Chatsworth Site Closing
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There will be reasons, Steve, but we’re not going to be able to supply answers.
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I think there has been regular updates, as much as needed. In August 2025 when this thread started there was this from Ro:
Chatsworth is bookable up to 1st March 2026. We are currently working with the Chatsworth Estate to extend our lease beyond this point.
Then there was further discussion about the closure.
Did people want a monthly update on those discussions? What more was there to say? 'We are still currently working with the Estate to extend our lease beyond this point?' Because really that's all that could be said in my view.
But a few days ago, obviously these did bear fruit as:
Hi all, you can now book Chatsworth Club campsite for stays until 13th September 2026.
I would have thought people would have been pleased and at least there is a summer to enjoy there?
As to the eventual closure or not again the club will be doing it's best to keep it open as it is a popular site but beyond 'we are in ongoing talks with the estate' that's all that can be said?
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As a past caravaner who loved Chatsworth site, ( speaking from the outside ) I think really the club as given what info they can. You can still book until September. They have said they are still talking to Chatsworth and as soon as they know anything more they will let you know. So I can’t see what more members require
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I’m not sure they have said they are still talking. As far as I can see the last statement said “ We are currently in discussions with the estate with regards to renewing the lease with Chatsworth Estate up until Sunday, 13 September 2026.“ The lease has now been renewed up to then but all mention of continuing discussions has been removed from the site page.
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OK Steve, they have said they are in discussions with Chatsworth. Which to me says they are talking with them. Why should the club keep informing until they reach a decision .
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Best to ask CAMC, Steve.
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It can only go three ways? 1. they renew the lease, 2. they keep extending the lease on a tempoary basis or 3. they announce the closure of the site? Those are probably the main talking points between the parties? As it stands at the moment you can book the site for a defined period of time, beyond that it is uncertain.
David
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I think all Rowena can do, as she did in August, is to contact the Sites Team for further details @SteveL as she probably doesn't know any more than we do.
If anyone is that concerned a direct communication to the club as the the club must then respond within a set time scale.
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It will be similar to what happened with Baltic Wharf. The Club are in the hands of a third party, in this case the Chatsworth Estate, and the Peak District National Park planning section. Planning applications for some things can take years of ongoing discussions, consultations, inspections, etc… All the Club can do is give periodic updates, hopefully keep extending the booking availability as long as they can, and pass on any other important information around the lease period to Members. They probably aren’t in the position of giving more than a short set period, as in this case. If long term uncertainty isn’t what a Member is looking for, then there are guaranteed alternatives, otherwise, it’s roll with what the Club are allowed in terms of lease extension.
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Agree with that TTDA, weli put.
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Peedee
I assume this is what you have seen?
It seems strange that they want to run it themselves as they have to set up a booking system plus they willneed to publicise it, might be easier to let the Club carry on?
David
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The Club would only continue to run it in the same old way. Chatsworth Estates will develop the site in a very different way. They will know that traditional caravanning is fading, and they will have done their market research to know what their new customer base will buy into.
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Yes that is what I saw, but I have not been able to establish its origins. It looks like something put on the site notice board or wall door? If true, hopefully it will remain a camp site and I don't think Chatsworth Escape will have too much of a problem establishing a booking system, after all they rent out numerous other types of accommodation, cottages shepherd huts etc.
peedee
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Have to agree with @eurortraveller on this one. The Estate running it will bear no resemblance to Club running it. Expect eye watering prices once it’s up and part of the wider estate management. Just pray that Bolton Abbey site doesn’t go the same way. Nothing at Chatsworth comes cheap, it’s all about the income generation.
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Yes it will be interesting to compare prices once it's up and running. Puzzling why they want people to register before accepting bookings? Either they use the site as is or re-develop, but if so why ask for register of interest? I'll watch with interest.
Thanks to @DavidKlyne for finding and posting the FB page details.
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The advantage of the Club running the site is that it has a massive customer base who may wish to stay there. Whilst I am sure the Estate will make success of it, and thank goodness the intention is to keep the site open, I wonder it it will meet its full booking potential?I wonder if a portion of Club members will now use Lickpenny. Only time will tell?
David
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If the estate puts in log cabins and other residential accommodation (and they might) then my four grown up children, plus their friends, their neighbours, and their work colleagues might well go there - because none of them have caravans or motorhomes - or ever will. So the estate will very sensibly widen its customer base beyond the membership of one particular club.
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@eurortraveller was it then designate a Club Members Only site, because it not then non-members could use it, at a premium of course.
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That’s the same moves both major clubs have made.
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..There are a few “big houses” that have their own holiday accommodation businesses, Burton Constable in East Yorkshire is another. It makes sense to provide different types of experiences ranging from cottages, cabins, glamping pods and include touring pitches into the mix, particularly if it’s somewhere that has a lot of different events, wedding license, craft and exhibitions. Chatsworth was just lacking its own tourer area, so now all the income will go back into the Estate. We stayed at Wortley Hall for a wedding a few years ago, most of the CL’s take up was from wedding guests attending an event. Family stayed in the Hall and on the CL if they owned an outfit. There are cottages as well.
One of the pub’s in Baslow (village where Club Site entrance is located) is a MH stopover.
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I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the Estate not being able to fill the pitches, Chatsworth is the business model for how to run a stately home and Estate. Devonshires have been key advisors helping others maximise the potential of their own Estates. There’s a very full calendar of events, exhibitions, including big International Horse Trials, Game Fairs, Food events, Christmas events, family events, farming events, etc……
The Estate already operates a tourer site in the park for the big Country/Game Fair weekend in September, note the prices….
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Why not tell them all about the club's Experience Freedom glamping range of cabins? The one I used had tvs larger than I had at home with inputs for games consoles on the sides of the large sofa and a dishwasher even. And yes yo don't have to be a member of the club to use one.
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Was wondering why you had mentioned Bolton Abbey. On checking, I see it is also owned by Chatsworth Estates. It remains to be seen what happens to prices and Bolton Abbey, surely Bolton must also be a target?
The Club has not been quick to respond to the latest message here, perhaps they know nothing of it?
peedee
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I doubt CEstates will be looking at anything similar to Chatsworth itself, as it’s more about blasting pheasants to bits around Bolton Abbey, but they do own and run a good few businesses in the BA area. Given how much it costs to shoot (my BIL beats and shoots) I think the participants prefer posh hotels to slumming it in things like cabins and caravans.🤭
It’s very interesting when you delve deeper into who owns what, and how they make their millions. Lots of the aristo’s/ new money millionaires own huge swathes of countryside, and much of the land has all sorts of restrictions on it.
Map showing extent of Devonshire land around Bolton Abbey. It is from a few years ago, so might not be bang up to date. The tiny blue circle in the middle is the Club Site, so there are acres of moorlands, etc… around it.
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Personally I think Chatsworth Estate must have huge costs to maintain the big house, the park, the gardens ,and all their other properties. So of course they have to run as a profitable business and raise those funds. I have no criticism of what they are doing. Their standards are high.
Here in Cornwall I see a different way of doing things .i live (freehold) in tne middle of a 5000 acre rural estate which does Not raise money. So they have no funds to keep their tenanted farms in good order. Listed historic houses are in disrepair - my neighbour (a tenant in a listed building) has no heating and a leaking roof. Stone built barns have slate roofs which are falling in. Footpaths are overgrown and there is a general air of neglect. The landowning estate here has land but no money to do what’s needed.
So if Chatsworth can use its campsite to raise money for their own purposes and maintain standards I applaud them. And if Club members don’t like it they can lump it.
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