Site closures and storage
Comments
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As far as storage is concerned ,when the lockdown was implemented, ,where we bought our caravan from ,they sent an email to all contactable customers, adviseing their storage/service customers that thay would be closing the next week ,and no access would be available after that ,which gave most the time to make other arrangements or secure their LVs more, but there would be a "presence" to ensure security while closed, we recieved nothing from club giving such a warning,, and when contacted were inflexible, and as we have since found out (not via the club) that some sites as ours still have members on site with wardens there,
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"...jumping to conclusions"
I though that was when the parachute didn't open.
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Pretty much agree will all of this. All 'we' were doing was questioning who was on site, their position, capacity and legalities of what they can and cannot do, no more. There in lies the problem in my opinion. We also questioned and offered possible answers as to how this situation may have effected the insurance detail and T&Cs for our vehicles. Surely good to consider all possiblities.
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Just pinged this off to the club as I am finding the current situation rather frustrating, especially given the our dealer has re-opened their workshop and are wanting me to get booked in for a service. The 'van also needs some urgent repairs which were cancelled when we went into lockdown.
Good morning,
I appreciate you have asked members with their caravans locked in secure storage areas on club sites not to contact you but I am finding the current situation rather frustrating.
As things stand I can currently get my car serviced, visit garden centres, certain shops, etc etc. I can from 1st June even get my caravan serviced as my dealer has re-opened their workshop. Except of course I cannot because the 'van is currently held in storage until the end of June (as things stand.) It is a requirement of the warranty that the 'vam receives it's annual service within a time window which I am sure you are aware of.
So this all rather begs the question as to why we cannot access our 'vans to pull them out to get urgent repairs and servicing done. This could be done before the sites are open for stays.
Leisure boaters are allowed to visit their boats in marinas and are even allowed to take them out for a cruise as long as they obey other social distancing rules and do not stay overnight on their boats. Collecting a 'van for service would be no different to this. I appreciate these are unprecedented circumstances but the club does seem to be out of step with other areas of the leisure industry given the very recent slight relaxation of the rules on the 10th.
Could you please advise when you intend to allow access to our caravans'.
Many thanks,
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You'll get some anodyne response referring to government guidelines.
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Thank you for your post, MJG. I’ve been doing similar. In my case the answer is one of complete intransigence. There is no ‘can do’ attitude with the CAMC. Initially it was “essential travel only”, now it’s the Govt. policy to keep sites closed and the furloughed status of staff, which means that there’s no one to open storage sites.
I wish you all the best and fully share your frustration.
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They will only allow access once they have milked the furlough system and legislation dictates that sites can open, only then will CAMC be happy to to pay wages from fresh income. It is a business and not a club run for its members, and you in this situation are not important unfortunately.
Disgusting non response from the 'Club' regarding concerned members.
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Correct.
Hello Martin
Thank you for your further enquiry with regard to the position on our ability to reopen our storage facilities. Whilst we continue to understand, and indeed share any frustrations you may have, I am sure you will appreciate that as a responsible organisation, we must take decisions, however difficult they might be, to ensure we adhere to legislation which is in place at any given time.
As mentioned in our previous communication, there were a number of relaxations and amendments to the original Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (please click for link to Government website) following the Government’s announcement on Sunday evening, which are represented within the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (please click for link to Government website) which came into force on 13th May 2020.
Unfortunately, there were no amendments to the key clauses and paragraphs within the original regulations (Schedule 5) with regard to the legal requirement in relation to the closure of Caravan Parks Premises, and also importantly, there was no addition of caravan storage facilities to the list of businesses that are approved to operate (Schedule 2, Part 3 of the Act). In addition, we would also draw your attention to the FAQ details (please click for link to Government Website) which also explains the detail of what is now permissible since 13th May. Whilst we appreciate that there may be stand-alone storage operators that are taking the view they are able to allow access, the key difference is that they may not be affected by Schedule 5 of the original regulations in the same way that we are, as they may not be based on Caravan Site Premises.
I would like to confirm, that as soon as we are legally able to do so, we will re-introduce the ability for Members to access their outfits as soon as practically possible, and to this end, we are actively working with our industry colleagues to influence the Government to relax legislation to allow access to storage areas in advance of any site reopening dates.
I once again am sorry to not be the bearer of better news, but do hope that this makes the reasoning behind our position clearer.
Kind regards
Anthony Davies
Director of Sites & Accommodation
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It actually makes more sense than the rubbish I got when I was urging them to be responsible and close sites earlier than they did. That was pure waffle while this does at least have a factual base.
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Agreed, Tw. This is more detailed than the replies I’ve had. Has the CAMC got some legal advice?
However no one is asking to stay on the camp sites, only that they can walk through them to access the storage site and their units. Such requests are entirely proportionate.
The regulation that is cited apples to a situation that no one is asking for.
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One would certainly hope they have legal advice from their legal team!
There are elements in all walks of life that have not been addressed. Indeed, it would be unreasonable to expect that every circumstance and scenario could be covered.
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Just received the following email from our storage owner.
Dear Customer
I hope this update finds that you and your family are well during these unprecedented times.
As you will know the government has started to ease travel restrictions and although caravan and campsites remain closed, I appreciate you may wish to visit the storage compound and check your caravan or motorhome. There are a few changes onsite that I need to draw your attention to:
Access to site
Initially, to avoid large numbers of customers onsite at any one time and to help with social distancing, you will need to contact me to book a time slot to access the compound. This will apply until Monday 1st June when access will be back to normal summer opening hours (8am – 8pm)
Please maintain social distancing of at least 2m at all times whilst onsite.
Onsite facilities
Caravan/motorhome washing facilities will be open as usual for customer use and you are welcome to do the usual DIY maintenance jobs. Only one person to enter the wash shed at any one time. New signs have been installed to remind you.
Please use the washing facilities swiftly as they will be in high demand.
WKD Caravan Services is open again for servicing and repairs as is their shop (XXXXXXXXXXX)
The ‘Caravan Cleaner’ has access to the site again (Mark XXXXXXXXXXX)
Toilet block
The toilets will be open for your use but we are now asking only one person to use the facilities at any one time. Please follow the newly installed health and safety signs.
I am trying to avoid as much face to face contact as I can, so wherever possible please call me on my mobile rather than call at my bungalow.
Let us hope we can all return to some form of normality soon and sites will start to open.
Further updates will be sent by email with any future changes.
Keep healthy and safe.
Kind regards
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Sensible progress. Bit different to the obduracy of CAMC
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An interesting reply from the Director of Sites to MJG1959 laying out the ‘legal’ position, i.e, maintaining that it would be illegal to open storage areas. Why then did those of us with caravans in Club storage receive last week’s email from the Head of Sites Operations making no mention of the legal reasons for not opening storage, but blaming it on the furlough system? Surely, staff should not be providing any element of security if furloughed. The large Club storage area we use must be generating £340k of revenue a year, revenue which is already in the bag, so to speak, unlike, of course straightforward Club sites which are generating no revenue currently. Whilst I fully understand the reason for furloughing staff on the latter, why furlough the staff where The Club operates storage facilities. I daresay, like many others, we shall be anticipating a refund on some of our storage costs this year if only for the increased insurance risk.
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Exactly.
The club do not seem to be able to differentiate between a caravan site being open for people to stay on and one that allows access to the storage facility that happens to be part of a caravan site.
I guess that would require some logical out of the box thinking.
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Personally I think they are just happy to keep taking the governments money as long as possible. If they let folk in to the storage facilities at sites that are open for those without other abode, it would just be admitting this fact. So the have opted for a global ban. There is enough slack in the regulations for them to open the storage if they really wanted to.
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The position of the CAMC is increasingly absurd as a glance at our tv’s and newspapers shows, as well as the postings provided to show that other storage sites are open. This, I think, is the best hope we have. Eventually a point must surely be reached when the CAMC officers in charge will recognise that they are servants of the members.
All sites are closed for camping - we all understand that. But not all sites are shut. The presence of essential workers, etc, are rightly been supported. Access to our units, in the circumstances of lifting restrictions, is urgent and legal. What is lacking is a spirit of co-operation.
Maybe it does simply come down to the furloughing of staff. In all this, where is the chair it the CAMC and the committee? Not a word.
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Frankly access will be needed by the end of June by many just to make sure their motorhomes will start. Keeping them parked even this long may cause problems so something has to be done.
Some storage sites have problems in that they are at the back of the site and need a key to open them. Ours however has the site to the left and the storage to the right with an electronic key to both barriers so members can get in without touching anything and are unlikely to have problems social distancing inside. There are some tent pitches to the right but that is all before the storage barrier.
The main gates are shut as can be seen from the road but all that is needed is for one half to be left open during the day and the cards to be made live again. This would produce a perfectly safe system with very little human input.
There seems to be no effort to sort out the problem, nor find out of their stance is correct. Possibly asking if they are correct might at least tell us where we stand.
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I dont think they care about our expensive vehicles and their contents one jot.
Luckily ours has solar so Im hoping the battery has held up and kept the alarm active.
Lots wont be so fortunate.
The default position seems to be find a way to not help our members but rather lets find a way to be be as awkward as possible.
The fact sites cannot open for the purposes of stays in no way precludes access to storage facilities. They are two seperate components. And as some storage facilities appear to be allowing access it rather still begs the question as to why the club still cannot.
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Unorganised, greedy club that has no regard for its members.
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I appreciate the idea of eradicating risk but as far as I can see there is none in me entering the storage area. The site is closed so there is no one there to make any difference and we only pass a few tent pitches to get to the storage entrance.
The site uses electronic keys so I do not have to see anyone or touch anything and even if other people are there unless they are attending the caravans either side of ours there is no problem with social distancing.
The main gates to the site are closed although I do not know if they are locked as they have only been seen from a distance but leaving one open during the day would allow access to the storage area.
The storage area produces well over £100,000 a year for the club so some consideration needs to be given as they may drive people away at renewal time.
I have seen some club sites where a key is needed to get into the storage area which might need some special procedures but is the potential damage to members property justified by the blank refusal to take a realisitic approach to the problem.
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I was talking to my neighbour a couple of days ago who I know has his caravan in storage (not Club) and I asked whether him if had been able to get access to his caravan. He said the owners of the storage had allowed access but under quite strict rules on time and how many people allowed in at the same time so there seems nothing in the rules to prevent that unless the journey to the storage is considered an unnecessary journey? I suspect whether we can visit a storage compound or take the motorhome out for a run at the peak of the lockdown was something of a grey area? I think it is disappointing that the Club don't seem to have thought this through. As Wildwood points out the storage sites run by the Club bring in a lot of income whether open or closed so would it have been that difficult to have had more flexible arrangements on those sites that also store regarding staffing?
David
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My caravan is in a cassoa gold storage facility and i have been able to access it as normal.
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