Campsites closing at the end of the 2024 season

Tim Sands

We really need to be careful of what we wish for. Over the years of CT there have been several topics discussed and the club have sort of eventually responded with ‘you asked for…so we have….’. Not all changes have been either successful or met with the majority of approval. 
It has always worried me that the club should introduce minimum nights stay at a site rather than as many as you need or just that one night. After all the club is a network of sites not just one and we may just be staying several consecutive nights just not on the same site. This is more important to us motorhomers I think.

As far as aires are concerned it does seem to work on the continent but here it may be different. I’ve witnessed undesirable folk gaining access to sites here and I need convincing, as I’m sure all thinking about opening an aire type stop off would need to be too, that it is possible without those concerns. Particularly true if they are unmanned and under the remit of the local community who will inevitably hold mixed views on such. I’ve just to look around my local coastal towns and the populations views on tourism is very mixed. 

We now see many ordinary Spanish folk have had enough of ‘our’ intrusion into their ways of life, they have my sympathy in many respects. Our resorts public here are likewise complaining now of similar issues to the Spanish .
Regarding aires, could the club offer such provision? Maybe but it will take a huge game change in my opinion from club and membership alike.

Tim, I think the aire issue has been flogged to death on here with the general opinion seeming to be that it’s a venture for other organisations to undertake rather than CAMC. This is mainly because provision of aires would be to the advantage of only one sector of the membership which is already catered for within the present site network. As you know, to give an advantage to one group, disadvantages others. 

You are right Tinny, but maybe Tim is new to this and unaware of that flogging. However, with the increased numbers of ‘motorised caravans’ I’m sure it won’t be the last and may just need revisiting for reappraisal in the near future. 

I can see Tim is not new to vanning, Micky, but he does, indeed, seem to be new to the forum which is why I was updating him on recent discussions on the subject in case he’s not aware.👍🏻

I suspect wardens can’t win whatever they do. To a great extent be polite to wardens and they will be polite to you. However, I seem to remember reading a year or so ago that the club was short of site staff and was appointing quite a few at the last minute. I expect a proportion of those would find the job not as they expected. Add to that the several changes in site rules, including enforcement of 1 pm entry, all left to site staff to implement, it is not surprising things can become a bit fraught. I also think that we have an increased tendency for people to simply ignore rules. We have an increasingly “ entitlement” attitude amongst people. Now I do find club sites frequently too regimented in layout but if you are going to have a whole load of people living in close proximity I do think you need some rules. Agro then develops when they are not obeyed or enforced. I don’t think the rules on club sites are as bad as some make out. I frequently see comments on other forums about the club insisting which way round you have to pitch, obviously not the case.  I suspect that many newer members never read the rules or info in the handbook. Don’t know if that info is on the web site, but I guess not likely to be read if you don’t get the handbook, which actually contains a lot of good info, especially for new caravanners or motorhomers. If members informed themselves better May be there would be fewer issues on sites.

The Club has provided sites for one section of the membership for many years - for caravan owners. I mean grass sites in remote locations without access to shops or transport. And now TimSands posts on here asking for things to be reversed but is told Oh no, that would just be for one section of the membership. Well while Club does nothing that section of the membership is already going elsewhere and sites and CLs are closing. Surprise, surprise.

How on earth to you arrive at the conclusion that CAMC provides sites for caravans only? MHs, trailer tents and sometimes tents are welcome as well. As I read it, Tim is not suggesting any sort of reversal but for different provision for MHs as opposed to trailer caravans.

Are you saying CAMC builds sites in the wrong places because I can’t see what else you’re getting at?

I don’t think that is altogether true. The club are doing things and those are the very things that drive many comments being made. Also, I think we all, motorised caravaners or otherwise, are looking around at the alternative provision out there. There is a much bigger picture than just favouring one or the other to be seen, recognised and accounted for.

Anyone thinking about joining the Club would do well to do some informed research about what the Club provides, where it provides it, what is there provided on the sites, at what costs, and then asking themselves, does this cater for what I want to do, regardless of type of outfit? Factor in that the actual Membership fee can be recouped with some of the deals you get from being a Member, and it’s still rather easy to think, yes, I will join, even if Club Sites themselves are only going to be a small % of stays. No point in joining if it doesn’t fit what you want to do.

I think things are a bit more complex for long standing Members, and the longer you have been a Member, the more any changes will impact on your staying a Member. Particularly so if much of what you originally joined for (see above) is now changing at a faster pace.

Well while Club does nothing that section of the membership is already going elsewhere and sites and CLs are closing. Surprise, surprise.

I think many are going elsewhere but not solely motorhome owners. It is more of a backlash against prices by both caravan and motorhome owners alike. Motorhome owners do have an added choice of Aires and their establishment can cause a bit of a backlash from site owners. The recent establishment of an Aire at the Dover Truck Stop has caused a bit of a stir with complaints from site owners. All good competition in my view in much the same way as B&Bs and AirB&Bs are for hoteliers, but I don't see it as resulting in closure of sites. They close because they cannot attract customers probably because they are overpriced for what or where they are or both.

peedee