Motorhomes No longer Welcome at Trent Lock

[Jim]

Email received yesterday. This wasn't on any list of ours, if it operated legally with an exemption it wasn't one we issued. Seems they are just sending the mail to as many motorhome organisations as they can. I have responded and asked what the few got up to, if they let me know I'll tell you. Meanwhile if you planned on stopping at what looked like a great pup stopover, you are no longer welcome.

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Good Afternoon,

Would it be possible for you to remove our car park from your list of places to stay please? Unfortunately the few have spoilt it for the many and overnight stays are now no longer permitted on our car park.

Thank you for your assistance

Trent Lock

 

[jongood]

The usual problem presumably.

This is where a "wings" scheme like the NZMCA have would really work, make the members identifiable and check that the vehicles are self contained.

 

[CazPaul]

It will probably be staying there in a nice location, not using the pub at all, staying a long time

The Station Inn at Ribblehead will become the same, you’re meant to book in there, give your registration number,go for a meal/use the pub etc.
Loads don’t, just turn up and stay, I heard a few motorhome owners talking” Right a week here, then we’ll go to the Skipton car park overnight for a week”

One van owner even told me he doesn’t ever use the pub. They’ve even had to move the dustbins to another area locked away behind double gates the other side of the pub.

 

[PeterCarole29]

I have never been there looks lovely Could it simply be parking space . If 5 large campers park thats 5 tables.
10 car spaces+ means 10+ table takings

 

[Jim]

Could it simply be parking space

Not according to his email.

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[The Wino]

Sad. We used to go to salsa lessons years ago the pub would let the teacher use the room free until people started taking their own water bottles to the pub to avoid paying for it! Theres always someone.

 

[PeterCarole29]

Not according to his email.

Oh Its another nail in the coffin

 

[dryad]

what a shame he has blanket banned all motorhomes, it looks beautiful there, i know that some pubs have charged for parking but then knocked that off the bar and food bill which seems fair enough to me, the car park is for their clientele not a public car park for every tom, dick and harry..

would they like it if we took to parking on any drive way we come across, especially tom, dick and harrys ?

.

.

 

[jongood]

what a shame he has blanket banned all motorhomes, it looks beautiful there, i know that some pubs have charged for parking but then knocked that off the bar and food bill which seems fair enough to me, the car park is for their clientele not a public car park for every tom, dick and harry..

would they like it if we took to parking on any drive way we come across, especially tom, dick and harrys ?

.

.

I think thats a good way of doing it, but will still be some who hide behind the blinds.

 

[Silver-Fox]

This is where a "wings" scheme like the NZMCA have would really work,

When we were in NZ in a hired van we got questioned about the wings.

I had no problems with it as I guess many in hired vans wouldn’t have joined.

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[Langtoftlad]

Most recent review on Search4sites
"Car park is very narrow - looked to be a van permanently parked up so limited options in nearby spaces that allow you to overhang in between planters and trees (anything over 6m will likely struggle). Toilet block across the road opens at 8am. Very narrow last stretch of approach road - not particularly long but cars couldn't get by at the same time and expected us to be the ones to reverse so be warned!"

Doesn't read as being very suitable for Motorhomes.
It's a Vintage Inn so perhaps a new manager .

 

[MisterB]

I'm sure someone will post a YouTube video soon enough, stating how every pub stopover is closing down ........

Too easy to speculate why it happened, let's just hope they reconsider and address the 'problems'

 

[Riverbankannie]

Jim
The pub in the photo is not The Trent Lock Inn but another in same location - The Steamboat Inn. They are both at Trent Lock. Which pub sent the email ?

 

[SpeedyDux]

Sad. We used to go to salsa lessons years ago the pub would let the teacher use the room free until people started taking their own water bottles to the pub to avoid paying for it! Theres always someone.

That's always been the situation at licenced pub or club venues for Salsa classes. Alcohol and learning to dance properly don't go together. So the landlords shouldn't expect higher bar takings in exchange for a free room. It's more realistic to charge for the room hire, and regard any money spent in the bar (if the dancers have a social get-together after class) as a bonus.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Most recent review on Search4sites
"Car park is very narrow - looked to be a van permanently parked up so limited options in nearby spaces that allow you to overhang in between planters and trees (anything over 6m will likely struggle). Toilet block across the road opens at 8am. Very narrow last stretch of approach road - not particularly long but cars couldn't get by at the same time and expected us to be the ones to reverse so be warned!"

Doesn't read as being very suitable for Motorhomes.
It's a Vintage Inn so perhaps a new manager .

We stayed at The Trent Lock Inn last summer and that is a reasonable description. It was handy for us as we met up for a meal with ex work colleagues who live nearby. The location and meal were both very good but carpark as said above narrow. Another PVC stayed overnight with us and there were no signs of any problems.

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[steve69]

Unfortunately the few have spoilt it for the many

Life in a nutshell there. I would guess littering, disposing of waste fluid in a very disgusting way etc. It only takes for it to happen a couple of times and that's that.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Landlords have lost the right to clamp or tow away vehicles that park on private land without permission. Nowadays that's a criminal offence. Unless the car park has a locked gate.

What will they do about it legally if their parking area still gets abused? Neither the Cops nor Council will want to get involved.

There's a very limited ticketing right based on a presumed " contract". Big deal.

 

[Jim]

Landlords have lost the right to clamp or tow away vehicles that park on private land without permission. Nowadays that's a criminal offence. Unless the car park has a locked gate.

What will they do about it legally if their parking area still gets abused? Neither the Cops nor Council will want to get involved.

There's a very limited ticketing right based on a presumed " contract". Big deal.

The law is quite clear, I can't damage your vehicle, but if I ask you to leave and you do not then I can use force albeit the minimum required to remove you. I could let you back in to collect your van

 

[Feltwell]

I'd be quite happy if a pub told me it was £10 or £15 to stay the night, but I could have that all back as a discount off food & drink. Might stop those that abuse the hospitality.

I had my van valeted last year at a pub (an arrangement the valeter had) the pub wanted £10 for the night, which was fine. I didn't eat there as to be honest it didn't look very inviting, but that was my choice.

 

[Jim]

Life in a nutshell there. I would guess littering, disposing of waste fluid in a very disgusting way etc. It only takes for it to happen a couple of times and that's that.

I've no idea in this partricular case, but in my experience I would say it's far more likley to be people stopping, often for more than one night and not using the pub.

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[SpeedyDux]

The law is quite clear, I can't damage your vehicle, but if I ask you to leave and you do not then I can use force albeit the minimum required to remove you. I could let you back in to collect your van

Do that, and you run the risk of getting arrested. Good luck arguing the toss with a Cop who is looking at this as an assault and/or public order situation. Your common law right to use reasonable force (or threats of force) to eject a trespasser won't count for much, unless you want to contest a Police caution or fixed penalty in the Mags Court, at your expense and risk. The justice system is very victim-oriented and self-help with any degree of violence is seen by Judges as something to be discouraged.

That still doesn't solve the problem of the trespassing vehicle if the driver wants to stand on his statutory right not to be clamped, blocked in, or towed. You might argue that a publicly-accessible car park is technically part of the highway. Therefore, an obstruction is being committed; but, realistically the Cops would probably regard it as a civil matter. Not their concern.

Don't get me wrong. I am not on the side of the nuisance MH that abuses the pub's car park. I merely draw attention to the current legal difficulties.

 

[ChrisL]

My Sister and her husband were part owners of the Steamboat inn in the 80's, when they bought it the owner of the Trent Lock stopped them from using the access road which is on their property for deliveries (the previous owner had, had an arrangement but the Owner at that time would not continue it) so they got a narrow boat and had to use that to supply the pub. I gave my sister a brass sign saying welcome in Arabic (i was working in Dubai at the time) so if you see it in the pub it came from me

 

[Puddleduck]

I'd be quite happy if a pub told me it was £10 or £15 to stay the night, but I could have that all back as a discount off food & drink. Might stop those that abuse the hospitality.

I think a pub restaurant just the English side of the Scotish-Englaish have that sort of scheme in place now. We stayed quite a few times as Britstoppers and the food was very nice.

I wouldn't dream of Britstopping without buying something from the host. I know it isn't a requirement but saving on site fees means money towards a meal out or another treat so win-win.

 

[GJH]

Maybe the landlord (or the company which owns it) doesn't wish to chance offering camping without a licence/exemption.

 

[Jim]

Do that, and you run the risk of getting arrested.

It happens at most every city centre pub in the land every Friday and Saturday. No one is being arrested for using minimum force

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[teddybear]

2 car parks there. 1 I believe is the pub car park the other appears to be council run. The pub in the picture is the steamboat on the opposite side of the canal. The canal trust toilets at the side there had been left in a terrible condition when we were there not long ago.

 

[Jim]

Maybe the landlord (or the company which owns it) doesn't wish to chance offering camping without a licence/exemption.

If that were the case why would they say that the few were spoiling it for the many?

 

[SpeedyDux]

It happens at most every city centre pub in the land every Friday and Saturday. No one is being arrested for using minimum force

The door security industry works in collaboration with the Police and the licencing authority. Different from freelance self-help.

I still fail to see how a security person can deal with the trespassing vehicle without committing an offence. You can blame the Daily Mail's campaign against cowboy wheel clampers, resulting in the Orwellian-named Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, that criminalised such practices in England and Wales. That left abusive parking on private land without a remedy, except ticketing by private parking management companies. Also height barriers, which is probably what the Pub owners need.

 

[Jim]

The door security industry works in collaboration with the Police and the licencing authority. Different from freelance self-help.

So in your legal opinion I have no right to ask someone to leave my property and eject them using the minimum force if they refuse to leave. Glad I'm not paying you for that advice.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Vintage Inns as a generalisation are fairly motorhome friendly often featuring in Britstops guide.

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