We are done with the Caravan Club

[Barryh]

One can normally choose. It's never an issue.

Shortly after buying our site we had a visit from a fire officer who was carrying out an inspection as part of our site licensing review.

Whilst not mandating it, he advised we should always ask caravans to park tow ball facing outwards. His reasoning was that in an emergency requiring some sort of evacuation (fire, flood or whatever) on many pitches it was impossible to hitch up and drive forwards without hitting trees, campers or other obstructions.

Good advice so that’s what we did. Some people didn’t like it, so we explained why we did it. Anyone who still didn’t like it was given the option of leaving with a full refund. I can count the leavers on one hand.

 

[tonyidle]

Shortly after buying our site we had a visit from a fire officer who was carrying out an inspection as part of our site licensing review.

Whilst not mandating it, he advised we should always ask caravans to park tow ball facing outwards. His reasoning was that in an emergency requiring some sort of evacuation (fire, flood or whatever) on many pitches it was impossible to hitch up and drive forwards without hitting trees, campers or other obstructions.

Good advice so that’s what we did. Some people didn’t like it, so we explained why we did it. Anyone who still didn’t like it was given the option of leaving with a full refund. I can count the leavers on one hand.

It has little relevance for a Motorhome owner and generally caravans have front lounges. I've had a suggestion from a Warden that I pitch nose-in to avoid being door-facing-door with a neighbouring pitch. It was OK once I'd explained that I had a front lounge that would face a wall nose-in.

 

[Barryh]

It has little relevance for a Motorhome owner and generally caravans have front lounges. I've had a suggestion from a Warden that I pitch nose-in to avoid being door-facing-door with a neighbouring pitch. It was OK once I'd explained that I had a front lounge that would face a wall nose-in.

Which is why I specifically said caravans. Perhaps I should have expanded further to say motorhomes could park whichever way they wanted as reversing out wasn’t an issue.

 

[Tigger-Tim]

...Of course, I have been known to move the peg…….

One site I visited recently had marked the position of the peg with paint!

 

[Marty Gilly and Pup]

As current wardens on a private site, we do need to be careful about the hab door to hab door issue, but only when the neighbours aren’t together or aren’t staying for the same duration. A small number have complained when someone has done this to face a pitch who isn’t in the same party as it were. We are pretty relaxed and accommodating to be honest, but very occasionally the layout of pitches and fire safety does dictate otherwise. That’s life.

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[Beltie]

Left the cmc after about 3 years and the ccc about 2 years later. Most cmc sites are not situated within cycling or walking distance of places we want to visit, and often require 3 or more nights stay minimum. There are some good cls but increasingly expensive, we don't want or need electricity, and we were always poring over a map to ensure they were within a mile of a decent pub.
A mixture of Britstops, basic private sites and so called wild camping is what we enjoy most.

There is no minimum stay requirement on C&MHC sites. There is on C&CC sites.

 

[Beltie]

In my experience they don’t care front or rear first on pitch, as long as the corner is near the peg.

Of course, I have been known to move the peg…….

Love to stay in Shrewsbury however insist on continental models going in forward so the hab doors all face the same way.

The clubs have no rules about pitching door to door, and we've never had an issue. Some private sites do however and some can be really anal about it.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Since the CCC 'the friendly club' made the huge majority of its sites '2 nights minimum' we've never managed to use our membership as we had very limited time off work, we use our van for touring and couldn't afford the luxury of staying anywhere more than one night.

Their big headline offers of 30% off grass pitches* Only applies to grass pitches without EHU on selected sites only.
25% off mid week camping* Minimum of 4 nights starting Sunday on selected sites only.
Ultimate Offer 10% off all year round* No minimum stay on 4 sites only.
Looks great when you see it splashed across their website, it's only when you read the T&Cs it doesn't seem so great.

Our membership is due for renewal next week which we won't be

 

[Langtoftlad]

If the two major clubs don't suit, don't join...
Membership is not an obligation .

 

[glenn2926]

Here’s another way of looking at it .
If the C&MC allowed members Motorhomes to turn up as when they wanted to take on water and empty their crap .
You would end up with potential a bottleneck of caravans waiting to book in and Motorhomes trying to manoeuvre at service points creating chaos .
There are many C&MC sites with narrow approach roads and limited width within the site can you imagine the congestion with large Motorhomes trying to leave after midday and meeting caravans arriving

Here’s a novel idea, we could have a couple of time periods each day when motorhomes could pull in to top up, drain down, empty cassettes and even do laundry. To make things easier these times could be outside of the busy departure, arrival times. It’s just an idea.

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[Langtoftlad]

Here’s a novel idea, we could have a couple of time periods each day when motorhomes could pull in to top up, drain down, empty cassettes and even do laundry. To make things easier these times could be outside of the busy departure, arrival times. It’s just an idea.

...and there would still be complaints about the time slots, the availability etc etc

 

[Gellyneck]

We were at the acsi at ringwood, and they tried to charge our relatives (mature couple) who came to visit us.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but not clear on how that relates to the C&MC and direction you can park on a pitch?

 

[M-J]

Here’s a novel idea, we could have a couple of time periods each day when motorhomes could pull in to top up, drain down, empty cassettes and even do laundry. To make things easier these times could be outside of the busy departure, arrival times. It’s just an idea.

What times would you suggest?

Would it be before people start packing up and leaving 8am-12pm or after the new arrivals 12pm-8pm?

 

[Gellyneck]

Here’s a novel idea, we could have a couple of time periods each day when motorhomes could pull in to top up, drain down, empty cassettes and even do laundry. To make things easier these times could be outside of the busy departure, arrival times. It’s just an idea.

Are you proposing this for both members and non-members? Would it be chargeable or free of charge? If the former how would the charges be collected? How would it be monitored \ managed as the wardens have other duties, toilet cleaning, grass cutting, general maintenance, etc outwith the times reception are open for new arrival booking-ins. A number, if not most C&MC sites have gate barriers that would require opening to enable access to the facilities. Who would do this?

As for laundry, there are very frequently queues for the washing and drying machines when only used by site residents. Opening these up to non-residents would just further compound the problem.

In my opinion the more sensible and simpler option would be for the traveller to book a pitch for one night, which C&MC permits, to undertake all these task rather than placing a considerable additional burden on what are very busy site staff.

 

[Gellyneck]

What times would you suggest?

Would it be before people start packing up and leaving 8am-12pm or after the new arrivals 12pm-8pm?

and maybe the wardens, when doing this, could ask the residents to clean the toilets, cut the grass, etc, etc, .....

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[pampam]

Blaydon, next time drive down knavesmire turn right to the far end of the racecourse stands ……its a dead end,(but not this weekend)cos its ebor

 

[Gellyneck]

We were. Can't remember the site but they insisted we nose in to peg.

Wonder if it was because if you both put out awnings they would compromise the spacing between the awnings?

 

[pandas]

What times would you suggest?

Would it be before people start packing up and leaving 8am-12pm or after the new arrivals 12pm-8pm?

And as the facilities are usually within the heart of the camp site why would you want vehicles driving in all times of the day - and causing a congestion at those points for those that have payed for the campsite with the benefit of dumping facilities. Not the best idea.

 

[Puddleduck]

I've never witnessed at any C&MC managed site, and we've been on a good few, where we've been restricted as to nose in \ tail in. I've even seen a warden suggesting to a member that they would be better pitching nose in as the sun would be on their hab door \ awning side for all of the day.
Does anyone know of any specific sites where this is the case?

A riversite site in North Yorkshire asked us to reverse in due to flood risk.

There was a paragraph about it on the site map etc saying that although highly unusual the site had been known to flood when there was heavy rain further up the valley and we may have to evacuate at short notice. I did think it would be much faster and safer to be able to drive straight off the site in an emergency and when we were away that would leave a lot more space for caravan and car combinations to maneuver. Reversing off wouldn't have taken much longer but may have hindered people on an adjoining pitch who were hitching up a caravan.

Did it worry me? No.

Anywhere else? Once or twice but I'm not that bothered. We have been pitched at the end of a row in the dim and distance past as we had a "foreign" van but over the last 10 years and with so many off side hab doors now it doesn't appear to be an issue anymore.

 

[Dorset Diver]

And as the facilities are usually within the heart of the camp site why would you want vehicles driving in all times of the day - and causing a congestion at those points for those that have payed for the campsite with the benefit of dumping facilities. Not the best idea.

You wouldn't but it is just fancy full thinking to suggest it would generate more than just a couple of extra traffic movements per day, but he ho exaggerating the numbers is as good as any way of trying to prevent it being allowed.

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[peterc10]

You wouldn't but it is just fancy full thinking to suggest it would generate more than just a couple of extra traffic movements per day, but he ho exaggerating the numbers is as good as any way of trying to prevent it being allowed.

I agree.

I really can't understand people trying to guess about the "problems" it would cause when the CCC have been doing this for several years on many of their sites, sadly at present on hold because of Covid. They rightly charged for this, and I was willing to pay for it. No problems at all when I used it because we were the only one there each time. Dropped grey and black waste and filled with fresh water and away in 15 minutes.

The only time we came across a problem was when the warden couldn't find the POS item number on their computer and didn't know how much to charge us. Took them more time to sort that out than it took us to dump and fill and be away.

 

[jongood]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but not clear on how that relates to the C&MC and direction you can park on a pitch?

I ran out of time with the post sorry - It was one of the sites that also insist that you park in a certain way. This is just one of the things I dislike about caravan parks, my beef with the Caravan Club is that they have obstructed the introduction of aires in this country in the pursuit of increased turnover, ASFAICS it has little to do with increasing the benefit to the members.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I ran out of time with the post sorry - It was one of the sites that also insist that you park in a certain way. This is just one of the things I dislike about caravan parks, my beef with the Caravan Club is that they have obstructed the introduction of aires in this country in the pursuit of increased turnover, ASFAICS it has little to do with increasing the benefit to the members.

In what way have they obstructed the introduction of aires? Do you have hard facts or is it just a seat of the pants feeling?

 

[cyberyacht]

"Splash & Dash" on CAMC sites could be problematic because of the way that they design the approach to the site. A bit of forethought in planning could avoid the 'grand prix lap' of the site just to dump & fill. The official position is that they do not wish to be seen encouraging "wild" camping. Some CL's will allow 'dump & fill" for a fee. Worst case - a night on a CL for a tenner is better than £35+ just to do the same on a CAMC site.

 

[glenn2926]

Are you proposing this for both members and non-members? Would it be chargeable or free of charge? If the former how would the charges be collected? How would it be monitored \ managed as the wardens have other duties, toilet cleaning, grass cutting, general maintenance, etc outwith the times reception are open for new arrival booking-ins. A number, if not most C&MC sites have gate barriers that would require opening to enable access to the facilities. Who would do this?

As for laundry, there are very frequently queues for the washing and drying machines when only used by site residents. Opening these up to non-residents would just further compound the problem.

In my opinion the more sensible and simpler option would be for the traveller to book a pitch for one night, which C&MC permits, to undertake all these task rather than placing a considerable additional burden on what are very busy site staff.

The friendly club seem to manage this quite easily.

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[TDub49]

In what way have they obstructed the introduction of aires? Do you have hard facts or is it just a seat of the pants feeling?

I agree. This is not the first time this charge has been levelled at them so let's see the evidence. And on the subject of aires in the UK, let's hear about how those should be funded and maintained. We have a very different approach to Civic responsibility in in this country than you generally find in Europe.

 

[Gellyneck]

The friendly club seem to manage this quite easily.

Don't believe they do.

 

[Gellyneck]

I ran out of time with the post sorry - It was one of the sites that also insist that you park in a certain way. This is just one of the things I dislike about caravan parks, my beef with the Caravan Club is that they have obstructed the introduction of aires in this country in the pursuit of increased turnover, ASFAICS it has little to do with increasing the benefit to the members.

As per a previous thread I asked if there was any non-anecdotal proof of this but don't think anything was forthcoming on it. Do you have this? If so, it would be useful to share.

Motorhome take over at CAMC

With all due respect, you're just guessing at costs. IIRC it was GJH who mentioned that the carpark might not be constructed to take 3500kg+ vans. Who is going to pay for the wardens to enforce payment from the overnighter? Let's face it, there just isn't the demand to force a change in law...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[jongood]

I agree. This is not the first time this charge has been levelled at them so let's see the evidence. And on the subject of aires in the UK, let's hear about how those should be funded and maintained. We have a very different approach to Civic responsibility in in this country than you generally find in Europe.

We ve had this discussion many times now, If one of you are a member why don't you ask the Caravan Club what their stance on aires is?

TheTwoOfUs

 

[glenn2926]

Don't believe they do.

They did when we used the facilities a few times over the years. I do think they suspended the service during Covid though. Hopefully it will come back soon.

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