BritStops Update - Day 1 (1 Viewer)

PP Bear

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BritStop day 1.

Drove the A roads through Amersham, Wendover Woods, Tring and up to the Dunstable Downs, where we stopped off and watched the gliders, para gliders and people flying kites. I grew up here and little has changed really, except the visitors centre, which I believe is now part of the Nation Trust. Lovely afternoon and highly recommended too. Refreshments are available onsite as is motorhome parking, but do check the tariffs as I missed the signs and got away with a free afternoons parking thank goodness. No height restrictions and plenty of room for larger RV's too.

65 lazy comfortable easy miles later we're parked up at BritStop 205 called the Fancott Pub. What a beautiful friendly place to stop off for the first night. Suns shining, Doom Bars on tap. Turns out to be excellent value for money. 4 pints of Doom bar and 2 large róse spritzers, 2 main meals and 2 deserts comes in at £50.50, not so bad including the drinks we thought. That's my BritStop membership paid for in the first night, winner!!! :)

The Fancott pub is really lovely, low beams, big garden, nice menu and extremely helpful staff, who really couldn't do enough for us, they're a credit to the place :) There's a big wood burning stove for when the winter sets in and a really nice atmosphere about the place too.

Nice big carpark with lots of room. We're parked up near the miniature railway line which proves very popular with the younger generation, but it's not restricted to the kids, so move move over or I'll nick ya lolly. Need to check railway timings or you'll get here and missed your train :)

http://www.thefancott.co.uk

Right off to the bar to sample ales :)

image.jpg image.jpg
 

ukbill

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most places from britstops would be free to stop at anyway you just need to know where they are bloody name the places so we can save on britstop membership
 
Apr 13, 2012
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Someone (Britstops) went to the trouble of asking/advertising for places for us to stop free.

It helps us and the pub/cafe/whatever.

I've not used Britstops but I will follow this thread to see whether I might want to use them and if it's worth the joining fee.

If we are not prepared pay something then sites like Britstops just wont exist.

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keith

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That's my list Bill and a more up to date one can be accessed below, and now has nearly 600 on it.

The difference is that I don't contact the pubs (take me ages) but watch forums and internet to find people telling of their experiences and recommendations at pubs then logging them on a Google map.

Britstops have contacted all the ones in their book and got an agreement that MH's can stop 1 night without any obligation to purchase. I have used many and it works, only once have I been badgered by the landlord who was in the Britstops book, to use his facilities then I didn't stay and reported it to Steve who runs Britstops.
 

MattR

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most places from britstops would be free to stop at anyway you just need to know where they are bloody name the places so we can save on britstop membership
no maybe not but the stops will still exist i have satyed at loads of place that cost nowt and didnt need a membership for them either
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?i...7522.00049af91baebfd18ebc7&t=h&z=6&dg=feature
that list cost nowt as well if in doubt ask the place phone or walk in and ask

If someone has invested time and money in collecting details about places to stay and charges users a small fee to access this list, I don't agree that it is right to share that list or parts of it on the Web.

Sites like BritStops makes motorhoming much easier for many and open up a wide range of places to stay - not all of them are obvious places to contact. It would be a shame if these weren't available.

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Tootles

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called the Fancott Pub. What a beautiful friendly place to stop off for the first night. Suns shining, Doom Bars on tap. Turns out to be excellent value for money. 4 pints of Doom bar and 2 large róse spritzers, 2 main meals and 2 deserts comes in at £50.50, not so bad including the drinks we thought. That's my BritStop membership paid for in the first night, winner!!! :)

Er, do you think you could half-inch that brolly for me...?? :)
 
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If someone has invested time and money in collecting details about places to stay and charges users a small fee to access this list, I don't agree that it is right to share that list or parts of it on the Web.

Sites like BritStops makes motorhoming much easier for many and open up a wide range of places to stay - not all of them are obvious places to contact. It would be a shame if these weren't available.
I am very torn on Britstops while agreeing that Steve has invested time and money in this , no one told him to and obviously he has done it to make a bob or two, but that doesn't stop someone else posting the same stuff for free on here, as long as they are putting their own findings on and not just quote ing from Stevens book, I was a member of Britstops last year and found it very good but could be very dear if you used the pub and found ,that has been said ,you could park there whether you were Britstops or not , we probably did ten last year but were only asked for Id at one, so afraid we have not joined this time but just wish someone could find a way of doing this without feeling obliged to go in the pub, I know it's not compulsory but it's a bit off if you don't, we ended up paying £50 for two at one place, nice meal and nice everything else but if we had been on a cl or something it would probably have been beans on toast and a tenner all in.

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MattR

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We're not members of BritStops but understand that there is no commitment to buy anything at the stops. If you feel that you should buy something, why not have your beans and toast in your van and then wash it down with a pint or two in the pub? We rarely eat out but are much more inclined to do so if we can save paying pitch fees. Also, the BritStops locations may be more accessible or suitable than CL or CS sites on occasions.
 
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We're not members of BritStops but understand that there is no commitment to buy anything at the stops. If you feel that you should buy something, why not have your beans and toast in your van and then wash it down with a pint or two in the pub? We rarely eat out but are much more inclined to do so if we can save paying pitch fees. Also, the BritStops locations may be more accessible or suitable than CL or CS sites on occasions.
Agree with you, as I say I am very torn on it, as we use aires all the time in France as they have everything we want (nothing(y)) but Britstops isn't the same, maybe some can just park and buy nothing but I couldn't do that, we are members of France passion which is on the same lines as Britstops but somehow you don't feel so obliged as you can park anywhere for nothing anyway in France.
 
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Someone
has to pay for where we stop - I like the idea in this country of mixing sites, CLs and pub stops.

I would probably pick a pubstop/Britstop if I fancied a drink or a meal and a CL for a quiet night(y)

I don't mind paying either way...........................



:)

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Puddleduck

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Some people are very shy and would not ask in fear of a refusal but because of BritStops that fear is removed.

I am a BritStops member but haven't used any as yet, mainly because of our need for EHU which limits things. Some BritStops do have EHU, just none in the areas we are likely to visit this year.
 

ukbill

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If someone has invested time and money in collecting details about places to stay and charges users a small fee to access this list, I don't agree that it is right to share that list or parts of it on the Web.

Sites like BritStops makes motorhoming much easier for many and open up a wide range of places to stay - not all of them are obvious places to contact. It would be a shame if these weren't available.

do you mean in your opinion you don't agree the right to share or do you mean WE MUST NOT SHARE
britstops dont make it easier for motorhoming what about ukcampsites no fee to them and what about a google search for sites near x y z no fee to them either by all means u pay ya fee's i will watch on here and elsewhere for people's opinions about where to go and whats it like and it will be a unbiased opinion imho of course :)
 

DBK

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I fear I would feel guilty stopping in a pub car park and not buying something from them. These places don't join BritStops for that to happen, they want the custom. They may have agreed to it but it isn't what they want and to me it seems like freeloading to just use their car park and not put anything back in return. Which of course is where the BritStops model gets a bit shaky - if you feel you have to eat or drink out every evening it would rack up the cost. You should be able to stay on a paying site or CL and cook your own food and drink supermarket booze for a lot less than a night out in a pub. Great for a treat but doing it every night? Unless of course you just park up and keep out of the pub! :)

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Puddleduck

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Britstops aren't all pubs! Pubs are easy it's the more unusual stops that make the membership worth the money.... places like farm shops and craft shops.

I would be happy to buy produce in a farm shop as we have to buy food / eat and even though a farm shop may be more expensive than a supermarket if you get better quality and a stop for free, well, why not?
 
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do you mean in your opinion you don't agree the right to share or do you mean WE MUST NOT SHARE
britstops dont make it easier for motorhoming what about ukcampsites no fee to them and what about a google search for sites near x y z no fee to them either by all means u pay ya fee's i will watch on here and elsewhere for people's opinions about where to go and whats it like and it will be a unbiased opinion imho of course :)

What about places that have only started allowing stopovers because Brit Stops went to the effort of contacting them? Those places would not have appeared on ukcampsites, Google or any other website if it wasn't for their work.

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ukbill

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i have never stopped at a pub without using the place either for food or drink most places allow u to stop overnight if you ask
 

Stephen & Jeannie

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There is only 1 Britstop on the Isle of Lewis and I stay there on a regular basis !!
She is even ferrying me and Jeannie to our wedding and acting as one of the witnesses, her sister is the other one !
And it's not a pub !! It's a pottery !:blush::blush::blush:

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keith

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Britstops aren't all pubs! Pubs are easy it's the more unusual stops that make the membership worth the money.... places like farm shops and craft shops.

I would be happy to buy produce in a farm shop as we have to buy food / eat and even though a farm shop may be more expensive than a supermarket if you get better quality and a stop for free, well, why not?

We have used many of the farm shops and other places and also prefer these as they can offer more than just food and drink and almost always they are in the rural parts of our countryside and so much quieter. Excellent ones we used on our recent trip following the East coast of Scotland (none were pubs)were number 826,829,807 and 815 in the book, all in very quiet locations. 810 N of Dundee is also excellent even having water and dump facilities.

Therefore you can see from our experience there are many Britstops that most MH'ers would not be aware of their willingness to let you stay the night. So if a CL charges £10, you could say we saved £50 on one trip. Yes we did buy some produce but we would have had to buy that anyway.
 

s7ev0

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There is only 1 Britstop on the Isle of Lewis and I stay there on a regular basis !!
She is even ferrying me and Jeannie to our wedding and acting as one of the witnesses, her sister is the other one !:blush::blush::blush:

Wonderful! Congratulations! :clap:

It's the first Brit Stops wedding! :h:

Steve and Mandy
(oh, and where's our invite?) ::bigsmile:
 

Stephen & Jeannie

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Wonderful! Congratulations! :clap:

It's the first Brit Stops wedding! :h:

Steve and Mandy
(oh, and where's our invite?) ::bigsmile:

You are most welcome....15th. September. Stornoway reg.office !:blush::blush::blush:

p.s. Does that qualify me for a free book next year ??:rofl::rofl::rofl:

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Cobweb

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Well....I have just ordered the Britstops book . Hopefully we will find some useful overnight stops in September . Undecided whether we will head to Scotland or Norfolk ...in the end weather forecasts will decide . We have headed to Europe every time for the last 6 years so this time we will stay in the UK and hope for the best . Starting to do research now about CL s and campsites near to Cyclepaths for Plan A Scotland as well As plan B Norfolk .

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