Frequently Asked Questions

Find a range of FAQs from our customers over the years.

We have taken our tents all over the UK and into Europe. We do try to only operate in the South and East in peak summer months to allow us to offer a robust on-call service during your event, and we limit the number of events we undertake far from our base to maintain our high service levels.

So whether you are having a tipi wedding in London, a corporate Sailcloth tent event in Kent, or a relaxed stretch tent garden party in Surrey (or anything in between), make EUC your first call.

We hold a showcase once a year at our HQ at Capel St Mary on the Essex / Suffolk border close to the A12. Our customers can come and see all our amazing structures, have a look at all our optional extras such as lighting and furniture and also meet some of our favourite suppliers. It’s a great chance to meet our team and you are welcome to bring the whole family along.

If you are unable to come to our showcase, we will do our best to show you around another customer’s set-up.

There are few limitations – your event could be anything from 10 to 1,000 people. Our tipis link together to create a single space of any size and our sailcloth can be extended to make them the perfect size, whether they be for a wedding, festival, party or corporate event.

One tipi will accommodate up to 70 people seated, two tipis linked will accommodate up to 120 and three tipis up to 150. More people can be accommodated if formal dining is not required. We can design floor plans around your exact specifications and will always work with you to agree the best layout and number of tipis required based on your own event.

The sailcloth tents can be expanded to suit weddings from 50 – 250 people. We will suggest the best size when sending you a quote based on the number of guests attending.

They cost about the same and are used for weddings and events, but ours are luxury marquees, not standard marquees that have metal frames. Our tents have no metal work inside and look breathtaking both inside and out due to their wooden support poles that create the frames. You will never get the same “wow” reaction with a standard marquee!

Yes absolutely, we just need to make sure some special security measures are in place to keep equipment safe.

Yes of course! We can advise on everything regarding your event. We are very used to helping customers and giving loads of tips.

Firstly, don’t worry, damage is very rare and our tents are very resilient! However, once we have set up the equipment you are responsible for it for the duration of the hire and the cost of any damage. You can however opt to take our damage waiver (at 2% of the rental cost), which would remove this liability for any damages except for an excess of £500. If you do not opt for the damage waiver we strongly recommend you taking out your own insurance.

We can erect the tipis, on hardstanding if we can drill in to secure them to the ground. When we drill in, we will make good afterwards by filling the holes with mortar (holes are around 2 cm wide x 30 – 60 cms deep). We can set up on astro-turf if you are happy for us to stake in.

Our use our quote builder or talk to us and we can help! We also have some guidance on our website including floor plans and layouts for both Tipis & Sailcloth Tents.

Whilst your garden may not be big enough for a tipi we do have smaller options such as our kung or small stretch tent. In addition, many of our customers use inexpensive village halls or cricket pavilions and their grounds. If you are lucky there may well be toilets and perhaps power that you can use. Call the office and we can give you some pointers.

We supply flooring, tables and chairs, dance floors, stages, bars, chill out furniture, lighting, fire pits, catering tents, outdoor heating systems, generators, toilets etc. In fact, we supply pretty much everything you need for your event, you just need to add some catering, drinks and music. Take a look at our furnishings.

Yes, we do many events in the colder months. Both the tipis and sailcloths are ideal structures as they can be closed and heated discreetly by external heaters. A fire pit is a great addition inside a tipi and makes a winter space really cozy. You can even have wooden doors on the front of your tipi. Take a peek at our winter wedding blog which will give you more guidance and some top tips.

It will take a team of 4-6 people about 6-8 hours to get an average event fully set up. Naturally this varies on the size of event and how much interior decoration is being included.

Normally we set up one or two days prior your event and take down one to two days afterwards. We will do our best to work around your schedule for the event, and can discuss extended hire periods as needed.

Yes, as long as they are not placed within one metre of the canvas.

Yes, as long as you do not use anything that could pierce the canvas or damage the poles.

Yes a little, though they are more effective for ambience. We can arrange blow heaters for more effective heating.

Yes, the tipis make for really cosy spaces with the sides down, and we have both transparent and white walls for the sailcloth tents. Your tents will be set up to your exact specification and we will discuss and suggest all manner of options with you to make your event perfect.

Yes, one of our team would be very happy to come and meet with you at your chosen venue and advise you on all your options. This service is free of charge and carries no obligation on your part.

Our smallest structure is a Kung tipi which needs a minimum space of 8.25m x 8.25m.

Yes, many varied events take place in just such a location. We can organise all the necessary infrastructure such as toilets and manage the whole electrical set-up.

Yes, we can supply you with all that you need. Any items we don’t stock we would sub hire or provide you with full details of where to source. Of course you can still just hire the tents and make your own arrangements for everything else if you prefer.

We believe lighting is essential to set the scene. We have plenty of fairy lights and festoons which can light inside and outside areas or be hung on shepherd hooks, perhaps to make a welcoming walkway. Trees look spectacular when up-lit, either in white or a colour of your choice. Our chandeliers can be hung over dining areas in the tipis or uplighters can be used in the sailcloth to throw light up into the canopy. These lights can be switched off later to set the mood for an evening of dancing.

Yes, of course! You can be as creative as you like – we only ask that you do not pin into the wooden poles or damage the canvas in anyway. If you have a florist we can always have a chat with them direct.

Go ahead – candles look great. Just be sure to place them at least one metre from the canvas.

Yes, our tipis and sailcloth tents are water tight in most normal conditions. If you are planning on having fire pits inside the tipis, then the smoke flaps at the top would need to be closed in heavy rain, but all of this would be discussed with you prior to your event.

Our stretch tents will keep you dry if it is raining. Although in windy and wet conditions there is less protection from the elements due to the open nature of the structure.

We are pleased to say that in nine years of operation, all our events have gone ahead. Our Tipis and Sailcloths withstand the wind much better than a traditional marquee and will keep you and your guests dry. Occasionally we need to adjust set-up and take down days in extreme winds. When bad weather is forecast, we will be in close discussion with you about the contingency plans.

The tents all have their own wind loadings depending on their size and set-up. In times of high winds, we would discuss with you any steps we need to take to ensure everyone’s safety and at what point the tents would need to be evacuated. Erecting or dismantling the tents in high winds can be tough, and so we may request changing the setup or take down date around the weather forecasts.

For summer events we lay our matting directly onto the ground. In winter it is often prudent to also have a solid plastic base to go under our matting to prevent boggy ground affecting you and your guests enjoyment.

Although an extra expense, it may well give you peace of mind, especially if your event space can sometimes be boggy after heavy rain.

Yes, snow is no issue for us and makes for a breath-taking venue. We would need to clear the ground before setting the tents up and keep them heated throughout to prevent snow settling on the canvas. You would therefore need to consider the added fuel cost to keep them heated throughout the hire period.

We usually set-up two or three days before an event and take down a day or so after, we work closely with you to try and meet your needs. We are also used to working with venues and any specific timing needs they may have.

No problem – we recommend that you make your booking on the maximum number of guests you expect to ensure availability. However, if your guest numbers reduce, you can easily adjust the number of chairs and tables you require and there will be no charge. We try to be as flexible as possible – once your deposit is paid and your structure and date is secure, you can add and remove items from your booking as your plans come together.

This depends on the size of your event. Most of our builds take the best part of a day, although it may take longer if the event is particularly large.

Yes, we are on call 24 hours a day. You will be given a contact name and number so rest assured help is available if required.

We try to be as environmentally aware as possible. We build or responsibly source all furniture, lighting and interiors and look after it so that it lasts. We also select our suppliers carefully trying to use companies who match our values. We choose our vehicles based on their MPG performance and do not use any HGVs. All marketing materials are carbon balanced. We are always on the lookout for new ideas and are currently very excited to be investigating the possibility of an all electric fleet of vehicles within five years.

Read more about our commitment to sustainability.