Open all year round

[yvonne6]

Is there a specific reason why the majority of club sites are closed from October to March. I think the more club sites are open the more we caravanners would venture out during the winter months, thus generating more money and possibly leading to more people changing their vans. We use our van all year round, why spent alot of money on purchasing a van only to use it for a few months during the summer. I know not everyone thinks the same, but i am curious to see how many people go out during the winter months.

Yvonne

 

[Gumbo]

Possibly due to Wardens Costs rather than being classed as full time, they may just be part time employees so no pension costs etc . Or the Clubs have deemed the costs to be to high

( wear & tear ) for what they get back in revenue.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Yvonne,

There are quite a few Caravan club sites open all year round. However except for weekends most sites have lots of vacancies during the week. Some sites even have plenty of vacancies at the weekend, at certain times during the winter.

Therefore unless you can persuade many more caravanners to winter caravan it is not financially viable for the club to open more sites.

I caravan throughout the winter for one to three weeks at a time, off next week for 3 weeks, and find site occupancy levels are very low on most sites during the week.

Hamer

 

[lesleystrawson]

Just so happens we were at the New Forest CC Site on its last day when it shut for the winter, and I asked the warden exactly the same question.

It appears that for this (1 year old) site there were restrictions placed upon its opening when planning permission was granted. They even dictated the number of hardstandings apparently!

Lesley

 

[David.O]

yvonne

Why not look at CL's many are open all year.

 

[JohnKS]

Just so happens we were at the New Forest CC Site on its last day when it shut for the winter, and I asked the warden exactly the same question.

It appears that for this (1 year old) site there were restrictions placed upon its opening when planning permission was granted. They even dictated the number of hardstandings apparently!

Lesley

You are right, the Club has to get premission from the local authority to open all the year and it is rarely given unless the club cab prove usage. Also finding wardens , I would think is a problem.

 

[waffler]

The other club has quite a few open all year as well. Same problem though they are often full on Saturday. I think with all including the commercial sites that you are dependent on hard-standing and many sites have none or too few to make it financially viable.

 

[robstanbury_5041463]

Hi Yvonne

We have just returned from Bashley Park, near New Milton

Hampshire,we had to pay the balance for our Xmas/newyear

bash,and walk the Yorkies,we were expecting the site

to be half full of hardy campers,but the site was

totally full ,247 pitches,plus the holiday homes,

we thought we were in a timewarp,more XMAS decs than

you could shake a stick at,BBq smoking, kids playing.

They have a firework night this weekend!!

If sites spent the money keeping sites open, business

will follow,they were not brand new caravans, just people

having a good time,and Dads seeing how many decs they

could get to work from 16amp.It is harder to book a Xmas

break than the Summer holiday.The sites that ignore this

business opportunity will miss the boat! And Tesco will

Take over again!!!

Rob&Lynne&Woofers

 

[JohnKS]

I think you have missed the point about sites being open in the winter. They have to get planning permission and it is often refused due to complaints by neighbours.