Top 7 Uses of a Bell Tent | Camping, Garden, Airbnb & Events

When most people think of a bell tent, they picture a camping trip. And yes, camping is where the bell tent was born. But if that were the only use, we wouldn't be selling thousands of them a year to wedding planners, Airbnb hosts, festival operators, and garden room enthusiasts.

The truth is a bell tent is one of the most versatile canvas structures you can own. Buy the right one and it earns its cost back many times over, not just on annual camping trips, but in your back garden every weekend, at your daughter's birthday party, and potentially as a side income on Airbnb.

Here are the top seven uses we see our customers put their bell tents to , and the size and spec that works best for each.

1. Family Camping & Glamping Weekends

The classic use, and still the most popular. A bell tent transforms a camping trip from "roughing it" to genuinely comfortable. The single central pole design gives you full standing height and a real floor plan: space for a double bed, side tables, a small wardrobe, and storage without feeling cramped.

What makes bell tents so popular for family camping specifically is the combination of space and simplicity. A 5m bell tent can sleep five to six people, sets up in under 20 minutes, and , with a polly mat on the groundsheet and some fairy lights, feels more like a studio than a tent.

Best for: Weekend camping, glamping site stays, multi-night trips Recommended size: 5m bell tent for families; 4m for couples Key spec: Cotton canvas for year-round breathability; stove hole flap for autumn/winter use

2. Garden Glamping & Outdoor Living Spaces

This is the use that surprises most people , until they try it. A bell tent in the garden is genuinely useful as a permanent or semi-permanent outdoor room. Parents use them as overflow sleeping space when guests stay. Teenagers use them as a private hangout. Families use them for summer dining and entertaining.

A 5m or 6m tent pegged out on the lawn with a rug, some cushions, and a solar lantern becomes an outdoor living room that costs a fraction of a garden room or summerhouse to set up and take down in an afternoon.

During summer months, a bell tent in the garden is one of the best things you can do for your children's outdoor time , it's a den, a sleeping space, a play area, and an adventure all in one.

Best for: Garden entertaining, kids' outdoor dens, overflow sleeping, summer living Recommended size: 5m or 6m for comfortable living space Key spec: Sewn-in groundsheet keeps insects out; mesh windows for ventilation in summer

3. Airbnb & Glamping Businesses

One of the fastest-growing uses we see. A bell tent on your land , whether that's a large garden, a field, or a farm , can generate serious income as an Airbnb listing. Search "glamping" on Airbnb in any county in the UK and you'll find fully booked bell tent listings earning £80–£200 per night.

The setup cost is low relative to the return. A quality 5m or 6m cotton bell tent, kitted out with a proper bed, a wood-burning stove, a rug, and some lighting, can be ready to list for under £2,000 all in. At £100/night and 60% occupancy across a season, that's a significant annual income from a single tent.

For anyone running more than two or three tents commercially, you'll need a fireproof canvas (BS7837-rated) to satisfy insurance requirements and local authority checks. We supply fireproof bell tents across our full size range specifically for this purpose.

Best for: Airbnb glamping, holiday let income, farm diversification Recommended size: 5m minimum; 6m for a luxury feel guests will pay more for Key spec: Fireproof canvas for commercial use; stove hole for year-round bookings

We have a full start-up glamping guide and Glamping Podcast for anyone starting out.

4. Weddings & Wedding Accommodation

Bell tents at weddings have gone from a niche choice to one of the most sought-after wedding accommodation options in the UK. Guests who stay in a bell tent at a wedding almost always say it was the highlight of the weekend.

The uses within a wedding context are varied. Some couples use them purely as bridal party or guest accommodation , a row of dressed bell tents replacing expensive hotel rooms. Others use a large 6m or 7m tent as the bridal suite itself, styled with proper furniture and a four-poster feel. Some venues use bell tents as alternative ceremony spaces or chill-out areas during the reception.

For wedding suppliers offering tent packages, our Bell Tent Pro 6m x 5m and Emperor Tent are designed for exactly this , commercial-grade canvas, fireproof rated, and sized for proper luxury dressing inside.

Best for: Guest accommodation, bridal suite, wedding ceremony space Recommended size: 6m or 7m for bridal suites; 5m for guest accommodation Key spec: Fireproof canvas if your venue requires it; stove hole for autumn weddings.

See our full wedding tent options.

5. Festivals & Outdoor Events

Bell tents have been a staple of the UK festival scene for years , from the VIP glamping villages at Glastonbury to the hospitality suites at Silverstone F1. We've supplied tents to both. What makes bell tents so well suited to festival use is the combination of rapid setup, genuine durability in unpredictable British weather, and the visual impact of a canvas village that synthetic tents simply can't match.

For festival organisers and event companies, the fireproof bell tent range and our stretch tents handle everything from small boutique events to 300-tent installations. Our team has direct experience with large-scale festival setups and can advise on everything from tent spacing to power supply and fire safety compliance.

For individual festival-goers, a personal 4m polycotton bell tent is the gold standard , lightweight enough to transport, spacious enough to actually live in for a long weekend, and durable enough to handle whatever the British summer throws at it.

Best for: Personal festival camping, VIP glamping villages, event hospitality Recommended size: 4m for personal use; 6m–7m for VIP/event use Key spec: Polycotton for lightweight personal use; fireproof cotton for commercial event use.

6. Children's Parties & Private Events

A bell tent transforms a garden party into something memorable. Whether it's a themed children's birthday party, a hen do, a baby shower, or a garden anniversary celebration , a 5m bell tent dressed with bunting, cushions, and a long table inside creates an event space that no marquee at twice the price can match for atmosphere.

Parents increasingly use bell tents as the centrepiece of children's birthday parties , a dedicated den for the birthday child and friends, styled to a theme, with sleeping bags for a sleepover element if wanted. For older children and teens, a bell tent sleepover in the garden is genuinely the best birthday present you can give.

For adult private parties, our rental service is available if you don't need to own a tent outright. We can advise on setup, flooring, lighting and accessories to make any private event work.

Best for: Children's birthday parties, hen parties, garden celebrations, sleepovers Recommended size: 4m for small parties; 5m for groups up to 10 Key spec: Sewn-in groundsheet essential; add fairy lighting and rugs for atmosphere.

7. Commercial Glamping Sites & Farm Diversification

The seventh and most substantial use , and for many of our trade customers, the most commercially significant. Bell tents are the most accessible entry point into the glamping industry for landowners, farmers, and hospitality operators. Lower capital cost than lodges or pods, no planning permission needed for temporary use, and a proven demand from guests across the UK.

A basic commercial glamping setup of five bell tents can be operational for under £15,000 all in , tents, groundwork, power, and basic furnishing. At £120/night per tent across a UK season, the maths works remarkably well.

We have a dedicated trade programme with 0% finance available, bulk pricing on our fireproof range, and a start-up guide that walks through planning permission, insurance, fire safety, and site layout. For farmers specifically, we've built a dedicated diversification resource covering the Caravan Sites Act and permitted development rights.

Best for: Commercial glamping sites, farm diversification, holiday park operators Recommended size: 5m minimum; 6m for premium pricing Key spec: Fireproof BS7837-rated canvas required; stove hole for year-round revenue.

Which Bell Tent Is Right for Your Use?

Ready to Find Yours?

Whether you're looking for a personal camping upgrade, an Airbnb income stream, or a fully commercial glamping operation, we're here to help you find the right tent for your exact use case.

Browse our full range at belltentsussex.co.uk/collections/bell-tents or call us on 01323 401400 , we're based in Newhaven, East Sussex and we answer the phone.