Seasonal Pitches

[Christopher_5090322]

I felt that I must comment on the article 'SEASONAL PLOTS'following Carls article in Febs issue.I too have noticed on many occasions on how many of the 'select!'sites around the country have gone over to seasonal pitches and in many cases to the detrement of the tourer,several times in the past twelve months I have arrived at a site which I have pre-booked from a lovely glossy brochure only to find that we are sited in out of the way parts of the site,miles away from the amenities and usually with no room to erect the awning because the site owners are trying to cram tourers into ever decreasing spaces,or is it a veiled attempt at dissuade tourers altogether??

My other observation is on how many touring sites are going over to static vans again with the same result of the tourer beining pushed out.

As with regard to the Law,many sites I've visited openly flout it,the last site I was at near Bridlington approximately 80% of the available pitches were taken over by seasonal vans of all types,and over a cool beer in a nearby pub I chanced on an owner of one of these vans and he let slip that his van was there all year round.Next day my wife and I 'strolled' past his outfit only to find that not only was the awning erected and from the state of it,it looked as if it too had been up all year!but he had no wheels on his van?????

I don't know what we the van owners who like to tour with our outfits can do other that moan at site owners,'deaf ears',spring to mind.But I would welcome pressure that PC can bring to bear otherwise would be caravaners'will be put off from joining our merry band or those seasoned vaners like my self will be forced to look further afield to take our vans.

 

[Surfer]

I don't understand why you have a problem with seasonal pitches as these are the people that keep the park open. Where do you think the park owners get income during the off season? I agree that it is annoying when theyn take all the best sites, but that is life I guess.

 

[enterprisenx1_5090302]

Hi, like said earlier seasonal pitche's are a form of income for some caravan sites, a site i know has quarter of the site taken by seasonal pitche's , but the owner of the site said he would not have been able to start the site if this many wern't there, because these seasonal pitch owners pay his mortgage for the site, the other pitche's let to touring are a bonus for him , i know it seems some sites take it to the extreme and that also is not fair as i have ended up on a car park once , but if it is privately owned there is little we can do to stop sites turning their sites into seasonal pitch sites, also when you become older

will it be so tempting a hobby to lug a heavy caravan into pitche's or more tempting to just have it permanantly set up ?

 

[GeoffH_5040432]

Whilst slating seasonal pitch users like me, who out of interest has no wheels on my van (winter wheels fitted) at the moment but will have for my annual pilgrimage to France and my awning goes up 1st April for the season. Let me pose you a question, have you tried to book a seasonal pitch on a site, it's difficult, waiting lists can run to 2 or 3 years before a pitch comes available. Now if you owned the site and had pitches booked years in advance at on average cost of

 

[RogerL]

The law relating to static caravans and their sites is a total anachronism. They're chalets. The wheels aren't even used to move them short distances, they're there to qualify for an easy set of regulations.

While there is a need for "base" pitches, from which a tourer is taken out touring - all other seasonal caravans, static or touring, should be re-classified as chalets and forced to comply with that legislation.

It's sickening to see how sites develop. A CL we used converted to a commercial site for 15 vans and is now gradually instaling statics. What an eyesore!

 

[sian_5062266]

My husband and I don't want to tour during the summer months because we have a high maintenance garden which we enjoy, is child free, south facing and is pretty much secluded with fabulous coastal views. However we are the kinds of people who in a 12 month period, caravan for 6 months of the year, all at CC club sites. We take a seasonal pitch from September to December, return home to prepare for the family Christmas and then go off again by the end of January, each month spending at least 2 weeks away touring the various open sites. Our last visits are usually around June because we cannot stand the behaviour of the kids, their parents and other like minded juvenilles. So, what's wrong with sites providing pitches out of season for a market that so desires it. At the end of the day, I wouldn't be bothering you because I don't tour when you do - if you did away with the availability of "our type" pitches you may well find yourselves in amongst " us" who may well be just looking for a bit of peace and quiet!

In a nutshell, have you ever thought of putting yourself in someone elses' shoe? And asked yourself the question, who are these seasonal pitchers and what do they do?? And more importantly, why do they need a seasonal pitch in the first place? Not everyone has the luxury of being totally mobile either.

Think about it

Sian

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Our last visits are usually around June because we cannot stand the behaviour of the kids, their parents and other like minded juvenilles.

Is there anyone you do like?

 

[RichardH]

Christopher

you have to remember these places are run as a business, if you ran one this is the decision you would be faced with.

Example

site = 20 pitches

ave price is

 

[Paul_5041254]

What is the problem with seasonal touring pitches ? If you don't work 50+ hours a week and have plenty of time to hitch up the van and drag it to a site, then drag it home the next day thats fine. But for many of us this is not the case SIAN. I find it very relaxing bundle my delinquent Wife & two juveniles (who attend Grammar school & have on average 3 hours of homework per night)into the car travel the 80 miles to our caravan & spend the weekend terrorising anyone who dares to enter the caravan site with the intention of spending a weekend away from it all.Caravanning is historically a family pastime so please SIAN do not tar every family with stereotypical perception you have invented in your head. Try going on adult only sites or even better book a SAGA holiday.

 

[ThePlotter]

I am sure that any reasonably minded person will be understanding of the financial issues that site owners face with regard to seasonal pitches,however they set up their sites as tourer sites in the full knowledge(or at least they should have) of the finacials of running it.If these were not appropriate then they should have taken on a static site.

The article itself makes the point thet the upsurge of seasonal vans on tourer sites is due to the demand of the van owners who see it as a cheaper option than owning a static.This being the case why should I suffer the difficulty in finding a pitch that is not taken up by a 'static tourer'.From personal experience whilst these might help the site owner financially in the short term this may not be sustained as the site very quickly begins to look like a shanty town with vans that are dirty with faded awnings and long grass surrounding them because the site owner cant get at it these also invariably take the best pitches but remain empty for long periods.

I have unknowingly booked onto sites in the past with a high number of seasonal pitches and you very quickly feel uncomfortable for invading 'their' site.

In conclusion I repeat that if the van owners either cant or do not wish to continue towing then they should go and buy a static and leave the pitches for those of us that buy a tourer for exactly that purpose ,TO TOUR AND NOT BE STATIC.

 

[Lol1]

On the sites that I have never had a problem with "Seasonal Pitches". Some wardens have use of these pitches as part of their wages, I don't go complaining to the management because I want their plot. If a site has identified a need for caravaners to set up long term, then fine, why not. It is then up to those that keep the site looking good to address the problem if a caravan is unsightly. If this doesn't happen, families will vote with their feet and the site will loose out. It's an often-used phrase but "Freedom of choice" is a valuable commodity.

 

[RichardH]

Tony, if the site stopped doing seasonal pitches and people still wanted to go there every weekend they could at the start of the season book a pitch for every weekend in the season and tow their van to the site every friday and bring it back every monday, they would then be touring not static but the pitch would still be unavailable every weekend of the season

 

[ThePlotter]

Tony, if the site stopped doing seasonal pitches and people still wanted to go there every weekend they could at the start of the season book a pitch for every weekend in the season and tow their van to the site every friday and bring it back every monday, they would then be touring not static but the pitch would still be unavailable every weekend of the season

Thats fine at least that way the pitches will be being used not just used as a parking space for the van all the sites I have visited with seasonal pitches have the majority of vans laying empty a lot of the weekends taking up pitches except on Bank Holidays when they are all full