Bristol becomes van dweller capital of the UK with 800 people living at the ... trends now
Bristol has been named the van dweller capital of the UK with 800 people living at the side of street as families continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis.
There has been a surge of people living in motorhomes, caravans and converted vans in the last year as they battle not only with the economic climate but the nation-wide housing crisis.
Yet many living in the city have insisted their quality of life is now better than it would have been if they decided to stay in traditional housing. They include people with a range of backgrounds from engineers, to stonemasons and students.
Amongst the new community are David and Daniela Fernandes, who moved to the UK from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Mr Fernandes, 51, said: 'It's easy to move from place to place and we don't have to pay rent and all the other things.'
Bristol has been named the van dweller capital of the UK with 800 people living at the side of street
According to a report by Bristol City Council, the number of vans has quadrupled since 2020, with only 100-150 people living in vans three years ago. Pictured: Van dweller Gareth Jones, 28
Tom Dunn, 29, is part of the community at Greenbank Cemetery in Bristol - where the number of van dwellers has soared
His daughter Anna, 17, is planning to move from Portugal to study law at the University of Bristol, said she will likely follow suit and live in a van if she's accepted. 'When I work I will have less bills to pay, so it's easy,' she told the Times.
Another man, a single lorry driver in his 30s who went by the name Adrian in one in a row of caravans living on The Downs - close affluent residential areas Clifton and Redland.
He said: 'I don't want to be living under the thumb of some landlord. I don't want to be part of six-month and 12-month tenancies and these crazy bidding wars where people put up three and six months of rent to secure a tenancy.'
Adrian made the move from Wales to Bristol as he had been told that the city was accepting of people who felt 'lost' and does not want to be 'restricted'.
Luke, who works 70 hours a week as a fine dining chef, also made the move to live in a truck on the Downs last year.
While he could afford to live in a house he feels he 'doesn't need to' and believes there is a 'stigma' around his choice of lifestyle.
He told the BBC: 'I always wanted to live in a truck but also
