Britain’s growing army of van dwellers have revealed how tensions are running dangerously high – with clashes involving not only angry local residents but also infighting among their own roadside settlements.
People are increasingly setting up home in mobile vehicles rather than bricks and mortar, with many blaming the soaring cost of living – especially rents.
But the ‘caravan cities’ parking up across locations such as Bristol, Brighton and Glastonbury in Somerset are causing increasing concerns – as well as crackdown promises from local officials.
Simmering hostilities literally sparked into life last month when one van in Bristol was destroyed by a blaze which has been described as suspected arson.
Van dwellers nearby in the city thought to now have the most in the country told how they were arming themselves with weapons in response to a climate of anxiety.
Now more have opened up to MailOnline about their ordeals, including the smashing of windows and threats to ‘burn them out’ – amid infighting reminiscent of the youngsters who turn on each other in Nobel literature laureate William Golding’s 1954 novel Lord Of The Flies.
Such is the fraught atmosphere around the major locations for vehicle inhabitants, many say they are on edge due to both local homeowners and fellow van dwellers.
Officially the number of homeless people living in vehicles in Bristol has risen by 400 per cent in the last five years, with 680 caravans and camper vans now pitched up on residential roads – but some locals say the true figure is double that.
Jamie, a van dweller in Glastonbury in Somerset for the past four years, told MailOnline how he faced threats to burn him out of his mobile home
These are the burnt-out remains of a caravan which went up in flames in Bristol on February 13
Brighton and Hove is among the other cities where many caravans and mobile homes are found
Many of the occupants spend their summers working at music festival sites across Britain, living ‘under the radar’.
After rising complaints from disgruntled residents, Bristol City Council last November installed large planters along one of the city’s worst impacted roads.
But many motor homes, caravans and converted vans remain across the city’s streets – and the council is now considering whether to set up a permanent site for them.
Tension has been escalating between locals and the caravan crowd who have set up camp around one of Bristol’s beautiful parks.
A two-berth caravan parked in Saville Road went up like a fireball on February 13, melting the tarmac it stood on.
Locals living in what is one of the city’s most sought-after areas blamed a faulty gas cylinder attached to the caravan – yet a stalwart of the caravan community there insisted earlier this month: ‘It was arson, it’s lucky no one was killed.
‘I have an axe and a baseball bat in my van and I’m not afraid to use it on anyone lurking late at night. I’m not the only one who is afraid that we could be burned out of our homes.
‘If one of the houses around here got burned down you wouldn’t hear the end of it but because it’s a caravan no one cares.’
Jane, a teenager living in a caravan in Glastonbury, told of twice having windows smashed
Now similar fears have been shared with MailOnline not only in Bristol but elsewhere, including near Glastonbury – famous for the music festival – in Somerset.
While Glastonbury’s population of 7,000 is smaller than Bristol’s 450,000, it has a much higher proportion of people living in vehicles – 150, or 0.22 per cent of the population, compared to the bigger city’s 0.14 per cent.
It hosts a mixture of vehicle dwellers – a lifestyle choice for some, a necessity for others, but one which appears to bring increasing fears for the future.
Jamie, 42, who went to school in Glastonbury, has been living in a caravan in the area for four years – while working at festivals during the summer, then events in winter.
He told MailOnline of having a group of men threaten to burn his caravan while he was inside.
He said: ‘Three guys built a fire outside and said they’d burn me out. I stayed inside.’
On that occasion he escaped unscathed after waiting them out – fearing they would definitely burn the caravan down if he left.
Jamie added: ‘Another time, a guy said he was ‘God’ and owned the land and told me to get off. I think he was on something.
Caravan dweller Jamie, 42, has lived in his mobile home in Glastonbury for four years
Caravans are seen parked up in the Roman Way area of Glastonbury, a town officially said to have 150 van homes, representing 0.22 per cent of the population
Jamie told of facing threats, saying: ‘Three guys built a fire and said they’d burn me out’
‘But I mostly have a good rapport with neighbours and don’t make any mess. Some people do leave trash and give us a bad name.’
Jamie, who studied leisure and tourism at college, was due to receive an annual wage for a traffic management job when Covid struck. He has been carrying out seasonal work since then but said he lives in a caravan through choice.
He said: ‘I wouldn’t want to live in a new-build, with central heating. I like an actual fire and to chop wood.’
More fearful is Jane, a teenager living in a caravan after she was kicked out of the family home and moved in with her boyfriend.
She told of her terror after they had their caravan windows smashed twice – with suspicions that a local resident was responsible for one attack, a fellow van dweller for the other one.
She told MailOnline: ‘I don’t have anywhere to go. Sometimes I feel frightened. Drivers slow down as they pass by, or beep, and I get worried as I don’t know if I’m safe.
‘Once I was out and could hear people talking behind me, saying what they would do to the people in caravans.’
And there has been a notable downturn in community feelings in recent years, according to a caravan-dwelling veteran who started doing so decades ago.
Among those raising fears in Glastonbury is teenage caravan dweller Jane, who told of having windows smashed twice – with suspicions that a local resident was responsible for one attack, a fellow van dweller for the other one
Van resident Jamie said: ‘Some people do leave trash and give us a bad name’
Caravans are seen here parked up in the Beckery Old Road area of Glastonbury in Somerset
Ian said he used to enjoy festival life working on a catering bus up until the 1980s but saw a shift in perception following the ‘Battle of the Beanfield’, when New Age travellers clashed with police at Stonehenge in Wiltshire – with more than 500 arrests.
He told MailOnline: ‘There had been a sense of freedom but it then soured.’
Yet he did stick up for the current vehicle dwellers to a degree, saying: ‘The powers that be say it’s unacceptable but what’s the alternative? They’re human beings and deserve some respect.’
His companion Alice added: ‘Some people don’t like it out of principle – it depends whether people think they will be threatened.’
Reasons given for people choosing to live in vans rather than permanent homes have been given as the rising cost of living as well as high rents – and a reluctance to endure unhappy house shares with alienating others.
Meanwhile, residents in Bristol who face the influx of van dwellers told about suspected thefts, drug use and intimidation.
Vehicle dwellers have acknowledged there is a mixed group of people – ranging from professionals and academics to those with substance abuse – and that not everyone treats the area with respect.
Bristol City Council will only consider taking legal action to move vehicle dwellers on if they are deemed to have a ‘high impact’ on the community, such as causing anti-social behaviour or not disposing of waste properly.
Among those living in a van in Bristol is 30-year-old Will (pictured) who spoke to MailOnline
Many vans have congregated close to Clifton Downs near the centre of Bristol
Bristol City Council says about 800 people are thought to be living in 650 vehicles
And since 2018, the council has only obtained six injunctions for encampments in the city.
Other areas identified as having significant van dweller encampments include Falmouth in Cornwall, with 50 vehicles identified in an official report into the subject published last year by Bristol City Council.
Yet locals there have now told MailOnline that the area is now mobile home-free, after councillors there introduced new permanent parking restrictions along the seafront.
Bristol’s own councillors agreed this month to consider the suggestion of one allocated permanent area for their city’s van dwellers – and there has also been the issue of free smoke alarms following the caravan fire earlier this month.
One member of the caravan community has described how he heard rustling and when he looked outside his window he saw the caravan on fire.
He said: ‘There were flames from the caravan and the fire went on for a good 15 minutes. I knew nobody was inside but there were gas bottles which went, “Bang, bang”‘.
Bristol, deemed the most expensive place to rent outside London, has seen a rapid rise in the number of vehicle dwellers since 2020.
The surge has been linked to fewer jobs and social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by a cost-of-living crisis and soaring rent prices in Bristol now reaching an average £1,756 per month.
Avon and Somerset Police said no one was injured by the recent Bristol caravan fire
The city’s mayor Marvin Rees has said: ‘Our need for affordable housing is huge. Households across Bristol are struggling to afford to keep a roof over their heads, with spiralling rent and rising bills, threatening to push many towards the brink of homelessness.’
Among those now setting up home on wheels is 30-year-old Will, who moved to the area after spending time travelling in South America because he got a new job in property management – which he acknowledged felt ironic given his lifestyle.
Will, who previously worked in construction, has been living in a motorhome for six months – and yet he also owns a property in his home city of Plymouth which he lets out to lodgers.
He said: ‘The primary driver for living in a motorhome is down to the expense of renting.
‘I understand the issue is supply and demand and I hold no resentment towards landlords – the good ones are part of the solution not the problem.
‘I’m starting a new career and if I were to rent I’d end up negative each month. I’m in a fortunate situation and this is a stopgap for about a year until I can buy my own place.’
Will, who fitted solar panels to his vehicle, said: ‘I think it will be nice in summer but it’s a challenge during the winter. I have gas heating so it’s OK. We’ve also had smoke alarms dropped off and it feels safe.’
He said some people were initially concerned about his living conditions and safety but have got used to his choice.
Will, who previously worked in construction, has been living in a motorhome for six months
Communities of people are living in vans and vehicles alongside Clifton Downs in Bristol
He said: ‘When I first got here I was worried about leaving the van for a day – now it’s OK and I think I live in the safer end of the street.
‘My mum just said, “Be careful” and I think unless you’ve experienced this way of living, you can think it’s dangerous.
‘But my parents are open-minded, my brother also lives in a van and we’ve both travelled extensively so I think they trust we can look after ourselves.’
He also empathised with locals’ concerns and how such nearby settlements might impact on their lives, adding: ‘I thought it would be a tight community but it isn’t particularly and I don’t mind it.
‘If we pass each other, we have a chat. We keep the place clean and are very respectful.
‘But it’s not the case for everyone, which can create a bad impression. I think limited parking could be a cause of frustration to some residents, especially during summer.
‘I’ve stayed in campervans in Spain and Portugal and I think they are better set up for it, with water stations and parking areas to use for free – I think it would be helpful to have dedicated sites here.’
Council officers have recommended creating more so-called ‘meanwhile’ spaces where vehicle dwellers can stay with the help of facilities such as running water and work with authorities to find permanent homes.
Will said: ‘The primary driver for living in a motorhome is down to the expense of renting’
Bristol council officers have recommended creating more so-called ‘meanwhile’ spaces where vehicle dwellers can stay with the help of facilities such as running water
Bristol City Council says it has received in excess of 1,500 complaints and reports relating to encampments, relating to littering, looking unsightly, blocked pavements, feeling threatened and anti-social behaviour.
But it has found some reports include hate speech and ‘othering’, said to contribute to prejudice against vehicle dwelling communities.
One 64-year-old caravan owner, who went by the name Andrés, takes home £1,700 a month as a driver and is close to retirement but says he can no longer afford to rent in Bristol.
He moved to the area five years ago and said he faced discrimination because of his lifestyle choice, recalling: ‘If I was stupid enough to go into a café and say I lived in a caravan, people would distance themselves.’
Andrés, who once had a successful career in banking, made the choice to live in a caravan for economic reasons after a plunge in his fortunes – saying: ‘I couldn’t afford a small black coffee. It was ludicrous.’
But he also struggled to find a room within house shares – saying they had ‘woke requests’ such as calls to be vegan while communal spaces were dirty, including excrement on the floors.
Andrés left his home city nearly 30 years ago after his ex-wife left him for another man, then his mother and brother died within three weeks of each other – and he reflected on how he was continuing to struggle while living in his caravan.
He said: ‘My mind was blitzed. My mental health isn’t good as this way of life can get you down.
Crime and anti-social behaviour has been reported by both locals and van dwellers in Bristol
Bristol City Council says it has received in excess of 1,500 complaints and reports relating to encampments including littering, looking unsightly and blocked pavements
‘I don’t sleep properly because I’m nervous. It’s damp and you can’t open the window as the wind would rip it to the sky.’
In 2023, Bristol City Council’s Public Health Department carried out a Health Needs Analysis of people living in vehicles in the city – highlighting respiratory health conditions, such as asthma, linked to living in cold and damp conditions.
Some services send notifications in the post, such as cancer screening, but people living in vehicles often lack a postal address and risk missing out on check-ups.
Mental health problems are also feared to be higher among people living in vehicles, along with feelings of loneliness and isolation – and can affect the ability to cope with mainstream housing options.
And yet other van dwellers have praised the effects on their spirits, thanks to less financial stress and feelings of community.
Gary, 33, works in security at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and has been living in a caravan for two months because he could not afford to rent on his single income.
He hopes to save enough money to move into a one-bedroom flat in future but said his current way of life on the road could be ‘frowned upon’.
He insisted: ‘We don’t bother anybody. People assume we don’t work, but I work full time and pay my taxes.’
Bristol City Council’s Public Health Department carried out a Health Needs Analysis of people living in vehicles in the city – highlighting a range of respiratory health conditions
A Bristol City Council report has highlighted how many people also live in vans in Brighton
Among the Brighton mobile home residents is Ben, 33, who moved from nearby Eastbourne
And some local homeowners near Clifton Downs and the vehicle camps have expressed some sympathy.
Owen Stubbs, a singer with a punk band called Sarah Tonin and the Whore Moans, said: ‘I think they need to sort out the rental crisis and let people be. They have to live somewhere.’
Bandmate and drummer Leo added: ‘It’s pretty posh up here and some people don’t think it looks nice – but if it’s not illegal, you can’t do anything.’
But other nearby residents have raised complaints, with one woman walker, 66, telling MailOnline earlier last month: ‘Two friends of mine saw a man emptying the contents of his caravan’s chemical toilet on the grass.
‘Another resident was spat at and the police traced the person who did it through his DNA although it never got to court.
‘This is a good area, with lovely houses, university halls of residence and beautiful park land – but it’s been ruined by people who live under the radar who don’t contribute to society or to Bristol.’
Alan Tonkinson, 57, from the scrap firm charged with removing the remains of the caravan set alight in February, said: ‘If I had a pound for every abandoned and burned out caravan in Bristol. I’d be a rich man.
‘It’s a horrible job. The smell of human excrement and urine around some of the caravans is horrible. I have to wear rubber gloves and wash my clothes when I get home at night.
Bristol resident Owen Stubbs, a singer with a punk band, said of the council’s approach to van dwellers: ‘I think they need to sort out the rental crisis and let people be’
Bandmate and drummer Leo added: ‘It’s pretty posh up here and some people don’t think it looks nice – but if it’s not illegal, you can’t do anything’
Alan Tonkinson, 57, said he would be ‘a rich man if I had a pound for every abandoned and burned out caravan in Bristol’ as he cleared up the aftermath of the van fire earlier this month
‘But there are more caravans arriving at different parts of Bristol all the time. It’s becoming a big problem.’
Barry Parsons, chair of Bristol City Council’s homes and housing delivery committee, said of the authority’s new report with recommendations such as ‘one or more permanent sites’: ‘Too often, the debate around people living in vehicles has become polarised and stigmatising.
‘This report is an attempt to bring new thinking to bear on the issue, charting a way forward that supports the health and wellbeing of everyone, both those living in vehicles and their housed neighbours.
‘As the number of lived-in vehicles in Bristol has grown significantly in recent years the council recognises the challenges this brings.
‘We acknowledge that this is a complex situation, and our current approach is not sustainable.
‘We know that we need to reduce the need for so many people to live in vehicles, and we remain committed to increasing the number of well-built, affordable homes in Bristol so that many more people will have a safe and secure place they can call home.’
According to last year’s Bristol council study on van dwellers both in that city and elsewhere in the UK, there were also 300 people living in vehicles in Brighton and Hove – some 0.1 per cent of the city’s 277,200-strong population.
MailOnline found many of the main sites in the city centre and close to the seafront have currently been served with eviction notices, with many vans empty while bolted and padlocked from outside.
These mobile homes are seen parked along Ditchling Road in Brighton
Ben, 33, has told how living in a caravan moving across Brighton felt like ‘freedom’
The city of Brighton and Hove has been estimated as having 300 people living in vans
MailOnline found many in Brighton and Hove had recently been served with eviction notices
Some 300 van dwellers in Brighton and Hove represent 0.1 per cent of its 277,200 population
One vehicle dweller who did speak, parked up on a street in the Queen’s Park area of the city, was 33-year-old Ben, who has been living in a van since 2017 and moved from Eastbourne in East Sussex which is 20 miles along the coast.
He told of regularly moving across various parks and sites across Brighton and Hove, saying: ‘I’m like a hermit crab, I carry my whole life around with me.
‘I did it for the freedom it gives me. My friends are working non-stop to pay rent – why should you have to work until you’re 60 before you have the time to enjoy life? Do it while you can, I think.’
And he spoke of another attraction, adding: ‘If you don’t like your neighbours, you can just move.’
Brighton and Hove City Council told MailOnline that van dweller numbers in the city can fluctuate between 75 and 100 people at any one time.
