Camping-Car Park may come to the UK
Camping-Car Park are canvassing their members, particularly those from the UK, and others, as to whether they should set up and run "aires" in the UK. They seems to work well across the channel and I suspect many with motorhomes would like to see them over here.
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Well, good luck to them if they can make a go of it👍🏻
Btw, nice to see you posting at last, LLM, rather than only liking.
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I can remember when thay had but a dozen sites in France and that was not so long ago. They now have 200. I have filled in a survey and I very much hope they succeed. When it comes to the provision of simple stop overs for maotrhomes/campervans near attractions, the UK needs shaking up.
Good luck to them.
peedee
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Explain it to me please.
I have the impression that it's a commercial company renting disused, abandoned, unprofitable French municipal campsites - or renting one section of existing campsites and car parks- installing automated card operated entry barriers for motorhomers, and only staffing the area for sweeping and litter pickng . Is that it?
Now will they be able to find similar spaces in the UK?
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I don't think your description is entirely accurate or fair, but putting that to one side there are possibly sites around. For example Weymouth has a very large now mostly disused car park, previously a P&R, that could easily be transformed into quite a large aires. It is close to cycle and footpaths, a bus service, a supermarket, eateries, and of course not far from the town.
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You say Euro isn’t being entirely accurate or fair. Can you explain why you say that, please, to enlighten us all?
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Camping-Car Park have a very good website which explains their ethos and it how it works far better than I could do here. You are clearly interested. Have a look
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I got you👍🏻😄😄
Weymouth, eh?😀
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I do believe that some of them are currently using the B & Q car park in Maidstone
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Good luck to them if they can get a foothold in the UK. It will be interesting to see how they manage, probably won't be quite as easy as in Europe where the provision of motorhome aires and rest stops is well established. If successful I suspect the Club's will have to take notice depending on well it does.
David
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Hi
We have been using these aires for the last two/three years and the increase is quite staggering in that time, they have taken over municipal aires and up graded them with electricity, wifi and pitch for an average of 12 euros. Would like to see them succeed but these aires were already in place in France and we haven;t that kind of infrastructure in place here, also think they have only taken over the running of these aires for the local council for a cut of the profits and don;t actually own them. We can but hope but think the CAMC might have something to say.
Phil
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I think there is a good chance they will get a foothold but I cannot see it bothering the Clubs too much because it will only be motorhomes/campervans that will be able to use them. That still leaaves a large number of tent and caravan owners to use Club sites. Not all motorhome/campervan owners are members of the Clubs and there will be a percentage who won't use Aires anyway and who will still prefer sites. Even among those who woulld use them, it wouldn't be the only sites they use. If they are like me, they would mix and match picking what suits their requirements at the time.
peedee
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The five hour stop looks to be quite useful. Replenish tanks, service cassette, park up, plug in, explore the local area, have lunch, shop etc, and all for very little money. An overnight can be booked but I'm not sure if the same applies to a five hour stop.
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We used the 5 hour stop on our way back to the ferry, rather than arriving early at the terminal. The booking is I think for 24 hour plus. When we went last year it had to be booked several days before and the privilege cost 24€ a year. We didn't bother to subscribe and certainly in September / October of a normal year it wasn't necessary, there was plenty of space, even at the costal ones. For July and August it would be a different matter.
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Will not local and national safety related rules and guidelines here in the UK impact on the provision of overnighting in facilities like the French areas?
I suspect now is as likely as any time in recent years an opportunity to override what might be regarded "red tape" that is inhibiting a business opportunity, as witnessed the proposed dropping of some planning controls.
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Depends where 'here' is David. I assume that there many motorhomes using CMC sites that rarely take their outfit off site. I say that because I see more MHs on sites with good transport links or a close proximity to towns etc and select sites accordingly.
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I suspect now is as likely as any time in recent years an opportunity to override what might be regarded "red tape" that is inhibiting a business opportunity, as witnessed the proposed dropping of some planning controls.
I also feel it is now or never. If the latest efforts fail then I can only see more incidence of "wilding" and accusations of dumping waste etc. and owners prefering to spend there money in countries who welcome them. the NC 500 has had a great deal of trouble this year and the Snnowdonia 360 is heading for it. I'll add it hasn't all come from motorhome/campervan owners eiither. At least the provision of stopovers will reduce the incidence of conflict and problems.
peedee
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Each to their own, David. I'd say caravans outnumber MHs in the sample in your pic but it's obviously not showing the whole site and the ratio does vary considerably.
You couldn't avoid the dreaded white pegs but needs must, eh? It looks terribly busy there. Have a good break👍
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what does that mean? Club sites only account for about 10% of sites nationally? So I would think there is plenty more options and sites available, ?
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Dangerous thread this
'cos it's got ABM thinking 
If, say , I'm heading from Cheshire down to deepest Cornwall perhaps a couple of these 'stop-overs' could allow me a more relaxed drive, rather than a mad dash past Brum and Bristol to a club site nr Exeter. I have been known to tell folks, especially Newbies, to enjoy the drive it's a holiday after all so perhaps I would start taking my own advice
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Not sure you can always judge the the motorhome community entirely by what you see on a Club site. I imagine that many of the motorhomers you see have previously been caravanners, a bit like us, who have changed LV's and carried on using Club site in the main. However there will be large numbers of motorhomers who don't use traditional sites if reading Facebook motorhome groups and motorhome forums is anything to go by. It will, in the main, be these motorhomers who will be attracted to Camping Car Park idea. I would certainly be interested depending on location and whether they provided me with easier access to where I want to be. Mind you I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves as I don't think we will suddenly see dozens of motorhome commercial aires which is basically what Camping Car Park is but it is certainly worthy of investigation.
David
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