A friend is thinking about opening a CL .....

[MC 55 FUN]

generator hire : it will also cost a bit to buy the generators & put off those who want peace & quiet.

 

[138go]

Our favourite CL is grass and has EHU. At £11 a night we are happy. We prefer to use our own facilities, which I keep spotless. If you wait long enough you will have every preference going posted.

 

[Puddleduck]

5 picnic tables will likely cost at least 1 years profit

Except his son makes them and there are several "seconds" unassembed in his container

 

[Kannon Fodda]

If the picnic tables are freebies, then great, and they alone can help to define pitching areas if the site is otherwise mostly grass. But otherwise I'd be wary about landscaping by putting in hedges and stuff. If you do hedges, you'll need to cut them - more maintenance costs or time.

Forget generators - if you hire you are going to need to maintain and be responsible they are safe. Those who are desperate for power in such way will already have their own. Just restrict hours they can be used. Battery charging might be something you offer, added fee, but are you wanting to be that tied to the site whilst that is happening?

 

[TerryL]

Consideration should also be given to who is going to administer the site, that is, see to arrivals/departures, bookings etc. Okay if there is somebody who lives/works close by of course prepared to look after it.
And make sure it isn't "invaded"!

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[Cal54]

If your neighbour is considering a 12 month site then I think an EHU option is worth considering. I’m a firm believer in the ‘token’ arrangement for electricity - in so far as you pay for what you use. Personally as a solo traveller cost is a consideration and I often find that CL/CS’ can be expensive.
My ideal would be a site we’re all ‘add ons’ i.e. EHU, and shower are charged for as and when used.
.

 

[Beacons]

One of our most favoured sites £4.00 a night
Portable loos standpipe hanging off a farmers barn optimistically described as shower by farmer .

 

[Eggs]

We are far more likely to use a site with EHU. It’s perfectly possible to have EHU and non EHU pitches on a site and charge differently.

When I'm not on the move I stay on a mates farm, not on the CL itself, he charges two different rates for ehu or not.

He also converted a horse box into a shower/toilet, works well and definitely brings more trade.

 

[mikebeaches]

The ones with the facilities are probably even less profitable if anything as they are still restricted to a max of 5 units and a lot of the time may have none at all.

Unless I'm mistaken, although certificated locations are restricted to 5 caravans or motorhomes, in addition to that number they can have tents too.

"All Certificated Sites are limited to a maximum of 5 caravans or motorhomes at any one time. If space permits, the site can also accept a maximum of ten tents..."

Adding 10 tents might make a significant financial contribution, but campers will most likely require loos and showers.

 

[Stonemags76]

I’ve often wondered if there is a way to collect the money without having to be there all the time? I know you would get some folks taking the micke, but if it’s not your main source of income, you would be less tied to it?

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[Eggs]

I’ve often wondered if there is a way to collect the money without having to be there all the time? I know you would get some folks taking the micke, but if it’s not your main source of income, you would be less tied to it?

I look after my mates site when I'm there, I take the money, show people where the facility's are and show people where they can park. It works well, I get a cheap place to pull onto, he gets the camp looked after when he's not about, like this time of year when they are busy getting the harvest in.

 

[mikebeaches]

I’ve often wondered if there is a way to collect the money without having to be there all the time? I know you would get some folks taking the micke, but if it’s not your main source of income, you would be less tied to it?

Why not just use PayPal - costs nothing to set up the account and the campsite owner can determine his or her prices such that the PayPal commission is covered. Could request payment to be made in advance or on arrival. And make it clear you will be round to see (check) campers each day - whether the landowner chooses to actually see people is up to them.

I think it's all doable to allow maximum flexibility for the landowner.

 

[Eggs]

Why not just use PayPal - costs nothing to set up the account and the campsite owner can determine his or her prices such that the PayPal commission is covered. Could request payment to be made in advance or on arrival. And make it clear you will be round to see (check) campers each day - whether the landowner chooses to actually see people is up to them.

I think it's all doable to allow maximum flexibility for the landowner.

For most landowners it's a little sideline, it certainly is here, they don't seem to want pitch fees going through the books, so much money goes through but on the whole it's cash.

 

[Puddleduck]

generator hire : it will also cost a bit to buy the generators & put off those who want peace & quiet.

We have 4 generators between us but the cost of maintenance is not to be sneezed at ......

I’ve often wondered if there is a way to collect the money without having to be there all the time? I know you would get some folks taking the micke, but if it’s not your main source of income, you would be less tied to it?

Some of the places we like ask for payment in advance - I would be thinking about that if I was him.

I look after my mates site when I'm there, I take the money, show people where the facility's are and show people where they can park. It works well, I get a cheap place to pull onto, he gets the camp looked after when he's not about, like this time of year when they are busy getting the harvest in.

We would be doing the same. We live next door but one and he is building his own house on part of the field. At the moment he is living in a static caravan on site, and there is a massive shipping container - and still a huge area unused well away from his house (and with separate access)

Why not just use PayPal - costs nothing to set up the account and the campsite owner can determine his or her prices such that the PayPal commission is covered. Could request payment to be made in advance or on arrival. And make it clear you will be round to see (check) campers each day - whether the landowner chooses to actually see people is up to them.

I think it's all doable to allow maximum flexibility for the landowner.

And when he is away we are around. He looks after our livestock when we are away so it would be nice to be able to do something for him in return.

 

[Jim]

Jim I have a friend who is thinking of doing the same at Jedburgh and was going to contact yourself to check if you would exempt them.
She might already have contacted you.
Charlie.

Yep just have them fill this form and we get the ball rolling

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[Jim]

DEFRA Renewed our Exemption Today This is the English certificate. The Scottish and Welsh will follow in two weeks

 

[138go]

We have learned never to pay in advance for a CL we don’t know, as the standard standard can vary considerably. Most are lovely but we’ve been to some that are dire. Having to pay in advance could well put some people off.

 

[g3cwi]

Having to pay in advance could well put some people off.

I think we are approaching a consensus

Things that put people off:

EHUs
No EHUs
Facilities
No facilities
Need to pay deposit
No need to pay deposit
Hard standing
No hard standing
Hedges
No hedges
Picnic tables
No picnic tables.

It should be straightforward for the OP from here on.

 

[2x2camper]

I think we are approaching a consensus

Things that put people off:

EHUs
No EHUs
Facilities
No facilities
Need to pay deposit
No need to pay deposit
Hard standing
No hard standing
Hedges
No hedges
Picnic tables
No picnic tables.

It should be straightforward for the OP from here on.

I would add not answering emails, or phones

 

[MajorClanger]

Jim are you sure that's legal? They can't spell Lincolnshire

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[AndyPK]

No, being ex-Lincs myself, I think it’s about right!

 

[Eggs]

I think we are approaching a consensus

Things that put people off:

EHUs
No EHUs
Facilities
No facilities
Need to pay deposit
No need to pay deposit
Hard standing
No hard standing
Hedges
No hedges
Picnic tables
No picnic tables.

It should be straightforward for the OP from here on.

It doesn't seem to be complicated, supply EHU if you've got the means to do so, a basic yet clean toilet/shower seems to bring more trade, it doesn't need to be made out of a pile of bricks. Hard standing is relatively cheap if you have the machinery to throw some hardcore down then top it off with shingle, tables an chairs are cheap if you don't want new/top end stuff. If I still had the land I used to have I'd have a CS/CL.

 

[Puddleduck]

I have passed all the information on to our friend.

They used to run a B&B so have a really good idea of how awful some people can be which is bound to help!