The deeply selfish holiday trend sweeping Europe's beaches this summer – and it's WORSE than sunbed hogging

The Irish Sun

5 days ago

IT used to be the reserve of the selfish hotel sun bed hoggers.
But across Europe there's a new menace on those
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The Sun's Head Of Travel, Lisa Minot (pictured) has seen this trend getting more popular over the last few years
Credit: Lisa Minot
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Weymouth beach in Dorset is one of the worst for beach tents and unnecessary extras taking up space
Credit: Alamy
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Lisa's bugbear is the new type of beach tent that block the view for everyone behind and take up valuable sand space
Credit: Lisa Minot
We're talking about the selfish sun-seekers who are bringing
Nowadays, people are pitching up with ever more complicated, sand-stealing tents, cabanas and more, that provide their self-serving owners with very little extra shade, but take up a LOT more space.
I'm talking about these new 'beach tent canopies' - monstrous gazebo-type structures that take up huge amounts of beach space.
Where once we were happy with a beach umbrella and a couple of towels, now these new contraptions are making a land grab that ruins any beach scene.
Gone are
With complicated sand-bag sides and ever more elaborate systems of ropes and cords, it makes a stroll across many
And it's not just me who's up in arms. Australia's Prime Minister has got in on the act, declaring it's 'not on' to use large, portable cabanas to reserve great swathes of the country's beaches.
Anthony Albanese declared the practice of nabbing the sands a 'breach' of the principle that 'every Australian is equal' on the beach.
It's a debate raging on social media Down Under where some have praised the ingenuity of the sand-grabbers, saying they offer important shade in a country with some of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.
But others are outraged that these large structures take up huge amounts of space, and much like the
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Beach, please
On the public beach in La Faviere in the South of France last summer, I watched in dismay as they turned up and started digging early every morning.
With beach buggies filled to the brim with sails and ropes, they would start to create their own little private spaces with little regard for others.
Hours would be spent erecting these flapping edifices - before the whole family would then wander off for a dip in the sea, or even more irritatingly, a three-hour lunch.
Admirable as it is that no one ever seems to want to nick their big beach set ups, it does mean that when those who do want to head down to the beach for a sunbathe or a swim in peak season are having to pick their way between endless guide ropes and tents.
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First thing in the morning, Lisa has the perfect spot from her caravan pitch in the south of France. Later in the day, the sea is blocked from view
Credit: Lisa Minot
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St Ives in Cornwall is packed with tents in the summer, but it spoils the view for everyone
Credit: Alamy
Of course, I've got nothing against some
And those little beach tents for children - with SPF 50+ UV protection are an essential for families with young babies and tots who may need a break from harsh sunlight.
Absolutely fine by me. Babies, of course, take up very little space.
But as our beaches become ever more
We come to the beach for the
What's wrong with a towel and beach umbrella with a good, hardy base that either is filled with sand or screws into the ground to avoid being blown away in the wind?
I take up very little space - for me, a low-rise chair for sunbathing or reading my book is perfect.
I bring a cool bag for extra supplies and that's about it.
The sooner these sand-stealers are called out and evicted from the beaches, the better!
The bags, plane outfits and accessories The Sun's travel team loves
K-Brands Sick Bags
- £14.99 for 24 (approx. 55p each). Sturdy sick bags with a plastic ring for easy holding and a heavy-duty design to prevent leaks.
Phone Suction Holder
- From 99p on Amazon. Features 12 suction pads to stick your phone to any glass surface for hands-free video calls or selfies.
Amazon Foam Earplugs
- 34p per pair (£3.39 for 10). Moulds to your ear shape for comfort, muffles noise effectively on planes, in hotels, or from crying babies.
Matador's Pocket Blanket Mini
- A water-resistant mat that fits in the palm of your hand, perfect for laying down in airports, on the beach, or anywhere a child might need a break.
Flight Socks
- From £5.99 on Amazon or £7.95 from Asda. These help prevent swollen ankles on long flights and are advised to avoid DVT.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8
- £69.99. A trusty e-reader that can store hundreds of books and doubles as a tablet for offline viewing of shows like Netflix on flights.
Primark Packing Cubes
- £8 for a pack of three. Life-savers for compressing clothes to save space and for organising items like trousers, tops, and swimwear within your luggage.
Bluetooth Headphone Adapter
- £16.99 from Amazon. Allows you to connect your own headphones (including noise-cancelling ones) to onboard inflight entertainment, with 18 hours of battery life.
Hoppstar Artist Kids Camera
- Pricier end of travel accessories (specific price not given). Takes excellent pictures, has a decent screen, and can print black and white versions in about three seconds for a non-messy activity.
Primark Dark Pink Joggers & Matching Sweatshirt
- £6 each. Comfortable, loose-fitting tracksuit pieces that are ideal for flights and are very budget-friendly.