UK Aires in supermarkets? (1 Viewer)

[Elvis]

How about lobbying some of the large supermarkets to offer an area for MHs in their huge car parks for one night stop-overs?

There could be a section, with water & waste area for a few MHs, the car parks are empty at night anyway and they could insist there is a 'minimun spend' of say £5 or £10 in the shop, just produce the reciept and get a token to put on windscreen.

There are a zillion s/markets all over the UK, with big empty car parks, some very central locations too! Most have some sort of security, like CCTV.

Stand a better chance with them, than the councils I would have thought.

 

[hilldweller]

Stand a better chance with them, than the councils I would have thought.

Seriously good idea. Of course the councils could still scupper it on planning grounds.

 

[pappajohn]

Seriously good idea. Of course the councils could still scupper it on planning grounds.

and the supermarkets public liability insurance company would as well:Sad:

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[twooks]

what a negative lot - must be something in the water p'raps

 

[Elvis]

got a point though

Well negative or not they all have a point but nothing is insumountable hey and money always talks, generally what the big supermarkets want, they get .... would have to convince the S/markets it's a money spinner and good customer relations, they will take care of the rest, to include the councils

But how to convince the s/markets? :Cool:

 

[scotjimland]

you could start with Asda .. their parent company Walmart do it in the States

but surely Asda management are aware of this practice, I fear there is another stumbling block..

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[Lincolnshire Rover]

Tesco's near Dereham Norfolk is next to a Motorhome and Caravan Dealership and all around the perimiter roads and in the car park are signs warning NO overnight parking offenders will be towed away . I think that answers your question regarding aires at supermarkets :moon:

 

[GJH]

I contacted all the major supermarkets about two and a half years ago about general parking, not necessarily overnighting. Unfortunately the responses Here were not particularly encouraging. However, we're in a different ballgame now with the economic situation so they may well be more sympathetic if they think they might generate extra business.

Apparently (see note on page referenced) Tesco allow overnighting at the discretion of the store manager but never tried it myself. I've also read that Walmart (owner of Asda) allow overnighting in the USA.

There are contact details on the supermarket web sites so go for it Elvis. They might well be willing to try schemes linked to spending a certain amount. Nothing to lose anyway so good luck.

Graham

 

[Elvis]

didnt know that!

you could start with Asda .. their parent company Walmart do it in the States

but surely Asda management are aware of this practice, I fear there is another stumbling block..

Wow, didnt know they did it in USA .... cool Well, they prob don't think there is a call for it over here, let's face it, no one over here really thinks about MHs :Sad: They just need to be reminded.... I will try and think of a letter so any advice on content would be great :thumb:

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[vwalan]

anything is worth a try. in spain in polmones campers stay in lidl carpark ,not allowed in carrefoure. so now i dont shop at a carrefoure. alot here seem to have barriers at night. suppose its because of donut boys being a pest.

 

[scotjimland]

Walmart

From US Net RV web site

Common sense rules about staying the night at Walmart​

No pop up trailers or tents.

Don't stay if "No overnight parking" signs are posted.

Obtain permission from a qualified person at the store that it's okay to stay. However, if there are already many RVs parked nearby each other in the parking lot, you can probably assume overnight stays are allowed.

Park in an out-of-the-way corner of the parking lot. You will often find other RVs already there.

Do not set up awnings or pull out your barbecue or lawn chairs or do anything else outside your RV that suggests you are "camping." In other words, "blend in!"

Do not use hydraulic levellers. You'll hurt the asphalt.

Make no noise. Don't use your generator unless you are parked in a far corner of the lot with nobody around including nearby residences.

Don't extend your RV's slideouts unless absolutely necessary.

Limit your stay to one night. Never consider a Walmart a campground, only a place to stay a night while on the way to somewhere else or as a place to get some sleep when you are so tired that it would be dangerous to keep driving.

Buy something from the store before leaving. Support the RV accessories department.

Never litter. And pick up and dispose of any litter that is already there.

Don't stay if your RV has a leak in a waste holding tank or is dripping any oil or other automotive fluid.

Carry a pack of post cards with you. After you leave the store after staying the night, send one to the manager thanking him/her and noting that you purchased something while there (if you, in fact, did).

Remember, the more people who abuse these rules, the more stores will post "No overnight parking" signs.

Tell any RVer you observe violating these rules that you do not appreciate his or her behavior.

 

[Elvis]

short sighten

Tesco's near Dereham Norfolk is next to a Motorhome and Caravan Dealership and all around the perimiter roads and in the car park are signs warning NO overnight parking offenders will be towed away . I think that answers your question regarding aires at supermarkets :moon:

Yes but we all know how short-sighted the Brits are, they have to be convinced (at the top), sold the idea first and with your example, they prob got fed up with having loads there and not leaving in the morning ... no rules set, needs to be on their terms ..... see what people mean about negative :Blush: Positive help needed please !!!!

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[Pronto]

SuperU do it France - but the French do seem to be a bit more advanced than us Brits ...

 

[mondo]

you could start with Asda .. their parent company Walmart do it in the States

but surely Asda management are aware of this practice, I fear there is another stumbling block..

The Asda store at Bristol, (Cribbs Causeway) J17 M5, used to allow overnight parking for HGVs at the top end of the car park, because a lot of us (retired now) HGV drivers used to do a bit of shopping and use the extremely good and cheap cafeteria there.
However it got a bit silly as drivers were doing Number 1s and 2s and slinging rubbish about the car park so ASDA said NO MORE!! and they wonder why !!!.

It is still prevalent in laybys and the like lovely smell of wee-wee and poo-poo when will we learn!!

 

[scotjimland]

SuperU do it France - but the French do seem to be a bit more advanced than us Brits ...

Couldn't agree more, SuperU and also Intermarche , here is one in Brittany with a coin operated laundry facility , bourne and safe FREE parking..

Link Removed

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[camperman1]

We would have to be a bit careful as there are some real idiots in the motorhoming community. The other half and I went to ASDA at Brighton Marina and one motorhome was parked in the middle of four spaces and as a former supermarket manager I was not impressed.

I would not be surprised to find a height barrier in operation on our next visit.


Camperman 1

 

[olley]

Hi Jim is that site on your RV map? if not, why not?

Olley

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Jim is that site on your RV map? if not, why not?

Olley

Forgot about it :Blush:
will add it now :thumb:

it's close to the one we were on at Plougonvelin which had 16a ehu , free water amd only 5 euro ..


jim

edit

how zat ..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=115843103054280433491.00045c1ab0c50bf957c9d&ll=48.349319,-4.717512&spn=0.012521,0.035233&z=15

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[sinbad1]

Couldn't agree more, SuperU and also Intermarche , here is one in Brittany with a coin operated laundry facility , bourne and safe FREE parking..

Link Removed

Wow that looks superb they certainly got things right when it comes to accommodating travelers. I guess thats why people head that way, in comparison with the UK, it does seem to be totally opposite.

Maybe over here we get tarred with the same brush as the tinkers (not sure if thats the right deception/), i don't know ;but would account for the somewhat unfriendly attitude which seem to exist.

Whilst i support the original poster quest i don't think its going to be an easy task apart from the supermarkets themselves there will be councils and it also has to be OK with the vast majority of customers that go there.

I hope you are successfully in your mission

Regards

 

[GJH]

(snip) I will try and think of a letter so any advice on content would be great :thumb:

Have a look Here. Aimed at councils but you may be able to adapt it.

Graham

 

[markymark]

I think its a cracking idea Elvis with the MH owner having to spend a minimum amount to get permission to stay overnight wether its food or fuel.
I live on the edge of the New Forest(100M to park gate) in Southampton and we have a Tesco store with a massive car park and 24 fuel terminal. Living so close to it me and the mrs pop in there daily and the amount of MHs in there stocking up with goodies is massive. The most i have counted at any one time is 6.

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[gazznsam]

the wall mart thing came about because the big boss was a keen RV'er, unfortunately he died a few years ago, and the new big boss isnt as accomodating,

a lot of wallmarts in america have banned overnighting because some people just have to take the pee, awnings out, picnic tables and chairs out, bbq going, dog on a chain tied up to the RV, kids riding around the carpark as if it were a public park etc,

theres also been a fair few cases where nearby campsite owners got together and made mass complaints about loss of buiseness, and forced no overnighting laws to apply to most of the town, stupid really as the kind of camper who overnights in a carpark isnt the type to use an expensive campsite in the first place,

over here as soon as anyone mentions staying overnight in a motorhome, people instiantly think traveller/tinker/gypsie etc, and say no way,
supermarket carparks have been taken over by travellers before, heard about one that when they were finaly evicted, the clean up squad found a dead horse in the bushes!!
makes a change form the usual car on it's roof and washing machines they leave behind.

i'm all for an aire system in the uk, but unfortunately i also know that there are too many people who would abuse it, those places that used to allow overnighting stopped doing so usually for the same reason, inconsiderate filthy gits emptying the bog tanks in bushes, down surface water drains that lead to becks and streams, in the dunes and so on.

if a bourne was in place, half the people would say it's too far to walk, the bushes are nearer, and you can bet the local vandals will be attracted to it, especialy if it's a pay one with a 'prize' inside if they manage to force it open.

sorry for being so negative, just gettin fed up of the current generation at the moment...
went to a cashpoint earlier as i wanted cash to get a spam fritter and ship for me tea, went to a closed supermarket that has a row of machines,
someone was at one machine, so i went to one of the others, i'd put my card in when he started shouting that it was telling him he had insuficiant funds, that was rubbish as his dole went in on thuresday and so on,

once he got his card back, instead of just walking away, he punched and kicked at the machine untill it went into 'being attacked mode', and the bank of 3 machines all shut down, i'd just selected to draw a tenner out, and of course it shut down before it gave my card back or dispensed the money.

he then proudly said to his mate 'if the f*cking thing wont give me any money, then no f*cker else is getting any either'

so now i have to wait for the machines owner to go and collect my card and post it back to me, woman on the phone said it could be next monday before i get it back as there'll be an investigation to who set the machine into attack mode and i wont get my card back untill it's proven i didnt do it, great, going to the pickering show on thursday and then around yorkshire for sams birthday trip, and i have 53p in my pocket.

luckily i have internet banking so can transfer the dosh into sams account, but then i'll have to stop her spending it on shoes and handbags

 

[Elvis]

police ourselves

the wall mart thing came about because the big boss was a keen RV'er, unfortunately he died a few years ago, and the new big boss isnt as accomodating,

a lot of wallmarts in america have banned overnighting because some people just have to take the pee, awnings out, picnic tables and chairs out, bbq going, dog on a chain tied up to the RV, kids riding around the carpark as if it were a public park etc,

theres also been a fair few cases where nearby campsite owners got together and made mass complaints about loss of buiseness, and forced no overnighting laws to apply to most of the town, stupid really as the kind of camper who overnights in a carpark isnt the type to use an expensive campsite in the first place,

over here as soon as anyone mentions staying overnight in a motorhome, people instiantly think traveller/tinker/gypsie etc, and say no way,
supermarket carparks have been taken over by travellers before, heard about one that when they were finaly evicted, the clean up squad found a dead horse in the bushes!!
makes a change form the usual car on it's roof and washing machines they leave behind.

i'm all for an aire system in the uk, but unfortunately i also know that there are too many people who would abuse it, those places that used to allow overnighting stopped doing so usually for the same reason, inconsiderate filthy gits emptying the bog tanks in bushes, down surface water drains that lead to becks and streams, in the dunes and so on.

if a bourne was in place, half the people would say it's too far to walk, the bushes are nearer, and you can bet the local vandals will be attracted to it, especialy if it's a pay one with a 'prize' inside if they manage to force it open.

sorry for being so negative, just gettin fed up of the current generation at the moment...
went to a cashpoint earlier as i wanted cash to get a spam fritter and ship for me tea, went to a closed supermarket that has a row of machines,
someone was at one machine, so i went to one of the others, i'd put my card in when he started shouting that it was telling him he had insuficiant funds, that was rubbish as his dole went in on thuresday and so on,

once he got his card back, instead of just walking away, he punched and kicked at the machine untill it went into 'being attacked mode', and the bank of 3 machines all shut down, i'd just selected to draw a tenner out, and of course it shut down before it gave my card back or dispensed the money.

he then proudly said to his mate 'if the f*cking thing wont give me any money, then no f*cker else is getting any either'

so now i have to wait for the machines owner to go and collect my card and post it back to me, woman on the phone said it could be next monday before i get it back as there'll be an investigation to who set the machine into attack mode and i wont get my card back untill it's proven i didnt do it, great, going to the pickering show on thursday and then around yorkshire for sams birthday trip, and i have 53p in my pocket.

luckily i have internet banking so can transfer the dosh into sams account, but then i'll have to stop her spending it on shoes and handbags

Well, I suggest we stop talking the talk and start walking the walk then :thumb: We should police each other, If we see some one dumping their waste in the wrong place, then we should tell them not to and so on , no good sitting by and doing nothing.

In your case, with the machines, then I would have called the police ... zero tolerance! If the police do nothing, fine, at least you done your bit

This generation is bad because the older generation sat back and did nothing, way too soft on their kids and so on, voteing for soft politics ... you want change, then walk the walk!

Same applies to MHs, we need to walk the walk and lobby and make ourselves heard! We are customers, tax paying voters so we count! ... being apathetic gets you nowhere fast

 

[crazylazy]

I know this may sound crazy ....with the current CAR industry climate and the government throwing cash their way all the time.. after all we must be a good sized portion of the "wheels" industry...perhaps now would be a good time to try and make some sort of stand for more facilities for MH'S albeit in the supermarket car-parks or local council facilities...........I know in Hastings ASDA are hoping to open a store...I will be writing to them to see if they may consider overnight parking for MH'S......the local council are taking the main car park away from the old town and building an ART GALLERY.!!

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[bigfoot]

Wow, didnt know they did it in USA .... cool Well, they prob don't think there is a call for it over here, let's face it, no one over here really thinks about MHs :Sad: They just need to be reminded.... I will try and think of a letter so any advice on content would be great :thumb:

Canada as well.

 

[gypsylady]

Supermarket Overnighters

Be careful you don't just generate a flurry of new No Parking signs in the carparks.

​

:helptitanic:

We already use Aldi carparks regularly, We make sure we pull in after 8.00pm (after closing) and we shop there the next morning.

If loads of [NO OVERNIGHT PARKING] signs spring up then we cannot claim ignorance.

June

 

[gypsylady]

Policing Waste

Heard about a new website on the radio this morning.

Keep Britain Tidy

Hope the link works. If not its:

[keepbritaintidy.org]

Anyone can log on and 'shop' someone (usually motorists) for dropping litter.

Maybe they can help us stamp out the ones who give the majority a bad name.

:helpsos:

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[hilldweller]

Well, I suggest we stop talking the talk and start walking the walk then :thumb: We should police each other, If we see some one dumping their waste in the wrong place, then we should tell them not to and so on , no good sitting by and doing nothing.

You are a braver man than me. Any Neanderthal that empties his crap in the bushes is not someone I'd like to tackle. No respect for the environment, it'll have no respect for my body or MH.

OK it may back down in front of you but these days the routine would be your tyres slashed as soon as you turn your back. Or get a bigger group and wait for you.

NI has proved you can't beat thugs with force in a civilised manner. The Romans worked this out a long time ago. If they don't submit keep killing them until they did, leave alive just enough to spread the work. Boudicca is a prime example on this Island. The Church was once a brilliant control, even a Neanderthal can't attack that which it cannot see, but the church is a spent force these days.

 

[Ralph-Dot]

Although I agree that it would be a good idea, the majority of supermarkets are in areas I would not want to park my van.

Also I agree that Aldi, Lidl or Netto could be a better bet than the others.

 

[6pm Cowboy]

It is interesting that supermarkets seem to act differently in different areas of the country and may suggest that there are more things down to the whims of the area managers than we think.

For instance, we were recently on holiday in Scotland and one particular supermarket we visited ( wish I could remember which andd where but the brain cells are deteriorating fast ) had sections of the car park laid out for motorhomes and another for cars and caravans so the tourists could shop there.

I have yet to see anything like that down south.

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