barge1914
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I have penned the following to the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Before I press send I would welcome any comments, apart from those relating to P*****g in the wind of which I'm sure there will be plenty!
Open letter to the Caravan and Motorhome Club
Dear Sirs
I should like to know what efforts the Club has in the pipeline to address the needs of touring motorhomes, both in terms of basic overnight spaces and access to water and dump station facilities. I ask because I am reviewing whether I wish to remain a member once my subscription expires.
I along with many thousands of others am a motorhome owner and a member of the C&MC. Motorhomes offer the freedom of unscheduled travel, and the autonomy of not needing sanitary facilities every day. Because I have medical conditions which make it difficult to know far in advance when and how far I may travel on a particular day this is especially important. Indeed the motorhome is a lifeline enabling me to visit relatives in far flung places, journeys that for others can be done in a day but for me require a number of overnight stops. I have encountered many other motorhome owners with their own reasons for why it is difficult to plan and book ahead, for many others this freedom is the very essence of motorhoming.
Because my vehicle is fully self contained I use primarily CL sites as I do not need to pay for the expensive sanitary and other facilities provided at club sites, indeed in the summer months I don’t even need electricity. Although in truth I have no desire anyway to sit in a site in walking distance of nowhere with nothing but hundreds of others campers to stare at.
In the summer in the UK it is almost impossible to find sites without booking ahead. I consequently normally spend most of my time abroad where specific facilities are provided for motorhomes, where motorhomes are generally more welcome, and pre-booking is not required. This is something I share with the thousands of other motorhomers who stream across the Channel every year. In winter the majority of UK sites are closed even though many motorhomers travel all year.
In a normal year thousands of European motorhomers visit the UK expecting to turn up without booking and find facilities for motorhomes like at home. Every year an increasing volume of motorhomes are rented out to first timers who have little idea how to behave. Every year many fail to find a space for the night. Not surprising then that there is an increasing volume of complaints about motorhomes clogging up carparks and lay-bys, and concerns about dumping of waste. With the relaxing of Covid Rules anticipated in the near future, and the current scrabble to book up campsites, this problem is going to be seriously exacerbated by the sudden taking to the road by UK motorhomers who would otherwise be abroad, hirers, and the additional first timers created by the current surge in motorhome sales.
I am disappointed that the C&MC despite its new name does little to provide for the particular needs of touring motorhomes. Although it may be optimistic to expect the Club to provide new stand alone Aires / Sostas / Stellplatze on the continental model, I would note that many European campsites have devoted part of their space to basic overnight motorhome stops, and almost universally make their dump station facilities available to touring motorhomes for a charge.
Whenever I have in the past raised this subject on your forum all I get is smug replies from the entrenched caravanners and ex-caravanners that there is no demand for such facilities.
The Club at least could encourage provision of motorhome specific basic CL sites, and in particular to make its dump stations available for a charge. With the closure of many public toilets there will be an extraordinary demand for dump stations this year. The Camping and Caravanning Club already offers dump facilities for a charge, I see little reason why the C&MC could not so also and encourage some CLs to do likewise.
Given that the Club has had the benefit of public money for staff furlough schemes it could at least provide this small public service in return.
Regards
Ian Lones
Open letter to the Caravan and Motorhome Club
Dear Sirs
I should like to know what efforts the Club has in the pipeline to address the needs of touring motorhomes, both in terms of basic overnight spaces and access to water and dump station facilities. I ask because I am reviewing whether I wish to remain a member once my subscription expires.
I along with many thousands of others am a motorhome owner and a member of the C&MC. Motorhomes offer the freedom of unscheduled travel, and the autonomy of not needing sanitary facilities every day. Because I have medical conditions which make it difficult to know far in advance when and how far I may travel on a particular day this is especially important. Indeed the motorhome is a lifeline enabling me to visit relatives in far flung places, journeys that for others can be done in a day but for me require a number of overnight stops. I have encountered many other motorhome owners with their own reasons for why it is difficult to plan and book ahead, for many others this freedom is the very essence of motorhoming.
Because my vehicle is fully self contained I use primarily CL sites as I do not need to pay for the expensive sanitary and other facilities provided at club sites, indeed in the summer months I don’t even need electricity. Although in truth I have no desire anyway to sit in a site in walking distance of nowhere with nothing but hundreds of others campers to stare at.
In the summer in the UK it is almost impossible to find sites without booking ahead. I consequently normally spend most of my time abroad where specific facilities are provided for motorhomes, where motorhomes are generally more welcome, and pre-booking is not required. This is something I share with the thousands of other motorhomers who stream across the Channel every year. In winter the majority of UK sites are closed even though many motorhomers travel all year.
In a normal year thousands of European motorhomers visit the UK expecting to turn up without booking and find facilities for motorhomes like at home. Every year an increasing volume of motorhomes are rented out to first timers who have little idea how to behave. Every year many fail to find a space for the night. Not surprising then that there is an increasing volume of complaints about motorhomes clogging up carparks and lay-bys, and concerns about dumping of waste. With the relaxing of Covid Rules anticipated in the near future, and the current scrabble to book up campsites, this problem is going to be seriously exacerbated by the sudden taking to the road by UK motorhomers who would otherwise be abroad, hirers, and the additional first timers created by the current surge in motorhome sales.
I am disappointed that the C&MC despite its new name does little to provide for the particular needs of touring motorhomes. Although it may be optimistic to expect the Club to provide new stand alone Aires / Sostas / Stellplatze on the continental model, I would note that many European campsites have devoted part of their space to basic overnight motorhome stops, and almost universally make their dump station facilities available to touring motorhomes for a charge.
Whenever I have in the past raised this subject on your forum all I get is smug replies from the entrenched caravanners and ex-caravanners that there is no demand for such facilities.
The Club at least could encourage provision of motorhome specific basic CL sites, and in particular to make its dump stations available for a charge. With the closure of many public toilets there will be an extraordinary demand for dump stations this year. The Camping and Caravanning Club already offers dump facilities for a charge, I see little reason why the C&MC could not so also and encourage some CLs to do likewise.
Given that the Club has had the benefit of public money for staff furlough schemes it could at least provide this small public service in return.
Regards
Ian Lones
