Motorhome Aires for the Highlands - Temp. Locked
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"In a recent survey, those that said they would use facilities, over 96 percent said they would pay."
well we must get a large percentage of the 4 percent who do not want to pay, our LC even created some bays in one of the beach side carparks designated for MH's only, during the day they were pay and display and you could not camp overnight, did they get used, only when everywhere else was full, people rocked up after 1800 hrs when it is free and expected to stay overnight, fortunately now the LC patrol the area and move people on.
at one carpark that is free where MH's insisted on parking on the grass verges and setting up their stall the LC have now sunk into the ground 2ft high pieces of timber spaced every 3 or 4 feet apart, guess who paid for all this work
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I don’t think everyone who chooses to visit/tour in some parts of UK has much of an idea of the economy, culture and overall lifestyle of some of the lovely places they visit. In fact I would venture many are unintentionally very ignorant most of the time. A tiny bit of research, a touch of pre visit reading would benefit many, and might just prompt a bit more care whilst visiting, a touch more acceptance of what can be a different lifestyle or pace of life, as well as how vital tourist spend is to many local economies. Whilst incredibly beautiful areas, some rural and coastal communities (not counting the second home owners) struggle to survive each year through the colder, damper Winter months. A pound spent in a small local business, be it butcher, baker, cafe, craft shop etc.... is a pound better spent than in the supermarkets. We have always shopped local, and by the roadside for things like eggs, fruit, veg, jams etc.... when away. All adds to being somewhere different from home.
Cornwall’s Winter plight is being highlighted currently by Simon Reeves on BBC at the moment. Well worth a watch.
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Cornwall’s Winter plight is being highlighted currently by Simon Reeves on BBC at the moment. Well worth a watch
was truly shocked at the poverty that exists within Cornwall, such a lovely place, what brought it home to me was when he highlighted children that lived 5 miles from the coast but had never been there, shocking
A pound spent in a small local business, be it butcher, baker, cafe, craft shop etc.... is a pound better spent than in the supermarkets
Couldnt agree more, but the reality is, if you can buy it for a £1 cheaper in Tesco why buy local, we see this all the time. We have an abundance of supermarkets no more than 5 miles away, and to get to our area you would normally pass at least 2, so why buy local ???
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Unemployment, poverty, expensive housing, low wages, closed industry, boarded up shops - that’s the bits of Cornwall the tourists normally don’t see. The food bank featured in the program is just one of many in the county.
That's why claims of "rip off" regarding prices here irk so many of us. People are trying to earn a living and often fighting for financial survival while tourists roll up in their posh cars and moan about paying a few quid to park or the price of a pint.
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"I don’t think everyone who chooses to visit/tour in some parts of UK has much of an idea of the economy, culture and overall lifestyle of some of the lovely places they visit."
Yes, I made a similar point on another thread - I doubt many who visit Bath have got a clue about how poor areas like Twerton and Southdown are. We've always tried to support local shops and businesses when we are away - very often there aren't supermarkets on the doorstep and we wouldn't drive specifically to use them even if it did mean saving a few quid!
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Cornwall is not unique in its challenges.
We live in the fifth wealthiest borough council in the country. We have poverty, boarded up shops, expensive housing, low wages, closed industries.
We contribute to a local food bank every month. Very few people actually do according to the charity that runs it.
We were in Kernow for the recent half term, whilst there we supported local businesses over national chains. Eating out every day at for example the coddy shack, Sarah's pastys, smugglers cott and local hostelries. We stayed on a local family owned site, not a large commercial business like the CAMC, site. We bought a refill Calorlite from a good old fashioned iron mongers in St Austell rather than a national chain
Visited life long friends who live locally. This time we didn't frequent seaside hosteries where the twin tariff applies, as we have over the past 45 years. We were called emmets too, by our friends.
They, like us don't visit Polperro with its expensive car park fees.
Having experienced the hospitality of the local bus service when our daughter was in a pram, that the driver told us 'you can't bring that thing on here' we know not to expect too much as emmets in Kernow.
In the summer we spent a holiday based in Southport and visited Blackpool, Liverpool, the Wirral, Crosby; all areas experiencing deprivation. Again supporting local businesses. No derogatory names given to us.
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At least you were in the right place for a nice pasty lunch!
Seriously, we've been going to Cornwall every year for over 30 years now, as have the rest of our families, and we've never been subjected to any form of name calling or abuse, ever. I know I've got a broad West Country accent but Mrs M and her family are as home counties as they come - you'd have thought someone would have noticed!
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You keep banging on about facilities being free JVB which shows how very little understanding you have of the difference between how motorhome owners use there vans compared to caravan owners. This in spite of stating you having been a motorhome owner yourself in the past.
It is not about whether UK Aires would be free or not but about offering touring motorhome owners places to park and stay closer to attractions and not having to pay for out of the way campsite facilities which many of these self contained vehicles do not need. Some councils are already enlightened and are looking to expand facilities for motorhomes, for those that aren't, and are introduce bans it will be to the detriment of local businesses and the councils loss.The growing band of motorhome owners will simply go where they are welcomed.
peedee
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Am i sorry? if myself and others it seems by reading posts ,are still failing to get through that untill LAs and LCs can be convinced it is not going to be a financial draw on their already overstretched resources ,then there will be more "restrictions" (latest in Kent recently)rather than helping those who May be willing to pay for a service as has been mentionout
The way forward in the near future will be If , as in some other more motor caravan accessible countries private (with a reasonable return) finance is made available
even then they must in this country be made inaccessible to those in society who would take advantage hence the proliferation of height barriers where they are vunerable
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The difference is not just between caravanners though is it? You make it sound like a clear cut divide PD. In reality their are motorhomers who choose one option and there are motorhomers that choose different options. It is not just 'Us and Them' there are many different wants and styles.
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I’m in the research phase of buying a pop top camper. In the future I will be using these things under discussion plus every other option on offer for extended breaks & travel. I did C/van so now I’m wanting something less restrictive. I can so see the need & convenience plus the attraction of U.K. Aires. They have a lot for & very little against the idea for the user👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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I suspect that many councils reckon that if folks want to visit an attraction in the form of a city that they will use a P&R and visit anyway.
Any private money would possibly think that they would get as much revenue from private cars with less overhead in a city area
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Getting back to the topic of the Highlands and LV overnight parking where I suspect the requirement is slightly different from the rest of the UK. There is clearly not an abundant supply of campsites in the area so this is now doubt the reason the Highland Council are looking at the issue. That Council could well be the catalyst for bringing parties together. That might be encouraging local farmers and villages to provide overnight facilities. Perhaps the highways authorities as well. High sums of money might not need to be spent depending on the approach. There may well be grants available to help finance any work. I don't suppose for one minute we will see dozens of new Aires/parking places spring up all over the Highlands but the very fact that they are talking about it has to be a win, win not only for the locals but also for the people wanting to explore the highlands on a more ad hoc basis.
David
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With due respect ET my post was a statement it wasn’t about you it was a post stating my view🤷🏻♂️. I am in neither camp so I aren’t skewed in partisan👍🏻
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Any addition to the touring range of Site options is a bonus, be they rural or City based. Now we have the time to meander down or up or across to our main chosen holiday area, we love to stop off and view something of interest that we might normally zip past. CLs usually fulfill this requirement, but there are gaps in some areas, and if it’s something town or City based we want to see, often there is no provision close by.
Most Club Sites don’t hit the spot for us in terms of this kind of touring. Most are simply too expensive for a night stop. We used one Club Site on a SW tour a few years ago, and it added £1 per night to total average. Arrived at 7pm, left after a very noisy night at 10am, that cost us £34☹️ It was November as well.
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I am not partisan either. Your post was about you so I suppose that my post is about me. No need for 'Due respect' as that was assumed anyway.
I have considered a MH in the past but decided against it for numerous reasons. One of which was accessibility to many areas
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I have thought for a long time that something like NFU/DEFRA could be a funding source for farm based provision. A bit of tourist based diversification could help out a good few farms with extra income. We use a lot of farm based holiday provision, CLs, cottages, campsites, and the vast majority are very well run, very welcoming.
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Thanks for that😊,the due respect is because some folk are very prickly at the minute I didn’t want you to think I was attacking you👍🏻. I walk a lot over great distances so having to park out of town isn’t an issue. I’m a big user of local shops & markets too.
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P&R are ideal places for UK Aires, only Cantebury has realised the potential so far. I gather it is very well used so much so Cantebury are planning another with 50 places! I hope places like York and Oxford and other historic cities are watching these developments and begin to realise the potential.
peedee
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