Booked Brighton CAMC (how much!??) Sea Front overnight parking?

[VXman]

First booking of the year made with CAMC. 3 nights in Brighton for £102. In the middle of February though. So cheapest time of the year there is £33 (mid week, mid winter) and the most expensive on the school summer hols is £50. Not much of a range there is there?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, its ok I suppose but a little expensive comparing with nothing or 10 euros when travelling on the continent.

Has anyone 'wild camped' on the sea front? We are visiting my son. He lives up near Brunswick Square, just past the i360 and has a car park permit. He says we could park on the front for £5 for 24 hours. My concern is.....well, it's Brighton on a weekend, might be a noisy few nights.

Anyone slept along Brighton sea front?

 

[Spriddler]

I've seen motorhomes parked for several days on the prom, behind the king Alfred Leisure Centre but you'd need to check if it's 'legal'. Probably best to phone the tourist office.

Hmm, forget that as I've just zoomed in on a sign which says parking max 4 hours and only 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. but people seem to ignore that. Have you looked on Park4Night?

However, a quick search on Google suggests it's o.k.

East Sussex - Camper Van Life

Free camping near Brighton and Hove Next to Brighton beach - Located on Hove Street South, behind the King Alfred leisure Centre car park opposite the bottom of Hove Street off the A259 coast road, West from Brighton pier and left at the traffic lights after the King Alfred. Madeira...

www.campervanlife.com

 

[Brianmor]

People park on the access road into Brighton camc all the time and don't seem to get moved on

 

[Lenny HB]

However, a quick search on Google suggests it's o.k.
View attachment 700345

East Sussex - Camper Van Life

Free camping near Brighton and Hove Next to Brighton beach - Located on Hove Street South, behind the King Alfred leisure Centre car park opposite the bottom of Hove Street off the A259 coast road, West from Brighton pier and left at the traffic lights after the King Alfred. Madeira...

www.campervanlife.com

It's The Esplanade at the end of Hove street they park in, its pay and display during the day.
If you park there it will be quiet but make sure you pay during the day, Brighton traffic wardens are on duty 24/7 365 days a year.

 

[VXman]

It's The Esplanade at the end of Hove street they park in, its pay and display during the day.
If you park there it will be quiet but make sure you pay during the day, Brighton traffic wardens are on duty 24/7 365 days a year.

Will look at that. Could park there at night and then use my son's residents parking permit in the day.

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[Lenny HB]

Will look at that. Could park there at night and then use my son's residents parking permit in the day.

If you get desperate and have a bus pass we are only 6 miles away and a couple of mins walk to the coastliner bus route.

 

[VXman]

People park on the access road into Brighton camc all the time and don't seem to get moved on

Yes, there seemed to be some permanent 'campers' there last time I was down that way. Not sure I want to join that crowd.

 

[gus-lopez]

The parking on the esplanade has moved from the kerb edge out in to the road when I was there this summer. You now have a cycle lane in by the kerb then parking is outside that so you have bikes on your near side & cars on your offside. ideal when you open the doors to get out. Invented by a halfwit.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

The parking on the esplanade has moved from the kerb edge out in to the road when I was there this summer. You now have a cycle lane in by the kerb then parking is outside that so you have bikes on your near side & cars on your offside. ideal when you open the doors to get out. Invented by a halfwit.

They have similar in Southsea now, you park along the road end on to the car in front you then have to cross a cycle lane to get to the footpath, would think the death/injury rate is climbing steadily
Think you have to be a special breed of dummy to work for the council by the look of it!!

 

[Stealaway]

We've stayed overnight at the park & ride site without any problems. Free bus into town with mi buspass.

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[Alan]

I usually Park at Hove street when in Brighton for day time (I have a disability badge) but move to Madeira drive for overnight parking, We only stay a couple of days visiting family and have never had any problems .

 

[andysam]

I'm local. In the areas mentioned above you, generally won't have any bother or noise.

Every single time I have visited people at the CC/CAMC site, the wardens have been right up their own backside. Told us one year that as it was now 11pm that we must go inside the caravan. Prices have always been outrageous. I don't know if it still is, but it was CAMCs most expensive site...and it is often fully booked! I don't know why as I think Brighton is a hole.

 

[VXman]

I'm local. In the areas mentioned above you, generally won't have any bother or noise.

Every single time I have visited people at the CC/CAMC site, the wardens have been right up their own backside. Told us one year that as it was now 11pm that we must go inside the caravan. Prices have always been outrageous. I don't know if it still is, but it was CAMCs most expensive site...and it is often fully booked! I don't know why as I think Brighton is a hole.

I did stay thee about 18 months ago and got told off by wardens for riding my scooter around the barrier instead of using my card to raise it. I was literally going a walking pace! They followed me to my van to have ago at me about it.

It's not the most expensive site I don't think. I reckon Bristol (Wharf) must be up there. Or Chatsworth.

Actually I think Brighton site is quite good (wardens aside). Good location, very secluded, near to Asda and Bright town accessible if you have bikes. If you like campsites it's not a bad one.

 

[nev robinson]

People park on the access road into Brighton camc all the time and don't seem to get moved on

Yes we noticed motorhomes parked up here all the time, no doubt they walk to the sight and use the site facilities.

 

[AndyPK]

Yes we noticed motorhomes parked up here all the time, no doubt they walk to the sight and use the site facilities.

Surely not……!!!

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[Lenny HB]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

 

[Stealaway]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

We loved it .
It's full of crazy characters and the Lanes are wonderful.
Not to be missed

 

[sedge]

The Pavilion is a good place to visit if you like history and ditto, the steam engine which you could visit very cheaply the weekends it wasn't in steam. No idea how much now of course.

 

[stewartwebr]

We were huge fans of Brighton CAMC used it regularly for the last 25 years, when it was called Sheepcote Valley. Made great friends with many of the Wardens, in particular Mark and Phil who made many many improvements to the site and made it a very friendly place to visit. They were the team who lobbied the council to make the parking restriction on the access lane, took them years to get it implemented.
Last visit around October this year was very different. Warden was rude to us on arrival, obviously not used to larger motorhomes, motorhome was physically measured even though I assured her I had booked an awning pitch and knew for sure we were able to fit on EVERY awning pitch on the site and was within the length stated on the Site Guide. The experience was horrible, just plain nasty, and it really saddened us, especially with it happening in a place we had some really nice memories of.
I really have lost trust in the CAMC, okay they have always been expensive and had issues, but they were consistent, you knew what you were getting. A bit like the British Airways of the camping world. Things have changed a great deal since COVID. The staff have changed, and standards have dropped. We are no longer members after almost 30 years.
I also hear the staff are having issues. The new boss has made many changes and is starting to make changes to the gravy train. The provision of free sites to ex wardens and office bearers was removed but was reinstated after the threat of legal action and I believe they are 30 odd couples short to meet the needs of next year. Perhaps, that is why we are seeing drop in standards with Wardens, they are perhaps just taking whoever they can get.

 

[Gellyneck]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

Is your statement based on the "Living only a few miles" or "Brighton" criteria?

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

Spent about 5 years with an office based in Portslade , horrible place to drive around, not been there for a few years but can imagine it’s only getting worse

 

[Lenny HB]

Is your statement based on the "Living only a few miles" or "Brighton" criteria?

Don't like place full of drunken Londoners on Fri & Sat nights. Always overcrowded heaving with people. Anti car council very difficult to get anywhere by car, parking very expensive, even single yellow lines apply on Sundays in a lot of areas. Noisy brash place, pub prices very high. Apart from the pavilion nothing really of interest there.

 

[VXman]

Living only a few miles from Brighton I really don't understand why anyone would want to visit the place.

Well, as I said -visiting my son who lives there and loves it. He is 30 though, with a beard and lots of tattoos!!

Seriously though - it has a lot going on for the younger generation and lots of quirky stuff. Thriving music scene (which is my son's business) I don't mind it for an occasional visit. It's good to have a variety of places around the UK. There are more than enough boring market towns and Cotswolds style villages!!

 

[VXman]

Don't like place full of drunken Londoners on Fri & Sat nights. Always overcrowded heaving with people. Anti car council very difficult to get anywhere by car, parking very expensive, even single yellow lines apply on Sundays in a lot of areas. Noisy brash place, pub prices very high. Apart from the pavilion nothing really of interest there.

Drunkenness on Fridays and Saturdays applies to hundreds of towns up and down the country though.

Not sure there is a solution to the parking. Its full anyway even with sky high prices. That wouldn't improve if they made it all free. Pub prices high because it's popular.

 

[Coolcats]

We were huge fans of Brighton CAMC used it regularly for the last 25 years, when it was called Sheepcote Valley. Made great friends with many of the Wardens, in particular Mark and Phil who made many many improvements to the site and made it a very friendly place to visit. They were the team who lobbied the council to make the parking restriction on the access lane, took them years to get it implemented.
Last visit around October this year was very different. Warden was rude to us on arrival, obviously not used to larger motorhomes, motorhome was physically measured even though I assured her I had booked an awning pitch and knew for sure we were able to fit on EVERY awning pitch on the site and was within the length stated on the Site Guide. The experience was horrible, just plain nasty, and it really saddened us, especially with it happening in a place we had some really nice memories of.
I really have lost trust in the CAMC, okay they have always been expensive and had issues, but they were consistent, you knew what you were getting. A bit like the British Airways of the camping world. Things have changed a great deal since COVID. The staff have changed, and standards have dropped. We are no longer members after almost 30 years.
I also hear the staff are having issues. The new boss has made many changes and is starting to make changes to the gravy train. The provision of free sites to ex wardens and office bearers was removed but was reinstated after the threat of legal action and I believe they are 30 odd couples short to meet the needs of next year. Perhaps, that is why we are seeing drop in standards with Wardens, they are perhaps just taking whoever they can get.

That’s modern management your describing

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[Lenny HB]

The Pavilion is a good place to visit if you like history and ditto, the steam engine which you could visit very cheaply the weekends it wasn't in steam. No idea how much now of course.

Do you mean the British Engineerium at Hove?
It's closed at the moment.

 

[Spriddler]

I'm a 4th generation Brightonian and still live 12 miles away.
My great grandad died from being scalded by a bursting beer vat at the Albion Brewery in the Lanes in 1878.

His wife and three kids had to vacate their tied flint cottage in Black Lion Lane adjoining the brewery and since there was no social security his mates had a whip-round and bought her a mangle so that she could take in washing.

My grandfather was Seafront and Beach Inspector, managing the shopkeepers and fishing boatmen after retiring as Master of the Foretop in the Royal Navy which he joined at the age of 14.

My son commutes to his office in central Brighton by motorbike as to park the car would cost £25 a day.
Wild horses couldn't drag me there.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Do you mean the British Engineerium at Hove?
It's closed at the moment.

Built some new buildings there a lovely old place, unfortunately the owner got locked up as his H&S was appalling and someone died on another of his properties.
Not sure if he still owns it now.

 

[GMLS]

First booking of the year made with CAMC. 3 nights in Brighton for £102. In the middle of February though. So cheapest time of the year there is £33 (mid week, mid winter) and the most expensive on the school summer hols is £50. Not much of a range there is there?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, its ok I suppose but a little expensive comparing with nothing or 10 euros when travelling on the continent.

Has anyone 'wild camped' on the sea front? We are visiting my son. He lives up near Brunswick Square, just past the i360 and has a car park permit. He says we could park on the front for £5 for 24 hours. My concern is.....well, it's Brighton on a weekend, might be a noisy few nights.

Anyone slept along Brighton sea front?

We did the Brighton Breeze a few tears back in our classic Vw and stayed over night in Madeira Drive.It was quiet although there is a night club which often have bands playing

 

[Lenny HB]

Built some new buildings there a lovely old place, unfortunately the owner got locked up as his H&S was appalling and someone died on another of his properties.
Not sure if he still owns it now.

Now run by British Engineerium closed at the moment for refurbishment. Must be well over 10 years might be nearer 20 since we last went.