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From alephzeros comment:

in the UK some camping sites which advertise themselves as "family-friendly" have a total ban on single travellers of any age and gender from using them.

I've never in my life seen such a ban. How common is it?

(NB: I interpret this as solo traveller.)

gerrit
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  • It's unclear to me whether solo traveller might have been intended rather than single traveller. I don't know how the latter would be enforceable. – choster Jun 07 '17 at 17:16
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    A site banning single (i.e. unmarried) travelers can't be family-friendly - most families include unmarried children. – ugoren Jun 07 '17 at 21:18
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    @alephzeros can you give examples of sites which ban single travellers? – Giorgio Jun 08 '17 at 01:51
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    @ugoren I assume this is banning people who are by themselves, not people who are unmarried. – Zach Lipton Jun 08 '17 at 03:35
  • I know of some caravan and camping sites that are family friendly that ban single sex groups, I guess a solo traveller is a single sex group of one. – Sarriesfan Jun 08 '17 at 23:30
  • For instance the terms and conditions of the Hidden Valley Park in North Devon. http://www.hiddenvalleypark.com/file_download/36 " We do not accept single sex groups, whether they are booked on one pitch or several pitches". – Sarriesfan Jun 08 '17 at 23:38
  • Probably the answer is that the campsite doesn't want to expose children staying there to potential sex offenders. Campsites typically want children to run around and explore nature in safety. –  Jun 12 '17 at 10:08
  • I wonder if any gay couple (with or without children that happen to have the same sex) has ever tried a discrimination court case with a campsite with such an outrageous rule. – gerrit Jun 12 '17 at 10:17
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    @Sarriesfan Since that rule is under "Groups", I am not convinced that they apply this rule to solo travellers (which are "groups of size 1" to mathematicians but not to ordinary people), or even to single mums camping with their daughters. – gerrit Jun 12 '17 at 11:00
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    @Andrew Is there any evidence that solo people are more likely to be sex offenders than people with families? – gerrit Jun 12 '17 at 11:02
  • @gerrit - Your request for evidence is just speculative and can not achieve a conclusive answer; however the reason based on people's concerns can explain this, regardless whether you agree with the reason or not. –  Jun 13 '17 at 01:41
  • @gerrit there a reason this is in the comments section rather than a full answer. It is debatable as if this rules would be applied to a a single mother with a group of daughters or common sense would be used instead. I suspect they are mainly targeted against stag and hen groups and the rowdy behaviour they would bring. A test case against such rules would be intresting but until one is brought it is academic, the defense I suspect is that the campsites apply the rules equally to hetro and gay communities so no discrimination exists. If that would work I do not know. – Sarriesfan Jun 14 '17 at 05:32
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    @Andrew "Your request for evidence is just speculative" Whooooa, there. Your suggestion that bans on solo travellers have something to do with avoiding sex offenders is what was speculative. Requesting evidence to back up that claim is entirely justified. – David Richerby Jun 17 '17 at 20:50
  • @DavidRicherby - not at all. gerrit asked if there was evidence that "solo people are more likely to be sex offenders than people with families". This is a point of debate, and as such speculative. Ultimately without pointing to the actual policy of the actual campsite in question this question can only be answered by a 'best guess'. –  Jun 18 '17 at 02:33
  • @Andrew And he asked that in response to your comment, "Probably the answer is that the campsite doesn't want to expose children staying there to potential sex offenders." You were the one who introduced the idea that solo travellers are sex offenders, so you are the one who is introducing speculative ideas and you are the one who needs to provide some evidence. – David Richerby Jun 18 '17 at 09:31
  • @DavidRicherby The question was why a campsite owner may have created such policy. I provided a suggestion in the comments (not answer) section. I have no obligation to provide evidence because I am not the owner of said campsite. I suggest ignoring if it disturbs you so. –  Jun 19 '17 at 23:12
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    @Andrew You denied being speculative but now you're saying that the whole content of your comment is that, well, some hypothetical owner of some hypothetical campsite might hypothetically ban solo travellers because he feels, hypothetically and not necessarily with any evidence, that they're more likely to be sex-offenders. That looks pretty speculative to me and, furthermore, it conveys zero information about the real world. I mean, some campsite owner could ban solo travellers with literally any stated reason. – David Richerby Jun 19 '17 at 23:37
  • @DavidRicherby Frankly seems that you are confusing a message that you don't like with the messenger. I can't help that. –  Jun 20 '17 at 01:58
  • @Andrew A messenger is somebody who passes on a message created by somebody else. You're the creator of the message, not the messenger. – David Richerby Jun 20 '17 at 08:32
  • @DavidRicherby Wrong again. I stand by my message 100% in the comment at the top, and if you don't like it then ignore it. StackExchange is not a place for you to pick arguments. I have no more to add. –  Jun 22 '17 at 09:28

1 Answers1

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Not common, but it does happen, according to annecotal information from some who have had such experiences.
The comment made by alephzeros was, and is, unsubstantiated. It implies that all UK campsites which bill themselves as family friendly do not welcome single, or more accurately, single male guests.
That may be the case with some, but just as common are membership only sites, those that do no allow minor children, privately-owned venues with the specific rules, and the many that require advance reservations.

It varies, and on-site, walk up, rental requests can be declined.
As it's against the law to camp outside organised campsites in England (yes, it happens), campers, just as for any accommodation, book in advance and many return year after year to the same location.

Willeke
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Giorgio
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