Booked Brighton CAMC (how much!??) Sea Front overnight parking?

[VXman]

First booking of the year made with CAMC. 3 nights in Brighton for £102. In the middle of February though. So cheapest time of the year there is £33 (mid week, mid winter) and the most expensive on the school summer hols is £50. Not much of a range there is there?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, its ok I suppose but a little expensive comparing with nothing or 10 euros when travelling on the continent.

Has anyone 'wild camped' on the sea front? We are visiting my son. He lives up near Brunswick Square, just past the i360 and has a car park permit. He says we could park on the front for £5 for 24 hours. My concern is.....well, it's Brighton on a weekend, might be a noisy few nights.

Anyone slept along Brighton sea front?

 

[Rosemary1]

We visit

Don't like place full of drunken Londoners on Fri & Sat nights. Always overcrowded heaving with people. Anti car council very difficult to get anywhere by car, parking very expensive, even single yellow lines apply on Sundays in a lot of areas. Noisy brash place, pub prices very high. Apart from the pavilion nothing really of interest there.

We visited there last year to visit family (who love it there). Have to agree about the number of people and the parking (had to queue for ages to get a space and then £14.50 for 2 or 3 hours). Enjoyed the pavilion and interesting shops but yes too many people - did my head in trying to get around

 

[mitzimad]

Yes we noticed motorhomes parked up here all the time, no doubt they walk to the sight and use the site facilities.

I doubt it see above re wardens

 

[UptheGas]

We were huge fans of Brighton CAMC used it regularly for the last 25 years, when it was called Sheepcote Valley. Made great friends with many of the Wardens, in particular Mark and Phil who made many many improvements to the site and made it a very friendly place to visit. They were the team who lobbied the council to make the parking restriction on the access lane, took them years to get it implemented.
Last visit around October this year was very different. Warden was rude to us on arrival, obviously not used to larger motorhomes, motorhome was physically measured even though I assured her I had booked an awning pitch and knew for sure we were able to fit on EVERY awning pitch on the site and was within the length stated on the Site Guide. The experience was horrible, just plain nasty, and it really saddened us, especially with it happening in a place we had some really nice memories of.
I really have lost trust in the CAMC, okay they have always been expensive and had issues, but they were consistent, you knew what you were getting. A bit like the British Airways of the camping world. Things have changed a great deal since COVID. The staff have changed, and standards have dropped. We are no longer members after almost 30 years.
I also hear the staff are having issues. The new boss has made many changes and is starting to make changes to the gravy train. The provision of free sites to ex wardens and office bearers was removed but was reinstated after the threat of legal action and I believe they are 30 odd couples short to meet the needs of next year. Perhaps, that is why we are seeing drop in standards with Wardens, they are perhaps just taking whoever they can get.

Oh no !
I just joined CAMC yesterday for the first time in the hope we’d get more choice and save some money

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Now run by British Engineerium closed at the moment for refurbishment. Must be well over 10 years might be nearer 20 since we last went.

Just had a look and it’s a trust now, bloke I know who owned it is no longer a director.
He did own about 40 hotels and other properties In Brighton a few years back but speaking to his best mate 18 months back his health has gone downhill

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[Spriddler]

Anyone slept along Brighton sea front?

Back in the Swinging Sixties my beatnik mates and I used to sleep on the beach under the pier, living on chips, with our guitars and bottles of Woodpecker cider.

 

[martin west dorset]

Now run by British Engineerium closed at the moment for refurbishment. Must be well over 10 years might be nearer 20 since we last went.

I think you will find that a lot of the contents of the engineerium have been sold of over the years, there was going to be a auction of the contents years ago that got cancelled the morning of the supposed auction.

 

[Sapper520]

I'm a 4th generation Brightonian and still live 12 miles away.
My great grandad died from being scalded by a bursting beer vat at the Albion Brewery in the Lanes in 1878.

View attachment 700413


His wife and three kids had to vacate their tied flint cottage in Black Lion Lane adjoining the brewery and since there was no social security his mates had a whip-round and bought her a mangle so that she could take in washing.

View attachment 700398

My grandfather was Seafront and Beach Inspector, managing the shopkeepers and fishing boatmen after retiring as Master of the Foretop in the Royal Navy which he joined at the age of 14.

View attachment 700400

My son commutes to his office in central Brighton by motorbike as to park the car would cost £25 a day.
Wild horses couldn't drag me there.

Our home town gets lots of knocks from people. All places have their warts….but there’s lots more around our area than just a Seaside Town with the usual issues that surround them.

Love reading social historical stuff, many thanks for that.

 

[bigtree]

I'm a 4th generation Brightonian and still live 12 miles away.
My great grandad died from being scalded by a bursting beer vat at the Albion Brewery in the Lanes in 1878.

View attachment 700413


His wife and three kids had to vacate their tied flint cottage in Black Lion Lane adjoining the brewery and since there was no social security his mates had a whip-round and bought her a mangle so that she could take in washing.

View attachment 700398

My grandfather was Seafront and Beach Inspector, managing the shopkeepers and fishing boatmen after retiring as Master of the Foretop in the Royal Navy which he joined at the age of 14.

View attachment 700400

My son commutes to his office in central Brighton by motorbike as to park the car would cost £25 a day.
Wild horses couldn't drag me there.

Love the Cricketers but not been to Brighton for many years, put off visiting Sheepcote Valley by a rude warden.

 

[steve69]

I've booked 4 Nights at the beginning of August £130 with awning. Not too bad I think.

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[steve69]

Our home town gets lots of knocks from people. All places have their warts….but there’s lots more around our area than just a Seaside Town with the usual issues that surround them.

Love reading social historical stuff, many thanks for that.

Yes, if you don't like Brighton there's always Blackpool.

 

[AndyPK]

Yes, if you don't like Brighton there's always Blackpool.

Or Weston-super-Mare……….!

 

[stevewagner]

We were huge fans of Brighton CAMC used it regularly for the last 25 years, when it was called Sheepcote Valley. Made great friends with many of the Wardens, in particular Mark and Phil who made many many improvements to the site and made it a very friendly place to visit. They were the team who lobbied the council to make the parking restriction on the access lane, took them years to get it implemented.
Last visit around October this year was very different. Warden was rude to us on arrival, obviously not used to larger motorhomes, motorhome was physically measured even though I assured her I had booked an awning pitch and knew for sure we were able to fit on EVERY awning pitch on the site and was within the length stated on the Site Guide. The experience was horrible, just plain nasty, and it really saddened us, especially with it happening in a place we had some really nice memories of.
I really have lost trust in the CAMC, okay they have always been expensive and had issues, but they were consistent, you knew what you were getting. A bit like the British Airways of the camping world. Things have changed a great deal since COVID. The staff have changed, and standards have dropped. We are no longer members after almost 30 years.
I also hear the staff are having issues. The new boss has made many changes and is starting to make changes to the gravy train. The provision of free sites to ex wardens and office bearers was removed but was reinstated after the threat of legal action and I believe they are 30 odd couples short to meet the needs of next year. Perhaps, that is why we are seeing drop in standards with Wardens, they are perhaps just taking whoever they can get.

Having just returned from Florida using BA I can tell you they were awful in our experience

 

[Alan]

Brighton is expensive for parking unless you are unfortunate enough to be disabled,with a blue badge most council parking in Brighton/Hove and worthing is free

 

[Gizmouk]

Don't like place full of drunken Londoners on Fri & Sat nights. Always overcrowded heaving with people. Anti car council very difficult to get anywhere by car, parking very expensive, even single yellow lines apply on Sundays in a lot of areas. Noisy brash place, pub prices very high. Apart from the pavilion nothing really of interest there.

Don't sit on the fence, just tell us you're not a fan of the place
To be fair, the best part about Brighton is the A23 northbound

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[VXman]

I've booked 4 Nights at the beginning of August £130 with awning. Not too bad I think.

Eh? How? I booked 3 nights in Feb for £102 which makes yours cheaper! ....unless....is it just one person you have booked for?

 

[Nigel Thomas]

Newhaved docks. £5.00 per night (must arrive before 5pm and can't leave till 8am)

 

[Sapper520]

Or Weston-super-Mare……….!

Ouch.

Glad you wrote it propers like.

 

[dash300]

Don't sit on the fence, just tell us you're not a fan of the place
To be fair, the best part about Brighton is the A23 northbound

Having booked into Brighton Marina (a dull Bastille of a Marina) en route to the Thames some years ago, I can confirm Brighton looks very impressive from the sea!

 

[AndyPK]

Having booked into Brighton Marina (a dull Bastille of a Marina) en route to the Thames some years ago, I can confirm Brighton looks very impressive from the sea!

….especially when facing south……!

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[TheMachMan]

We love visiting Brighton. The site is good, and there is lots to see & do.
Luckily we’re all different otherwise life would be very boring!

 

[L' Hobo]

Eh? How? I booked 3 nights in Feb for £102 which makes yours cheaper! ....unless....is it just one person you have booked for?

Can you just book for one person? I thought with the C&MHC, you automatically had to pay for 2 people and EHU?

 

[Langtoftlad]

Can you just book for one person? I thought with the C&MHC, you automatically had to pay for 2 people and EHU?

Yes you can - one of the reasons I've found the CAMC sites often to be cheaper for me than even CL's.
Their pricing is pitch + occupants
It's why I rarely go on "commercial" sites as their pricing almost always 'includes' two people then charge extra for my dog.

 

[Spriddler]

Love reading social historical stuff, many thanks for that.

All of Sheepcote Valley used to be a deep valley until it began to be used as a Council dump dump in 1916 since which time most of it has gradually been filled in. As a kid I used to play at the tip on dumped WW2 vehicles and airplanes. In 1963 I worked for Brighton Boro' Surveyors Dep't when a licence for the excavation of chalk from virgin valley areas was granted to the father of an acquaintance who ran a groundworks firm who removed and sold the chalk, then (I was told by his son) charged the Council when they filled in his deep excavations with household rubbish. The fire brigade were constantly called out to extinguish vast areas of underground fires. It was always heavily populated with itinerant travellers' caravans. Tipping Southwards was halted when the infill approached the coast and the land left to settle, left as a nature reserve and a leisure centre and sports fields (and the CAMC site) were built.
Tipping continues at the North end adjacent to the racecourse although there have been several demonstrations and petitions to try to stop it (and one or two endeavouring to close the CAMC site). My Council office phones were constantly ringing with irate residents of the housing development to the West complaining about the rancid smell from the rotting rubbish.

Travellers' demonstration in 1991

 

[L' Hobo]

Yes you can - one of the reasons I've found the CAMC sites often to be cheaper for me than even CL's.
Their pricing is pitch + occupants
It's why I rarely go on "commercial" sites as their pricing almost always 'includes' two people then charge extra for my dog.

Thanks for that info, so its only the EHU one has to purchase unlike the Camping & Caravan Club where one has a choice and the single occupancy option?

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[Langtoftlad]

Thanks for that info, so its only the EHU one has to purchase unlike the Camping & Caravan Club where one has a choice and the single occupancy option?

Pitch price is all inclusive

 

[steve69]

Eh? How? I booked 3 nights in Feb for £102 which makes yours cheaper! ....unless....is it just one person you have booked for?

Just me. But yours is still less than £35 per night as opposed to to £50 quoted by some.

 

[pelican]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

Quite a large gay community

 

[VXman]

Just me. But yours is still less than £35 per night as opposed to to £50 quoted by some.

£50 for a night for 2 Adults in the summer. That was my point really - if it's £50 in the summer holidays really it ought to be cheaper than £35 for a midweek, term time, dark, dank, mid winter pitch.

£15 for an extra adult is a bit of a rip off too. £15 for one person to use toilets and showers for one night essentially. That's the only extra another person can use. Electric and pitch is not different for 1 or 2 people.