Design & Construction

Hire Tents & Marquees | Contact Us | Used Tents | Camp in a Belle Tent

Belle Tents and marquees may be a little more expensive than some on the market, but we are confident that we can offer a better quality of materials and craftsmanship than the cheaper imports, as well as a complete back-up advice and repair service. If looked after, however, your Belle Tent should last at least 10 years.

When you buy any of our tents and marquees you can expect personal and friendly attention and, because we live next to our workshop, we are also normally available out of office hours. We also pride ourselves on our prompt delivery to deadline; we have never missed one yet!

Full, easy to follow erection instructions and diagrams are sent with every tent. We have sent out dozens of tents and find that most people have no problems at all putting them up. However we are, as always, just a phone call away to talk you through it if needed.

We are happy to customize any of the tents and marquees, or create new designs to suit your needs.

As all of our tents and marquees are made to order in our own workshops, please contact us for current waiting times.

You are also welcome to visit us here in Cornwall.

Materials & Specifications

Belle Tents are made from the highest standard materials, using local suppliers as far as possible. The timber poles, stakes, and pins for the poles are all made here in the South West UK.

All the tents and marquees come complete with canopy, side walls, wooden poles, guy ropes, decorative turned wooden finials for the top of the wall poles, stakes, wooden pegs and storage bags for the canvas. It will be necessary to purchase either a sledge hammer or heavy mallet to put up the tents; these are obtainable from builders merchants.

Canvas:

Our canvas comes from a supplier in Dundee in Scotland, who also supply canvas for the Ministry of Defence. Incidentally, the base cloth is still made on looms that are 36'' wide (1 yard) and yet is sold by the linear metre!

The canvas is 100% cotton, is 12oz per yrd² (393gm per m²) and is water repellant, rot resistant and flame retardant to British Standards. It is used for all the tents and marquees and is available in a choice of colours including Red, Blue and Natural White (depending on availability).

PVC/polyester instead of canvas side walling can used for the larger marquees where heavy use is anticipated.

We have all our canvas specially vat dyed at higher than the standard quality; this is not an exact science and so colour shades may vary slightly from any samples provided.

Please note: We usually carry a small amount of red and blue canvas in stock and so are able to make the smaller tents at short notice. For marquee orders using colour canvas we generally have to have a new batch of canvas dyed, a process that can take up to 2 months. It is therefore advisable to order colour marquees in the Autumn for delivery the following Spring. However, if you have left things a bit late, it is always worth contacting us to check what colours we may have in stock.

Canopy:

The designs utilize tensile curves with few straight edges, thus minimizing wind resistance. See Here for a customer review.

All of our tents and marquees are either round or have rounded ends. We don't make square tents!

All of our tents and marquees are made with double valances as standard; the outer is the rain-flap and the inner is to cover the hooks holding the side walls.

Garden Tents - Made in one piece in natural white, or white with one other colour canvas.
Marquees - Natural white, or white with one other colour canvas, in two or three sections and joined together with French lacing.

Awning (Garden round & round end tents only):

We can add a 6' x 5' (1.8 x 1.5m) sewn in entrance awning at £100. Includes 2 extra tent poles and stakes.

Removable side walling (side curtains):

The side walls are attached to the tents by brass hooks sewn into the canopy between the inner and outer valances. They are in at least two separate pieces and are joined together with French lacing.

Garden Tents - 6' (1.8m) high side walls as standard, natural white canvas. We can make the sides higher if needed.
Marquees - 7' (2.13m) high side walls as standard, natural white canvas. White PVC/polyester, flame retardant side walls also available. Wall height can be made up to 8' 6'' (2.6m).

Centre Poles:

These are made from Scandinavian redwood, from 2 inch (50mm) up to 4 inch (100mm) diameter, lathe turned. They are made in two sections and sleeve-jointed, then varnished to a high quality standard. Ring & spike on small marquee poles, star ring with pulleys for the large marquees.

Side Poles:

Also made from Scandinavian redwood, 2 inch (50mm) diameter, lathe turned in one-piece then varnished to a high quality standard with ring and spike.

Garden Tents - 6' (1.8m) high as standard. Also 6' 6'' (1.98m) and 7' (2.13m) high poles available.
Marquees - 7' (2.13m) high as standard. Pole height can be made up to 8' 6'' (2.6m).

Decorative finials & Flags:

All of the tents and marquees have 3½ inch turned wooden finials which sit on top of the side pole pins. Larger finials, in various shapes, can be purchased for the top of the centre poles. Flags and bunting can be purchased from http://www.theflagloft.co.uk/

Delivery:

Delivery is extra and is by carrier. Prices for large marquees include delivery to UK mainland when we will erect it with you. You are welcome to collect your tent, when we will be happy to show you how to put it up. We can also organize shipment of our tents and marquees to almost anywhere in the world

Canvas care and cleaning:

Because the canvas is treated with water and fire repellants, hot water or detergents are not recommended for cleaning. The best way to clean the tent is to put it up on a sunny day and use a hose-pipe with a spray attachment, or mini pressure washer on the lowest setting. A little Ecover washing liquid can be used on stubborn stains.

- It is important to always store canvas away dry and in dry conditions -