Another Sad Loss

nelliethehooker
nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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edited August 2018 in Certificated Locations #1

I've tried to book one of our favourite CLs tonight, The Willows, at Naunton, Upton-upon-Severn, and speaking to Steve the owner, have found out that he is closing the site at the end of the month, as he has sold up, and the new owners were unable to get a mortgage for the property with a caravan site attached, so will not be carrying on with the CL. I'm sure that many others too will miss this excellent site, and wish Steve and his wife all the best in their new home. 

Comments

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited August 2018 #2

    Is this the one off the A38. Right at the Blue Bell pub

     

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited August 2018 #3

    That's the one ( if coming from the south) Harry.wink

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited August 2018 #4

    What a shame. I've used it twice. Once as an overnight stop to Devon. Liked it so much we went back for longer.

    I find that a strange reason from the new owner. The cl was in the garden of the house so is an attachment. Also how do other new owners who have bought a property with a cl go on.

    I have just checked the on line cl web page and the cl has been removed.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited August 2018 #5

    That's how I found out that it wasn't open too, Harry, but did phone up Steve to check and that was his response for it not being re-opened. I guess different mortgage suppliers have different rules.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,858 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #6

    Could the difference be between a commercial and non commercial mortgage? I appreciate owning a CL is hardly considered a business in its own right but perhaps how the details were sent to the mortgage providers gave the impression it was? We are most unlikely to find out. Could be of course that the new owner didn't want to run a CL?

    David

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,598 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #7

    What a shame. A well placed CL with a genial host. I was thinking of doing some hill walking in the Malverns from there during the autumn.

    At least with this cl, Nellie, we now know the reason for closure.

  • PeetC
    PeetC Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited August 2018 #8

    Hello

    From next week, I will be the new owner of the property.

    We had never considered running a site prior to viewing the property, but when purchasing it we looked at a range of different options to continue the site.  However, unfortunately, despite our best efforts it came down to the fact that it is a business that would therefore have needed to have a commercial mortgage.  Criteria for commercial mortgages are pretty harsh, and the site would never have made enough money to be considered viable to a commercial lender.  We would also have needed additional insurances (public liability) and to have registered ourselves as Certified Site owners (the licence stays with the owner, not the site).  All of this became quite complex and expensive and would have delayed the purchase.

    Our mortgage conditions specifically stated that we could not continue the site, to the extent that one provider suggested that they would drive-by randomly to ensure that we weren't still running it!

    I am very sorry to have to close the site.  My wife and I have plans for the property and grounds.  We will continue to evaluate whether, in the future, we can change the position and re-open it, especially with the infrastructure already being there.  The Malvern area does have some other sites and I hope you will all continue to visit the local area and can find a site that meets your needs.

    Pete and Sophie

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited August 2018 #9

    We do, WN, but a sad loss all the same.

  • thebells
    thebells Forum Participant Posts: 365
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    edited November 2018 #10

    Our favourite ever cl site Faugh Head Farm ,Ainstable is closed. The owners have sold their house and unfortunately the new people have not bought the 31 acres of land (including the cl) which went with it. This has been our bolthole for the last few years and we're devastated to lose the beautiful panoramic views and handy 4 acre dog walking paddock attached. We loved everything about this site (especially the owners Hazel and Geoff) and can't imagine anywhere else being as good.  

     

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited November 2018 #11

    Not good that, thebells. There are too many of these sort of sites going.frown

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #12

    On the plus side, a favourite CL of ours, The Links is still open! I am sure we used to search for it via Sampford Peverell, or Tiverton, but it appears to be listed under Cullompton now! Hence our confusion. smile

  • PeetC
    PeetC Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2019 #13

    Interestingly, despite the site being closed, we've had 3 or 4 caravans turn up "on the hope" that they can pitch up!