Will C&MC now be supportive of Motorhome Aires?

DEFRA did set aside over £100m to help local communities in growing their local economy so why hasn't the club used this initiative (about 18 months old) to discuss the benefits of tourers bringing money into these areas by setting up Aires or small sites, maybe having a maximum stop of 48 or 72 hours?

I assume this is the sort of thing that Sites dept would get involved in. Once again it would be nice to know.

I agree with Jayess though that we need new sites to replace those lost and those about to be lost. Remember your existing clientele and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater springs to mind.

Does it make economic sense for the club to have a financial involvement? I personally doubt it.

There are already a few Aires in the UK, there is a list >here< one of the first was Canterbury. Looks like the Lake District is giving it some thought. See >this article<

peedee

Oh! Moneymaking in the Lake District how grubby and unusual, whatever next! 

It is sorely needed in an area like that. It is an area I currently think twice about touring because of the narrow roads and lack of parking.

peedee

I think it would be foolish not to consider it, others with the land obviously think it is worthwhile.

peedee

There is facility to overnight at the Roodee car park in Chester. The car park is obviously little used at night and has lorry and coach parking bays and of course the coach parking is little used as such overnight. Other car parks have similar arrangements. This is far away from providing a dedicated aires type facility as in it is making additional use of a slack period and presumably bringing trade to the city. 

Presumably pubs that do similar have the resultant benefit of increased trade. 

I had too smile PD when on the one hand you say that the provision of aires in the lake district is sorely needed and on the other hand state that you think twice about touring because of the narrow roads and lack of parking. 

Having a cheap place to stop over night with limited facilities will not make the roads wider nor the general parking any easier. If some wish to offer the facility however then why not.

As a matter of interest why does designing an aire suitable for caravans add to the challenge ? I assume all aires have fresh and waste water provision which is all a caravan needs - just the same as a motorhome.

In respect of the club perhaps they would say the CL network serves this need.

Unfortunately local papers seem to report things in a sensational way because they find reporting things factually boring. Because Councils are now so cash strapped I think it would be unreasonable to expect them to provide facilities and not to charge for them. In the Lake District that charge will be at a premium rate!!!

On the wider point of the petition I somehow doubt it will be successful because there always seems to be an expectation that "someone else" should pay to provide the facility. Far better to try and convince the likes of the two Clubs and Visit England to encourage local authorities to provide such facilities on the basis of what they are doing in the Lake District. If parking and water/waste/toilet disposal was also provided at say £10 a night it might be worthwhile for Councils to consider it as a local amenity. 

David