CC policy question - Campervan barred from site?!

Not so much a campervan, more a small Olympic Village!!

Thirty years ago, touring in a none conventional camper we met the kind of hypocrisy and snobbish, insular conservatism that a tiny minority of posters are expressing on this thread! Along with some misinformation about "not accepting tents".

Like a few other posters, we have seen a good few of these vehicles, used as intended, knitted out as described on Club and other sites up and down the country, without any issues. Like the OP, when we did it, most evenings on sites we had people say hello
and stop to ask us about our choice of tourer. It was only the fact that we did have it accepted that made us join. My advice to OP is get some advice from HQ, get it in writing, join, and enjoy your membership!

Sorry if this sounds a bit sharp, but I had hoped that the prejudice and snob values had evaporated over the last thirty years, but clearly not!

TDA, you know the score, anything that is not the norm for the beige & greys gets them all animated & in full harumph mode. Just look at the trouble those upstart Motorhomers have brought upon themselves by 'expecting' water & waste disposal, yup it's a
sin to be different on a CC site, even worse if you want the difference debated. Sad but true.

Hi DanWhite,

The official stance on roof tents like your outfit is as follows:

“Roof tents are acceptable on Club Sites as ‘ancillary accommodation’ i.e. as extra sleeping space in support of a caravan or motorhome which is the primary accommodation. They may be used as primary accommodation only on Sites open for tent camping in general, and where vehicles are permitted on a tent pitch. Responsibility rests with the owner to ensure they are used safely, particularly regarding entry and exit, especially for children.”

In short, roof tents are allowed on campsites that take tents and also allow cars on tent pitches.

I hope this clears things up. And for the record, really cool set up you’ve got there! If you are ever unsure whether your outfit will be acceptable on site, I would suggest calling the site first to double check.

If the tent pitches allow vehicles, yes that's correct Husky

So it has nothing whatsoever to do with privacy as stated by the warden, it is to do with semantics about unit type?  

Seems crazy when a pop top which is just a van with a tent top is fine, especially as Dan's landrover has a fold down bed inside which is surely the 'primary accomodation' just the same as a fold out bed in a pop top camper or a smaller motorhome.

is there not something in cc club rules about outfits subject to ncc approval,? i know there are rules about vans with signwriting all over them sending out the wrong image of club sites

I'm pretty sure that's a 'no' on the first count, Nicko, and it's definitely a 'no' on the second.

Non-standard conversions are permitted if they meet certain criteria as was detailed earlier in the thread and such outfits are nothing to do with NCC. The commercial vehicle and sign written rule has been dropped as was clarified for us only the other day. 

thanks for that i should really pay more attention,but thats what you get when you dont do your homework

 vans with signwriting all over them sending out the wrong image of club sites

What is the 'wrong image' then? Someone who works for a living and uses their van as a tow vehicle by choice or necessity.....oh how terribly wrong!

dont think the van with sign writing on that just stole all the seating and upholstery from my van actually work for a living,they just help themselves to other peoples equipment or is that perfectly allright(as seen by cctv)

Of course Rochelle is doing her job, and all credit to her for responding so quickly. 

No surprise to me that the roof tent element is a step too far for the CC. However, as the OP pointed out very clearly, his LR does in fact have a fold out berth, and integrated washing, cooking and food storage inside his LR ( much as our unconventional
vehicle did, and very much as many other camper vans in fact have.) So, the next question is, can he use his vehicle on a pitch, if he uses only the camper van element and not the roof tent?

Please bear in mind that this member did just this for years, a very long time ago, but not until after much huffing and puffing by the Club.

Write your comments here...

The CCs decision states that the "primary" accommodation must be in the vehicle. Which means that if the tent is used in preference to the fold down bunk then it's non compliant. However if the fold down bunk is used without the tent, then on that occasion
it is compliant and can stay on the site. I don't find the CCs statement to be unclear or ambiguous (whether I agree with it or not - do see my earlier post mentioning festival vehicles). Where things start to get a bit silly is when people start to look for
cracks in the CCs decision. The sentiment communicated by Rochelle is clear and reflects the style of leisure vehicle which the CC has decided that it wishes to support. We all have a choice of clubs to join if we don't like a particular club's rulings. Out
of interest vehicles of the OPs type were used extensively for Goodwood's Festival of Speed support crews when we were last there.