Festivals and campervans

[jfire]

Boardmasters Festival said:

Can I use my converted car/van/truck in the Campervan Field?
No. We only allow campervans, motorhomes, caravans and trailer-tents.

I've seen this restriction a few times at various festivals. Why?

I know they don't let you sleep in your car either, so they purposely leave no ambiguity between a car or a Transit with a mattress in the back, and a motor home but considering only a few models actually come out of the factory as mobile homes it's nonsense that the organiser reserve the right to judge what's an acceptable conversion.

Edited by jfire on Wednesday 8th August 16:32

[Triumph Man]

Surely if you just refer to it as a "motorhome" it's fine?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

It's like modified cars & insurance...

....it's more about the clientele than the vehicle I suspect

[Mr Peel]

Which festival is this? Some seem to be more picky than others.

[Jag_NE]

what is your vehicle, exactly?

[Agent XXX]

"I've seen this restriction a few times at various festivals. Why?"

Wanna make your own rules? Set up a festival.

[jfire]

Mr Peel said:

Which festival is this? Some seem to be more picky than others.

Boardmasters.

Pretty sure Glasto said the same among others.

[jfire]

Jag_NE said:

what is your vehicle, exactly?

Jaguar XF 3.0d V6 but I spotted this while looking for car parking info.

I've always wanted a camper and have seen various DIY conversions done to a very high standard. Not that I'd have the skill to do anything more than put a mattress in the back of a Transit (although I remember a friend cutting wood panels to protect the inside of his, which also got me thinking about what you could do with one) or want to sleep in one but seeing this restriction stated resonated with me as someone who'd be more likely to end up with a conversion than a factory VW California

Edited by jfire on Wednesday 8th August 16:42

[Jag_NE]

jfire said:

Jag_NE said:

what is your vehicle, exactly?

Jaguar XF 3.0d V6 but I spotted this while looking for car parking info.

I've always wanted a camper and have seen various DIY conversions done to a very high standard. Not that I'd have the skill to do anything more than put a mattress in the back of a Transit (although I remember a friend cutting wood panels to protect the inside of his, which also got me thinking about what you could do with one) or want to sleep in one but seeing this restriction stated resonated with me as someone who'd be more likely to end up with a conversion than a factory VW California

Edited by jfire on Wednesday 8th August 16:42

If its clearly a converted van then it becomes a campervan at that point, surely? If someone thinks that they are taking the piss then they probably are! I agree that many/the majority of campervans on the road are conversions. The guidance is probably just to scare off piss takers who have a mattress in the back of a van.

[Bill]

Jag_NE said:

If its clearly a converted van then it becomes a campervan at that point, surely? If someone thinks that they are taking the piss then they probably are! I agree that many/the majority of campervans on the road are conversions. The guidance is probably just to scare off piss takers who have a mattress in the back of a van.

This. There's a few hoops to jump through before your converted van becomes a camper. It's the same with campervan insurance.

[jfire]

But what's the problem apart from the occupants probably being scum!?

Not far removed from 'no hats or trainers' in clubs

In this day and age where if you open a nice cafe you're accused of social cleansing I'm surprised someone hasn't been able to pull such policies up on grounds of discrimination. I notice owners of other establishments notably a certain bakery have been ruled against for choosing their clientele.

Edited by jfire on Wednesday 8th August 17:08

[tight fart]

It's their bat & their ball.

You do get some nice diy conversions.

Edited by tight fart on Wednesday 8th August 19:04

[GliderRider]

At risk of being incredibly boring, it will be about duty of care.

If your DIY camper van conversion catches alight due to your dodgy workmanship in some remote location, that is your problem. If it catches alight in a crowded festival motorhome park and takes a load of others with it, then it is, at least partly, the festival organiser's problem.

Commercially-built campers will have been built and tested to industry/British/European standards, so apart from dodgy maintenance, they are a known quantity.

Leisure Vehicle Safety Approval

Edited by GliderRider on Thursday 9th August 20:19

[jfire]

GliderRider said:

At risk of being incredibly boring, it will be about duty of care.

If your DIY camper van conversion catches alight due to your dodgy workmanship in some remote location, that is your problem. If it catches alight in a crowded festival motorhome park and takes a load of others with it, then it is, at least partly, the festival organiser' problem.

Commercially-built campers will have been built and tested to industry/British/European standards, so apart from dody maintenance, they are a known quantity.

Leisure Vehicle Safety Approval

Edited by GliderRider on Wednesday 8th August 19:51

Don't worry, you didn't make the regulations!

Good answer

Thanks

[Watchman]

Some "home" conversions are done to a very high standard, to the point where they could be factory-issued. So who is to know? Is there proof required by the organisers, and what would that proof be? Is it possible to re-register a van as a motorhome so that even your V55 says it is?

[Zoon]

Watchman said:

Some "home" conversions are done to a very high standard, to the point where they could be factory-issued. So who is to know? Is there proof required by the organisers, and what would that proof be? Is it possible to re-register a van as a motorhome so that even your V55 says it is?

I doubt you can re-register a vehicle.

[Bill]

I've used my homebuilt camper at Glastonbury without issue.

[jfire]

Pics?

[Watchman]

Zoon said:

Watchman said:

Some "home" conversions are done to a very high standard, to the point where they could be factory-issued. So who is to know? Is there proof required by the organisers, and what would that proof be? Is it possible to re-register a van as a motorhome so that even your V55 says it is?

I doubt you can re-register a vehicle.

According to:

https://www.gov.uk/change-vehicle-details-registra...

website said:

Changes that may need inspection
You must also update your V5C if you change any of the following:

body type, eg you convert a van to a campervan or ’motor caravan’ (DVLA gives a body type description based on the vehicle’s external appearance)

[geeks]

Watchman said:

Zoon said:

Watchman said:

Some "home" conversions are done to a very high standard, to the point where they could be factory-issued. So who is to know? Is there proof required by the organisers, and what would that proof be? Is it possible to re-register a van as a motorhome so that even your V55 says it is?

I doubt you can re-register a vehicle.

According to:

https://www.gov.uk/change-vehicle-details-registra...

website said:

Changes that may need inspection
You must also update your V5C if you change any of the following:

body type, eg you convert a van to a campervan or ’motor caravan’ (DVLA gives a body type description based on the vehicle’s external appearance)

Mine has been re-registered as a Camper (as many on PH have) on the log book thus no festival organiser would be able to reasonably be able to turn me away, also use ours for touring and not once had it questioned on a site.