What a pity!
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@ppeedee- I don’t understand why but those continental motorhomers, the providers of pitches for motorhomes and the general public on the continent have traditionally held very different attitudes, views and opinions towards our ‘movement’ to those in the UK. I often wonder if this is because Motorhoming came relatively late to us here with the caravan fraternity being the historic norm here.
Sadly, like the Brits Abroad reputation we have acquired, there are those amongst our number who have really damaged our cause in the UK. As several have suggested, including me, we would relish UK aires style stopovers. However, I don’t think the club should include this ‘specialist’ provision within their remit as it would significantly alter the atmosphere and nature of sites themselves. We should really be looking towards others, including councils and local communities, to provide the likes of aires and service stops for motorhomes. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of issues, negative opinions and damage towards us that needs to be mended before this can happen.3 -
If my local council wants me to pay more tax to provide Aires at low prices for motorhomers I shall shout.
Motor home owners are well off - look what they pay for their vehicles. Asking council tax payers to pay to subsidise Motorhome owners by building Aires would be the poor subsidising the rich. -the RobinHood story in reverse.If motorhome ownersdont like the cost ofovernight at a campsite they should choose another hobby. They complain too much.
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@eurortraveller the very point I was making. Sadly attitudes are not conducive to this in the UK. However, looking abroad, many local councils and communities have benefitted greatly from their provision of Aires. We stayed at one provided by a ‘village council’ and looked after and cared for by the residents. They did not bite their own noses off. As I suggested we Brits are often our own worst enemies. How I’d relish such community awareness, harmony and forward thinking here. Unfortunately our ‘tribal attitudes’ seem to get in our way. And that goes for many aspects of our lives.
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@peedee just the opposite in my experience of using club sites, MHs now outnumber caravans.
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@peedee On the question of Pod/Glamping accommodation. Surely its a case of one man's meat, is another man's poison? Now we have "retired" from touring we want to try those pods. Had they not been there we would probably lose any connection we have had with the Club over the last 45 years. As we are still waiting to try one for the first time I can't say whether it will be the first and last time but if we like them its possible that we will use them around the country. From the Club's point of view they, I think, understand that with the change to EV's, its possible more touring members will give up touring but if they want to continue with the lifestyle Pods are a good alternative. For the Club they are added value. I don't think the same can be said of providing cheaper overnight stops, all that would do is probably reduce site income.
David
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Our experience as well, particularly in the colder months Motorhomes are keeping the sites viable. We very much like the camping car park type provision available in France and use it extensively. Here in the UK we use both clubs sites, plus a few others, in the same manner. Yes it is more expensive, but anyone expecting the provision of camping car park quality Aires in the UK at €15 a night is very much living in cloud cuckoo land.
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I don’t reckon it would make much difference, PD, as the folk, like you, who beg for aires will already be using CLs and the like for short stops or, heaven forbid, lay-bys and residential streets.
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I know it has been said that motorhomes now outnumber caravans in the club membership figures, but checking the numbers on sites we stayed on late last year we found that caravans outnumbered the motorhomes although not by a lot. I know it was a limited check, but it makes me wonder if motorhomes use club sites rather less than caravans.
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I’ve only recently noticed CLs applying that minimum nights caveat, particularly for weekends and public holidays. I recent had a discussion with an owner of a CL who has done just this. He did however suggest ringing up the night before arriving as a one night may be possible if pitch occupancy was low. Hate to use this word, but small tariffs for over nighters, not a reduction, he suggested, could be considered by some owners.
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@peedee Sorry a choice of an aire where? On a club site? Well that wouldn't make any difference would it, they are just moving from one part of the site to another.
But there is a choice of an aire PD, as you mentioned upthread, lots of providers to choose from yet club sites still attract large numbers.
In fact you mentioned a free one at Hawick which is about 18 or 10 miles from Melrose Camc/Jedburgh CCC site. I can personally vouch for Melrose over many days/seasons staying there being popular and when I've looked in at Jedburgh site it's well used by MH yet why aren't these MH using the free one close by? By your own posts and logic they should all be going to Hawick, or using another provider, yet they are not?
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If I was visiting Hawick then I would use the Aire, if I was visiting Jedburgh then I would use the C&CC site and if I was visiting Melrose I would use the C&MC site. That is what I have done in the past, no way would I just use Hawick to visit all three. It is all about staying close to where you want to visit not about it being free.
Follow me on my trip ‘Touring the Scottish Borders’ at https://www.polarsteps.com/PeterDee/5105961-scottish-borders?s=6c2747b6-d2eb-48bb-b92a-25fdcb08b09d
peedee
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@PeePee Well your choice but as they are all within 30 minutes drive of each other why not use one to stay on and visit all three? Would you really stop at each one for one night before moving on to the next one? Again your choice.
But that's not what you posted earlier. To paraphrase you said the number of MHs staying on a club site would decrease (indeed they are already decreasing you posted) if there was a choice of using an aire. Here is one example as given by you where that is clearly not true in my view.
I cannot understand why you want a club site for an aire? If as you say there are plenty of choices around why do you think it's pity that the club doesn't get its head around and provide one? It's been pointed out (and indeed accepted by you in a reply to Micky that the club shouldn't) that other providers should step in? I can only think you want club quality at a cheaper price for your stop and go.
Even if the club wanted to lose money at offer a 20% discount it would still mean around £32 - 38 per night at Melrose, and it would be a loss as the site is often full even in winter especially on SP where (surprise) MH outnumber caravans.
I've nothing against aires but the club should not be providing them. And they do already, every single site can be used as one. Just pay the going rate.
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What we need to remember about the provision of Aires in Europe compared to the UK is that on the Continent there are generally very few campsites open between October and March. There are exceptions like on the route to Spain and in the Alps. Generally European campsites don't have all weather pitches which could make them difficult over winter. On the other hand the UK has a fair proportion of sites open all year most with all weather pitches so other than the need to be close to where you are visiting and probably the cost is there a real demand that the Club is actually missing out on?
David
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What we need to remember about the provision of Aires in Europe compared to the UK is that on the Continent there are generally very few campsites open between October and March..
I am sure you know David that has nothing to do with the provision of Aires, other than some campsites, who close over the winter months, providing them for all year customers.e.g. St Clare at Neufchatel en Bray. Some sites provide them even though they are open all year. A well known one is Kiko Park in Spain. For those not aware, the reason they do it to attract more customers for the money they spend, either at their sites or in the locality. Its the same with any Aire whether associated with a site or not, e.g. Hawick.
peedee
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My final thoughts on some of the sensible points raised in this thread.
Clubs have no involvement there . So why expect it here?
I think it is true to say, Clubs like the C&MC do not exist in the rest of Europe. In Europe Clubs such as they are, are much smaller and to the best of my knowledge do not operate or own sites. C&mC has diversified into glamping so why not add Aires to its portfolio and truly become a Caravan and Motorhome Club.
Thanks for the reply. I still don’t really get it as the nightly price is the nightly price no matter how long you stay.🤔
On campsites, it is quite common to pay different rates for different sizes of pitch and the facilities on those pitches. The Club's policy is one size fits all. Not so elsewhere. Aires or Stop and Go motorhome pitches are much smaller than campsite pitches and provide few facilities so the nightly charge is very much reduced.
Sorry, PD, but your logic leaves me cold. With regard to your OP, you’re effectively looking for long stay people on club sites to subsidise your shorter stays.
Sorry I just don't see it that way for the reasons I have explained just above.
It is two years since I last toured across the Channel and I am amazed at the number of motorhomes there are now and the changes taking place to accommodate them especially in Spain. In one area there was no less than three Stop and Go sites within half a mile with a further one a mile away. Three of these are provided by campsites.
La Volta Stop and Go
ppeedee
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