age discrimination.

[scorpius]

In this day and age why is it that people get discriminated for the age of their van. I owned a new 2005 swift conqueror but as a self employed builder fell on hard times so the van had to go. I brought a very good 1999 elddis 2 berth. I emailed a campsite in colchester 1 evening and was told they had plenty of spaces and was told to phone the next day to book. When my wife phoned the next day they took our details and ask what van we had, when my wife told them they said that they where booked up. Im the same person who owned the 2005 swift so why should age of a caravan matter.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi,
it dosen't in 40 + years of caravanning I have never been asked the age of my van, I have been asked the size of it however because not all sites can accomodate big vans on available pitches.
I think you have been unlucky in enquiering at a poor site, if they are so fussy it is probably better you arn't going anyway

 

[RogerL]

It doesn't matter what age a caravan is - but a handful of sites do have an age limit which means they're turning away good business - it's not illegal so let them get on with their own business and take your hard-earned money elsewhere.
Don't let a minority spoil things for you.

 

[Parksy]

The age of a caravan is of no consequence to fellow caravanners and most of us enjoy seeing a well preserved older model still being put to good use.
Unfortunately a small minority of sites do appear to impose an age limit on caravans although not many would openly admit it. The site owner has the right to decide whatever terms and conditions they want to within the law, so vote with your hitch and use the overwhelming majority of friendly and welcoming sites which don't impose such ridiculous rules.

 

[Martin24]

Comparitively new van to some of the well cared for examples we've been pitched next to on CLs over the last year. Enjoy your van and your holidays and steer clear of sites like that!!

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

In this day and age why is it that people get discriminated for the age of their van.

The chances of this happening again are virtually nil. It's the first time I've heard of anyone being asked. The club websites store info about your van but there's no hidden agenda.

 

[waffler]

This is terrible- someone with an old classic van but worth lots would also be rejected so don't take it personally. Use club sites, CLs and CSs along with rallies and meets and you'll be welcome. With the latter 2 you'll also save cash.

 

[Dustydog]

I've never come across this before.
I suspect the Owners are real inverted snobs and should be named and shamed, not on here of course. You could tell Trading Standards and the local Colchester Tourist Board.
Remember the scene in the Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman. The sales assistant snubbed her . She went elsewhere and spent thousands . Thus the stuck up snob lost a fortune.
There are far better sites out there willing to take your money. Don't let it worry you.

 

[RogerL]

I've never come across this before.
I suspect the Owners are real inverted snobs and should be named and shamed, not on here of course. You could tell Trading Standards and the local Colchester Tourist Board.
Remember the scene in the Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman. The sales assistant snubbed her . She went elsewhere and spent thousands . Thus the stuck up snob lost a fortune.
There are far better sites out there willing to take your money. Don't let it worry you.

There's no point telling Trading Standards or the Tourist Board - it's not illegal because sites, like hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, etc aren't legally obliged to accept anyone.
It's probably best NOT to name them, not because of legal retribution but to avoid giving them any publicity.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

There's no point telling Trading Standards or the Tourist Board - it's not illegal because sites, like hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, etc aren't legally obliged to accept anyone.

If the above is correct how come that two guest house owners have been found guilty in recent times for refusing to let out rooms to gays which went against their religious beliefs?

 

[Dustydog]

There's no point telling Trading Standards or the Tourist Board - it's not illegal because sites, like hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, etc aren't legally obliged to accept anyone.

If the above is correct how come that two guest house owners have been found guilty in recent times for refusing to let out rooms to gays which went against their religious beliefs?

The point Roger is that the Tourist Board may remove them from their "recommended "list.
LB has a very valid point. Hard to argue against that.

 

[RogerL]

There's no point telling Trading Standards or the Tourist Board - it's not illegal because sites, like hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, etc aren't legally obliged to accept anyone.

If the above is correct how come that two guest house owners have been found guilty in recent times for refusing to let out rooms to gays which went against their religious beliefs?

That's a form of discrimination specifically defined in an Act of Parliament - I don't recall caravan ages being included in that Act.
Many caravan and camping sites won't accept all-male, all-female or all-youth parties.

 

[Taff]

I was on a site last year and 2 old caravans arrived, 1 was a Marauda and the other was a Buccaneer. These vans were in mint condition and a credit to the owners. The towing vehicles were also old but again well looked after.
Their money is as good as anyones.

 

[ValA.]

Try caravanning in France, where almost every French van is a vintage one - some going back to the sixties and seventies, and still being used by whole families! We've seen really old vans, patched up, and enjoyed a great deal by their owners.
Don't let this one incident put you off - it's a one off, and just put it down to experience, but don't go back to the site.

 

[Steve L]

I have come across ageisum in caravans before and quite suprisingly, in my own county of Herefordshire.
A certain site P***** M***, asked me what caravan I had and when I told them it was a Link 575 twin axle, they then asked when it was made. I rather nievely thought they were genuinely interested in my rare classic caravan. Nope, they were sounding out the age to make sure it "blended in" and that was the site manager's words.
Needless to say we were quoted a rediculasly high seasonal pitch fee and told that the dog was chargeable by the day. So we voted with our tow hitch so to speak. Anyway, the steep up hill access road had already put us off.

Of cause when you're voted top site you do have standards to keep up!!??

Another ageisum is on "adults only" sites. What age does an adult have to be. On our Eardisland site it was 12 years old on the statics because one particular "angling times" journalist had grand children. But then on the same site property it was 18 for the tourers unless they were seasonals.
I never got down to just how Jim & Linda came to make that rule nor the majority of the other 24 rules of the site. I was just glad that my children were both over 21.

Nowt so quere as wardens.

It's a pity that the actual owners don't do a spot visit and ask the tourist's what they think. It would improve their bottom line no end.

 

[Surfer]

I think the post is a total wind up as I have never been asked the age of my caravan. Come to think of it all I have been asked if I had a single or twin axle so I could be placed on the correct size pitch.

 

[Tony_5041742]

I think there's a reverse argument these days, that older vans are more popular than even as they are so much lighter than modern vans hence towable by everyday family cars. I've got friends with a very nice 80s 5 berth Marauder that tows quite nicely behind their Astra. They've looked at changing the Marauder a few times, but concluded that all modern caravans were much too heavy for their car to safely tow so they never bother to change.

 

[HerinDoors]

We had a 1992 two berth Vanroyce, which we bought for £500 five years ago, in a wonderful condition. We were booking famly holiday in Cornwall. we picked a popular site and made enquries. Booking accepted pitch allocated near main facilities due to having two children. On arrival we went into the reception and booked in. We were asked if the van outside was ours, it was. We were then asked to wait, after some fiddling on their computer and a lot of mumbled conversation we were told that all the pitches around the facilities were full, and they had given us another pitch. This was our first holiday in our newly aquired van, and at the time we a bit wet behind the ears. The new pitch was right at the back of the site, tucked away. We thought nothing of it, untill speaking to a well experienced caravaner who came to chat to my husband about our van. He too had an older van and the same had happned to him!!! There were pitches by the facilities free, but we were glad we had a quieter pitch due to the clubhouse noisly tipping out after midnight each evening. We have since changed ours to a family size van but our origional is still going strong, as my Sister- in law and has it now. There is decrimination out there, or snobby sites who just like to look good but fortunatlly these are few.

 

[RogerL]

I think the post is a total wind up as I have never been asked the age of my caravan. Come to think of it all I have been asked if I had a single or twin axle so I could be placed on the correct size pitch.

I have seen it occasionally in a site's terms and conditions - puts me off to start with even though we'd qualify, so never been to one.

 

[Shirker]

In light of the above, fair play to Ross Park in Devon - we were there towards the end of Summer last year in our 11 year old van and they put us at the first pitch in where our old 80s-green striped box would be the first one anyone saw looking into the site. (It was a good spot actually - wasn't sure at first being so close to the entrance but was actually very quiet as there weren't many other vans around it - would ask for that pitch again).

 

[Parksy]

If I remember rightly some years back there was a Practical Caravan magazine article (but it might have been their rival publication which we subscribed to at that time) which featured a popular privately owned site in Suffolk (which will remain nameless).
Readers contacted the magazine to complain about a policy quite openly stated in the sites T&Cs which restricted the use of the site to owners of caravans under fifteen years old or some such figure.
Practical Caravan Magazine contacted the site in question who admitted that they embraced such a policy and the site owners said that they were prepared to review their caravan age ruling in some cases.
I remember the name of the site to this day, and although our caravan would fit their criteria I wouldn't use that particular site if it was the last one on earth.
I sincerely hope that the publicity at the time caused a sharp downturn in their business prospects, this was the only time that I can remember a caravan age restriction being openly admitted by site owners. I've just checked and the Terms and Conditions for that site still states:
'Tourer
Maximum age: 15 years
Maximum Length: 7.5 metres
Towing Vehicle: 4x4 and Private Cars Only'

 

[Surfer]

We admit that we do enjoy seeing the older caravans in their various colours as it breaks the monotony of the site. Also interesting to speculate on their various points of interest In addition they looked to be better built than many new caravans on the road today. Also happier owners as probably no finance on the caravan. LOL!