Lady Margaret's Park Chirk
Shortly Lady Margarets is closing until August/Sept 2022 for refurbishment. I understand the refurbishment is for new reception, new toilet/shower block and the installation of a few serviced pitches. Whilst I agree there is a need for these changes I would like to point out the shortsightedness in not adding tv aerial points to the bollards. It's a site that is open year round and in the winter most people would sit in the van and watch tv in the evening and the signal at Lady Margarets is average. I have raised this with the staff here but they think the view is that most people now watch more streaming sites than terrestrial tv. However, we have club wi-fi and at best this is poor on this site. As another footnote/feedback would it not be a better investment for the club income do the work in phases thus allowing parts of the site to remain open for those who have onboard facilities as was the case on many sites during lockdown.
If the club thinks members are streaming more than watching terrestrial tv then why aren't they investing in improving the wifi on this site.
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You're asking the wrong people, FB. We have no more idea than you.
I suggest you contact the club and you may learn of factors such as cost, feasibility, H&S etc etc.
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. . . and even freeing up wardens to keep some other site fully open.
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Fatbelly, There are always options. While it is closed try out the competition from the independent site nearby - it offers fast free wi fi across the site, all pitches hard standing, and free access to an indoor swimming pool.
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As someone who visits LMP fairly regularly, usually for a few days stop over when heading further north, I would agree that TV reception on site should be improved. The only signal we have been able to pick up come from local English transmitters. Despite being in Wales it is not possible to receive BBC Wales, ITV Wales or S4C, I'm sure these would be available down in Chirk itself. This well overdue upgrade/improvement work on site is surely the opportunity to provide book up facilities on the bollards. Due to the layout of LMP it would be to problematic to carry out this work safely and remain open.
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TW, I have contacted the Club via email but received no reply. I've also spoken to a warden, but I got the impression that my comments were "noted and filed in bin". We use LMP a lot and I want this once in a lifetime refurb to be right. Thats not right for me by the way but right for everyone.
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If they ignored your email, complain to Nick Lomas.
Don’t give up if you feel that strongly but I fear you’ll learn nothing from us mere mortals on the forum.
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Foxtail Caravan Park but they don't have the swimming pool yet.
https://www.foxtailholidaypark.co.uk/
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I find it hard to understand why they are closing when planning permission hasn’t been granted yet. Can the CAMC afford to lose revenue?
Been following progress on Wrexham CC website. It appears to me there will be slightly fewer touring pitches for caravans and motorvans. But that seems to be the way of the future i.e. glamping and camping pitches.
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From the last plan I looked at it seemed that there would be an awful lot of serviced pitches so, if there's fewer touring pitches in general, those of us who don't want a serviced pitch won't have much choice.
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£30 for a fully serviced, level pitch with free fast wifi and free access to a swimming pool is a reasonable UK price...with out the swimming pool, is on a par with CaMC service pitches. As for the 6m width, its about number of pitches in a finite area. Could be like Bath Chew Valley... car to be left in car park unless loading/offloading (only minutes allowed and DO NOT under any circumstances put car on pitch)..
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We like the car on the pitch, so would not use the Bath site, I had read about their rules.
On the Welsh site, the hardstandings do not seem, from the photographs, to have a lot of grass between them, so rather close together. That is why I was wondering where the car is supposed to go. Perhaps the pictures are deceptive.
£30 per night, even fully serviced, at this time of year seems expensive to me, OK in peak summer season, but maybe they charge more then. Cannot see a price list.
Swimming pool is not something we would use, and if the site suffers road noise, as peedee suggests it could, then it would be a non starter for us.
We visit friends in North Wales every year and use a peaceful farm CL, water tap on the pitch, there is also a toilet and shower if required, £17.
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We thought that some awnings just wouldn't fit with a car alongside but as the pitches are 10.5 or 13 metres in depth, I guess you'd have to park across the front which I don't like doing.
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I did consider Bath Chew Valley a couple of times based purely on location on our proposed travel route. I had looked before and noted minimum 5 nights which is fine. However for the time of year we were travelling it was 7 nights minimum. When we visited Riverside Touring Park, Betws Y Coed it was 3nights for two and the site seemed surprised that I did not want the 6th night included in the price. With regards to Chew Valley I did consider booking and leaving after 5 nights .... until I read about car parking off pitch. Went elsewhere
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I don't think "could" is right. Certain to be a noisy site might be better. The only thing that might make it less noisy at the moment is less lorry traffic than usual.
Of course it won't affect some people who just don't seem to notice it.
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If people need to be in the area and are missing a CAMC experience then try
Not my cup of tea but not far from Chirk and apparently good for families.
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Still following the planning application and it looks as though the camping pitches are no longer in the plan.
We were hoping that non-caravanning family would be able to camp or glamp with us on the site.
I haven’t found any indication of glamping pods, perhaps they don’t need planning permission? Second cul de sac looks likely for them, as they are removing the service point.
If that is right, the result might be about seventeen less touring pitches, and lots of serviced pitches in them.
However, although we wouldn’t want a serviced pitch because of the price, one would suppose this is the future of caravanning.
Two electric charging points planned.
I think the Club seem to have satisfied all the requirements now, so presume it will be approved soon.
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For members interested in the progress of the planning application, the next planning meeting is 4 Dec, but I think there is still a wildlife survey to be done. The application mentions reducing the pitches from 101 to 98. IF the second cul de sac is for glamping pods, there will be 88 touring pitches instead of 101.
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So if this reduction in pitches is correct it beggars the question of why.
Why, when membership has seen a huge increase and some new members have made their views known on this forum about not being able to book a pitch notwithstanding those existing members also voicing the same concerns, has the club decided to reduce the pitch count by about 13% on this site?
As far as I know the site is a popular one and one that we have used quite a few times in the past, although not recently preferring a nearby independent site. It would be interesting to see the occupancy rates. It would also be beneficial if the club could actually converse with its members and explain their rationale but I'm not holding my breath.
A reduction in pitches is only going to put pressure elsewhere in the system.
Obviously this post is based on the R2C's post and I have no reason to doubt the veracity of it.
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Any one can look at the planning application on Wrexham council’s website under Planning, then Search Applications, you can narrow the list by selecting Y Waun/Chirk in the community section, then scroll to find the Caravan Club application.
The pitches in the second cul de sac are shown as ‘plots’, and the service point is to be removed, that is what makes me think that will be a glamping area. The rest are still referred to as ‘pitches’. Obvs I might be wrong with my interpretation of the plan.
The first application showed eight camping pitches amongst the trees near the toilet block, but a revised application has dropped them. Disapppointed about that because our son and family could have joined us in their tent, they can’t afford glamping, and neither can Bank of Dad.
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Very interesting drawing. It shows how The Caravan Club is moving towards telling users what they will get rather than fulfilling members' needs.
For example:- Remove service points; serviced pitches versus premium pitches; Site Manager, Assistant Site Manager = Accomodation unit, Assistant Warden = Pod; Wider roads for less capable drivers.
Not saying moving in a different direction is bad, but I fear in a short while the only differentiation between The Caravan Culb and other commercial sites will be the colours of the signage.
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An update - the planning permission has been granted at last. The approved revised plan doesn’t show any camping or glamping, and a reduction from 101 to 98 touring pitches.
If I have got it wrong, perhaps Rowena could clarify the situation?
Looking forward to more news about the site, which perhaps might not re-open in 2022.
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I've spoken to the Sites team and can advise that after a protracted planning journey, consent for the proposed redevelopment of Lady Margaret's Park was finally granted by the Planning Committee on 06 December 2021. Following the grant of consent, an application for a bat licence is being submitted today to Natural Resource Wales. The redevelopment of the site is scheduled to commence on 01 February 2021 with a target date of 21st October 2022 for the reopening of the site. A further planning application in respect of the development of the extension field for additional touring pitches and Experience Freedom units is currently in the registration phase but due to concerns surrounding Phosphate levels in the area's rivers and water courses, this may well become protracted.
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I had not seen this post about LMP before. I was having a look at a glamping pod for myself and my disabled son for next year and I was astounded at the prices, especially when compared with the price of static caravans or cottages, which are far bigger. The Club are building more pods. etc, so I assume that they must make a profit from them, but when I have been to sites which have them, very few of them seemed to be occupied.
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Having studied the plan I'm surprised that the club is planning 'two way traffic' on the site. Doesn't this go against everything we've been used to regarding safety on sites. Surely it only takes a minute longer to go round the site to the exit.
There's a heck of a lot of serviced pitches which reduces the choice for those of us who don't require them. Also, it would appear that the two 'premium pitches' are in one of the shadiest parts of the site so more space and privacy but no sun for the families.
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You can sometimes drop on very good prices for pods out of season. Friends of ours had one for £30 per night last month, but it does come with T&Cs, and of course at none busy times.
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