UK’s ‘Caravan City’ where hundreds live in shadow of million-pound houses

Bristol is famed for its wide-open green spaces and sweeping Regency crescents.

But in the shadow of the million-pound houses stand row upon row of caravans. With spiralling rents and stagnant wages, many have found that the only way to survive is to buy a camper van and take to the road.

Urban explorer Joe Fish ventured into Bristol’s “Caravan City” to find out what life is like for people who have made their homes there. “Bristol city council has recently stated that around about 800 caravans are located on the Downs area of Bristol,” he said.

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“Just beyond the trees there, are the most expensive homes in Bristol… but you can see someone’s tent here being overlooked there by likely million-pound properties.”

With no access to washing or toilet facilities and no bin collections, keeping clean in Caravan City is a challenge in itself. Some people try harder than others, but the few bad apples who allow bin bags to pile up outside their caravans create a rat problem for everyone.

Most locals are sympathetic to the caravan-dwellers’ situation, but they aren’t happy with the inevitable mess. One woman that Joe spoke to explained: “I didn’t mind them being there but up the back alley was poo, with toilet paper at various intervals along the way – I didn’t like that really.”

She added: “The local pub was willing to have them come in and use the toilet there, but they obviously couldn’t do that at night.”

The origins of Caravan City date back at least to 2017, but locals say that recent media reports have encouraged other people from across the country to join the expanding community. “If it was a limited area, and they did something about the rubbish I’d have no objection at all,” said one woman who was walking her dog nearby.

“But, I have a feeling that lots of lots of caravans are coming from all over the country now because of all the publicity so it’s expanding all over the place.”

Some of the caravans are in a very poor state of repair, and may be abandoned, while others show incredible ingenuity – with wood-burning stoves, cat-flaps and other little touches to create a cosy environment inside.

Some people don’t even have the luxury of caravans and just drive to the area as night falls and sleep in their cars. While most people living nearby are tolerant of those who have been failed by the system and have nowhere else to go, not everyone is as understanding.

In the middle of the night, it’s not unknown for people to drive alongside the caravans, loudly tooting their car horn, in order to disturb the van-dwellers’ sleep.

“Most of the people that I’ve come across have been really friendly and actually have full-time jobs. It’s really sad to be honest with you that they’re being forced to be in a position where they do have to live in a van or a caravan,” Joe said.

While some of the residents of Caravan City have actively chosen the semi-nomadic lifestyle, most are simply making the best of a bad – and worsening – situation.

Joe explained: “You’ll have people that are choosing to live ‘Van Life’ right next to people that have got absolutely zero other choice, and it’s either the caravan or the streets.”

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