Marquee heating: warm guests in an uninsulated tent
Nobody in a marquee cares about the air temperature — they care whether they feel cold. That is why radiant heat wins under fabric: it warms guests directly instead of trying to hold a temperature in a tent the wind blows straight through.
What is the right heating system for a marquee?
Most marquee and event heating is hired rather than installed: for a temporary structure, plan roughly 1–2 kW of heat per 5–8 m² of guest area for a winter event, and confirm the power supply before you confirm the heaters.
The problem with marquee heating
A marquee has effectively no insulation and enormous air leakage, so any system that heats air is fighting the weather. Fabric also rules out most high-temperature emitters on safety grounds.
Zoning strategy: Heat the seated and standing guest areas; leave circulation and bar space unheated.
Options compared
| System | Verdict | Upfront | Running |
|---|---|---|---|
Infrared / radiant panels Warms guests directly, silent, no fumes and safe at rated clearances from fabric. | Best fit | Low | Medium |
Indirect diesel heaters Industry standard for large marquees; ducted outside so no fumes indoors, but noisy and fuel-hungry. | Viable | Hire | High |
Direct-fired gas / patio heaters Combustion products and moisture released inside; most reputable marquee firms prohibit them under fabric. | Poor fit | Low | High |
Electric fan heaters Heated air leaves through the fabric faster than you can produce it. | Poor fit | Low | Very high |
Indicative annual heating cost — 200 m², older / poorly insulated
Degree-day method at UK average 2000 HDD, Ofgem price cap (indicative, 2026). Whole-space figures — zoning typically cuts these substantially.
- Infrared panels£4,403/yr
- Air-source heat pump£1,764/yr
- Gas central heating£1,587/yr
- Old electric / storage heaters£5,645/yr
What marquee heating costs to install
- Small marquee hire heat (up to 60 guests)£150 – £400 per event
Two to four radiant units plus distribution.
- Large marquee (150–250 guests)£500 – £1,500 per event
Indirect or zoned radiant with generator allowance.
- Permanent structure / all-season pod£2,500 – £9,000
Owned radiant install for year-round hospitality use.
How to size marquee heating
| Situation | Sizing guide |
|---|---|
| Small marquee up to 60 m² | 6–12 kW total, usually two to four units, deliverable on a standard 32A supply if nothing else is loaded. |
| Medium marquee 60–150 m² | 15–30 kW, split across the structure; check catering load before assuming the same supply can carry it. |
| Large marquee over 150 m² | Indirect diesel or gas heaters ducted in, or a generator sized for electric radiant — this is where the power supply, not the heater, becomes the constraint. |
| Entrance, bar and dance areas | Radiant over standing positions; guests stand still at bars and move on dance floors, so the load is not uniform. |
| Overnight and pre-warm | Allow two to four hours of pre-heat for a lined marquee in winter, longer for an unlined structure. |
Disruption and installation time
Delivery, siting and collection normally happen the day before and the day after the event. Ducted indirect heaters sit outside the structure with warm air ducted in; radiant units mount to the frame. Fuel or generator provision is the item most often forgotten until the last week.
Regulations and approvals that apply to marquees
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations and the use of an appropriately qualified engineer for LPG appliances.
- MUTA and industry guidance on temporary demountable structures, including heater positioning and fire separation.
- Local authority event licensing conditions and fire risk assessment for the event.
- BS 7671 and 17th/18th-edition temporary installation requirements for generators and distribution.
- Insurer conditions on naked flame, fuel storage and unattended heaters overnight.
Guidance summary only — confirm the current requirement with your local authority, inspector or a qualified engineer before ordering work.
Expensive mistakes in marquee heating
- Booking heaters without checking the available power supply or generator capacity.
- Siting flued or fuel-burning heaters where exhaust drifts into the structure or a smoking area.
- Assuming an unlined marquee performs like a lined one; the difference is large.
- No pre-heat time in the schedule, so guests arrive into a cold structure.
- Forgetting fuel top-ups for an all-day, all-evening event.
When radiant heating is the wrong answer
A permanent installation makes no sense in a temporary structure — hire is almost always the right commercial answer. Fixed radiant heating belongs in the permanent building next to the marquee, or in a semi-permanent structure used every week of the year.
What to ask before you sign
- What total kW is proposed, and what supply or generator does it require?
- Is fuel, delivery, siting, collection and standby cover included in the price?
- Who holds the gas or electrical qualification for commissioning on site?
- How long is the pre-heat, and who attends during the event?
- What is the contingency if the weather is 5 °C colder than forecast?
Marquee heating: FAQs
Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Open-Meteo, Ofgem, Energy Saving Trust