About time for some Aires in Scotland? (1 Viewer)

JOHNSTEY

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It's about time we got some Aires in Scotland and to this end I have written to my local councillor today.I attach my e-mail.Lets see if it has any success!
I will (literally!) keep you posted:thumb:

Dear Richard,

I am writing to you in your capacity as a West End Councillor as I have an idea which I think is worthy of exploration.
Since leaving the Council I have had the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe in our Motorhome and have joined forums and subscribed to magazines as one would with any hobby.
It occurs to me that in Dundee we are missing a trick and especially with the need to develop our tourism offer alongside our great cultural facilities we should be developing facilities to allow motorhomes to visit.
We have stayed at Aires in France where for a small charge you can park your motorhome and stay overnight.These are provided by the local councils on the basis that they support spending in the local economy and give a positive impression of how enlightened the place is.For example in Honfleur in Normandy this has grown to an enormous area of over two hundred places, effectively a small town all enjoying the town and spending in the local shops and restaurants.(We did and enjoyed it very much).This is one of the more developed Aires and for a price of 10 euros per night provides electric hook up and waste disposal.
However some of the smaller Aires only provide hard standing as most Motorhomes are self sufficient with their own sanitary facilities and battery back up.Many also now have solar panels (we had these fitted this summer) which means in summer you can go off grid for weeks at a time.
Motorhoming as a hobby is green in that the amount of fuel used is far less harmful than that used in aviation and the new Euro5 engines comply with very strict emission legislation.Lots of motorhomes carry bicycles to get around once parked up and the hobby attracts people who like walking, cycling and are generally outdoors type of people.
My idea is to explore the possibility of creating a Dundee Aire by the river in your ward. A suitable place would be immediately westward from the Bridge Cafe.Positioned here it would bring tourist life to the area, support the cafe, encourage cycling on the Green Circular into town, allow dog walking in the Riverside Country Park and allow Scotlands many foreign (and home) visitors not to miss out on Dundee.
This area would provide beautiful sunsets up the Tay Estuary giving visitors a great experience and leaving with a positive impression of the City.
If you are interested in exploring this further I would be happy to meet you to discuss.I would suggest meeting on the site and I could bring down the motorhome so you can get a better understanding of what modern motorhoming is all about.
I know there are four ward councillors and am approaching yourself as I know you personally.If you are supportive I will take your guidance as to how to get the others on board.

Kind Regards

(Johnstey)
 

GJH

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Well done. This is just the sort of action that is needed if aires are to be provided in this country. All too often we see people complaining about the lack of aires but we hardly ever see people taking positive action like yours.

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I think Aires in the UK as a whole would be a great idea, but there is a nagging doubt in the back of my head (no, not SWMBO :ROFLMAO:).

I feel sure that once any were up and running some PC person would claim the right to use them without a MH (car, caravan, truck, Itinerant encampment, new age traveller or whatever), because to refuse them was against their human rights. The flood gates would then be open and eventually they would be closed down as an anti-social nuisance by a load of NIMBYs.

Or am I just being paranoid ? :whatthe:
 
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JOHNSTEY

JOHNSTEY

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I think Aires in the UK as a whole would be a great idea, but there is a nagging doubt in the back of my head (no, not SWMBO :ROFLMAO:).

I feel sure that once any were up and running some PC person would claim the right to use them without a MH (car, caravan, truck, Itinerant encampment, new age traveller or whatever), because to refuse them was against their human rights. The flood gates would then be open and eventually they would be closed down as an anti-social nuisance by a load of NIMBYs.

Or am I just being paranoid ? :whatthe:

I understand the concern but if we all took that view what would ever change?:Cool:
 
Dec 28, 2011
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I understand the concern but if we all took that view what would ever change?:Cool:


Don't misunderstand me please.

I would love it to happen, but the way this country is going it's hard not to see the pitfalls.

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GJH

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I think Aires in the UK as a whole would be a great idea, but there is a nagging doubt in the back of my head (no, not SWMBO :ROFLMAO:).

I feel sure that once any were up and running some PC person would claim the right to use them without a MH (car, caravan, truck, Itinerant encampment, new age traveller or whatever), because to refuse them was against their human rights. The flood gates would then be open and eventually they would be closed down as an anti-social nuisance by a load of NIMBYs.

Or am I just being paranoid ? :whatthe:

I think you're being paranoid :Smile: The opposite happened in Guisborough - only 6 people used it in 18 months so it was closed :Sad:

I haven't heard of any problems where aire type facilities are provided in other areas of the country. It is reasonably straightforward for councils to word the TRO such that they can restrict use to MHs easily.
 

normanandsue

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Brilliant suggestion I have parked here before and used the cafe which is very good, whilst there I thought "this would be a great place for an aire."

Regarding its misuse, they don't seem to have this problem in France nor in most council car parks. If it operated like a car park with supervision from one of those dreaded traffic wardens an penalties for its misuse I don't see a problem

Norman
 
Dec 28, 2011
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I think you're being paranoid :Smile: The opposite happened in Guisborough - only 6 people used it in 18 months so it was closed :Sad:

I haven't heard of any problems where aire type facilities are provided in other areas of the country. It is reasonably straightforward for councils to word the TRO such that they can restrict use to MHs easily.

No wonder it closed. GUISBOROUGH :Eeek:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:


I think they would have to be well publicised to get people to use them.
I only live in Stokesley and I didn't even know that there was one in Guisborough

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Dec 28, 2011
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I would definately use them in this country as I like to move around and not stay in one place all the time, and it saves having to find somewhere to park, or a site for one or two nights.

If they had warden control I'm sure they could work.
 
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JOHNSTEY

JOHNSTEY

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Has anyone got any details of anything happening along these lines in Edinburgh/Glasgow or Aberdeen? There's every chance that Dundee would be more likely to do something if it is the first of the major scottish cities to do it!
 

GJH

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No wonder it closed. GUISBOROUGH :Eeek:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:


I think they would have to be well publicised to get people to use them.
I only live in Stokesley and I didn't even know that there was one in Guisborough

The move was started by a Guisborough resident and it made use of the existing coach park. Basically a case of trying to get something going at low cost with the aim of extending the scheme to Redcar in the future (which might still happen). It was well publicised on forums, in the MH magazines and in tourism publications at the time.

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GJH

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Has anyone got any details of anything happening along these lines in Edinburgh/Glasgow or Aberdeen? There's every chance that Dundee would be more likely to do something if it is the first of the major scottish cities to do it!

The only overnight stopover I know of in Scotland is in Hawick. There are relatively few in the UK. See Here and Here for details.
 

normanandsue

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Whilst I am 100% behind any effort to extend the aires system into the UK I wonder if perhaps we need to recognise an inherrant problem making the use of such sites less than the continent.
If my understanding is correct the UK has fewer motorhomes per head of population than countries such as Holland, France and Germany add to this the
small number of continental motorhomes coming into the UK with the number
driving across open borders on the continent (without ferry costs) and the large number of UK motorhomers like myself who travel to France and other warmer European destinations and we can begin to understand why aires UK might not be as popular as those on the continent.

Norman
 
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JOHNSTEY

JOHNSTEY

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Granted...but...could also be a bit of chicken and egg here...perhaps not so many european motorhomes come over because we don't have the facilities they expect?:RollEyes:

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scotjimland

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(snip) ...perhaps not so many european motorhomes come over because we don't have the facilities they expect?:RollEyes:

I think there may be some truth in this.. but the only way to gauge is to ask on a French motorhome forum .. such as Campingcar Infos.. with a poll.

If the results confirmed that this was indeed the case then it would provide valuable additional support when approaching a council..

Perhaps Frankie could help out on this.. ?

We also have a few European members .. what do they think ?
 
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keith

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The only overnight stopover I know of in Scotland is in Hawick. There are relatively few in the UK. See Here and Here for details.

Sheildaig & Firemore Beach on the West coast, Glencaple in D & G & Port Erroll in Aberdeenshire. All these charge you or ask for a donation, but allow you to stop overnight, but don't tell anyone. opp5

You need to get out more Graham. :ROFLMAO:

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pappajohn

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I think you're being paranoid :Smile: The opposite happened in Guisborough - only 6 people used it in 18 months so it was closed :Sad:

I haven't heard of any problems where aire type facilities are provided in other areas of the country. It is reasonably straightforward for councils to word the TRO such that they can restrict use to MHs easily.

and that would definately stop the 'undesirables' turning up then Graham.

you, yourself, know the lengthy procedure to get them moved on...could take days or weeks, then another batch arrive.
 

GJH

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Sheildaig & Firemore Beach on the West coast, Glencaple in D & G & Port Erroll in Aberdeenshire. All these charge you or ask for a donation, but allow you to stop overnight, but don't tell anyone. opp5

You need to get out more Graham. :ROFLMAO:

Ah, but aren't those camp sites rather than council aires Keith? :Smile:
 

GJH

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and that would definately stop the 'undesirables' turning up then Graham.

you, yourself, know the lengthy procedure to get them moved on...could take days or weeks, then another batch arrive.

In the normal, traditional, run of things you're right John. Word the TRO correctly though and it is possible for the council/police to move people on straight away. We looked at it in detail when setting up the ill-fated Guisborough scheme.

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JOHNSTEY

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Ah, but aren't those camp sites rather than council aires Keith? :Smile:

Sheildaig on recollection is 'run' by the local community council who allow camping on common land 'grazings' in return for a small donation so is not really a campsite.
Glencaple is a Council car park which allows overnights for a small fee so is close to being an Aire.
I have not been to the Hawick example but will pop in to looksee next time going through the borders.:thumb:
 

keith

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Ah, but aren't those camp sites rather than council aires Keith? :Smile:

How do you differentiate Graham? Each of these post notices allowing parking overnight and ask for a small donation. :Cool:
Sheildaig is council or local parish run & proceeds go to the community, parking & water only.
Firemore Beach, I believe, is privately owned like many aires are.
Glencaple is definitely not a camp site, no facilities here, apart from the Glencaple hotel opposite.
Port Erroll in Aberdeenshire, proceeds go to maintain the harbour, so I imagine that is local council as they would be responsible for the harbour upkeep.:thumb:
 

GJH

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[HI]How do you differentiate Graham? [/HI]Each of these post notices allowing parking overnight and ask for a small donation. :Cool:
Sheildaig is council or local parish run & proceeds go to the community, parking & water only.
Firemore Beach, I believe, is privately owned like many aires are.
Glencaple is definitely not a camp site, no facilities here, apart from the Glencaple hotel opposite.
Port Erroll in Aberdeenshire, proceeds go to maintain the harbour, so I imagine that is local council as they would be responsible for the harbour upkeep.:thumb:

As I understand it an aire is set up and run by a local authority which is also a licensing authority so does not need a site licence. Otherwise a site licence is required so it is, by definition, a caravan site.

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lorger

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As far as I'm aware the one at Glencaple is on private property as the area it's on is owned by a local land owner. Who very kindly donates to the local community he's even subsidised the local post office so it remains open. I can't think of his name but he ownes most of the land around that area, we have never used the one at Glencaple as we only stay 4miles from it use the hotel often for bar suppers and always seems to have a motorhome or two staying, they have now turned the big barn/shed next the aire in to a cafe visitor center which I believe was also donated by said land owner.
I have though of contacting the local council about making an official one as there always seems to be a couple in the dock park, only problem is I wouldn't know where to start.
 

GJH

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That makes all four in private ownership then Gerry. Shieldaig is owned by the Grazing Committee (crofters' association) whilst the Port Erroll one is owned by the Harbour Board rather than the local council.
 

_motorhome_hire

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Aires in Scotland

You have made Dundee sound lovely, will have to make it one of my 'must visit' places. As to an Aire there that would be good, should be a success, if, it is not abused.
Good luck with your task. Will keep watching out for your next post with hopefully positive news.

Steph

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JOHNSTEY

JOHNSTEY

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I have though of contacting the local council about making an official one as there always seems to be a couple in the dock park, only problem is I wouldn't know where to start.

Hi Gerry,
Why not e-mail your the ward councillor using a similar argument to the one I used and see if it gets you anywhere?If you don't know the Councillor you can get the contact off the Council website easy enough.
I have had a response from my e-mail along the lines of ' the idea has merit and should be explored' and it has been sent on to the City Development dept. for their views before we should meet.

Johnstey:Smile:
 

Spacerunner

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Couple of years ago I contacted my Local Authority at Havant in Hampshire to suggest an 'aire' facility.
They came up trumps with the facility on Hayling Island :Smile:.
It was used by many motorhomes and the Manager of the Inn on the Beach said he was enjoying improved business all year round especially from the motorhome owners.
Everything was working well until the owner(s) of the local campsites objected with the result that the overnight charge was doubled to £20 per night. The result now is that the site is barely used.
We used to use it a lot and had meals at the pub or bought from the seafront chippies.
So because of the influence of one selfish objector Hayling Island have lost much needed revenue.
 

GJH

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Couple of years ago I contacted my Local Authority at Havant in Hampshire to suggest an 'aire' facility.
They came up trumps with the facility on Hayling Island :Smile:.
It was used by many motorhomes and the Manager of the Inn on the Beach said he was enjoying improved business all year round especially from the motorhome owners.
Everything was working well until [HI]the owner(s) of the local campsites objected[/HI] with the result that the overnight charge was doubled to £20 per night. The result now is that the site is barely used.
We used to use it a lot and had meals at the pub or bought from the seafront chippies.
So because of the influence of one selfish objector Hayling Island have lost much needed revenue.
This is a dilemma that all local councils face. However, if it is the case that a number of other local businesses have been adversely affected as a result then perhaps they should get together and point out to the council that the greater good would be served by reducing the charge again.

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