Refused entry to Caravan Club Campsite

[Adamvanman]

Much as I love the facilities on CC sites, the mini-Hitler wardens can be a real pain.
My two recent irritations.
1 After being stuck in a bad traffic jam on a Friday we were told we would absolutely not be let in at 8.05 pm. Right pain but found a closer site and stayed there one night.
2 We were given a numbered key to the gate when we arrived. Himself said we wouldn't need the "motorhome using this site" sign as we rolled way having forgotten to use it. When we got back someone was on our pitch. Trapse off to the warden... Tough t@&£y. Sometimes we have got back to someone parked ontop of our sign (admittedly not on CC sites).
Maybe getting time to vote with our feet but the heated toilet blocks in the winter are lovely!

I hear this a lot, a few months back we were running late due to traffic and arrived at a Caravan Club site 7 minutes after last check in and were refused entry, this was back in April and the site was virtually empty so we would not have upset anyone by pitching up. We ended up having to park outside the gate next to the wardens caravan. I think the job of warden is a certain breed of person, luckily there are some nice wardens out there but sadly there are A LOT if little hitlers around.

 

[Bigted]

Had a long chat to a helpful membership agent today. They sent me the following email.

Hi Mr ********,

Following our conversation today, please see the guidelines below for Motorhome Acceptability:


Vehicles used for accommodation on The Club's Site Network should generally meet the following criteria:

Their accommodation space should contain at least the following equipment:

- Seats and a table

- Sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats

-Cooking facilities

-Storage facilities

This equipment should be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable

Where these criteria are not met by a given vehicle, it may still be considered acceptable if the following condition is met:

"The clear intended design and purpose of the vehicle is to provide leisure accommodation use during the course of a recreational holiday"

As you are concerned about your own outfit (the VW California Beach) please send in photos of the interior and exterior of your van to MEMBERSHIP ADMIN (copied above) for clarification of acceptance on sites.

Lovely to speak to you today. Hope this all works out in your favour.

Kind regards,


Helen Aaron

Membership Services

THE CARAVAN CLUB

She said that members who wanted clarification should send pics to them. I asked if a blanket exceptance could be issued and she said it was above her pay grade. I will continue to follow this up with membership admin.

 

[Ambler]

I get the impression some of these wardens are ex Army. Used to issuing and following rules. Years ago (when we had a caravan) some certainly were.

 

[T6Beach]

Had a long chat to a helpful membership agent today. They sent me the following email.

Hi Mr ********,

Following our conversation today, please see the guidelines below for Motorhome Acceptability:


Vehicles used for accommodation on The Club's Site Network should generally meet the following criteria:

Their accommodation space should contain at least the following equipment:

- Seats and a table

- Sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats

-Cooking facilities

-Storage facilities

This equipment should be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable

Where these criteria are not met by a given vehicle, it may still be considered acceptable if the following condition is met:

"The clear intended design and purpose of the vehicle is to provide leisure accommodation use during the course of a recreational holiday"

As you are concerned about your own outfit (the VW California Beach) please send in photos of the interior and exterior of your van to MEMBERSHIP ADMIN (copied above) for clarification of acceptance on sites.

Lovely to speak to you today. Hope this all works out in your favour.

Kind regards,


Helen Aaron

Membership Services

THE CARAVAN CLUB

She said that members who wanted clarification should send pics to them. I asked if a blanket exceptance could be issued and she said it was above her pay grade. I will continue to follow this up with membership admin.

This is roughly what I was told, I can't be bothered with all the hassle of taking photos ( and why shoud I?) and also when ever I arrive at a Caravan Club site I am still always going to have the nigling feeling that they won't let me in and my holiday will be ruined!

I think all Beach owners should phone up and ask for blanket acceptance or demand refunds like I did.

This is why I chose the refund of my membership fee and will take my business to someone who wants it.

 

[Ambler]

So Admin, are you going to try and get some clarification?

 

[Meoncoast]

So Admin, are you going to try and get some clarification?

As others have said I feel this would be a good way forward a blanket agreement via the club that the VW California Beach is a real campervan

 

[MattBW]

Had a call back from customer care today and they say their terms are that the unit must have a fixed bed and kitchen facilities, this is due to an increase in people turning up in day vans wanting to camp. Anyway I have now had an apology and my membership fee refunded.

What is wrong with Day vans? Snobbery plain and simple.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Who wants to go on holiday and have to adhere to overly-strict rules and regulations.
It's a time to break free, kick loose and relax.

This is why I mostly head for Europe. None of this nonsense over there...!!!

 

[larrylamb]

This is why I mostly head for Europe. None of this nonsense over there...!!!

I can think of the speedos rule for starters.

 

[larrylamb]

then there's no toilet seats or paper!

 

[soulstyledevon]

I can think of the speedos rule for starters.

What's wrong with Speedos...???
I look damn good in Speedos

 

[larrylamb]

What's wrong with Speedos...???
I look damn good in Speedos

Yes, I've seen you.

 

[estresao]

This is why I mostly head for Europe. None of this nonsense over there...!!!

You cannot imagine how many stupid things we Spaniards have to put up from our "fantastic" government and their "likeable" friends who own camp sites. I agree France is a paradise, but I don´t think is the European usual.

 

[Velma's Dad]

I can think of the speedos rule for starters.

On German and Danish beaches it's pretty well obligatory not to wear speedos or anything else. (Let's NOT get onto France and burkinis... )

 

[Meoncoast]

now this is the camper they need to refuse

 

[Bigted]

I've had a definitive responce now from the caravan club as follows -


Good afternoon,


Thank you for your email regarding the VW California Beach campervans and drawing our attention to the discussion on the forum.


As you have correctly pointed out this outfit is indeed a campervan, and as advised by my colleague below ‘as long as the clear intended design and purpose of the vehicle is to provide leisure accommodation use during the course of a recreational touring holiday’, then there should not be any issues with this outfit being accepted on our sites.


Our guidelines around acceptable outfits were relaxed a couple of years ago, so please accept our apologies to anyone who has recently experienced issues gaining entry to site. We are aware of the incident mentioned on the forum, and have passed on your email to our Sites Operations team who will speak to the relevant wardens on site.


Once again, thanks for your email.


Kind regards


Nicola Alsbury
Membership Services- Administration Co-ordinator
THE CARAVAN CLUB

 

[MattBW]

Great result there, thanks for chasing it up!

 

[WelshGas]

I've had a definitive responce now from the caravan club as follows -


Good afternoon,


Thank you for your email regarding the VW California Beach campervans and drawing our attention to the discussion on the forum.


As you have correctly pointed out this outfit is indeed a campervan, and as advised by my colleague below ‘as long as the clear intended design and purpose of the vehicle is to provide leisure accommodation use during the course of a recreational touring holiday’, then there should not be any issues with this outfit being accepted on our sites.


Our guidelines around acceptable outfits were relaxed a couple of years ago, so please accept our apologies to anyone who has recently experienced issues gaining entry to site. We are aware of the incident mentioned on the forum, and have passed on your email to our Sites Operations team who will speak to the relevant wardens on site.


Once again, thanks for your email.


Kind regards


Nicola Alsbury
Membership Services- Administration Co-ordinator
THE CARAVAN CLUB

I think it would be a good idea if the Forum Admin could make a copy of the email a " sticky " in the Beach Section under a suitable heading.

 

[GrannyJen]

I think it would be a good idea if the Forum Admin could make a copy of the email a " sticky " in the Beach Section under a suitable heading.

Good idea.

I've copied rather than move to maintain the integrity of this thread.

 

[Joker 1299]

now this is the camper they need to refuseView attachment 16126

I want one of those levatating roof boxes!!

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

The camping car shown above seems to be a little over engineered to me.

On one of the sites we stayed at in Italy, the camping car "pitched" next to us was just that. A car with 2 people who slept in the rear seats with all 4 doors slightly ajar, for ventilation no doubt.

They spent 80% of their time rummaging around in their boot for various items, and 100% monopolised the 2 shared site fridges during their stay.

Impressive .