Do we motorhomers really boost the economy? (1 Viewer)

GJH

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We often see claims of how much motorhomers contribute to boosting local economies where we stay so during our holiday starting with the Sandy meet I decided to keep a rough track of how much we spent.

After Sandy we used a CL, MCC rallies and had 3 nights free camping at a pub.

Average daily spend worked out at about £47.50, of which about 16.5% was accommodation fees (average about £8 a night).

We ate out several times and didn't stint ourselves so we weren't choosing "cheap" for the sake of saving money. Granted we have bus passes, which we used quite a bit, but is £47.50 a day (for two people) really a major boost to the economy?
 

funflair

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In the winter time we go to a CL near Harrogate quite a lot, we can walk into Harrogate and there is a bus to Leeds where they have some nice jewellery shops and art galleries, I will not say how much we have spent but we could have bought a nearly new motorhome for the same money.

I am not saying we would not have spent the money if we had not gone to those places with the motorhome but there is a fair chance that we would have spent it somewhere else, so YES staying in the motorhome did directly impact on the local economy, of course we buy food and drink as well but we do that wherever we go in the motorhome.

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jollyrodger

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And not forgetting the costs of fuel to get to wherever you choose, unless you are running on bio juice but burning more than the average car.
 

vwalan

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yes but dont forget what you buy where you are you are depriving your local shops etc .
does it really matter . ones gain another,s loss .
you go there . they might come here .
 

Wildman

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better off arguing the right to roam, in a motorhome, as I have said before I live in an area with the highest water rates etc in the country I pay my dues to the economy. People come here , we go there. It all balances out in the end, why should we even have to justify our existence.

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GJH

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yes but dont forget what you buy where you are you are depriving your local shops etc .
does it really matter . ones gain another,s loss .
you go there . they might come here .
Yes, I thought of that but, as you say, it could well balance out over time. If we had stayed at home we would not have bought diesel and lpg - but that would have been offset to an extent by using petrol, gas & electricity at home. We would not have eaten out as much and would not have gone to visitor attractions.

What I am really getting at is whether the average amount we spend overall is sufficient to provide a valid argument of economic benefits (as often quoted in support of calls for aires).

EDIT - Certainly not a matter of justifying our existence Roger.
 

WynandJean

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I wonder what other categories of tourist need to justify how much they are to spend before being deemed suitable to be allowed? Should families who bring a picnic be shunned? Are cyclists flying through pretty villages to be turned away? How long before our beaches are to become Pay On Entry? and only food purchased here to be consumed. Is this the way we are heading?

Wyn

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wingman

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Yes, I think we are good for the economy. It's not just a bit of grub and a pint, think of all the windbreaks, bits of tubing, hooks, 12v adaptors, awning pegs, visits to the £ shop, crocs and flip-flops and the rest of the paraphernalia. Not to mention all of those BIG purchases and fitments!(n)
 

vwalan

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i,m like wildman and several on here sw water charge the highest water rates . the population here x 20 ,in summer . i dont have any worry about going any where else.
i might not buy anything when away . yet i might buy alot.
very rarely eat out . hardly ever have eaten in a restaurant better than i can cook.
if i shop its probably in a supermarket .mind staff get paid .
dont support expensive little shops . they have to learn to buy better and sell cheaper.
dont buy beer etc in uk . far too expensive , buy it in spain .
mind you do need a good payload on your camper .
 

hilldweller

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What I am really getting at is whether the average amount we spend overall is sufficient to provide a valid argument of economic benefits (as often quoted in support of calls for aires).

Very unlikely I'd say. We all buy at Tesco. We may have the odd meal out.

I think you need properly charged aires for the sake of the locals. God knows what the correct price would be though.

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GJH

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If we didn't , why do so many german and french villages have aires and with the baker dropping by every morning? IMO uk is missing a trick.
That's what I'm trying to get at. Is the UK really missing a trick or do the differences between the UK and France/Germany (and their motorhome using populations, both domestic and transient) mean that the economic benefits which are oft claimed to come from creating aires are just so much smoke and mirrors?
 

Gorse Hill

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Graham I think it would be hard to justify having tennis courts, bowling green, swimming pools, athletic stadiums and the cost in maintaining them etc in local communities that is unless you use them.
I think am right in saying there is over 1 million M/H in the UK, that's without our friends from across the water so I don't see it can be that hard to justify aires in the uk when am sure there's not that many using some of the above
At least when you do have aires there will be money spent in the local areas and some of the more remote parts of the uk could certainly do with the vistors
Our European friends think they are worth the investment so why not in the uk
 

vwalan

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aires in france were set up for a reason . nothing to do with shops .
originally france was tenting country ,hardly any caravans at all.
when motorhomes /campers started in numbers the french couldnt use them on campsites they were set up for tents only . they parked anywhere . very often creating a mess . the authority and the new m,home clubs got together and arranged the first m,home stop overs . many in police station carparks or council office car parks . etc . later they built the bournes etc and aires took off . wine places agreed to help by letting you use their carparks usually you bought some bottles of wine . but now many have forgotten why aires started .
i remember being turned away from campsites when travelling with my parents in the early 60,s . we were in campers . some places we had used before with tents .

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tambo

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At £230 a year road tax and £1.35 a litre of diesel im positive im good for the economy

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On our recent trip across to Belgium and France we paid site/aires fees, we took some food with us but also spent in local shops and restaurants and we bought fuel . We also visited local attractions and museums.
I guess our contribution X however many other visitors in motorhomes is certainly a positive contribution to any economy.
As already said aires/stellplatz etc in Europe have proven to be a success otherwise they would be closing. We visited one at Watten in France which looked a very recent addition, it was free but we spent 45€ in a local supermarket .
Our local councils do not seem to be able to identify this demand, odd, as they are the losers.
 

BreweryDave

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If you sit in your van and drink supermarket beer and eat supermarket food why on earth do you have a motorhome??? Might as well sit on your drive. :mad:

Just a personal opinion(y)
 
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GJH

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aires in france were set up for a reason . nothing to do with shops .
originally france was tenting country ,hardly any caravans at all.
when motorhomes /campers started in numbers the french couldnt use them on campsites they were set up for tents only . they parked anywhere . very often creating a mess . the authority and the new m,home clubs got together and arranged the first m,home stop overs . many in police station carparks or council office car parks . etc . later they built the bournes etc and aires took off . wine places agreed to help by letting you use their carparks usually you bought some bottles of wine . but now many have forgotten why aires started .
i remember being turned away from campsites when travelling with my parents in the early 60,s . we were in campers . some places we had used before with tents .
Isn't this similar to the development in this country in the decade or so after WWII? Except here it was towed caravans not campers/motorhomes - hence the legacy we have.

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GJH

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Graham I think it would be hard to justify having tennis courts, bowling green, swimming pools, athletic stadiums and the cost in maintaining them etc in local communities that is unless you use them.
I think am right in saying there is over 1 million M/H in the UK, that's without our friends from across the water so I don't see it can be that hard to justify aires in the uk when am sure there's not that many using some of the above
Far less in fact - about 174,000 according to a MCC article I read today.
At least when you do have aires there will be money spent in the local areas and some of the more remote parts of the uk could certainly do with the vistors
Our European friends think they are worth the investment so why not in the uk
Has anyone reading this actually asked the councils where they live/visit?
Those who have what was the reaction?
Those who have not why not?
 

vwalan

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having been going away just about every winter since 98 in fact only missed one . i think its nicer than sitting in my drive. i dont have to go top restaurants i am a trained chef . army catering corp. . i dont need to go to bars to buy expensive beer and i know i have plenty of fun .
its cold in uk and wet in winter . only had 20 days rain last winter in almost 6 months . thats good enough . i like riding my m,bike . i can with comfort most days while away . best of both worlds in my eyes .
 

vwalan

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Isn't this similar to the development in this country in the decade or so after WWII? Except here it was towed caravans not campers/motorhomes - hence the legacy we have.
yes graham . uk catered for caravans . they didnt have caravans in france they had big continental tents . put up on sites at the begining of summer and left up all the time . families visited or stayed in them for months . spain was similar.
germany had caravans . holland had caravans .
one of my mates made a fortune selling caravans in france for site use in the 90,s . as in park homes . he ended up with the biggest park home site in brittany . but all the caravans came from uk.
the campsites couldnt cope with motor homes never really wanted tourist caravans either.

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tambo

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If you sit in your van and drink supermarket beer and eat supermarket food why on earth do you have a motorhome??? Might as well sit on your drive. :mad:

Just a personal opinion(y)
Because my drive has a view of other houses ....when I wild camp in Scotland I see mountains lochs beaches no neighbours no noise and grass I don't have to cut :)

It's why I don't like campsites....i don't understand why anyone goes to them and parks in neat little rows like streets ....seems just like home to me but in a smaller place :)
 

DP+JAY

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The problems with campsites are,
They are seriously overpriced, one near us is £40 a night, for a few square feet of grass? If I stayed a week I'd expect to own that grass!They say it's to pay for the toilets, showers(which are usually c!!p) & hook up, non of which I want or need.
They are miles away from anywhere I'd want to be. The Aires system is superb, we have stayed on Aires by the beach, in the town, at a museum, at a chateax etc. etc. etc. and for next to nothing(or even nothing).
 

DP+JAY

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At £230 a year road tax and £1.35 a litre of diesel im positive im good for the economy

Not to mention what is spent buying a motorhome & servicing, accessories etc.

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