Campsites closing at the end of the 2024 season

Thing is, PD, what is one person's attraction is another's must avoid. I liked High Onn for its peace and isolation but, had it been next door to Alton Towers, I would have avoided it like the plague. 

My feeling is that people aren’t using the non-fac sites purely because they do want facilities and that could explain the low take up of pitches.

I cannot think of a single small site that we have used that wasn’t “close” to an attraction🤷‍♀️ 

Marazion………………Cornish Coast, St Michael’s Mount, Penzance

Nunnykirk…………….Northumberland Moors, Cragside, Rothbury

Much Wenlock……..Wenlock Edge, Wenlock Priory, Church Stretton, 

North York Moors…NYM, Whitby, Scarborough, 

Notgrove……………..Bourton, Sudeley Castle, Cotswolds generally

Lots of others, but you get my drift.

When did a bit of effort and planning get left off the holiday list? Just how close do folks want to be to something? Or is it just shops, eateries, crowds, folks want on their doorsteps? 

Close to attractions they would be packed out.

But some are (non club and club) and they have not been?

Contrary to what some might think there are many members who would use non facility sites especially near attractions.

And your evidence for that is? And you keep talking about attractions? What do you mean?

It’s not about attractions, it’s about effort required. If it doesn’t have hard standings, plug in electrics, plumbed in water, little posts to help the spacially challenged, lots of staff to tell others off, it’s all too much for many folks that join the Club. Life is a little bit different away from Club Sites, so there is a degree of hope left out there on CLs and small private sites. Cheaper as well most of the time😁

TDA

Just taking North York Moors as an example. Its in the middle of nowhere there are far better sites with access to Whitby, Sandfield House Farm, and Scarborough Cayton Village. In both cases you have a bus stop at the end of the site road to take you into either. I suspect most motorhomes, especially those with larger units would not want to take them into either town and try and park. 

David

Just noticed on a Facebook Group that someone has started a petition against the closure on Broomfield Farm. Trouble is that admin for that group has turned off posts in that discussion so there won't be any feedback as to numbers. I am not sure the Club will be swayed but it would be interesting to know what sort of numbers are willing to sign the petition. Interesting that they put it on a group which has no connection to the Club, perhaps they should try here?

David

I disagree. When in France we use lots of non facility Aires because they are next or close to where we want to visit. Therefore in that respect it is about attractions. In this country we have used Altnaharra a couple of times because it was where we want to be. The other non facility sites in areas we have toured just weren’t in attractive positions. Bourton on the Water, for instance, is 5 miles away from the town.

I wonder which sites will go next?

The Ilfracombe site has had only one review this year and only one last year. That doesn’t speak of much usage.  It’s another undeveloped and uninvested site, in a field, on a hill,  and 3 miles out of town. And with lots of nearby competition.

 You don’t need a bus to visit Whitby or Scarborough though DK, Whitby is easy. P&R, on North side, or if it’s the Abbey you want, the Abbey car park is huge, with direct access to Abbey and Museum. There’s a P&R half a mile from Cayton Bay in Scarbro as well. The car park next door to Harbour in Whitby is huge as well, but pricey. Even better, park up at Grosmont and you can use Steam trains or Esk Valley lines to get about. (Very big MHs might struggle up some of the roads round Grosmont though) Club used to negotiate discount on NYM railway, we have ridden for free! It’s a beautiful moorland drive on good roads (unless it’s snowing🤭) to North Bay at Scarborough. There’s an Aire and lots of parking under Castle, which is free part of year. It’s why we actually chose NYM site back in April, so easy to do both sites, but then you have the peace and tranquility, and wildlife back up on the site. Much better than listening to building works at double the price at Cayton Bay site. (I don’t blame the Club for the noisy building work🤣) Granted Whitby and Scarbro can be challenging for anyone with mobility issues, given how hilly they are.

(There’s a community Aire by the way in Goathland now, if anyone is interested)

Again, looking at Nunnykirk it’s in the middle of nowhere, (that will be a positive for some folks)

However, most customers want to be within a short drive (even better a short walk), so that they can pick up a pizza and then go home),

We live a relatively short drive from Nunnykirk, it’s a lovely spot when the weather is warm and dry, and you want to get away from it all. But,  we all know how much rain has fallen on Northumberland recently.

However, the reality is that  not a sufficient number of paying customers want that sort of holiday. The world has changed, a lot of people are used to having facilities on their door, so staying at a place like Nunnykirk will appeal to a reducing number of customers.

Yes, a loss to the site network, but probably a reflection of reality.

To just say, that I started caravan holidays with my parents in a Sprite 400, which was basically a tin tent, no heating, no pumped water, no toilet (a tent outside). Towed by an old Morris. Happy days.