Clarification please - Britstops, Search For Sites and maybe others. (1 Viewer)

[GeriatricWanderer]

Prior to these collections of stopping places it was perfectly possible to simply ask at the bar of a pub if it was OK to overnight in their car park.
Britstops has constructed a database of pubs that presumably have agreed to be listed.
Search For Sites also has a database listing nearly 800 pubs - not sure if they've canvassed those pubs or simply using Britstops information.
Some pubs are shown by both Britstops and Search For Sites so clearly, neither have exclusivity - like aires.
Britstops costs, Search For Sites is free.
Some reviews on the SFS site even describe the stopovers as Britstops.
I'm just trying to understand what's the advantage of paying a Britstops subscription.

Not complaning - just asking.

 

[icantremember]

advantage of paying a Britstops subscription.

A nice book!

 

[Langtoftlad]

...or simply using Britstops information

Basically this, and databases belonging to others... has been discussed a few times. I believe the Admin was briefly a member here.
It does a good job of collating all the various databases compiled by other individuals & organisations, and of course you should be a member of certain organisations such as C&CC to stay on their sites - Britstop affiliates should check that you have the book & sticker before letting you stay but that rarely happens in my experience [especially if you're booking a table].
AFAIK, Searchforsites has no permission to use these databases - but that isn't an issue for some.

The USP of Britstops is that there's no obligation to buy/eat/drink - thus having bought the book, in theory your overnight stays could be completely free.

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[GeriatricWanderer]

............................
The USP of Britstops is that there's no obligation to buy/eat/drink - thus having bought the book, in theory your overnight stays could be completely free.

Interesting. Britstops says "no obligation to buy" SFS says "You will be expected to eat or drink" - same pub.

My interest is that I travel solo but no longer eat solo so if I have to pay I'd rather pay a site charge than be expected to buy a meal.

 

[EX51SSS]

Basically this, and databases belonging to others... has been discussed a few times. I believe the Admin was briefly a member here.
It does a good job of collating all the various databases compiled by other individuals & organisations, and of course you should be a member of certain organisations such as C&CC to stay on their sites - Britstop affiliates should check that you have the book & sticker before letting you stay but that rarely happens in my experience [especially if you're booking a table].
AFAIK, Searchforsites has no permission to use these databases - but that isn't an issue for some.

The USP of Britstops is that there's no obligation to buy/eat/drink - thus having bought the book, in theory your overnight stays could be completely free.

We've stayed completely free a few times and once had a fantastic bottle of English Rose and at another place, a really nice meal. It's our choice to spend or not and what we fancy.

 

[Madcaravanner]

Search for sites is built by it's users and the builders of the site say that by using the pub at a pub stop then that shows that you are not freeloading
AND Search for sites is building an App which will cost money when it's launched

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[DBK]

I have a friend who stays at a lot pubs as he travels in the UK visiting jazz festivals. He had never heard of Britstops. His tactic is to find a pub with a reasonable car park and ask if he can stay overnight. He does always eat in the pub and has never in umpteen years ever been turned away. With many country pubs struggling why would they?
But his approach may not suit everyone and we have a Britstops book as it lists places such as farm shops which you might not otherwise consider.

 

[Zigisla]

With BritStops you can look at an area in the book and see if there is a guaranteed stopover without the need to buy from them. They use pubs and farm shops, wineries and breweries. Whilst search for site is the same in principle, as stated above you do have this obligation to buy and more often they are just pubs or campsites. I have used both and have on many an occasion been rejected by a pub, as they do NOT offer a facility to motor homers and they "wish they could remove their details as they didn't know how the site got them". If you use the "just find and ask method", you can of course search an area on line and see if there is a pub or organisation who is willing to host you, or just drive by and stop and see. I don't know of many places that you could rock up and ask to stay over if you didn't buy from them. Ease of use book - now, guaranteed stop over without obligation and for us, so convenient. All for the price of a meal for one in a pub.

 

[SteveB123]

Interesting. Britstops says "no obligation to buy" SFS says "You will be expected to eat or drink" - same pub.

My interest is that I travel solo but no longer eat solo so if I have to pay I'd rather pay a site charge than be expected to buy a meal.

Your probably better staying on sites then and do your own cooking.

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[EX51SSS]

Interesting. Britstops says "no obligation to buy" SFS says "You will be expected to eat or drink" - same pub.

My interest is that I travel solo but no longer eat solo so if I have to pay I'd rather pay a site charge than be expected to buy a meal.

Brit Stops are no obligation to buy as I can vouch for. If you stay and want to do your own cooking, that's fine. Maybe you might fancy a pint or two but if you want to stay in your Moho and watch TV, that's no problem

 

[PeteH]

I`ve used this site a few times. just ring and ask. http://wildcamping.moonfruit.com/pub-stopovers/4563550207

My "thing" is to cross reference with the CAMRA pub guide. So I get to try a couple of "new" beer tastes. to me a "win win"?.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Some pubs offer MH overnight parking to all comers, they may or may not be in different guides - the difference being that free parking (some actually charge a small fee) is conditional on you using said pubs facilities, except Britstops that deal being there is no obligation to spend anything. The business owner obviously hopes you will, you might feel you should but its not part of the deal.

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[Parrot Face]

In terms of whats on offer at various pubs maybe this forum could create its own database, say a section on 'funsters favourite pub stops'.

 

[EX51SSS]

In terms of whats on offer at various pubs maybe this forum could create its own database, say a section on 'funsters favourite pub stops'.

Or use the publications already available

 

[Zigisla]

In terms of whats on offer at various pubs maybe this forum could create its own database, say a section on 'funsters favourite pub stops'.

We have. Its a good site created by @keith and funsters ask to add new ones.

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[StanandShirley]

Being a Brit Stops supporter and a retired small business owner I am more than happy to support a small UK business who put together a well researched book. We have never been to a bad one and so easy to find a safe place to park with the bonus of a chat with local people who will always tell you of places to visit that you may have missed.

 

[EX51SSS]

The advantage is with Brit Stops is there's no pressure to purchase anything. We stayed on one where Brit Stops are free but others £5.00. Not a lot granted but do that a few times and the other nights are totally free and book paid for

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Being a Brit Stops supporter and a retired small business owner I am more than happy to support a small UK business who put together a well researched book. We have never been to a bad one and so easy to find a safe place to park with the bonus of a chat with local people who will always tell you of places to visit that you may have missed.

Out of genuine interest, how many times have you stayed at a Britstops and how many times have you bought "goods" at those stops?
I'm still at a bit of a loss to understand why any commercial enterprise would offer free accommodation on the off chance that you might spend something.
I suspect that a good % of people, whilst not expected to spend, would feel obliged to.

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[Zigisla]

Circa 80% of the time we buy. If it is a "produce" host - farm shops, wineries, PYO or butchers etc, then we always buy as we usually need supplies anyway and you can never have too much wine or beer and supporting the locals is wot we do. Pub wise is where we are 50 - 50. If we are away for a while then we don't want to eat out everyday, but still BritStop. If we are just week ending it, we usually eat both Fri and Sat evening. When we were on 3 weeks Summer Leave last year, we were easily down to 30 % for Pub Stops. We were wilding at Lochwinnoch one day and decided to have a meal at a local hotel - The Loch House; whilst eating the waiter suggested a good wine and I declined as I was driving. Stay the night in the car park he says.
3 bottles later we staggered back to the MH.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Steve and Mandy who operate Britstops take the time to personally contact every location featured in the book on a regular basis in order to make sure that a) the location wants to remain part of the scheme and b) that the details are up to date. They then send monthly email updates to ensure that subscribers are kept fully up to date.

As @Zigisla posted at least one of the other sites mentioned on this thread don't have the decency to do that, instead relying on other people to do the hard work and won't remove details even when specifically requested to do so.

 

[BreweryDave]

I can't believe anyone would think it's right to stop at someone else's business or facility if they have made it available to you ( whether through a book or by just asking) and not spend anything - irrespective of any agreement that you don't have to. It would be just plain rude IMHO.

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[PeteH]

Just as a (small?) diversion, In the USA, Walmart are well know for their policy of encouraging the use of the Parking Areas by R-V`rs, the thinking is most will buy something.
We have camped on Walmart`s many times, the only instance when we where discouraged was in Las Vegas. Where it was explained that the MALL was not owned by Walmart, but by a Conglomerate, who forbade it.

Back when ASDA, where taken over by Walmart, I asked the Manager of a HULL one. " So now you are a Walmart, I can Camp on the carpark?". The reply was in the form of "not likely". To which I replied, well you dont sell Tires and Shotguns yet either!.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I can't believe anyone would think it's right to stop at someone else's business or facility if they have made it available to you ( whether through a book or by just asking) and not spend anything - irrespective of any agreement that you don't have to. It would be just plain rude IMHO.

But that's the deal that everyone signs up to with Britstops - rude? No because the expectation is that you, the guest at least say hello & goodbye and peruse whatever they have to offer.
For the business its just another form of marketing, at nil cost.
They sell an extra pint or an organic cauliflower - bonus. If not hasn't cost them a penny.

 

[Rapido925M]

I frequently "check out" Britstops, whether I'm in the van or in the car: if the latter, then I will not be making use of the facilities BUT I might buy a meal, a drink or an organic cauliflower. So it's a win-win situation and I imagine that is why there are even more hosts this year than last.

Gordon

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[icantremember]

We have often used BritStops over a few years now and have never and would never leave one without making some form of purchase ... If too many folk don't play the game by spending nothing then these businesses will soon drop the scheme, thereby spoiling something that is a good thing for those who do play fair.

 

[138go]

We accidentally stopped at a Britstop in Wales. It was on our WC Database and looked Ok with another MH parked in the car park. We booked a table and afterwards talked to the landlord. He said he was glad of any business and he also let a local park his MH in the car park as it attracted others

He also told us of a couple who arrived and came into his pub. They had a laptop and wanted to use his power point to charge up and also use his free internet. He asked if they wanted a drink of anything and they replied NO .. He then asked if they would be wanting a table for a meal in the evening again NO. They told him that they didn't have to buy anything according to their book so he asked them to leave ..

 

[sdc77]

We regularly use britstops and think it's a great project. The dogs have a great time too and we almost always buy a meal.

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[GeriatricWanderer]

It's still very confusing and contradictory.

Britstops sell you a list of free overnight stops where you are not obliged to buy anything.

It sounds like many people are uncomfortable not buying something so will have a drink/meal/cauliflower etc to salve their consciences. So for them it's not free at all and they may not have bought those items if they'd stayed somewhere else. They are in fact paying a site fee.

Some are already thinking along the lines that if people don't buy goods the proprietors will find that they're just providing free overnight parking and pull out of the scheme - and who would blame them?

Maybe Britstops should change it's policy and set up a standard parking fee (all net profit to the proprietor) and motorhomers would know how much they will be charged. They could still buy goods if they wished to.

At the moment neither motorhomers nor proprietors know what to expect.

 

[Zigisla]

He also told us of a couple who arrived and came into his pub. They had a laptop and wanted to use his power point to charge up and also use his free internet. He asked if they wanted a drink of anything and they replied NO .. He then asked if they would be wanting a table for a meal in the evening again NO. They told him that they didn't have to buy anything according to their book so he asked them to leave ..

And quite rightly so. The host provides a free parking area for an overnight stop. Not a free use of their facilities and electric. I used a pub near Salisbury recently and by me asking to stay, jogged the landlords memory to phone and cancel his premises form the scheme. Why I said. cos we have so many MHomers complain that I offer electricity but it is only a 3 pin plug in the garden near the BBQ point and they expected a MH end. Just why do these people expect to get something for nothing.

 

[peterc10]

It's still very confusing and contradictory.

Britstops sell you a list of free overnight stops where you are not obliged to buy anything.

It sounds like many people are uncomfortable not buying something so will have a drink/meal/cauliflower etc to salve their consciences. So for them it's not free at all and they may not have bought those items if they'd stayed somewhere else. They are in fact paying a site fee.

Some are already thinking along the lines that if people don't buy goods the proprietors will find that they're just providing free overnight parking and pull out of the scheme - and who would blame them?

Maybe Britstops should change it's policy and set up a standard parking fee (all net profit to the proprietor) and motorhomers would know how much they will be charged. They could still buy goods if they wished to.

At the moment neither motorhomers nor proprietors know what to expect.

It's neither confusing nor contradictory.

You do not have to buy anything if your don't want to. If you want to, then you do. It is up to the person involved. That is why you are getting different answers. We have used them a few times. Most times we have spent something, but not always and not always a lot.

As an example. We had a large lunch and then decided to stop for the night at a Britstop pub. We were not going to spend anything because we were still full from lunch, but went into the pub to "report in". Such a nice cosy place with good beer and friendly people so we decided to have a quick drink. Couple of drinks later we saw the food coming out and it looked delicious. We were still not really hungry, so I have a starter and wife had a pudding. An enjoyable couple of hours. But if we wanted to we could have sat in the motorhome reading and watching TV and had some tea and biscuits. I think we made the right decision. Life isn't always about spending as little as you can.

What is in it for the pub is that most people spend something, and with most country pubs nowadays, that is the best they can hope for, given that their car park is rarely, if ever, full.

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