No Motorhomes !

[rubberrat]

I think I would go along with the signs, even though I am naturally rebellious, because so many car parks are contracted out to those 'Parking Eye' type of Mafiaesque operations whose revenue is entirely dependent of fines, so they will pick up on the slightest infringement.

The mainstream Motorhome forums are filled with complaints and criticisms of such signage, usually to no effect. The bottom line is that the UK is pretty anti-motorhome whereas the rest of Europe seem to embrace them and the revenues they bring to towns and villages. Many forum members now spend over 90% of their touring / travelling time over the channel for this very reason.


Some years (20 or so) I lleased a beach car park in Norfolk for a season with a plan to open a small cafe there (it didn't work out - more council red tape than a Greek tax office) and motorhomes often parked overnight.
You just wouldn't believe the number of venomous letters I received from pretty much everyone who could see them (even with the aid of binoculars), and pretty much every tourism based business from miles round.

I'm afraid Britain equates motorhomes with the tarmac specialising travelling community - and the hate spills forth.

[moosevan1]

I didn't realise the extent of the motorhome invasion till about 5 yrs ago when we visited a local seaside town in the school holidays. All along the seafront there were nose to tail vehicles of all descriptions with the doors open and kids running about, people having a nap on their beds, making food and setting up chairs around the flower beds, it seemed to be the done thing for half the population of the valleys to buy an old van and live on the coast for the summer holidays. The signs appeared and lines were painted , height barriers put on the car parks etc. it's no wonder when toilet cassettes were being emptied over the seawall and the public toilets were used for washing and laundry !
Where have they all gone you may ask, It seems the latest thing to do is to go "seasonal" where big groups take over sites and take all the prime spots for months on end ,a site owner told us he was turning more and more of his pitches into seasonals as that's where the money is and there's a massive demand .
Let's hope Britain starts looking to the continent for ideas on how to cater for the travelling public.

[zildjian]

"It seems the latest thing to do is to go "seasonal" where big groups take over sites and take all the prime spots for months on end ,a site owner told us he was turning more and more of his pitches into seasonal's "


I can think of a couple of sites we've visited that would likely do this,
not sure the solution though we prefer to stop on the smaller places, so thats anything without a clubhouse
or children's entertainment !





can certainly see the attraction of wildcamping

[richc]

My mate runs a small campsite - the only thing that makes it viable is the permanent residents , many are contractors doing work in the area, spend a few months then toddle off with caravan to next job, at the weekends they go home - its cheaper than B&B

Rich

[zildjian]

Had some experience of one (contractor) near Stonehenge, an Aussie on contract to military defence nearby.

stayed there twice had him making a nuiscance of himself twice, and seeing a truck camper made him homesick

first time 'my' compass wasn't indicating North
"That's why you can't get a satellite signal there mate!"

funny because I thought it was probably the druids messing with magnetic fields meself'