Holiday caravans coming to a rooftop near you
IT is likely to be one of the most unusual hotel rooms in Bristol but from this autumn visitors will get the chance to stay the night in a caravan perched on the roof of a city centre building.
The owners of a guesthouse right in the heart of Bristol have been given permission to push ahead with their latest project.
The plan is to place four 1950s American-style caravans on the roof of the bed and breakfast which overlooks the bustling St Nicholas market.
The Brooks Guesthouse is owned and run by husband and wife Andrew and Carla Brooks and is already one of the city's most popular locations.
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The couple took over the former backpacker hostel two years ago and turned it into an upmarket bed and breakfast.
They own a similar venture in Bath and have recently taken over a third hotel in Edinburgh which was rebranded and reopened in the autumn.
The plan is to place four vintage Airstream caravans on the roof of the guesthouse and the scheme has been granted planning permission by the City Council.
Mrs Brooks explained the thinking behind her unusual and unique plans.
The mother of two said: "I have always been a big fan of the 1950s and Americana and these caravans are very much a part of that style.
"A few years ago I was considering setting up a company importing the Airstreams into the UK but for some reason I never really got round to it."
Mrs Brooks added: "I recently went to visit my sister in Cape Town and there was a hotel with them on the roof and I just thought what a great idea.
"We have a flat concrete roof on the guest house which is strong enough to take the weight and I just thought why not go for it.We will be importing the caravans from the US and hopefully will have them ready for guests to use by the autumn."
The caravans will be specially modified to make them as comfortable as possible and customers will be charged between £80 and £90 for a double berth for the night.
The couple will be commissioning local artists and cabinet makers to carry out the work on the vintage Airstreams and the roof, which overlooks the market, will also have a garden commissioned by Steve Kelvin – a local landscape gardener who has worked on Brooks Guest- house in Bath, Bristol and Edinburgh.
Mrs Brooks said: "Because of its location the guesthouse in Bristol has always been quite trendy and different.
"Obviously there is the weekend market but we also get a lot of corporate customers. Because of the nature of Bristol we tend to get a lot of media and IT workers staying and I think people appreciate something that is a little bit different and out of the ordinary.
"We also believe the Airstreams will benefit the local independent business community by raising the profile of St Nicholas market to a national audience and generating more tourism in the Old City.
"I guess the caravans will sum up the spirit of the area, which is slightly quirky and a little bit different, but there is also a great sense of fun about the market and the area.
"We are really proud of the project because there is no other hotel in the UK which has this so it is something that will be completely unique to Bristol."
The scheme was given permission by city council planners with a number of conditions which included the style of lighting and the use of accommodation for guests only.
Comments
by 2TheBeehive
Thursday, January 03 2013, 6:01PM
“Whew.....they are a bit posh. Only 4 on that big rooftop. I had visions of about 60 units crammed on the top of one of the car parks. Do you think they suffer from smog?”
by Waybaloo
Thursday, January 03 2013, 5:48PM
“@2thebeehive
saw this and thought of you : )
http://tinyurl.com/axl7msr”
by 2TheBeehive
Thursday, January 03 2013, 1:09PM
“Do you know, this could catch on. I can see it now, patio sets, umbrella's and barbecues. Brian May could set up a telescope to watch the stars....what an ideal position. If the car park is high enough there would be no problem with light pollution.
Oh! I just had a horrible thought, you don't think that the council might decide that those other mobile people could park their mobile homes up there do you? :(((”
by Charlespk
Thursday, January 03 2013, 12:54PM
“A Penthouse mobile home!!! . Close to all the amenities!! . . The very latest in inner city living!! :))))”
by 2TheBeehive
Thursday, January 03 2013, 11:45AM
“Yes......we have it.....the answer to the housing shortage.
The top storey of multi-storey car parks turned over to caravan/mobile home sites. It could be landscaped and they could grow their own veg. like they are now doing in London. More money from rents will go into the council coffers.”
by Charlespk
Thursday, January 03 2013, 11:23AM
“Quote:- "We have a flat concrete roof on the guest house which is strong enough to take the weight and I just thought why not go for it.We will be importing the caravans from the US and hopefully will have them ready for guests to use by the autumn."
Good luck to them! . It's a great idea demonstrates exactly why some people get on so well in life and others don't.”
by Mikey_Blake
Thursday, January 03 2013, 11:06AM
“I just hope the roof is up to the job of taking the extra weight of the caravans, and the resultant partying people that would be likely to stop up there.
It would be highly embarrassing for those in the rooms below, if while they were being "affectionate" a bl**dy great caravan came through their ceiling and parked itself on top of them. Now that would be a story to tell the Press - if they survived :-)”
by Charlespk
Thursday, January 03 2013, 10:47AM
“Quite right Nick! . The post-war, clean-living, drug free times when people still left their front door keys under the mat, and they weren't afraid of the hard work when they knew there were jobs that still had to be done, and they didn't seem to spend their time 'screaming'. . . . Bring it on!”
by simontbc
Thursday, January 03 2013, 10:36AM
“They must be made of money to source, import the caravans then have them lifted into place, plumb them in, secure them etc. Big project, i hope it works for them. Be quite cool to see them go up though, airstreams floating through Bristol. I am also amazed they got permission from the council so easily, planning dept must have been sleeping.”
by nickthompson
Thursday, January 03 2013, 9:30AM
“"1950s American-style caravans" ------------------the date sounds about right,suit 19.00s Bristol down to the ground.”