Full time through winter in search of new life

[chaser]

We will try as we are fairly invested in this old money pit but it won’t be easy. He sees we have had or are organising specialist inspection of walls, trees, pool and even the existing statics (thanks) and is aware the critical lending criteria have not been met. He also sees that we are witnessing a very poor season and all the difficulties he has with staff. Clever Bea has worked out that the settings on his website haven’t been updated so folk can’t book short stays as he has now supposedly decided. It reeks of desperation, there are workers staying here in signwritten vans, which should be a strict no in season. He trusted his young staff on reception to convert enquires to bookings and we discovered they couldn’t even be bothered to serve wine by the glass. The winds today have brought down dead tree branches - 10 dead trees on site he is trusting to luck one doesn’t kill a child. open manhole covers with broken lids are everywhere, the place after the rains and the winds (with debris everywhere all the pot holes full of water and mud) looks more like a refugee camp than a campsite. To say it looks ‘unloved’ is understatement.

Even I am losing my enthusiasm, and hardening my attitude. It won’t be a nice conversation.

You have to be kidding, if this place was 50 grand, I would say go for it ,it's got to get better but any more is just a joke.

 

[Rogerwyn]

That’ll do nicely
Probably cost €50k to fuel up and another €20k for transport.
No worries though just add it to the loan

1500l diesel tank, 7 days to strip 4 men 2 x 150t cranes and 10 days to rebuild bought that teeshirt

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

1500l diesel tank, 7 days to strip 4 men 2 x 150t cranes and 10 days to rebuild bought that teeshirt

Maybe swop my guesstimate around and €50k to transport and build

But don’t tell him as I want one of these

 

[Rogerwyn]

Maybe swop my guesstimate around and €50k to transport and build

But don’t tell him as I want one of these

And if your taking it to France you can double the cost as they have no sense of urgency and they reckon a 100t crane can lift 90t it took us 21 days to rebuild her

 

[Just smiffy]

We will try as we are fairly invested in this old money pit but it won’t be easy. He sees we have had or are organising specialist inspection of walls, trees, pool and even the existing statics (thanks) and is aware the critical lending criteria have not been met. He also sees that we are witnessing a very poor season and all the difficulties he has with staff. Clever Bea has worked out that the settings on his website haven’t been updated so folk can’t book short stays as he has now supposedly decided. It reeks of desperation, there are workers staying here in signwritten vans, which should be a strict no in season. He trusted his young staff on reception to convert enquires to bookings and we discovered they couldn’t even be bothered to serve wine by the glass. The winds today have brought down dead tree branches - 10 dead trees on site he is trusting to luck one doesn’t kill a child. open manhole covers with broken lids are everywhere, the place after the rains and the winds (with debris everywhere all the pot holes full of water and mud) looks more like a refugee camp than a campsite. To say it looks ‘unloved’ is understatement.

Even I am losing my enthusiasm, and hardening my attitude. It won’t be a nice conversation.

I’m feeling a little sad that it might not happen now…..

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[CazPaul]

I’m feeling relieved for you that it might not happen.

 

[corconx]

Would Camping le Futuriste be the site

Carol

 

[olley]

Looks way to nice.

 

[corconx]

But it looks worst around Futurescope. There’s a Municipal but can’t see it being that.

 

[Figaro]

Looks way to nice.

No room for the new pool next to the existing pool either

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[Swozer]

I sussed where it is a while ago, but we need to keep schtum for dawesy.

 

[Whitebirdyman]

Would Camping le Futuriste be the site

Carol

I had wondered if it was Trois Riviere as a review in June mentioned a generator running all night.

 

[corconx]

Well maybe we’ll find out soon

Carol

 

[Bluemooner]

dawsey just a tip make sure your toilet and waste are empty and fresh full before your meeting

 

[suavecarve]

Nearest is a big toilet paper factory.

Do they do tours ?

Asking for a friend

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[suavecarve]

I’m feeling a little sad that it might not happen now…..

Should it not go ahead, it may lengthen the thread in search of another campsite

Has matey and his Mrs sold their Chateau from Channel 4 yet ? I contacted him with some excellent advice to create an aire there and he took no notice of me.
I think everyone who watched his programme who had a motorhome would stay there

Dick Strawbridge

 

[dawsey]

dawsey just a tip make sure your toilet and waste are empty and fresh full before your meeting

yeah that’s understood…

 

[dawsey]

Should it not go ahead, it may lengthen the thread in search of another campsite

Has matey and his Mrs sold their Chateau from Channel 4 yet ? I contacted him with some excellent advice to create an aire there and he took no notice of me.
I think everyone who watched his programme who had a motorhome would stay there

Dick Strawbridge

maybe they were afraid of all the ‘naked people’ as Bea refers to the naturistes…

plus I don’t think Dick and Angel have any plans to sell. They now have a very viable and extremely well publicised business…

 

[dawsey]

Do they do tours ?

Asking for a friend

Not that we are aware.. . While we can’t think of a reason to tour a toilet paper factory we respect everyone’s hobbies, we will ask for you. We feel certain that the rubber and plastics processing and manufacturing factory next door probably does tours. That one is less attractive than the toilet paper factory though.

 

[chrispenrallt]

Dawsey you still have your sense of humour !
Good Luck anyway to you both

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[suavecarve]

Not that we are aware.. . While we can’t think of a reason to tour a toilet paper factory we respect everyone’s hobbies, we will ask for you. We feel certain that the rubber and plastics processing and manufacturing factory next door probably does tours. That one is less attractive than the toilet paper factory though.

My mistake, I trusted the wifes information. The TV series has stopped and they are on a world tour for a couple of years but nothing going on at the Chateau. Its not for sale

 

[Shrimp]

Sorry dawsey the description you gave, no sea, no river etc. and its position we wouldn’t be visiting.
Personally I can’t see how you will make money with no draw and a very short tourist season.
We know some people that tried to resurrect a French campsite, about 5min walk from the sea, lovely hedged, secluded pitches and in Brittany, they failed, took a few years mind to bring it round and then a few years more and that was that!
Good luck anyway.

 

[houdini]

Sorry dawsey the description you gave, no sea, no river etc. and its position we wouldn’t be visiting.
Personally I can’t see how you will make money with no draw and a very short tourist season.
We know some people that tried to resurrect a French campsite, about 5min walk from the sea, lovely hedged, secluded pitches and in Brittany, they failed, took a few years mind to bring it round and then a few years more and that was that!
Good luck anyway.

Interesting, wonder why that failed?

 

[Dutch 68]

Interesting, wonder why that failed?

Because most of France is dead outside of the school holidays, even most communal outdoor swimming pools are only open for two months in July and August so the main season where you could be fully booked if you are lucky is extremely short

 

[Minxy]

Should it not go ahead, it may lengthen the thread in search of another campsite

Has matey and his Mrs sold their Chateau from Channel 4 yet ? I contacted him with some excellent advice to create an aire there and he took no notice of me.
I think everyone who watched his programme who had a motorhome would stay there

Dick Strawbridge

My mistake, I trusted the wifes information. The TV series has stopped and they are on a world tour for a couple of years but nothing going on at the Chateau. Its not for sale

One of the chateau owners taking part in the DIY spin off was selling up so some media outlets wrongly thought it was them selling.

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[dawsey]

Dick and Angel bought their Chateau in fully dilapidated state and it’s 5 Hectares in 2015 for £280k, but it may as well have been 20years ago.

Things have changed since then, when the £/€ was over 1:1.40 (they paid just under €400,000) and the French property market was about 50% lower than today.

Today, assuming it was in the same state as it was when Dick and Angel bought it, no running water, electric or proper drains, their beautiful Chateau would be on the market at minimum €800,000. This is £700,000 at todays 1:16 exchange rate. In the same short 8yr period, renovation costs have approximately doubled. Everywhere, including France labour rates have increased significantly due to increases in the minimum wage and inflation, there is always more regulation to conform with and worst of all, material costs have doubled, and in some cases tripled.

Dick and Angel did well, but even so, the TV money was probably essential.

 

[Reallyretired]

Interesting, wonder why that failed?

Could be because it was the sort of site people stay weeks at, so only a short season. A one night stop off on a major route south could have trade all year.

 

[Figaro]

Because most of France is dead outside of the school holidays, even most communal outdoor swimming pools are only open for two months in July and August so the main season where you could be fully booked if you are lucky is extremely short

He'll have the transit trade heading north or south looking for a stop over for a night.
Getting them to stay a few nights will be an uphill task but he seems to think he can do it, let's wish him well and wait to see.
Mind you, from what's been written, it seems a 30% downward renegotiation is going to finish the deal off completely ?

 

[MisterB]

Has matey and his Mrs sold their Chateau from Channel 4 yet ? I contacted him with some excellent advice to create an aire there and he took no notice of me.
I think everyone who watched his programme who had a motorhome would stay there

i suggested the same thing, with them offering tours and afternoon teas, i even offered to meet them there, but got no response.
when we drove past it a few months later i was surprised by how it looks in real life ..... i was dissapointed and it looked scruffy and tired. A passing driver told us we shouldnt park outside as there was a large industrial premises further down the road, with lorries continually using the same road (albeit that it was a dead end) - we did find a great little aire about 20 mins away.

there is actually a large aire in the nearest village, about ten minutes away, i wondered whether that was the reason they didnt seem to be keen on establishing their own?

 

[rb62]

maybe they were afraid of all the ‘naked people’ as Bea refers to the naturistes…

plus I don’t think Dick and Angel have any plans to sell. They now have a very viable and extremely well publicised business…

Which interestingly has been dissolved,or will be on the 8th Aug. I think they have caught up on everything they had booked,and found it hard work! A new TV series is planned I think,Secret France outside the Chateau. They seem to be do well with their talking tours down under and are doing a book launch in the UK shortly.

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