Site of the week: Southport Club Site

RowenaBCAMC
RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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edited September 2017 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Site of the Week Southport Club Site lies on the Northwest coast of the country. You can spend the day walking or cycling along the coastline to explore the sand dunes and see what sights you can see. 

Have you stayed on this site before and if so do you have any recommendations of things to do in the area? 

Comments

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,198 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #2

    Visited for the first time in July this year. Very conveniently situated site. About equal distance between Southport and Birkdale rail stations which offer fantastic value for money tickets. £5.30 saver and 10p to include buses as well. Covers Southport right through to Chester fantastic value for money. Hop on hop off anywhere in between. Walks on the beach/dunes, national trust and red squirrels at Formby, Another Place, Liverpool I could offer so much more to explore in the area. Site is huge and new area stark. However if you're considering a visit choose your pitch carefully, especially if you're paying for a service pitch see this thread 

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/caravan-motorhome-chat/walking-between-pitches/

     If we were visiting the area again I wouldn't rule it out. The walk into Southport shops takes you through the park. A large Morrison supermarket about 10 minutes walk through the same park, all flat and tarmac so suitable for all. Sadly Southport, like all seaside towns, is run down and the original shopping parade looks very sad - especially on damp and cold summer days 😢

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,198 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #3

    Sorry this is the all important link 

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uZX_ZLhgTt0

    With regard to pitch choice.

    I've been unable to edit my previous post.

  • statusMoty1
    statusMoty1 Forum Participant Posts: 225
    edited September 2017 #4

    I certainly would not say they the town Is run down. It has the usual seaside trivia and parts I would say are more "tired" than run down, there re still some independent shops on the Main Street worth looking at.

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited September 2017 #5

    You couldn't make this up could you. A thread running about people walking across pitches, and in particular a video rant of Southport, and Rowena comes on to tell everyone it's the site of the week.
    To be fair though, it is probably a very nice site ( I've not been) and the rant is only really about two particular pitches. So if you have booked this site then you had best arrive spot on arrival time, (there's a thread about that too), so you have a good chance of avoiding those pitches.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #6

    We have used Southport. It was memorable because someone unplugged our electrics overnight and swapped their dud electrics for ours. It was a chilly wake up call. The culprits went off to Aintree in their finest. 

    We enjoyed the beach, the pier and the parks but would only return for a special event like the flower show or similar.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #7

    Not a site we would ever consider using again. It's just a big car park with no views. It's ok for walking ones dogs, through the adjacent park, or for a wander into a rather rundown holiday resort, if that's your thing.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2017 #8

    Many of CC's sites are like car parks due to the obsession of gravel hard standings. Not sure what views you'd expect, a lot of CC sites just have a view of yet more caravans .... you're 100 yards from the beach at Southport.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #9

    However a lot also have decent views of the beach. However I do try to avoid the car-park sites that's why I use CLs 95% of the time.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #10

    Not been to Southport and probably never will. For visiting Liverpool we used Wirral Country Park, which we really liked. Easy access to the city and a lovely location.

    The only advantage with Southport, for us, is that it has service pitches, which we really like, and always go for if available. However, with a 2 in 9 chance of getting a path through your pitch and paying extra for the privilege. No thanks.   

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #11

    Thanks for sharing this link Bakers2. I forwarded onto the Regional Manager for his reference and he has come back to advise that the Club created a secondary footpath to the toilet block at Southport this season, which runs between two pitches, in response to significant member feedback about limited access to the block. It is unfortunate to hear that fellow members are not respecting the privacy of others on site when using this path as we always ask fellow members to treat each other with the respect and consideration they expect themselves. In light of the feedback from this video we will review the location of the access path this autumn and explore any/all options to improve the situation. 

    I will also ask a colleague to post the response on the video. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention. 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2017 #12

    You can see why the extra pathway was put in. The wooden fencing at the far end where the gents are, is like something from Hampton Court maze .... but longer. All presumably to deter a mythical cyclist or skateboarder .... I see the signs here there & everywhere but as CC sites are usually the last place you'd take kids I've yet to see one.

  • artel
    artel Forum Participant Posts: 29
    edited September 2017 #13

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/tommcgiv/disappointing-changes-at-southport/

    This was brought to the Club’s attention way back in July. I have twice contacted the Club by email raising this matter and still awaiting a reply, last time was on the 17th August when it was then apparently passed on to the regional  manager. It has also been raised I think 3 times in the site reviews. 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2017 #14

    Do you get the feeling that the left hand doesnt even know that the right hand is there?innocent

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2017 #15

    Hi artel, Sorry I didn't respond on this discussion. I had some holiday in July so must have missed this. If you ever have a discussion you feel would benefit from a Club response please feel free to report the OP to bring it to our attention. I don't personally deal with emails unless it is directly into the CM mailbox but can certainly chase these up for you. 

  • Natasha2
    Natasha2 Forum Participant Posts: 306
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    edited September 2017 #16

    OK I understand now, it's not the fault of the caravan club designers but  the way the members use it.  surprised