Setting Up A Campsite (Any Advice?)

[Steve_374540891]

Hi, my name's Steve. I'm new to the forum and the whole camping and caravanning scene.

I'm in the process of setting up a caravan site for my parents on their farm in the Peak District. We've got the necessary permissions and are ready to start work.

However, before we start I thought I'd just ask what is key to the people who regularly use sites. Are there any types of setup that are really annoying and cause you trouble? Are there any ideas that you've seen and thought how handy they would be on all sites?

Basically, I've got a blank canvas and a great location so I want to get it right. All and any input will be greatfully recieved.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Parksy]

Hi Steve

Let's get some of the annoying things out of the way first.

A browse through some of the back pages of this forum will reveal that some of the things that annoy caravanners the most are

Children playing ball games or riding bikes / scooters etc near to caravans.

Late night noise

Dog fouling, dogs running loose and not on leads

On a more positive note some of the things that appear to be popular are

If toilets/ shower facilities are provided then cleanliness is paramount.

Play areas set aside for supervised children are popular when space permits.

Dog walks with bins to dispose of poop bags are popular

Recycling bins provide a good way to dispose of newspapers, jars bottles and cans.

Separate areas are best for tent campers if they are accommodated on site.

A certified site that we regularly use leaves a small area of grass and wildflowers uncut to encourage insects butterflies and birds

If electric hook ups are not provided a battery charging service would be handy. You could even use solar power and possibly show some 'green' credentials by using solar power to heat showers etc.

Sales on site of local produce such as eggs, milk etc always seem to do well.

Good luck with your venture Steve, I'm sure that you will receive more suggestions and ideas. Don't forget to let us know how you get on.

 

[Karina_374530710]

Hi Steve

One thing that I always ask for is for the facilities (water, waste drain and chem toilet disposal point) etc to be pointed out to me. One site I went to gave me a site map with all of these clearly shown - it was a great help.

Also, an information desk/room would be really useful - giving details of local attractions and facilities etc.

Good luck!

Karina

 

[Ang1]

As i know from experience it takes time to do everything you want to on a site. So start with the essentials and work you way to doing the extra's. not listed in any particular order as it will vary from site to site as to what is required first.

1) Decent Toilets/showers - when we put our new building on the most popular part is the Bathroom (with full size bath). Other facilities - washing up sinks, chem waste all as useful.

2) Hookup points, we have changed some of ours to points where people pay for what they use and not a standard charge. Seems a fair way and has been very well received.

3) Bins & Recycling - we have a local contracter who comes and empty's bins plus supplys us with recycling bins for Paper, glass & cans. This can vary in different areas - your local council should be able to point you in the right direction.

4) Somewhere for children to play - if the kids are happy then the parents are, and so is everyone else.

5) Information leaflets on the area - our local tourist board supply a stand and come regularly to top it up, get in touch with your nearest TI and they should be able to put you in touch, you just need to supply somewhere to put it.

6) Shop, this can vary from site to site very much as to what is stocked. If there isnt a local CALOR gas stockist in your area it might be worth having a chat with them. Somethings like newspapers we just get as a service in the mornings, its only really the big parks that can offer newspapers/mags for sale. But our local milkman supplys - eggs, milk, bread & butter.

Hope this gives you some ideas & best of luck.

 

[Guest]

Provide good toilet and showers with quality tile finish!

Make sure the shower stalls have somehwere to hang the users clothing and shoes and stay dry at the same time and somewhere safe for watches and glasses!

Plenty of water points and drainage for waste.

 

[xtrailman]

Steve

Don't waste you time trying to please every one, caravaner all have different "wants".

We were the first to use a 5 van site when it first opened, we are on first names terms with the owner.

Over the last 16 years, the owner has had no end of issues, and has progressively altered the site, we still use it.

But he has barred quite a few people from using the site, who have been trouble some in the past.

My advise would be, ask other owners, not caravaners.

 

[Parksy]

The Camping and Caravanning Club operate a site just outside Bakewell Steve.

I don't know how far from that site your proposed site will be but had you considered becoming franchised C&CC site owners?

Click Hereto browse round the C&CC information pages.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

It really depends if it's a CL (5 van site) or a full blown one.

If it's a CL then down the list of priorities from my experience is a play area for kids and shop. People with kids don't tend to use CLs because they are small with nothing to occupy them and bearing in mind the site is only 5 vans you're not going to make much of a return on stocking a shop.

Different people will give you different ideas Steve, even a shower isn't a high priority for most CL users because they use their own but decent disposal facilties should be provided.

My own priority would be a level pitch, hardstanding if possible but not important, EHU, very important, and somewhere to walk the dogs with a poo bin provided. Some users are even more basic than that.

If it's going to be a full blown site then take advice from the other posts Steve especially about unruly kids and parents who can see no wrong in what their little cherubs get up to :O)

Thankfully these are a rarity but they do exist and the kids and bikes are offloaded first so that they can create mayhem while the parents set up :O)

 

[Gabsgrandad]

As previously mentioned you don't state what you're after in terms of site. What no one has mentioned is entrance/exit size, and splay, as with modern large outfits they need a lot of space to manoevre, and room to get vans on to pitches. Also on size which hasn't been mentioned is pitch size, (and size is important!!)Starting from scratch don't skimp on pitch size. We know you need to maximise on land useage, but if you crowd people it will become counter productive, most people like their space.

 

[Surfer]

Instead of wasting money installing shower blocks and toilets which require maintenance continously, why not consider having serviced pitches that have EHU, water supplies and also waste water disposal drains as all modern caravans now have all the facilites on board. The saving would allow you to remain very competitive.

Secondly install metering on the EHU allowing "x" number of Kwh units free and inclusive with the pitch fee. This will stop people going out for the day and leaving their heaters running at full power when the caravan is empty. It will also make people think twice about using fan heaters in their awnings.

 

[Steve_374540891]

What a great response, thanks everyone.

The site has been applied for through the C&CC and it comes under Exempted Site. They've obviously assessed the site for suitability and told me what the minimum requirements are (Waste Disposal, Water Supplies, Bins, etc) but when asked about specifics aren't all that helpful.

It'll only cater for 6 plots for the foreseeable future. I'm an Electrician by trade so metered hook-up points will be a nice project, I've installed meters in properties before and they're not very expensive to buy.

Are there specific fittings for water supplies on caravans to enable a hook-up between the supply and caravan? And again for separate waste drainage points?

I was wondering whether or not to start with a Mobile Site Unit type toilet and shower block. The trouble being if we planned to build one it would be a nightmare with the Peak Park Planning and, no doubt, take ages to go through the system.

Thanks again for the great response everyone.

 

[botty]

hi steve we reqire nice clean site with good views dog walk hookup

and a nice friendly face its fine if as no toilet faclites or shower as most people use there own

and a good nighty site fees cheaper the better

goodluck

 

[trucker]

Steve, If your going to supply water and waste water to each pitch you only have to supply the tap at the pitch, each caravanner will have there own kit to get water to the van. again a drainage point at each pitch would only need the drain, the caravanner would have their own way of getting the waste water to the drainage.

If you go down the route of a mobile type toilet block thats fine but as you have seen from most if not all the replys a good toilet and shower block is a must, and it is A MUST

Good luck

Kevin

 

[GillW]

Steve

For me a good quality toilet / shower block with hooks in the drying area,hard standing is a real bonus especially if you want to open all or most of the year round,EHU.

What I also like is a waste disposal point at a low height,my husband has arthritis in his spine and I am the one who empties the wastemaster,those who have the emptying point at waist height are a real pain.don't they know how heavy the waste can become.

Most of all a friendly face works wonders with repeat bookings,we have been to sites with fantastic facilities but have been made to feel a nuisance so have not and will not return.

good luck

 

[David.O]

Steve

My wife and I have a CL which over the past 10 years . I believe you need to offer a service that will want your visitors to return. We have a waste disposal area for toilet emptying a tap is also there for washing down after use. we also have 3 bins for rubbish and a bottle bank. The cost of disposing of the rubbish and the emptying the septic tank needs to be taken into account. and its not cheep. We have 10 amp hookups and a water supply to each pitch. You will find the season is quite short and to extend our visitors stay we have installed a mains TV system as reception is poor from the caravan aerial. We also have a small summerhouse which houses a libary and local information. we also have the tourist board stock attraction leaflets.More and more of our visitors book via the internet using e mail so you will need that . Also we have a site on 5van.com this has been well worthwhile. We have made lots of new friends and get fun from running our CL.

David from Suffolk

 

[Guest]

With modern pastic plumbing systems water supply and drainage should not be to pricy or a massve job.

Caravanner's water connectors normally fit to standard tap screw connectors the same as garden hose sytems or fit the push on spigots.

If you have water and drainage to hand at the pitch you do away with water and waste hogs being trundled around the site and people driving the waste water to the disposal point.

I believe most people like to know that there are basic neat clean toilet and was facilities at sites to fall back on.

Doesn'y have to be huge, but neat tidy and clean makes all the difference.

Customers give the site owners income and pay the bills, so try listening to what they want!

 

[Steve L]

Hi Steve.

I am caravanning all year round at present and have just a few simple items on my list for you. As a 6 pitch site for now, going into tens of thousands of pounds and the obvious headache of peak district countryside planning etc, perhaps the following would be of help.

Most marquee hire firms have mobile toilets and showers based around ifor williams trailers. Often these are well built and would even in winter with a small electric heater, provide adequate facilities. Depending on your ground, you could dig out a trough to lower the trailer so that the floor of the unit meets ground surface.

16 Amp electric would be a must. A lot of caravanner don't appreciate how easy it is to exceed 10 Amp.

A basic water tap to each pitch that has insulation that goes below ground surface to below frost depth to ensure water flow is paramount. I've been on a 5 star site where the water everywhere except the heated toilet block froze even at zero just because of poor insulation. It was not only a pain in the butt to me, but even the management moaned when we filled aqua rolls in the laundry.

Likewise a chemical disposal with alternative access to cope with frost.

Stoned hard standings that allow for aqual rolls at the side of the van on the stone plus allowance these days of 3.5 mtrs for awnings. We have a 3 mtr awning and on most sites we have to have barrels on the grass which makes mowing harder work and the awning oversails the pitch causing an 18 inch bald patch on the grass. Wide awnings are evermore popular these days as more families go caravanning.

On the subject of hard standings. Put solid dpc sheet under the caravan pitch and then use breathable dpc on the roadways. That way, you will generate dry and relatively damp proof pitches and a natural land drain via the roadways.

Starting with the basics will provide a stable base to add luxuries later.

Good luck with your venture and let us know when your open so we can do a review.

All the best.

Steve L.

 

[David.O]

Steve and Steve

An area you need to be very careful about is to develop your site to much. We looked at putting in toilets hard standings etc. we could have had a grant from our local council But we would then have been subject to business rates, that would have made the whole project no go.

David from Suffolk

 

[Andy5Z]

Steve here's a thought. Why not borrow or rent a caravan for a long weekend/week or so, visit a few sites of different sizes and get a feel for what's needed by a caravanner!

Could be the most realistic piece of market research you do!

Andy5Z

 

[Rick1]

Hi Steve

Let's get some of the annoying things out of the way first.

A browse through some of the back pages of this forum will reveal that some of the things that annoy caravanners the most are

Children playing ball games or riding bikes / scooters etc near to caravans.

Late night noise

Dog fouling, dogs running loose and not on leads

On a more positive note some of the things that appear to be popular are

If toilets/ shower facilities are provided then cleanliness is paramount.

Play areas set aside for supervised children are popular when space permits.

Dog walks with bins to dispose of poop bags are popular

Recycling bins provide a good way to dispose of newspapers, jars bottles and cans.

Separate areas are best for tent campers if they are accommodated on site.

A certified site that we regularly use leaves a small area of grass and wildflowers uncut to encourage insects butterflies and birds

If electric hook ups are not provided a battery charging service would be handy. You could even use solar power and possibly show some 'green' credentials by using solar power to heat showers etc.

Sales on site of local produce such as eggs, milk etc always seem to do well.

Good luck with your venture Steve, I'm sure that you will receive more suggestions and ideas. Don't forget to let us know how you get on.

Hi Steve I would say prices, as things are today a fair amount of people are giving up caravaning because of the cost,

There`s a site opened up near me at

 

[JTQ]

Only a small percentage of five van sites provide toilet/shower facilities; Its hard to believe there is an adequate return with 5 vans to fund the provision and daily cleaning of these.Many of us have no essential need for such site facilities, and the cost associated.

The pricing will be critical as if its too high you will only get reasonable occupancy during summer school holidays.

For good occupancy it appears that EHU is beneficial and as you say this is your field then that ought to be something you can provide at reasonable cost. The EHU not only increases occupancy levels but greatly increases your active season.

With the longer season you need all weather access and standings or you will get the site torn-up, discourage return visits and have to tow some units out when things are wet.

Security is important on 5 van sites as there will not be eyes everywhere to look after each other. So you need to discourage casual access such as providing a normally closed gate, ideally located where anybody nosing about will feel observed. Access needs to be long enough to be able to pull unit off the public road.

As a growing part of the visitors will be motorhomers these need particularly level pitches and with their front wheel drive are very vulnerable ot any traction difficulties. These motorhomers in particular are able and prepared to operate over a longer season than caravaners typically do, and of course a very much long season that tenters.

 

[Chrisbee]

My requirements appear to differ from most people's. Just a field and somewhere to get/empty water and a chemical disposal point. However, it must take dogs and EHU is desirable but not essential.

 

[Rioja]

I wouldn't supply toilets or showers, as previously stated, How long before they would pay for themselves ? Think of the extra work as well.

An added bonus is that if you don't provide toilets and showers you are less likely to attract families. No children equals less hassle !

 

[Steve L]

I agree toilets might be costly from the outset, but on the other hand, I was making an assumption that steve's parents might very well want to offer upto date facilities with a forward view to growth at a later date beyond 6 pitches.

If you have a blank canvas like steve has, it is much easier to put these systems in at the start rather than having to dig uo your established site.

Hard standings and stoned roads are perhaps luxurious, but I thought that would be better than people churning up the grass if they get stuck, or pestering for a tow from a tractor.

All items are desires and of coarse, steve and his parents will need to pick what they want and balance the budget. Also it depends on how much they would want to for instance have to drive the tractor to tow caravans off or onto pitches. Etc.

steve L.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Steve

Plenty of posts here to help you .

As this will probably only have as you say 6 pitches then I'd be happy with:-

1. If metered EHU, should be 16amp. I'm paying so why restrict me to 10amp?

2. A toilet and shower would be a bonus but not essential as we happily use our own facilities.

3. Easy to use and accessible chemical toilet waste disposal point.

4. Pitches sited to give best views , best drainage, and sun. Ever tried a north facing pitch?

5. Accessible fresh water taps, as close to the pitches as possible including grey water disposal point and dustbins.

6. Open all year round.

That is the simple start to a very pleasant site imo.

Good luck and keep us all informed. We will want to try it out!

Cheers

Dustydog