Property prices in London have always been high. And, the UK’s capital is often included in lists of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. So, it is no surprise that there are many people who simply cannot afford to live in the city.
And now, the latest way that many commuters and contract workers are making ends meet is to live in one of the many campsites encircling the capital.
Living under canvas
Whilst there may a lot of well paid work in the capital, not everyone can afford to buy or rent a house. This is why there are increasing numbers of people living in tents or mobile homes through the week and then returning to their ‘real’ home at the weekend. Many commuters make the daily journey into the city from campsites in the commuter belts.
For example, the Guardian reports that on the Lee Valley site in north London, forty pitches are reserved for what the site calls ‘long termers’ – people effectively living through the week on a campsite.
Property prices forcing people to find alternatives
Whilst renting or buying property is expensive, campers at Lee Valley pay between £12.30 and £16.40 a night for a one-person pitch, plus £3.60 per day for electricity.
This compares to rental or mortgage payments that can easily run to £35 a night.
IT contractor Keith Davidson lives in a caravan at the site and commutes to Canary Wharf each day. The City of London is under an hour away by public transport and a regular bus service takes campers to and from the site to the local station.
"My family lives up in Aberdeen, but I often get contracts down here. The main reason I stay here is because of the flexibility – if you rent a flat you often have to commit to six months or a year, whereas here you can come and go as you like," he said.
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