Wortley Hall to close it's CL
If I have a minute at the end of the day I like to scroll through the Review section. One review was on Wortley Hall, which I know a lot of you have visited, pointing out that the CL would close in November this year. I did contact Wortley Hall direct and they did confirm this but were not able to tell me what, if anything was being put in its place. Sad because it is a nice CL.
David
Comments
-
I spotted that, too, David. It's very sad, it was one of the last CLs we used before we stopped touring. The sort of site many on here drool over, with a garden setting and pitches divided by shrubs and flora. And with the bonus of being able to stroll around the lovely grounds in the evening. Somewhere I have pictures of the place and if I can find them I'll post again.
1 -
M
There are some pictures here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/wortley_hall_cl.html mainly of the CL. I think its only the CL that is impacted. I can't see how they could extend to make it a larger campsite as I imagine the walled garden might be listed? My guess would be that they might install Pods on the hardstandings as they already have a lovely toilet block? In the email I got from them they only confirmed that the CL was closing and were reluctant to comment of what might replace the CL, if indeed anything does? You are right that if you were to design a CL in your minds eye, Wortley Hall would probably cover nearly all bases?
David
0 -
Motorhome Fun this week sheds light on the reasons for closure. Undesirable visitors with caravans not fitting in well with the wedding venue and conference centre sides of the business.
0 -
We are booked in at Wortley Hall end of May for a family wedding. It’s been booked for two years, as soon as we got the wedding date.
It’s an interesting venue, known as the “peoples stately home” locally, as it hosts a lot of educational and Union conferences. It’s a quite up market venue, Not quite Peckforton Castle, but very nice. I will do some digging, get the low down from the inside. We had the option of booking a room, or taking the MH. Opted for the MH because the dog can come with us, and we are stopping three nights to visit some other places, as well as the wedding. A real shame if it is coming off the CL network. Fingers crossed it morph’s into a different form if it does. Nice rural location, in a nice village, with a very nice pub at the end of the drive, as well as lovely gardens. As far as I am aware, it doesn’t suffer from undesirables getting into the premises.
0 -
Just checked my emails, nothing in there saying our booking is cancelled🤷♀️
0 -
Hoping so Brue, we aren’t the only ones booked onto CL for wedding, family coming down from Scotland as well. It sounds like someone has abused the estate key system to let in others reading between the lines. Sort of like a Member letting in others at YRP via back gate☹️
0 -
It could be, as there are always certain people who will abuse the system if they can
A few years ago I was booked just for the night at Hatton Garden World CL, as I wanted to visit the Hatton Flight of Locks on the Grand Union Canal, which is a short walk away. The ptiches are in a row of 5, separated from the rally field by a tall hedge with a gap in the hedge into the rally field. A cheeky, freeloader on the rally field had parked up next to the gap in the hedge and connected to one of the hook ups on the CL via the gap in the hedge. When I got home I contacted Hatton Garden World to advise them about it, as of course, if a lot of people do that then the price would go up as a lot of electricty would be used but not paid for. As often happens, a small minority spoil things for others!
0 -
Spoils things for all of us long term☹️
0 -
The CL at Wortley Hall is a little way from the main reception area and tucked away in its own area so personally I can't see it being in anyone's way because its quite well screened with its own entrance gate. You do occasionally get visitors to the Hall wandering through the CL when they get lost going to the Walled Garden. We don't go to many CL's but I am seriously thinking perhaps I should give up on them as this is the second one which has closed after we have stayed there!!!!
David
0 -
I tried to book this site for a weekend earlier in March but they were full. Nothing mentioned about closing down, just to try another date. Was looking forward to trying it. Shame.
0 -
Nice photos DK. We are looking forward to our stay, fingers crossed, if those managing it have a good, nuisance free Summer, hopefully they might re consider.
Only thing I can add to your review is that the Pub in the village (The Wortley Arms) is very nice, good food, it’s superb, if slightly challenging cycling country, with a link to the Trans Pennine Trail half a mile away. There are plenty of very interesting places to see not far away as well, Wentworth Woodhouse, Wentworth Castle, both NT, Pot Hamlet, Holmfirth for TV fans. For those who like Cities, Sheffield has some top art galleries, theatres, Museums, shopping at Meadowhall (huge, indoor mall) Fox Valley, and the walking country is very good, hilly but plenty of choice of open moorlands or ancient woodlands.Fingers crossed it stays, this area isn’t blessed with many CLs, but this one is probably the best🤞
If it does close, I will talk to the owners of Wortley Arms, they have a big car park and could be interested in joining Britstops, as it’s close to a main route from South to West Yorkshire.
0 -
I have stayed at Worley many times-but always in the house whilst attending Fire Brigade Union events.
Its some 12 plus years since I was there and I can assure you that it may be “upmarket “ now but not when I first visited back in the 90s. In fact the poor accommodation, shared rooms and separate toilet/showers led to quite a few complaints which all got the same response-“yes, but it’s cheap”!
As for undesirables, returning from lunch one day my colleague noticed his bag was missing and, it turned out, staff had spotted intruders and had called the Police who after viewing the CCTV were quite sure it was “a known gang from Sheffield”.
Panic ensued when it turned out the bag contained all the expenses money!
A dog unit arrived and miraculously the bag was found a few hours later dumped in the woodland alongside the driveway.
0 -
I have spoken to staff at Wortley Hall this evening, and sadly, they have confirmed that the CL will close entirely from November. It had suffered from more than one illegal occupation by travellers, with Police doing nothing at the time. I gather that other guests felt threatened, along with the night staff, so the decision has been taken to withdraw the CL. Such a shame, as it looks a very nice CL, and in a very nice location for spending a few days exploring. We get the chance to stay before it shuts for good.
0 -
TDA
I don't know whether that is the reason or a convenient "story" to justify the closure. When I contacted them I asked if the location was to be put to a different use and they were a bit cagey in the way they responded. I wondered if they were moving to Pods but they wouldn't be drawn. I can see that occupation by undesirables can be upsetting and perhaps it was not so much the camping side that they were concerned about but the catering side as that is a bigger part of their business? Its just a shame that it is closing. I seem to put the kybosh of CL's, I don't stay at many CL's but two out of the three that we have stayed on in the few years have since closed or are closing!!!
David
0 -
I pointed out this site closure back in March. The original post on Motorhome Fun went so far as to say that some of the “travellers” who were being a nuisance gained admission to the site by being Club members, and that when the Wortley Hall management asked the Club for assistance they were told that nothing could be done. So Wortley Hall has called time.
0 -
I will do a bit more digging at the weekend if I can. Access to that area is via a key, so it would need someone inside to let others in. Staff did mention threatening behaviour towards them and other visitors, can’t blame them if the easy option is to close it down or put pods onto pitches.
0 -
I managed to find out a bit more around what is happening, spoke to a member of staff who was quite forthcoming about what had happened. The site has been invaded no less than three times already this year by Travellers, including breaking into the gates, as well as a Club Member letting others in. One incident got very nasty with other law abiding stayers having their vans shaken, threatening behaviour etc…and staff being subjected to threatening behaviour. Apparently the mess left was terrible, so time has been called on this really lovely CL, and it’s probable (makes good business sense) that this events venue will replace the pitches with some other form of accommodation for those coming along to events or wanting a nice stay in a lovely area.
A real shame. This is our local CL, in a nice area, with lots to see and do not far away. Just glad that we did get to stay before the CL goes. We shall come back to the Hall though, as the food is very nice, it’s an interesting place with nice Estate walks.
1 -
Update on the future for this ex CL. Staff have confirmed that either Glamping Pods or Tipi’s will be going into what was previously the CL area, to extend the wedding provision. We enjoyed a walk around the estate, and had a coffee inside today. On a brighter note, the Wortley Arms pub, up in the village appears to have re opened again, following a short shut down. Serves nice food👍
1
