The future of the whole Industry
I have been thinking lately that after the Covid situation. We have seen an increase in more Staycations (holidays in home country rather than going for the package holiday abroad) and increased sales in Caravans and Motorhomes. I think of the potential increase in demand for bookings, which leaves me wondering if the current number of sites can cope? Are the days of peaceful relaxing weekends away a thing of the past?
I also became aware this week that certain spots in Scotland have relaxed the rules for overnight parking in certain areas. for MOTORHOMES and CAMPERVANS only. No mention of Caravans. Is this a little unfair on Caravanners?
Also certain ares in the England are opening up Overnight stops for Motorhomes also.
This is seemingly unfair to me as I would, potentially, have to contnue a long drive, towing a caravan, driving a laden car all the way to our chosen site, Unless I stopped at a Motorway Services and pay to be among HGV's. Are Caravanners now becoming 2nd Class Travellers? I sure Hope not as we contribute a great deal to the Industry as a whole.
Very few car parks can accomodate a car + caravan, but Morohomers are easily accomodated.
I am of the opinion that the whole industry needs to get it's act together and work with Local Authories and Govenment to level out the seemingly unfair treatment of Caravanners.
Your opinions will be valued on this please.
Comments
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Surely the impracticalities of providing space for caravans and tow cars is a reason most council operators don’t do it. As it is, MHs are the vehicles which have been causing a nuisance in some areas by inconsiderate overnight parking so LAs are looking to keep them off cliff tops and the like. Also, caravanners are far more likely to want sites due to not having self contained units to the same degree as MHs.
If it was this club providing simple overnight stops, I would agree that caravans and MHs should be treated equally but when it’s a LA attempting to either tidy the area up, or cash in on tourists, it’s up to them as they know what’s relevant in their areas.
PS. I look at your avatar, BE, and can’t see it is any way feasible for your unit to sensibly use an aire type stop. I think we need to be realistic about this and I say that not as a MH-er but as someone thinking logically.
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As a caravanner I certainly don't feel that I'm being treated unfairly in any way, or a second class traveller by anyone.
I chose a caravan and I knew that meant I'd have to use a caravan site to use it on for holidays and weekends. I never expected anything otherwise and nor do I expect anything in the future. It is just not practical as said by TW
A one night stop for a caravan is slightly more 'complicated' for all the obvious reasons than a MH which can pull up almost anywhere, and I do envy that but atm a caravan and an unhitched car suits our needs better for what we like to do once on site.
But you could start using very basic CLs and CSs as a work around?
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I think we are a long way from the provision motorhome parking, especially overnight parking, being common practise. Adapting a car park to accommodate a few motorhomes is relatively easy but trying to do the same for car and caravan combinations is a lot more complex I would imagine. I think I would also question the demand for such provision. In the main caravans tend to be based in one location and the area is explore by car or perhaps by foot or bicycle. Some, not all, motorhomers will stay overnight somewhere and then move on the next day and perhaps only travel a short distance. I would be interested to know why you want the ability to stay in a car park with a car and caravan? Whilst a motorhome could be seen as reasonably secure which allows exploration of the nearby area I somehow don't see anyone being willing to leave a car and caravan unattended?
David
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Hi, I have no desire, and if I did would pretty quickly convinced of the error of my ways, to stay overnight in what would, as DK says, be a car park.
With all the tools available for trip planning can’t really see any need either.
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CL network caters for all👍 In fact, given that many CLs are all grass, you could say Tuggers have the better deal, unless your tow car is dodgy on grass.
It’s an old debate busyelf. Some like to tow, some like to motorhome. Each to their own, nothing first or second class about either.
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As there are nearly 6,000 campsites in the Uk that accept caravans I see no need for you..."to potentially, have to continue a long drive" unless of course you don't want to pay.
I have in the past researched big supermarkets, such as Tesco Extra and have pulled into a couple for a rest and a coffee. No-one seemed to mind that I had a caravan behind me. In fact we did this just 3 weeks ago on the way home as The Breast Screening mobile unit was sited at a Tesco superstore and we were driving past. Mrs WN popped in for her appointment, I went and got food for evening meal. No hassle.
I'm afraid LA's won't be putting up parking areas for us 'vanners any time soon. The travelling community have put paid to that idea. I can't see the club getting involved either. Even if it was a great idea they still wouldn't. It is not by it's own admission a proactive club.
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I think staycations are a temporary phenomenon. Covid forced people to change habits, now most restrictions are lifted and people are reverting to their old ways, some more quickly than others. Increasingly folks are coming to realise that the leisure industry has become very greedy on the back of covid and are fed up with being ripped off by the domestic market. I was at Bristol Airport today and it was as busy as I’ve ever seen it in recent years. Flights are affordable, good value and continental hospitality providers realise which side their bread is buttered!
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Talking of greedy........I recently booked a few nights away at a site run by "the other club"......after discounts for being over a certain age,the price per night mid season is over £38.00 for car and caravan with 2 people.I for one would be very pleased for things to return to pre pandemic state where lots of people go abroad for holidays,there is less demand for the hire of motor caravans and sites have spaces at a reasonable price.
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Hi AD, Didn't realise you had left!
Have just done a comparison of costs for our summer trip and the savings on sites, in France, Italy, Germany and Holland, will more than cover the ferry fare.
That sounds good but when you consider that fare is some £300 more than my last trip in 2019 it shows the level of site prices here, club and commercial, and, whilst I could economise by choosing cheaper sites here I would rather not.
The OP appears to be wanting something cheaper than a site but my MH buddy tels me that increasingly the Aires type of stop is less likley to be 'free' and being charged for at a level not a lot lower than some basic sites.
That being the case, I cant see anyone even considering investing money, in what would likely be a contentious development, for people who are unlikely to want to pay a rate that would see a return on the investment.
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Investing for the future? The club, I believe, have already made that first step towards future proofing itself with the increased numbers of pods, safari tents, airstreams, cabins etc we witness appearing on sites over the last few years. I’m sure as the energy conundrum intensifies, the development away from fossil fuel vehicles and all related costs to the industry escalate occurrences of these on sites will increase many fold.
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Busyelf
I would suggest you just do a little more planning. I have towed a caravan on holidays in this country for 44 years and toured most of the country and never had a problem. Long gone are the days when you could just turn up on site, your choice to caravan as is ours is, not a drawback in many ways it has it's advantages depending on your style of holiday.
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Maybe they are charging extra to pass on the hike up to the Church fund🤔
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I see it that if more people use the stopovers, aires, car parks whatever you want to call them in motorhomes that is more availability on sites.
We have a motorhome but choose to use facility sites as we decided we did not want to use our onboard facilities other than for overnight passing of water
That is our choice and we are happy with it, everyone makes their own choices of how to use their unit and I think you are being very narrow minded if you think one size can fit all!
I can't see any reason for you to have to stay on motorhome services anywhere in the UK, there are always sites of some description to break any journey
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One of the primary drawbacks to caravans in car parks, apart from length, is that caravans are not self-contained with on-board fresh and waste water tanks, unlike motorhomes. Motorhomes tend to have more sophisticated electrics although even a caravan could probably cope for a night without EHU.
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It seems as though everyone has picked up on the Caravan vs Motorhome Issue in ths posting. I did not wish to cause any division but merely to spark a discussion on the differences, and the feasibility of accomodating both types of unit on said car park areas. It is limitiing when needing a stop on a long drive. (toilet breaks etc) and not being able to park up while you attend to your needs. or those of the children.
My first part of the topic was for the Industry as a whole and people's views on how it is going? I read that more CL's are being added to our list of sites.. What about using Commercial sites when Club sites are booked up for your chosen destination/dates.
I'd like a Club Official to respond to this part of my topic as I'm sure we'd all like to know that we can rely on the CAMC to look after the needs of the members.
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In truth it's not just MotorHome owners causing the problems, LA's are notoriously objectionable to Caravanners due to those who follow a certain nomadic lifestyle and create a nuisance to landowners and councils alike. Catch my drift?
There are numerous YouTube videos of Campervan owners who live permanatly on the road, so to speak, and are also very sensible and considerate where they park and what they do, when parked overnight. And of course they park for free in many cases.
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I can’t agree with your first paragraph as LAs are bright enough to recognise the difference.
I do agree with your second paragraph but there are also many others who cause problems. There is plenty of evidence of that in Cornwall as well as elsewhere.
I think you are overlooking the difficulties of providing stops for caravanners and seem to think it is due to some bias in LA thinking.
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Oh well, I’ve given you my view based on the common sense angle but you seem to know differently.
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It's not about the fuel issues or increased Pods,cabins or whatever or even energy.it's about the ability to enjoy our passtime in ease and comfort and the abilty to stop in a safe place whatever vehicle we drive/tow.
Motorhomes vary between 28 and 33 feet in length. Car and caravan have the ability to bend in the middle of that length. What's difficult about providing space for them to park in? it would take up, say 2 of the normal car park spaces in length, same as a Motorhome ?
Many MotorHomers also tow a car .. that's another space or a longer one ..
Food for thought ?
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Are they? Where does that come from?
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