C&MC staff towing caravans to pitches from storage

Andy Sharp
Andy Sharp Forum Participant Posts: 5
edited May 2018 in Club Products & Services #1

Hi All,

I store my van at Bridlington as I am an avid birdwatcher.  This site is placed perfectly to access the cliffs etc.  I am also a keen cyclist and promote clean transportation methods.  Brid is a 3-4 hour ride from my homein lincs.  That is ok for me but as you can imagine, I can not tow my van to a pitch.  I ave asked staff if it is possible for me to cycle to my van and have them put it on a pitch (on the Brid site) so I do not need to use a car at all for my trip.

They said they are not allowed because of insurance purposes.  Fair enough.

I would hope that the CC could use some positive thinking as to try and make this kind of holiday possibe.  Whether that means investing a little more on the insurance or even charging a little for the service (to cover the extra insurance cost).

What a fabulous way to enjoy my holiday.  Cycle there, cycle from my van during my stay and then cycle home.  Surely this can not be deemed a bad idea.

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #2

    Google is showing me the names of two caravan towing companies in Bridlington. Can they help you by bringing your van out of storage and on to a pitch? But more to the point would the Club allow this?  

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited May 2018 #3
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #4

    Yes, check with HQ, Andy, as I've witnessed the same thing.

    A warden on here has explained the mini tractors have a towing limit of 2000kg so they are able to tow caravans but not MHs. I guess it could depend on what equipment they have at Brid.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #5

    I have certainly seen caravans towed to reposition during site maintenance and when ground has been soft. Does not mean of course that insurance covers other aspects beyond site work

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited May 2018 #6
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  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited May 2018 #7

    Would there not be added issues like having to leave keys for security devices, alarm fobs etc with the wardens ?

    I like the idea myself as my van is now on a C&MHC storage site. and it would be great to ask for it to be put on  a pitch and drive over there in our classic car but as I said above it seems a little more complex when you think about it.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #8

    Would there not be added issues like having to leave keys for security devices, alarm fobs etc with the wardens

    Not really as it would simply mean the owner having the keys and waiting until the warden could assist

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #9

    Depends solely on the wording of the insurance.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited May 2018 #10

    Are the CAMC missing a monetising opportunity?

    The Friendly Club offer a tow on/off service at some of their sites, £6.70 a go.

    The former 'Forest Holidays' or wotever they are now called since private equity takeover used to offer a tow on/off and pitch up option. Stored and seasonal units left a set of keys with the wardens. They'll know how to squeeze every drop of money out of the punters tongue-out

    Lots of commercial sites offer the service. There is a lovely old fashioned farmhouse site just below Widemouth Bay that do the service. Lots of weekending families making the trip without the hassle of towing. The owner would ask when you were arriving / leaving and pitch up for your arrival even if the middle of the night, then put the caravan away at a time convenient to him after you had gone home well after 12 noon on a Sunday  with the caravan not being moved till Monday.

    The Adult Only Bath Chew Valley site listed in the CAMC directory only do a pitch up service.

    Seems a logical extension to the offering for new adventurers. The OP cycle to site is a brilliant way to enhance our hobby laughing

    No doubt someone will soon be along to tell you to go elsewhere if you don't like the CAMC offering cool

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #11

    There was a style of motor mover a few years ago that coupled to the tow hitch in place of the jockey wheel.  One of those would let you move the caravan yourself.

    They were fitted with a seperate 12v battery, but with an Anderson connector could be run from the caravan battery, that has been nicely solar charged while in storage.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #12

    So when caravans are stuck on muddy pitches and the wardens tow them off with their little tractor are they breaking the rules?wink

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #13

    No.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #14

    I've asked that a member of staff confirm whether or not C&MHC site staff are permitted to move members' caravans from storage to site etc.

    Hoping for a 'official' response. 

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #15

    Thanks JwithaJ.  I'm sure an informative reply would be helpful to the OPsmile

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #16

    They would have to be faster than the powrtouch variety, otherwise by the time you got to your pitch it would be time to go home again.😂

  • rovinmad
    rovinmad Forum Participant Posts: 102
    First Comment
    edited May 2018 #17

    Does this actually happen nowadays?  It must be around ten years ago that I remember going on a CC site where there was a notice by the road saying to stay near the road as the ground was very wet and if you got stuck no help would be forthcoming from the wardens.  This was after I had booked in with no mention of any problems at the office.

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #18

    Hi Andy,

    Thanks for your feedback. We are pleased to advise that the Club is currently investigating offering this service to members. More information will be provided in due course and I will post on Club Together to let you all know.

    In the meantime we hope you enjoy your cycling and caravan holidays. smile

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #19

    Thanks for the response Rowena.

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #20

    That will be interesting,  I presume there will be a modest fee for this service....?

    That should give us endless hours of opportunity to discuss....

    a) The club has pitched the price just right.....(sorry couldn't resist the pun)....

    b) It's way too cheap, how can that cost cover the warden's time......

    c) it's way too expensive, blah, blah, the club's ripping me off moan moan.....

    I'm guessing the least posts will support answer a)............innocent

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited May 2018 #21

    The  wardens  didn't  tow  me  off  pitch  at  Soggy  Old  Hartley  last  month  !!

    Actually  they  asked  me  to  inform  them  when  I  wanted  to  move  and  they  fired  up  the  tractor  and  brought  round  a  trailer  full  of  heavy duty  rubber  mats  to  lay  out  where  my  wheels  were  supposed  to  run.  With  a  bit  of  a  shove  i  got  off the  pitch  &  the  Warden  picked  up  the  muddy  mats   and  cheerfully  wished  me  a  safe  journey  home. 

    Anybody  familiar  with  the  situation  at  O H knows  that  each  pitch  is  hard  standing  of  about  caravan  size,  but  surrounded  by  grass  so problems  can ( and  did  )  occur  in  bad  weather.

    B

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #22

    I am a member of our club and have a Land Rover with a tow ball. I have no objection to helping a fellow member move a caravan on site.

    There may well be other rmembers who would also assist if asked.

  • norab
    norab Forum Participant Posts: 64
    First Comment
    edited May 2018 #23

    The c&cc tow caravans that are in store onto a pitch . My sister doesn’t drive so needs to have her van towed on and off . 

    They do charge for this service though . 

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited May 2018 #24

    Currently £6.70 as previously stated earlier in this thread and here:

    https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ukcampsites/storageseasonalpitches/towing-service/

    Thats tow in tow out

    Benchmark set.

    Wheel/hitch locks, alarms etc require relevant keys/fobs to be accessible, that may cause consternation and considerable debate tongue-out although the friendly club and others manage that easily. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2018 #25

    Not so many years ago it was "accepted practice" on sites with seasonal storage that a set of keys for what ever  leisure vehicle was stored to be lodged with the site staff and kept in secure key safe, and I know of at least 4 sites on the network that the site staff sited and returned members outfits to storage when time allowed, for "freewink" and with full knowledge of the area managers ,even though "complaints " we're recieved from other members that the storage people's van were put on the "best" pitches before the weekenders arrivedsurprised

    Then H and S intervened  and it was stopped yell also the front hooks were taken off the the tractors for the same reason

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2018 #26

    Another reason a "rethink" by the club is in the pipeline could also be that since the "goodwill gesture" by wardens of towing vans to and from storage was banned by "them who think they know best" at HO, the add income from storage has plummeted on some sites winkundecided

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #27

    A much more inclusive and helpful approach. 

    Whilst offering new types of accommodation the CAMC could also consider offering better services to it's van owning members.

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited May 2018 #28

    Back in our previous caravaning days  for about the last 2 years we stored our 14ft Lunar at a site in Wallingford (Bridge Villa's) we could call on a Thursday and  say were were coming up for the weekend, when we arrived the van would be on a pitch for us and after we went they would put in the storage yard again.  I really do think the club is missing a trick here, as they used to say at work, "Sweating the Asset" I do hope something transpires from what Rowena has posted cool

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #29

    With the disappearance of those noisy old diesel tractors many moaned about and the advent of quieter, eco friendly golf buggy things being used on sites maybe it's more to do with not having the right equipment to do it!

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