High Onn, is it closing

That will be a shame.  We were wardens there 2003 to 2005.  By the time we left, after a lot of very hard work improving the site following neglect, the site was in profit.  It was completely sold out every Bank Holiday weekend, and very popular for peaceful weekend breaks for people from the West Midlands.  Seasonal pitches were fought over!  

If it is no longer popular, the CAMC needs to look at where they have gone wrong.  Why has it become so neglected?  What can be done with the local council to keep the lanes tidy with good forward visibility?  Why has the Regional Manager allowed the hard standings to become overgrown?

We had a Sites in Bloom Award there, and a few years later some of the concrete pads were replaced with proper gravel handstands, a significant investment.

The club own it freehold, so some money to be made if it’s sold to a developer?  Hope the site history as a base for training pilots (mostly Polish) in WW2 will be respected. 

It has loads of nearby attractions including NT Attingham Park and Shugborough, RAF Cosford, David Austin Roses, Ironbridge, National Memorial Arboretum etc etc.  There are lovely walks along the Shropshire Union Canal.  The approach when towing is a little nerve wracking, but you rarely meet any vehicle coming the opposite way.

Funnily enough, we go there tomorrow, for the first time in many years.

I was just going to post the same, Harry. Yet another non-facility bites the dust, such a shame, the club should be opening more of them not closing them, especially in such times of financial constraints. Fine post R2C, enjoy your stay there. 

Wonder when the club was going to get round to announcing that the site was to be closed, and the reasons for that.

We visited many years go when the boys were younger but not since. Probably wouldn't use it now as its a bit remote. Our next door neighbour (pick-up truck towing a big twin axle) was en route there but actually abandoned his visit because of the access roads! I agree it would be sad if it closed but if its under used I suspect that will be the way that quite a few others will go. Until we get some sort of official confirmation we don't know the full facts. Some will remember the Mildenhall site which closed because it needed money spent on the drainage and clearly the Club didn't think they would recoup any investment. Perhaps there is a similar problem at High Onn?

David

BTW I have reported Harry's post to see if we can get any sort of official confirmation.

David,

Given that the site closes at the end of next month surely an announcement should have been made by now.

Rob2Cath

If it is no longer popular, the CAMC needs to look at where they have gone wrong. Why has it become so neglected? What can be done with the local council to keep the lanes tidy with good forward visibility? Why has the Regional Manager allowed the hard standings to become overgrown?

Looking at this paragraph from your reply it seems you may know some kind of info. Mentioning neglect and regional manager misdoings. Perhaps you could find out if the news is correct when you are there.

It’s par for the course. The Club don’t invest in these little Sites, so things do start to look neglected, they aren’t as well marketed as the big earners, so folks decide to go elsewhere. We had exactly the same at Marazion last year, I guess that is another on a wing and a prayer. The service road around there hasn’t seen any improvement in the twenty odd years we have known it, so it’s bumpy and floods after rain. Easier for the Club to close them, especially if there’s another Club Site not far away. 

Such a shame.

Harry

In an ideal world absolutely. But the Club don't seem to work in an ideal world!!! Perhaps their mindset is that no one needs to know until its closed? We always seem to be behind the curve when it comes to getting information from the Club. Mind you they gave us plenty of warning about the new booking system but that hasn't happened yet!

David

It's a shame to lose any site but a non facility one even more so. 

We love these type of sites,  they are usually more peaceful and of course around £10 a night cheaper.

Its been mentioned on another thread that SPs are often more busy than Std pitches so that must mean that is what the customers want. 

Not convinced that is the case,  could it be that MHs book SPs because its a guarantee they will get a H/S.  Time will tell once (if)  we ever get the new booking system we keep hearing about.

Is it also a problem of staffing? The move to bring in ANPR would seem to indicate this is so along with the rumours. With limited staff, these are better deployed at the larger more profitable sites.

peedee

I thought that Clachan was run by volunteers??

Some years ago before the big increases in LV ownership 

The  club owned site at Notgrove had a problem with viability, even though it had seasonal storage and seasonal pitches

The regional manager was all for selling it  as according to site staff "these non facility sites are a drain on club income it is insurance and overseas travel that makes the money for the club not sites"🤔 

As can be seen by many reviews it seems newer members want all the facilities they can get on sites rather than as us older members who can still walk to a service point🤗