I’m a proud gypsy who quit caravan life – I got a council house with a posh hot tub, but the neighbours called us names
A TRAVELLER woman has revealed why living in a council home is much better than a caravan.
Tracey King, 50 has always been part of the traveller community – of which some groups prefer traditional life in caravans – and recalls horror stories of her family living in a wagon.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous the mum-of-four reveals how she finds her council home much better than living in an old fashioned wagon without a bath or toilet.
Her grandparents had lived in a traditional Bow Wagon all their lives and had 13 children, ten boys and three girls, living there.
But it all became too much Tracey says as the family was forced to sleep underneath the wagon as there was no room for them.
Despite some of the glam caravans you see online, Tracey, 50, says it was no luxury living in one.
She says: “It wasn’t a luxury living in wagon, you’d get a bowl of water and wash yourself, it was hard work moving around with no money, no food, living off the land, it was a hard life.”
Fortunately her grandmother spoke to a vicar at the church and managed to get a house to raise her family, and although she is from the traveller community, Tracey and her relatives haven’t gone back to wagon life.
More and more travellers are beginning to live in houses as it becomes increasingly difficult for them to live their nomadic ways of life in a modern world.
According to Census, Out of the 71,440 people who identified as Gypsy or Irish Traveller on the 2021 survey, 69,175 lived in households.
But for Tracey, she wouldn’t change a thing as she much prefers living in a house.
She reveals there are now luxuries you get from living in a house that she couldn’t live without, like a toilet.
The mum says: “A bath and toilet is a luxury I can’t live without.
“In motor home you don’t use the toilet inside, you use a portaloo outside,” she explains.
Tracey explains many in the community see using a caravan toilet as dirty because of the small living space.
She also reveals that there is security with living in a stable home as you aren’t worrying about where you should travel next, or if you can get your kids into the local school.
Facts on gypsy and traveller communities
Typically, gypsies is a term used to describe Romani people who migrated to Europe from India while traveller refers to a person with either Irish, Scottish or English heritage.
Around 300,000 Gypsy, Roma and Irish travellers are thought to live in the UK.
All three groups come from nomadic ways of life, however, as it is increasingly difficult to find land to live on, many are moving into permanent housing.
They place high value on family life and often live close together even after reaching adult years and getting married.
Often the men are the breadwinners of the family while the women stay home.
While many English gypsy girls are allowed to drink alcohol and go on holiday with their friends before they get married, their Irish counterparts are not.
“You can go to school each day, opposed to travelling, they do a month here, a month there, sometimes there’s not enough time to get the kids in school, although a lot only keep them in until 11.”
Tracey claims many traveller kids are taken out of school at a young age, as traditionally they prefer them to get real life experience and learn a trade.
Although it is common, Tracey made a conscious effort to keep her children in school until they were at least 16, which she has done for her eldest three while homeschooling her youngest, 13-year-old Scarlett.
Another bonus for Tracey and her husband Mark is the fact they now have their own private garden to do what they please with, opting to go for a hot tub.
The mum managed to get it for a bargain price at £70 but the daily costs of keeping it heated aren’t as cheap.
She revealed it cost £6 a day to run, so the family don’t keep it on all the time.
Tracey adds that it might seem expensive but it’s priceless for her as the hot waves help soothe her chronic pain condition so will use it for around half an hour a day to keep her pain manageable.
Fortunately, the sound of the bubble machine doesn’t annoy her neighbours and they’ve become good friends with no complaints about her family enjoying their time in the pool outside.
But that hasn’t always been the case for her family, who were often labelled as ‘the travellers’ on her road.
She adds: “In a home you make real friends, my neighbours take us for us.
“We were never called Tracey and Mark, it was just the travellers, but now over the years the narrative has changed thanks to social media, and I’ve got so much love for it.
“It’s just a different way now people accept us for us,” she claims, and thanks her 319k followers on TikTok (traceywinter1) for helping to beat the negative stereotypes of the traveller community she is from.
House proud Tracey lives in a council house, and has done everything she can to make it her home.
While rent costs £1,100 per month she says it’s worth it to be close to town and friends.
Her giant garden is kitted out with her six foot wide spa pool and a stunning pergola for her ‘cosy corner’ which features modern black outdoor furniture and an egg chair.
To the side, she has an adorable built-in sandpit to keep her grandchildren entertained and it’s adorned with fake flowers to keep it colourful all year round.
To make life easier, Tracey also has used fake grass to keep the lawn looking lush and green throughout the year, and inside is just as lavish.
Each of the rooms in Tracey’s council home followers it’s own colour scheme, with her kitchen kitted out in luxury red and gold accessories and a giant matching rug.
Her front room is silver and beige with hints of bejewelled floor length vases filled with fake red roses.
Her bathroom has also been completely transformed using a gorgeous blue and yellow floral wallpaper to inject some personality into the room.
While Tracey reveals she loves living in a house for a multitude of reasons – she says a static motor home like many other traveller’s live in would be the best case scenario.
“I would rather live in a mobile unit on land but the upfront costs are too expensive, then you aren’t paying rent,” she explains.
“The kids like to be a bit free as they have so much land, quads, horses, but you can’t really have that in a house.”