Club Site End of Season

catherinef
catherinef Forum Participant Posts: 647
edited December 2017 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

As we are pitched on a club pitch 3 days before it closes, I started to wonder what actually happens the day after we all go home.

I started to think about this partially because we saw the assistant warden start to pack up some of their own kit today.  

Do the wardens leave the day after, does another team arrive etc......  On this site the 2nd toilet block has been boarded up and unsurprisingly about 100 grass pitches have been closed off.

Comments

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #2

    From what I understand with chats to wardens over the years, the assistant wardens go home the next day or so, then the main wardens. The site has to be made ready and secure for the winter. At Troutbeck Head there was even talk of winter wardens to look after the place while no one was there, a bit of a lonely spooky job considering it's location if you ask me. 

  • catherinef
    catherinef Forum Participant Posts: 647
    edited December 2017 #3

    So if a site closes for 2 months, do they come back a bit early to prepare for the new season?  On this site someone has put a number of bollards out of action by over loading the electrical system so I guess at some point someone will have to come and resolve that out of season.  Plus what happens if you have a caravan in storage, does it mean you can't access it until they re-open?

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #4

    The storage areas I've seen are either all next to but separate from the site or are at open all year sites.

    I think they do come back a few days early, certainly the main wardens. I do know they have a contract with a certain number of nights stated on it. I'm not sure how repairs are done, and if the wardens actually need to be there or if the regional manager comes along?

  • ForestR
    ForestR Forum Participant Posts: 326
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    edited December 2017 #5

    On most seasonal sites the senior warden will arrive up to two weeks before opening to thoroughly check out the site and arrange any necessary work to be carried out. On some seasonal sites we have rallied on in the closed season such as Blackpool and Southport before it became all year there was a winter warden on site for security reasons. If you are staying until the last day you will see a gradual close down of the site so that the warden can leave within a couple of days of the end of season.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #6

    Rookesbury Park is part of a shooting estate so when it closes the wardens told me that the storage area closed as well to prevent damage to stored vans

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #7

    From what I heard from wardens the site closes at midday usually a Monday and a lot of cleaning and clearing up water systems shut down by professionals, some sites assistants leave usually a Thursday or even the Friday same as the Wardens, a short time to get the work done as well as packing their own outfits, and usually come in a week to 10 days  before the site opens, as to storage for seasonal sites all outfits leave the site by the day the site closes.

    Had a seasonal pitch for a few years in Dorset so got to chat to site staff a lot hence the above information.

     

     

     

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2018 #8

    No idea how Thetford operates when closed.  This winter there will be major updates to reception and security so maybe wardens will be on site whilst contractors are working.  

  • Dickdastardly1
    Dickdastardly1 Forum Participant Posts: 153
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    edited January 2018 #9

    There is a huge amount to be done before the wardens and assistants leave the site, the number of days after the site closes is site specific but generally we get 5 days or so. There is a lot to arrange from servicing of equipment, securing buildings, toilet blocks cleaned and secured after plumbers have drained down the system, service points, washing pegs, collecting signage and dog bins, turning off ehu, du's, office equipment it goes on and on... Then it starts again approx a week or so to prepare the site from the following season..There is a lot of background work going on all season that members might not see on their visits.... I hope this gives you an insight, this is not a comprehensive list but at least you are now better informed !

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,065 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2018 #10

    A trip to Ferry Meadows in Spring is interesting. One side is closed, but lots of work going on at closed side for new season, grounds maintenance teams, other specialists viewed on site etc....

    We were last van off Garlieston one Autumn many years ago, and had a nice chin wag with Wardens at the time. (They had come to look at our old van, as they had had one similar) Lots of hard work to do prepping for close down.

    Likewise, we have friends who were Assistants on a Cornish site for a few seasons, they stayed on for a few days and helped with wind down, and were on site a week earlier than members to reopen. No toilet block on their site though.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2018 #11

    Thanks for the info Mark

  • catherinef
    catherinef Forum Participant Posts: 647
    edited January 2018 #12

    Fascinating and thank you.  Hubby went to drop off an empty Calor cylinder today and he had a lovely chat with one of the wardens.   He told her we had already booked again for Christmas 2018 to which she replied they wouldn't be here next Christmas as their next posting was in York.  She did say it wouldn't be a job for everyone but they really liked it and I have to say they were really lovely people.