Parksy
Moderator
Hi Gerri
I've just had a look on the website for Hobourne Park and this confirms what I suspected as soon as I read your post.
The site DOES allow camping in tents in the 'designated area' and on their price list a tent at this time of year is twenty quid a night extra.
Kind of says it all really doesn't it.
The only suggestion that I can make is to either keep shtum about the children sleeping in the awning or do as I and many others do when we feel as though we're being ripped off and thats to vote with your feet.
I've just had a look on the website for Hobourne Park and this confirms what I suspected as soon as I read your post.
The site DOES allow camping in tents in the 'designated area' and on their price list a tent at this time of year is twenty quid a night extra.
Kind of says it all really doesn't it.
The only suggestion that I can make is to either keep shtum about the children sleeping in the awning or do as I and many others do when we feel as though we're being ripped off and thats to vote with your feet.
god no kids in awnings and no dogs at the cirencester one either. do they allow adults or ust the vans only.
jo
jo
Think laterally - put children under canvas and they won't sleep, they're too keen to take advantage of a little freedom - you can honestly answer that children won't be sleeping in the awning.
Have you met some of the Hoburne wardens?
I have seen them snooping round telling campers off for the silliest of things.
I have seen them snooping round telling campers off for the silliest of things.
Do you, by any chance, have a specific sleeping area in your awning (the type that zip on a extend out the side)? If not would it be worth considering? Nobody could argue with that.
Hi
You are not a bad parent. As a child I slept in the awning of my parents caravan along with my brother, never did us any harm, it was fun. I have a touring caravan, my brother goes camping, with our respective families. Our neice has been camping in North Wales in really foul weather as part of her Silver Duke of Edinburgh award. She's fine.
The issue about not sleeping in awnings may be about discouraging more than one family on a pitch.
Just a thought
Annette
You are not a bad parent. As a child I slept in the awning of my parents caravan along with my brother, never did us any harm, it was fun. I have a touring caravan, my brother goes camping, with our respective families. Our neice has been camping in North Wales in really foul weather as part of her Silver Duke of Edinburgh award. She's fine.
The issue about not sleeping in awnings may be about discouraging more than one family on a pitch.
Just a thought
Annette
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