Ablution Habits of Motor-homers & Caravaners
Sorry to 'pry' into your personal habits but needs must I'm afraid.
Currently Knaresborough is undergoing a fairly major revamp including the installation of twelve new service pitches at the top of the site and within the new Reception/Bistro building additional toilet facilities including two shower units for both men and women.
When the site redevelopment was first mooted I contacted the club suggested that so far as the mens block was concerned (my only experience) that the opportunity should be taken to change the one privacy cubical situated next to the current row of four shower cubicles into a further showering unit. I felt the work involved would be minimal and would address the changing habits whereby I felt more people where showering than say ten years ago when the site was last modified and address the 'wait' I have experienced. As the site would in all probability have to wait a further ten years this would help future proof the facilities.
The Club through the Regional Manager firstly argued 'no can do' as the current ratios customers/units were being met. However the new Head of site Operations, Emma Cox, has taken a slightly different route; and I quote: "With the recent development work we have included fully serviced pitches and we are finding that our members who book them often use the full facilities of their own outfits, thus resulting in pressure being taken away from the current facilities."
Whilst there is helpfully a commitment to monitor the situation when the site reopens and an acceptance that if there is a number of negative comments the Club will address this then; my question is; just what do members do when using these service pitches? Is the suggestion by the Club realistic or have I been thwarted by ideology and not practicalities. I always thought the wash block was another of the socialising areas!
Perhaps another way forward is to all complain just for the sheer hell of it.
Bernard in Tring
Comments
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I am friends with four other caravanning and motorhoming couples although we do not holiday together and all come from different backgrounds, but one thing we have in common is none of use the site facility block at all whether we have a serviced pitch or not. Based purely on us I would have to say that the Club is right.
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The same situation with site facilities under "stress" can happen at times at Seacroft (Cromer) since the extra serviced pitches were installed in the sites latest enlargement it was also said by the club that people tend to use all their own facilities on serviced pitches, which seems is not the case when we were there
, although i think some did, as the walk from the new area to the site facilities was more like a hike,
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We use service pitches whenever we can, but service pitch or not we always use the showers in the facilities block.
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We don't use service pitches so I can't comment on that. But just in case it got overlooked in the OP, I don't accept the reasoning behind getting rid of privacy cubicles all together - they seem pretty well used on sites we've visited although there may be an argument for reducing the numbers of them on some sites.
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I don't use serviced pitches yet .. But when I feel the need I expect I would use the onboard facilities as I do now. a) because I like to shower last thing at night and b) I prefer my own space. Sometimes I use the showers on site but I don't think I have ever seen a privacy cubicle used, but I only go off peak and rarely.
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Whenever I use club sites which is not very often, I always use the showers but rarely use the wash cubicles.
If the op knows that members sometimes have to queue for a shower, the obvious action would be to convert the one cubicle to create an extra shower.
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I don't use the privacy cubicles just the shower and toilets, OH however does use them to have a shave in the mornings. We rarely use our own in the van as we mostly use sites. If however the site facilities were not up to scratch then we would just use the van ones. We don't use service pitches unless they are the norm on the site and not charged extra for them.
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Even if we use a serviced pitch we use the on site showers etc. However neither of us use the privacy cubicles and think there are far too many, often 4 or 5 in the ladies and rarely used. If they had a plug socket I would use them for hair drying. The club may have a point about alleviating use of the shower block with fully serviced pitches. We have just had a week at Red Kite Touring Park. All the pitches are fully services including grey water and black waste, and even though the facilities are excellent (including 2 full private shower rooms with toilet) they were always really quiet, and the site was nearly full. So we assumed everyone was using their own onboard facilities.
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The thing is that with even with 'non stop' water and drainage with service pitches, the hot water will run out at some point. I know you can ration your self to having a quick shower and/or turn the temperature of the water a bit by mixing more cold but as I'm on holiday I like to take as long as it takes to shower without worrying about such things, so it's the site showers for me.
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Many thanks for the responses, very much appreciated. Think there is enough at this early stage to challenge the 'thinking' behind this suggested concept.
Just to clarify to Moulesy, not intended to do away with all the privacy cubicles only one.
At Knaresborough these privacy cubicles are opposite the four shower facilities cubicles. Next to these four units shower units there is another privacy cubicle. It is this lone one which I am suggesting could easily be converted at minimum expense.
Bernard in Tring
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Thanks for the clarification, B. Yes I can see that what you're suggesting makes sense.
I, for one, make use of the privacy cubicles pretty much every day for a morning wash & shave because I prefer to shower in the afternoon when we come back from walking. Maybe those of us who do use them are more aware of how often they are actually used. So, please, leave 3 or 4 for us!
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Trellis, I am forever an eternal optimist. Cannot remember its origins but there was a saying at one time roughly translated of not letting those 'b's' grind you down. Remember too that united we stand and divided we fall!!
As our current generation of politicians has repeatedly proven pf late, they don't know all the answers and don't always get it correct. Might be the same case here and one should never be to proud to change their position. After all its only an additional shower!!
Bernard in Tring
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The arrangement of seperate toilet, shower and wash basin cubicles does not really make any sense.
After using the first, one has to dress, including touching ones clothes with possibly contaminated hands, just to go to another cubicle to undress again to wash ones body, then dry, dress again to go to a third cubile to undress some parts to shave or admire one's beard. (Ladies may be excused from the last part if they wish).
Why do we not have all facilities in the one little room? It can be done for disabled, so why not for abled? I do know a couple of sites have extended their toilet facilities by adding just such little rooms of combined non-gendered facilities and they are very popular.
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this morning we are about to set off to Meathropfell this in the lakes, we have just changed our 2015 Clubman SB due to the fact the bathroom was to small so the wife declined to use the shower, we now have Coachman VIP460 with a enormous bathroom so tomorrow morning their will be 2 less people in the shower block. Their are no super pitches at Meathrop so l take two aquaroles, if l remember on our Bailey Madrid their was enough hot water in the boiler to have 4 minute shower, more than enough time, the only problem after is to put the heater on boost to get the water hot enough for the second shower. Let you know how we get on
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We have yet to use the any site showers as we much prefer that in our Lunar SB.
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Never used a 'privacy cubicle' and only use the showers on site if we shower later in the day, perhaps after a walk etc.
Usual morning routine is get up, kettle on, shower etc and then make the tea! Can't face the thought of traipsing across to a shower block and joining a queue at busy times!
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