Garden Marquee Transformation: Ray's Gala Tent Case Study
A real Gala Tent case study: how Ray transformed his garden decking into a year-round outdoor living space with a PVC marquee.
Garden Marquee Transformation: How Ray Created an All-Year Outdoor Living Space
Ray Russell, from Essex, turned a corner of his garden decking into a permanent outdoor living space using a single Gala Tent PVC marquee. He bought it to extend his home for one Christmas, then loved it so much that he never took it down. It is one of the best examples we have seen of a marquee used to its full potential, so we asked Ray to share the details.
Affordable garden marquees since 1999
Gala Tent has manufactured marquees and tents since 1999, with a focus on bringing affordable, high-quality garden marquees to UK homes. Ray's project shows what that can look like in practice when a marquee is treated as a blank canvas for an outdoor room.
Ray bought his 3m x 6m PVC marquee to extend his home over the Christmas period. He then added a series of permanent features, and the marquee became a fixture at the family home rather than a seasonal one.
Inside the garden marquee
Ray covered part of his garden decking with the PVC marquee. As you step out through the patio doors, the interior opens into a finished living space. Starlight-effect drapes line the roof and run down the legs, soft lighting keeps the space usable whatever the time of year, and down-facing heaters add warmth through colder months.
On one side, Ray installed a fully stocked bar, complete with a working fruit machine. A rattan corner suite faces the bar, a large-screen TV sits alongside it, and at the far end of the 3m x 6m space there is a hot tub. The result brings indoor comfort into the garden in a way that works across the seasons.
In Ray's words: "We bought it for Christmas dinner last year, but we love it so much that we have never taken it down. It's stood strong all year, with no damage whatsoever. I tried to make some adjustments to one of the side panels, but discovered that Gala Tent supplies door sections in place of side panels, so I'll be adding a door to it on the side."
That last point is worth noting for anyone planning a similar project: side panels can be swapped for door sections, so you can build a proper entrance into a permanent garden marquee.
What our team said
Gala Tent CEO Jason Mace was pleased to see one of the company's marquees used this way. He said: "Ray's creative use of our tent shows how a marquee can become a luxurious, multipurpose space. It is a genuine lifestyle enhancement for the home."
Trusted across homes, business and the public sector
Since 1999, Gala Tent has supplied marquees, party tents and pop-up gazebos to a wide range of customers, from emergency services, St John Ambulance, the military and government bodies through to hundreds of thousands of businesses and home customers like Ray. The company delivers over 15,000 marquees and gazebos a year in the UK and overseas, along with more than 90,000 accessories such as lighting and outdoor furniture.
Could a marquee transform your garden?
A PVC marquee gives you a weatherproof, blank-canvas space that you can fit out to suit your home, whether that is an all-year garden room, a space for family gatherings or somewhere to entertain. If you would like to talk through the space you have, contact our team, request a brochure or read more customer stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you leave a garden marquee up all year?
Ray has left his PVC marquee up for over a year with no damage reported. Year-round use depends on choosing a suitable model, anchoring it correctly for your surface and maintaining it. Check the product specification and anchoring guidance for your site before leaving any structure up permanently.
What size marquee works as a garden room?
Ray used a 3m x 6m PVC marquee, which gave room for seating, a bar, a TV and a hot tub. The right size depends on your space and how you plan to use it.
Are PVC marquees waterproof?
PVC marquees are designed to be waterproof. Ray reports his stood strong through a full year of British weather.
Can you heat a garden marquee in winter?
Ray uses down-facing heaters in his marquee. If you heat an enclosed structure, follow the heater manufacturer's guidance on ventilation and safe use, and never use equipment indoors that is not intended for it.
Can you add a door to a marquee?
Yes. Gala Tent supplies door sections that replace standard side panels, so you can build a proper entrance into a permanent setup.
Can a marquee go on decking?
Ray installed his over garden decking. On hard surfaces you will need an appropriate anchoring or weighting method rather than ground stakes, so check the anchoring options for your surface.
