It’s plain sailing with the Cornish Tent Company and South West Sail
Thursday 23rd July, 2026
It’s all hands to the pump this summer for the Cornish Tent Company, with back-to-back weddings and festivals. Husband-and-wife team Will and Analisa Marchant took over the business four years ago. Analisa had left a job in hospitality and approached previous owner Jamie for a job. Soon afterwards, she was asked if she’d like to take the business on – as Will had been made redundant, the timing was right and they took a leap of faith.
“At the time, I could barely even put up a shelf,” laughs Will, who is now adept at erecting the company’s tipis and sailcloth marquees with the help of a small dedicated team, while Analisa takes care of office admin and customer liaison.
Take your pick from a Nordic giant Hat tipi, a California-style sailcloth marquee, a cost-effective stretch canopy tent or a variety of smaller structures including pagodas. Not sure which to choose? Try the Cornish Tent Company’s online tent planner tool, and video walkarounds.
The summer months are the company’s bread and butter. Will and Analisa covered six nuptials during the June heatwave, and will supply 23 tents to the Rock Oyster Festival at the end of July, including sponsor tipis, a bar and a VIP banqueting marquee – typically involving a two-week build and dismantling period.
Historically, things quietened down in winter; however, overheads such as rent, business rates and hire purchase on vehicles remained the same, and the search was on for out-of-season work to cover them. These range from corporate work with the National Trust and the Eden Project, Santa’s Grotto at Cribbs Causeway and the Red Bull surfing sessions on Newquay’s Fistral beach in March. Local foodie gigs include festivals in Truro city centre and at Adam Handling’s Tartan Fox in Summercourt in October.
A new avenue opened when the pair discovered their sailcloth marquees were being sent all the way to Portsmouth for cleaning. “We couldn’t believe there was nowhere nearer,” said Will, who crews a working boat out of St Mawes. “That’s when we looked into cleaning marquees and sails ourselves. Weddings run from April to October, and the sail-cleaning season from November to March – they complement each other perfectly.”
The launch of South West Sail, with the help of a diversification grant from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Hub, precipitated a move to Newham and premises that used to be the bottling plant for Skinner’s Brewery. “It was ideal,” says Analisa. “Not only was there plenty of space for hanging, but there was also built-in floor drainage. Another interested party had asked to remove it; for us, that wet section was the selling point.”
The Marchants invested in a 60kg washing machine – around six times the size of your average domestic model – which will wash a single tent on a two-hour cycle (sails are washed by hand). The canvas is then hung out to dry, with the help of an extractor fan, and stored for collection.
The market is growing exponentially, with Analisa noting the unexpected demand for cleaning bell tents, both commercial and personal, thanks to the increasing popularity of festival glamping.
But for now, her mind is back onto forthcoming weddings. “It’s a nurturing environment – with some of them, I might have been working with the couple for three years, and it can be emotional to see them go,” she admits.
“My work in hospitality helps with this side of the company, but also being a girl – marquee hire can be a male-dominated industry, and I think clients appreciate my presence.”
The Cornish Tent Company and South West Sail can be found at The Granary, Higher Newham Road, Truro, TR1 2ST. Call the Cornish Tent Company on 01872 229543, Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm or email hello@cornishtentco.com. Call South West Sail on 07415 972070 or email swsailcornwall@gmail.com.
