The Redferns of Dornoch are at it again

[Fisherman]

Just had an email from a councillor who is in receipt of a “report” put forward by the infamous Redferns the owners of the now (thanks to their stupidity) infamous Dornoch campsite. I don’t have the report which has been sent to each and every council in Scotland. But I am told it’s laughable, it’s an attempt to force us to use their little campsite, full of things we don’t want and don’t need. Once I get the report and have read it I will put it on here for you all to read.

Their idea of running a business which is failing is to insult all of their potential customers and attempt to force us all into campsites so they can give us what we don’t need or want, to enable their business to prosper. I fully expect their report to repeat much of the nonsense they have been spouting out for years.

If anyone else has access to this could they post it, I’m sure it will find its way into the common domain soon.

 

[alcam]

Just had an email from a councillor who is in receipt of a “report” put forward by the infamous Redferns the owners of the now (thanks to their stupidity) infamous Dornoch campsite. I don’t have the report which has been sent to each and every council in Scotland. But I am told it’s laughable, it’s an attempt to force us to use their little campsite, full of things we don’t want and don’t need. Once I get the report and have read it I will put it on here for you all to read.

Their idea of running a business which is failing is to insult all of their potential customers and attempt to force us all into campsites so they can give us what we don’t need or want, to enable their business to prosper. I fully expect their report to repeat much of the nonsense they have been spouting out for years.

If anyone else has access to this could they post it, I’m sure it will find its way into the common domain soon.

Vaguely remember this place being mentioned previously.
Had a look on s4s . Surprised to see they allow use of their facilities. Don't know price

 

[Fisherman]

Just got the report and it is quite frankly worse than I expected.
Twelve pages of utter drivel.
What shocked me most was they both have letters after their names
Apparently spending time wild camping then spending a night in their expensive campsite is costing them. Well I would rather have my molars extracted without pain relief than give them a penny. We are well known for dumping our toilet waste inappropriately (that old chestnut), we demand access to their campsites to empty our toilets, and get freshwater for free, (really), we are aggressive towards everyone, we are simply a bunch of selfish free loaders who don’t give a dam about anyone else, the environment, and we should be subsidising the Redferns by supporting their business to keep them both in the lifestyle they deserve, whilst we enjoy the hospitality of their campsite in Dornoch. You must be joking
Why not keep up with times, alter your business to suit demand, and stop insulting your potential customers Mr and Mrs Redfern, it’s called a business plan. Or just sell up and let someone competent run your business. But I suspect your campsites reputation has been severely tarnished by your childish attempt at putting the clock back several years.
I was told they charge £15 to empty your cassette, and get freshwater, but don’t quote me on that. Problem there, every week new elsan points are being installed up here. In most you can go there for free, or a small charge.
I will gladly pay towards having one installed less than 100 yards from their campsite.

 

[runnach]

I’m sure there a petition on-going for parliament to read, same as report, force us to use campsites etc. I’m out at the mo, I’ll do a search on return and post the link.

 

[TeamRienza]

I guess that similar arguments could be raised by hotels who are being deprived of income by people using campsites, to say nothing of airb&bs.
5 star hotels could be adversely affected by hotels with only 1 or 2 stars. They are cutting corners with reduced facilities and undermining the 5 star model.

Train companies should be complaining about airlines taking their business. Bus companies should be railing against private car ownership.

And so it goes on. Does the campsite in question undermine better equipped and more expensive sites?

Davy

 

[Fisherman]

T

I guess that similar arguments could be raised by hotels who are being deprived of income by people using campsites, to say nothing of airb&bs.
5 star hotels could be adversely affected by hotels with only 1 or 2 stars. They are cutting corners with reduced facilities and undermining the 5 star model.

Train companies should be complaining about airlines taking their business. Bus companies should be railing against private car ownership.

And so it goes on. Does the campsite in question undermine better equipped and more expensive sites?

Davy

Excellent point Dave.

It’s akin to people being asked to help the high street, which is suffering due to the internet. These two idiots have alienated many who would otherwise have considered using them. The fact is times have changed, and many campsites and even the big two are behind the times. Why not create an Aire within their campsites.
Or instead of telling us where we should go, try asking us where we would like to go.
Actually talk to us, instead of bad mouthing us, then thinking we will use them.
The days of caravans greatly outnumbering motorhomes and campers are over, it’s time they woke up and smelt the coffee.

 

[number14]

Why not create an Aire within their campsites.

You beat me to it but, here's a radical thought, open the Aire all year whilst closing the toilet & shower facilities off season. We don't need those.

Surely they could make enough money to pay for emptying the septic tank.

 

[alcam]

You beat me to it but, here's a radical thought, open the Aire all year whilst closing the toilet & shower facilities off season. We don't need those.

Surely they could make enough money to pay for emptying the septic tank.

Indeed. Very common in France

 

[Makzine]

Bit of a short novel was it biographical? or fiction?

 

[runnach]

Lac du Salagou France, the spacious campsite also had a separate, secure aire, which we wanted park on. For some reason at that time the aire was closed, we were told we could park for the same price within the camp site, albeit at the rear of the site, which was absolutely fine. I thought to myself at the time, business owners are switched on, they got a few euros, instead of none. As not every EU camping car owner wish to pay campsite prices.

The Dornoch couple can whistle, I would never use their business.

 

[caledonia]

You beat me to it but, here's a radical thought, open the Aire all year whilst closing the toilet & shower facilities off season. We don't need those.

Surely they could make enough money to pay for emptying the septic tank.

The beach car park should be used as an aire. It used to be an unofficial one until the campsite gestapo put a stop to it.

 

[1807truckman]

£26.00 per night isn't a price I'd want to pay to be able to empty grey water and toilet. Yes we pay a lot of money for our motorhomes for the reason of not having to stay on campsites and yes we usually ony stay 1 night because we travel around and don't want to stay in 1 place for a week.

 

[merl]

Please Mr council, change your rules so I can make some money.
Liked the bit about 6m spacing for safety when cars are crammed in on car parks without enough room to get your doors open properly.
I checked for the number of MH fires in 2022 apparently about 350 including caravans.
Cars in 2022..... Wait for it...........18,991

 

[Bigshug]

When travelling around, and speaking to other motorhomers, we should make them aware of this campsites anti motorhome rants, and advise them of other places in the area they could stay at.

 

[barge1914]

Rather than rant on here where nobody else sees it, join/support CAMpRA whose volunteers are struggling to deal with this problem, engage with authorities and get viable Aires and waste points established. They are having some successes, but their problem is too many motorhomers who are happy to join for the benefits, but too few who are willing to put themselves out to even lift a pen or rattle a keypad. Write to councillors/MPs, make sure all these good arguments get a hearing. After a number of years I stepped back from Campra leadership, the effects of old age are catching up on me. But I’m sure there’s plenty of younger motorhomers to step in to the breech and do a bit…please.

 

[Fisherman]

Rather than rant on here where nobody else sees it, join/support CAMpRA whose volunteers are struggling to deal with this problem, engage with authorities and get viable Aires and waste points established. They are having some successes, but their problem is too many motorhomers who are happy to join for the benefits, but too few who are willing to put themselves out to even lift a pen or rattle a keypad. Write to councillors/MPs, make sure all these good arguments get a hearing. After a number of years I stepped back from Campra leadership, the effects of old age are catching up on me. But I’m sure there’s plenty of younger motorhomers to step in to the breech and do a bit…please.

Sorry but I don’t see any “ranting” and before CAMpRA were formed in 2021 I was writing to, having conversations with, and attending meetings on our behalf.

Chat with Robbie Blythe Fife Coastal & Countryside Trust.

We had Robbie in the van last night for almost two hours whilst parked up in Glenrothes Riverside Park car park. Apologies in advance but I cannot go into details, but things are set to improve in Fife, and we should see most if not all of the improvements by next summer, with works commencing...

wildcamping.co.uk

The report I placed in here has been sent to CAMpRA, and I am sure they and others outwith this forum will now view it with the same contempt as we do on here. This report was given to me by a councillor, it was only sent to councils throughout Scotland.
I have nothing but praise for CAMpRA and continually state so on here. Everyone who I have spoken to who have dealt with them are full of praise for them.
I felt that it’s important that members on here are made well aware of the Redferns, and to avoid giving them any of our money. I can also tell you that Robbie Blythe of Fife Coastal and Countryside Trust had never heard of them, well he is well clued up on them now. Also some of the improvements taking place in Scotland have nothing to do with CAMpRA, and some future improvements will take place without them being involved.

Please don’t underestimate the efforts that others outwith CAMpRA are doing to improve our situation, and if CAMpRA ever ask me for assistance and I felt I could in anyway assist them, I would be more than happy to do so. I will pursue till my dying day better informed politicians, media, and general public, because without this we will continue to be treated as a public nuisance to be dealt with, rather than a bunch of people who have worked for decades and now wish to travel in the winter of our lives.
And no matter what is reported by some, do contribute to local economies in varied ways.

I am genuinely sorry to hear that you no longer feel able to continue all of the good work you did with CAMpRA. And I can only thank you sincerely for what you did. We do need more like you and hopefully our combined efforts will bring better times for us all in future. Thank you.

 

[Fisherman]

When travelling around, and speaking to other motorhomers, we should make them aware of this campsites anti motorhome rants, and advise them of other places in the area they could stay at.

The Redferns are not alone, they are simply to stupid to realise that treating their potential customers with utter contempt is not good business practice. I have attended meetings were campsite owners make exactly the same comments as the Redferns, but what they don’t do is submit a report to councils throughout Scotland, and continually put themselves to the fore with their nonsense. I would love to start a book of campsite owners who have aired similar views both in public, and at meetings. But I reckon that could lead to legal action.
Instead of complaining about us they should do what any good business person would do and supply what’s required, and not tell us, their potential customers, where we can and cannot go. Thankfully from what I am hearing their report has not been well received by the vast majority who have read it, they may well have actually made matters worse for themselves with this biased and uninformed report, fingers crossed on that one.

 

[Scotia]

Vaguely remember this place being mentioned previously.
Had a look on s4s . Surprised to see they allow use of their facilities. Don't know price

If i remember correctly they received funding during covid to install an uprated elsan point stating it would also benefit people wild camping then charge a silly amount for the privilege of using it.

 

[Fisherman]

If i remember correctly they received funding during covid to install an uprated elsan point stating it would also benefit people wild camping then charge a silly amount for the privilege of using it.

I have scoured the internet for this and getting nowhere.
I have contacted Dornoch Community Council, I know they have in the past given grants to local businesses. They have never given any such grant. It simply does not make sense giving a campsite a grant to “improve” an Elsan point. I would doubt if CAMpRA would hand out a grant, but they have listed them as a campsite willing to allow use of their chemical waste point for a fee of between £5-10. But that was in 2021 when they first started, I wonder if they are on any of their lists now.

 

[Nabsim]

If i remember correctly they received funding during covid to install an uprated elsan point stating it would also benefit people wild camping then charge a silly amount for the privilege of using it.

I remember seeing this as well but don't remember where the grant came from, (if indeed it did)