Clear Span Marquees | Aluminium Frame Tents

Clear Span Marquees
Modular Aluminium Frame Tents

Clear Span Marquee

Clear span marquees (also called clear span tents or modular aluminium frame marquees) are the most popular type of marquees hired out by UK marquee contractors. The above photo shows a 9M x 6M structure at a flower show.

The main photos show the tents in their raw state. Internally, clear span marquees can be just as impressive as traditional marquees (click on the photos below, supplied courtesy of Regency Events Ltd for marquees in the Channel islands).

Aluminium Frame Tent

The above photo shows the basic parts of a 9M x 9M box section aluminium framework sitting on a box section aluminium frame marquee flooring system. The photo is of more interest to marquee companies; however, if you are a customer it's useful to see how the structure will progress on site. Note the proper use of brace bars and tension roof wires to tighten the structure and prevent movement.

Clear span marquee framework image courtesy of Coast2Coast for marquee hire in Cornwall.

Additional notes for marquee contractors: Many clear span marquees are completely modular in length and width. For example you would utilise the same basic parts for 6M wide structure as you would for a 9M wide structure. This can be very economical for a marquee company. Moving up from a 6M wide to a 9M wide; the only items that would be different for the 9M wide would be the length of the roof beams, adding extra roof purlins and one extra central gable end upright at each end. (Obviously 9M roof sheets and gables would replace the 6M ones, but the walls would remain universal). Buying modular clear span marquees with interchangeable parts between basic widths can save thousands of pounds as more than 70% of the overall marquee cost is the aluminium framework. Some manufacturers offer interchangeable parts for 3M, 6M, 9M and 12M wide in fairly lightweight box section. The other option is to buy fixed width tents with various sizes of box section aluminium framework which will limit your options. For example, say after 2 years trading you want to move up from 9M to 12M wide - you already have 85% of the parts! The option is buying longer roof beams and 12M roof sheets and gable ends for 15% of the cost of a complete 12M wide marquee.

See also erecting a marquee (traditional pole)