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

[keith]

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 .
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.

Unfortunately this is what seems to happen to any successful venture as soon as it becomes popular the rip off lot take advantage.

Could you not approach the landlord to see if he would object to MH parking in his car park overnight? On Google it looks as though there is room, or do I remember someone saying barriers have been put up there?

 

[GJH]

Unfortunately this is what seems to happen to any successful venture as soon as it becomes popular the rip off lot take advantage.

[HI]Could you not approach the landlord to see if he would object to MH parking in his car park overnight? On Google it looks as though there is room, or do I remember someone saying barriers have been put up there?[/HI]

To do that legally he would have to have a CL type exemption or a site licence. If the pub is owned by a brewery they might have something to say as well.

 

[Spacerunner]

Had a chat to the pub's manager earlier in the year and he was actually talking about having his own parking area for motorhomes.
Don't know if he is still thinking on those lines but I would expect that the same old objections from local campsite owners would arise.
Meantime I'm sure that if you 'wined and dined' at the pub you could be certain of an overnight parking place.

http://innonthebeach.co.uk/

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[oldun]

Conditions are very hard at the moment and the cost of providing, policing and mainlining facilities for free camping must come well down on their list of priorities. It's not as if the income from the free campers would be very large.

However we can all live in hope that one day things in the UK will improve.

keep up the good work

 

[Trikimiki]

The car park for motorhomes in Fort William seems to work ok

 

[GJH]

The car park for motorhomes in Fort William seems to work ok

But that's only daytime. Overnight habitation is not allowed in any car parks at Fort William.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

I think aires are a great idea.
But not in my backyard , and i wouldn't like them if i were a local campsite owner either.:Blush:

Better still would be campsite owners drasticly reducing prices for people like us who dont uses any of the facilities (apart from dumping water / poo and filling water .

Paying £2 less ( if your lucky) for not using any electric , showers , washing up bays , loos , annoys us.
It almost makes us want to go out and buy a fan heater , turn it on , stick it in an awning and go out for the day Like we see lots of tuggers do.

 

[joner8888]

Great idea!
I would use it.
It will work if you have no metal items on site and a armed response team on site to keep the gipos out.

 

[GJH]

It would be nice if camp site owners gave a greater discount for not using facilities but it's probably not practical from their point of view. Whilst the marginal cost of usage is not incurred they still have to recoup the capital costs of providing the facilities.

It would be also nice to see more basic camp sites like Miller Field at Ambleside but I expect that it would be difficult in many areas to find suitable land which would also attract a sufficient number of customers who would find minimal facilities acceptable.

We have used several C&CC Meet and THS sites this year, perhaps the closest one can get to aires at the moment.

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[keith]

It would be nice if camp site owners gave a greater discount for not using facilities but it's probably not practical from their point of view. Whilst the marginal cost of usage is not incurred they still have to recoup the capital costs of providing the facilities.

It would be also nice to see more basic camp sites like Miller Field at Ambleside but I expect that it would be difficult in many areas to find suitable land which would also attract a sufficient number of customers who would find minimal facilities acceptable.

We have used several C&CC Meet and THS sites this year, perhaps the closest one can get to aires at the moment.

I did approach the owner of the site we live on to provide something along these lines but their answer was that they have to pay a manager to look after the site and his time is too valuable to spend time ensuring the differing charges are complied with.
I guess the problem is many would try to take advantage and use all facilities but not pay the full price.
We also tried a THS near Ayr this year and found it to be very convienient and very reasonable cost. Maybe a few funsters could use one of those and meet up.

 

[GJH]

I did approach the owner of the site we live on to provide something along these lines but their answer was that they have to pay a manager to look after the site and his time is too valuable to spend time ensuring the differing charges are complied with.
I guess the problem is many would try to take advantage and use all facilities but not pay the full price.

You could well be right, Keith. We've been on a couple of CLs/CSs where we paid a few pounds less for not using hook-up but I suppose such small sites are much more easily manageable.

We also tried a THS near Ayr this year and found it to be very convienient and very reasonable cost. Maybe a few funsters could use one of those and meet up.

We've seen SandJ on a couple of meets this year, purely by chance

 

[JOHNSTEY]

Update.....latest on this as follows.


To: Richard Mccready/Cllr/dundeecity@dundeecity
From: Mike Galloway/CD/dundeecity
Date: 30/11/2012 02:35PM
Cc: Mary Scott/CD/dundeecity@dundeecity
Subject: Re: Facilities for Motorhomes in Dundee

Richard

Thank you for your email. I am not at all sure that the area at Riverside your constituent refers to is an area we would favour as the land take for such a site would be considerable as would the visual impact. That there is a market for facilites for touring motorhomes and caravans is not disputed however provision within the City would depend on the identification of a suitable site and attracting someone to invest and run the facility.

We will look at this issue as we review how the City prepares for the influx of visitors a rising from the Waterfront and V&A at Dundee. We are working with VisitScotland on this and expect to be saying something about what we can do in the New Year.


Regards

Mike Galloway
Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

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[GJH]

Not dismissed out of hand then :thumb:

It might be worth offering to give them some input into their review so that they don't have to research motorhome facilities/requirements themselves. That's what we did for the project at Guisborough. David Lloyd (the main mover on that) actually took his motorhome one day so that members and officers could see how self-contained it was (i.e. how little investment is required to get a basic site up and running).

 

[John and Kim]

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 know this is an old post but I found an Aires style stop over Called Castle Corner at Caerlaveroverock, Dumfires, Glencaple, it has a drive by service point for a small fee which you can empty your chemical toilet Gray water and refuge waste fresh water to or it's all free for a nights stop over ideal for lovely quite night in with walking access to the castle and bird centre. We loved it picnic table and lovely and peaceful!

 

[icantremember]

Hi John and Kim, firstly welcome to the forum and I would suggest you post an introduction on the "Introduce Yourself" page where I'm sure you will be given a big welcome by many more MHF members.

Meanwhile, many thanks for your advice which we shall probably make use of when we visit the area in a few weeks.

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[funflair]

No wonder it closed. GUISBOROUGH




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

I live in Guisborough and only realised it had been there when it was closed. In this country we are just not used to this facility and it would take a while for the word to get around.

 

[GJH]

I know this is an old post but I found an Aires style stop over Called Castle Corner at Caerlaveroverock, Dumfires, Glencaple, it has a drive by service point for a small fee which you can empty your chemical toilet Gray water and refuge waste fresh water to or it's all free for a nights stop over ideal for lovely quite night in with walking access to the castle and bird centre. We loved it picnic table and lovely and peaceful!

Castle Corner Camp Site is actually an MCC CL rather than an aire. Being an MCC CL (as opposed to CC or C&CC) it is open to non-members as well but MCC members get in cheaper.

I live in Guisborough and only realised it had been there when it was closed. In this country we are just not used to this facility and it would take a while for the word to get around.

It was in the local press and on the RCBC web site at the time Martin You must be like me and not rad the Gazette

 

[funflair]

Castle Corner Camp Site is actually an MCC CL rather than an aire. Being an MCC CL (as opposed to CC or C&CC) it is open to non-members as well but MCC members get in cheaper.

It was in the local press and on the RCBC web site at the time Martin You must be like me and not rad the Gazette

You are right I don't, was there a sign pointing the way to motorhomes that were heading towards Whitby and looking for a place to stay, don't think so as I passed that way dozens of times.

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[GJH]

You are right I don't, was there a sign pointing the way to motorhomes that were heading towards Whitby and looking for a place to stay, don't think so as I passed that way dozens of times.

No sign unfortunately. It was discussed but there is no "motorhome parking" sign in the set of legal signs approved by government so it was a non-starter.

 

[John and Kim]

You are right I don't, was there a sign pointing the way to motorhomes that were heading towards Whitby and looking for a place to stay, don't think so as I passed that way dozens of times.

Castle Corner Camp Site is actually an MCC CL rather than an aire. Being an MCC CL (as opposed to CC or C&CC) it is open to non-members as well but MCC members get in cheaper.

It was in the local press and on the RCBC web site at the time Martin You must be like me and not rad the Gazette

Well what ever it is its? a fine example of what should be on offer! good on them! for opening to vans passing as many don't even bother.

 

[Wildbill]

just wonder if the OP has gone to that grade airs in the sky
bill

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[GJH]

Well what ever it is its? a fine example of what should be on offer! good on them! for opening to vans passing as many don't even bother.

I'm not denying that, simply pointing out that it is a CL rather than an "aire"
There are over 4,000 CLs & CSs in the UK and I've just been reminded by a Facebook post that the fact there is such an extensive network is often used as a reason why "aires" are not needed here.

 

[John and Kim]

Wow, that many

 

[scotjimland]

There are over 4,000 CLs & CSs in the UK and I've just been reminded by a Facebook post that the fact there is such an extensive network is often used as a reason why "aires" are not needed here.

IMO .. It's a spurious reason..

It is an excellent network . . but as you know, many are too far from towns and shopping centers to be of use to a passing motorhome , .. ideal for caravans as they were originally intended..

Also, many CLs are now charging £12 and over.. and as expensive as sites, as I've mentioned before, few have hard standings so not very good in winter or wet weather for a motorhome.. I've been bogged down many a time on a soggy grass CL site

so while agree about the resource, do not agree that Aires are not needed.. CLs are small sites .. you can stay up to 28 days, and set up camp.. Aires are basically a 24 - 48 hr car parks for motorhomes, where they can replenish water, dump waste and do some local shopping without needing to drive..

I have a feeling of deja vue

I think BritStops and the like, are probably a better option for an ovenight stop..

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[GJH]

IMO .. It's a spurious reason..

It is an excellent network . . but as you know, many are too far from towns and shopping centers to be of use to a passing motorhome , .. ideal for caravans as they were originally intended..

Also, many CLs are now charging £12 and over.. and as expensive as sites, as I've mentioned before, few have hard standings so not very good in winter or wet weather for a motorhome.. I've been bogged down many a time on a soggy grass CL site

so while agree about the resource, do not agree that Aires are not needed.. CLs are small sites .. you can stay up to 28 days, and set up camp.. Aires are basically a 24 - 48 hr car parks for motorhomes, where they can replenish water, dump waste and do some local shopping without needing to drive..

I have a feeling of deja vue

I think BritStops and the like, are probably a better option for an ovenight stop..

I agree with you about CLs/CSs often being too far out to be convenient Jim. However, we stayed on two very nice basic sites last year (Bourton Rovers FC (MCC) £10 a night and Kidbrooke Farm in Forest Row (CC) £6 a night) and one a bit less basic (Hawthorne Nightstop at Oldham (MCC) £12 a night) which are all within easy walking distance of shops and public transport.

There is, of course, nothing (other than land availability and money ) to stop anyone opening a CL/CS similarly close to such facilities

 

[Wildbill]

Why should we have to join a club so we can over night I sum smelly bogy old farm somewhere in the midal of no where.
I for one don't want to join c&cc and certainly not the CC or motor carivaners club
why should we be forced to join these to get asses to over night stopovers not even close to town villages towns amenity's
the small sites on the continent co exist along with the Aires systems it the site owners wo don't want it in the UK
bill

 

[GJH]

Why should we have to join a club so we can over night I sum smelly bogy old farm somewhere in the midal of no where.
I for one don't want to join c&cc and certainly not the CC or motor carivaners club
why should we be forced to join these to get asses to over night stopovers not even close to town villages towns amenity's
the small sites on the continent co exist along with the Aires systems it the site owners wo don't want it in the UK
bill

MCC CLs and Nightstops are open to everyone. You may remember that I and one or two other people clarified the legal position with Natural England last year. There are member only restrictions on CC and C&CC CLs & CSs only because the clubs insist on those restrictions.

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[Wildbill]

MCC CLs and Nightstops are open to everyone. You may remember that I and one or two other people clarified the legal position with Natural England last year. There are member only restrictions on CC and C&CC CLs & CSs only because the clubs insist on those restrictions.

I didn't know that nice to know thanks but how many mcc cl's CSs night stops are there

 

[GJH]

I didn't know that nice to know thanks but how many mcc cl's CSs night stops are there

Only 110 in total so nowhere near as many as the CC and C&CC but they cover most of the country. There are details Here. You don't have to register/sign in to see the lists.

 

[Wildbill]

the Airs system in the UK is a lost cause IMHO
bill

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