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Q. What is the difference between a traditional marquee and a frame tent?

A pavilion is an aluminium and pvc structure which is free standing. It has no guy ropes or centre main poles. This makes it ideal for putting adjacent to buildings and can be erected on any surface.

A traditional marquee has wooden centre poles, a soft top canvas roof, and guy ropes extending about four feet beyond the perimeter of the marquee. For use only on grass.

Q. What area of England do you cover?

We are based close to junction 5 of the M40, so are able to easily cover London and the Home counties.

With our fleet of 7.5 ton lorries, and 2 ton pick-up we can gain access to most drives and gateways and still be able to complete large contracts in one go.

Q. How do I know what size of marquee to ask for?

If you have a good idea of the number of guests you want to invite along with the format of the Party (sit down, with/without dancing, buffet only etc.) we can supply you with an itemised quotation.

You may require a site visit to ascertain what size of marquee you can fit in your garden.

Q. How do I go about booking it?

From the initial enquiry we would normally send out an itemised quotation, followed by a site visit should you require it.

When we send out a quotation we automatically enter into our Diary a provisional order for the equipment you will require.

When you are ready to book please write to us enclosing a deposit cheque (if required) and we will change the entry in our Diary to a confirmed order. This will then be confirmed with you by post.

Q. When will you require payment?

A. Once you have paid a deposit (if required) and we have confirmed your order, a full and final invoice will be sent to you after your event (normally we invoice the Monday after the event). Once received you have 14 days to settle.

Q. What happens after I receive my booking confirmation?

A. Nothing! Everything will go quiet unless there are details to be sorted out.

About a month before the event we may contact you to confirm final details if you have not already done so.

You will then be contacted about 10 days before the event by our office administrator who will run through your order as we see it, and advise you as to when our team will be on site to start erecting.

Q. I cannot see a costing for Insurance cover in your quotation. What Insurance cover do you have?

A. We do not charge you any extra for insurance as we are covered.

We have Public Liability Cover of a minimum of £5 Million.

You are in charge of the safe keeping of the marquee and associated equipment during the hire period, and will be responsible for any malicious damage caused by you or your guests. i.e. broken furniture, ripped walls or lining will be charged for.

Q. Can you advise us on any other services we might need?

A. We are pleased to give advice on local caterers, bands, DJs florists, entertainers and venues along with any other services we think you might need, such as mobile lavatories.

For convenience and peace of mind why not ask us to organise the whole event for you from start to finish and let us deal with all the contractors?

Q. Do you have emergency cover?

A. There is always a member of staff on call in the unlikely event of any problems which might occur before, during or after your function.

Q. When will you erect/clear the marquee I have booked?

A. For a typical Saturday event, we would complete erecting the marquee by the Thursday evening and normally clear from the following Monday. This would enable florists etc. to work in the completed marquee on the Friday.

If you have a specific day that you would like us to erect and clear on, please let us know well in advance and we will do our very best to accommodate you.

During the summer months when we are busy we start clearing some sites on the Sunday morning. However, if you wish to use it on the Sunday, please let us know.

Q. Can you connect the marquee to my house and how do you seal it?

A. The two main ways of connecting to the house are:

a: Abutting a pavilion right up beside the house so that you can walk straight from the house into the marquee.

b: By use of a tunnel like structure we call an Awning which can be made to any length and can go round corners and up and down steps and can be supplied with or without sides, lining and floor coverings.

We normally seal out wind and weather by securing our side walls and roof around the frame work of the door to your house.

Q. What floor coverings do you have?

A. Our standard floor covering is a natural coloured coconut coir matting on a polythene underlay. This is nailed down (surface permitting) every 3ft to avoid the risk of tripping.

Alternative floor coverings are available on request. We regularly supply carpet with or without a solid wooden floor (ideal for use in the winter months when the ground is very wet or waterlogged).

Q. Can I take down the sides of the marquee if it is nice weather?

A. Easily, in both traditional marquees or pavilions.

Q. What form of heaters can you supply?

A. We have two standard types of heaters that we can supply to keep the ambient temperature in the marquee comfortable.

a: Indirect thermostatically controlled oil-fired units

These heaters are placed outside the marquee and blow in hot air through a ducting system. Each heater has its own individual thermostat so that the marquee can have zones of heating.

Once the heater is connected to a power source (by us) you control it using the thermostat inside the marquee. The heater has a fuel tank built in and has a running time of between 8-16hrs.

These heaters are very efficient. You only need to turn them on one to two hours before using the marquee.

b: Gas cabinets
These are standard 3 bar gas heaters for use in smaller marquees or in our awnings.

Q. Does the matting in the marquee cause any damage to my lawn?

A. Not at all. The grass might go a bit lighter in colour for a few days but it soon reverts. In particularly dry summers it is worth giving it a good sprinkling once we have cleared the site just to stop it drying out too much. In fact, the better cut the grass is, the better the matting will lie and if you cut it in stripes just before we arrive the stripes will still be there when we clear the marquee!

Q. Is there a choice of lighting systems and where will I get the power from for my party?

A. We sub-contract our electrical work to a qualified electrician who is registered with the National Inspection Council for Installation Contracting (NIC EIC).

Before leaving site, the electrician will check every light-fitting and cable with a resistance meter to check for faults. In larger marquees and those that will be having a service tent and/or a band, the power supply is split through a circuit board with lights, food and music having separate fuses. This means that should faulty equipment be plugged in it will not affect the lighting circuit.

Power requirements for the whole party will normally be taken from your house supply. If you are concerned about power cuts, a stand-by generator can easily be arranged.

There are a wide range of lighting systems available:

Pencil beam pin spots from the roof onto the centre of dining tables, backed up by up lights around the edge of the marquee is a popular choice for evening parties.

Or choose cut glass chandeliers and double wall lights for that special event.

Pea lights or fibre optics, shimmering in a dark roof lining over a dance floor will provide a 'never to be forgotten' effect.

Q. Are marquees only for use in the Summer months?

A. Absolutely not !

Whilst we are busier during the summer months, we supply both pavilions and traditional marquees all year round.

With the introduction of wood floors and blower heaters, marquees are a great way to have a party all year round. In fact, December is now one of our busiest months with clients celebrating over Christmas and the New Year.

With marquees that can withstand 100m.p.h. winds (or greater) a marquee is a cheap, reliable temporary structure with no need for any upkeep on your behalf.

Q. Can I dry hire the equipment off you and put the marquee up myself?

A. NO!

Q. Can I hire camping tents from you?

A. NO!

Q. They come down quicker than they go up don't they?

A. YES!

Bucks Wigwams, Ibstone, High Wycombe, Bucks

Phone 01491 638 227 Fax 01491 638 233 email

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