Some people keep their tourer on the same pitch all season.
Matt Clark asks why they do it - and how it affects those who prefer more variety
Below is an extract from the full article published in the February 2006 issue of Practical Caravan.
We often talk of our vans being a home from home. But some people take that
phrase more literally. Increasing numbers of caravanners now use their
tourers as a second home by keeping them on seasonal pitches.
On a seasonal pitch, you pitch up your tourer - and then leave it there. How
long you leave it there depends on the type of pitch. 'Part-seasonals' let
you leave your van on site for part of the year, while 'base pitches', or
'year-long seasonals' let you keep your van on the same pitch all year
round.
Site owners often have lists of 80 people who are waiting for a seasonal
pitch. One warden joked that the only way to get one was to be left one in a
will. So if they're so popular, does this suggest interest in touring is
waning?
We asked Bob Bartle, the Camping and Caravanning Club's area sites manager
for the South and the South East. He says the popularity of seasonal pitches
has grown massively: "After trialling the concept of seasonal pitches at one
site three years ago, we now have 21 sites with seasonal pitches. We just
can't meet the demand."
So are seasonal pitches going to take over from the club's touring pitches?
"Absolutely not," says Bob. "Touring is what our club is all about. We have
part-seasonal pitches that can be rented from March to April, and then from
September to February, which keeps the pitch free for tourers during peak
time." This keeps the site busy in low season, which is
a good source of income for site owners over what would otherwise be a slow
time of year.
Seasonal pitches are also popular with members of the Caravan Club. Richard
Burton, head of site operations, says that
a careful balance must be maintained. "We are mindful that seasonals don't
take over the touring pitches. We are primarily a touring club and we have
to balance our members' needs.''
Both clubs review their seasonal pitch allocation annually, since touring
members will not be pleased if they find pitch availability reduced because
of 'sitting tenants'. So how did the need for seasonal pitches come about?
Richard says the Caravan Club started offering seasonal pitches "as a
service to our older members who don't like towing any more." Bob Barton of
the Camping and Caravanning Club: agrees, saying: "Having a seasonal pitch
means these people can continue their hobby without the stresses and strains
of towing."
Seasonal pitches are mostly used by the elderly, and one such veteran
caravanner is Reginald Green. He and his wife Sheila keep their Swift
Challenger at the Camping and Caravanning Club site in Hertford, 10 miles
from their home in Harlow. They'd had enough of towing once they retired,
but they still wanted to keep caravanning.
"We use our caravan as a summer house," says Reginald. "Because the site is
so near to our home, we can use it any time we like. It's nice to sit in the
van, listening to the grass grow. Our grandchildren come and visit us on
site and they can play on their bikes more safely there than at home."
Reginald doesn't think that seasonal pitches limit touring pitch
availability, since there are only a handful of seasonals spread over the
30-acre Hertford site, which is never filled to capacity.
Would a seasonal pitch suit everyone? Reginald thinks not: "It wouldn't be
worth it for younger people because they couldn't get enough use out of it
to justify the expense. We are retired so we can use it at least 80 nights a
year. If you can't do that much, it's probably not worth your while."
Prices for a seasonal pitch start from £575 and go up to £1,500, depending
on the site. On average you will find yourself paying between £800 and
£1000. But if you take out a seasonal pitch for
a whole year, you could save up to £400 on storage.
The Caravan Club has found
a solution for those who need somewhere to keep their van, but still want to
use it on a regular basis. Two of its sites, Alderstead Heath and Amberley
Fields offer 'base pitches', where you can leave your van on site for most
of the year. The Camping and Caravanning Club will launch similar 'annual
seasonal pitches' later this year.
Mick Crowley has been using a base pitch for over 20 years. Living in London
means he used to have to keep his caravan in storage all year round. "I used
to store my van in Croydon. All the vans were packed in so tightly that
getting mine out was tricky" he says. The situation would have continued,
had Mick not met the manager of the then new Caravan Club site at Alderstead
Heath, who persuaded him to take up a base pitch.
Mick has made himself feel at home at Alderstead Heath. There is a set of
paving stones leading to his caravan and a large flower pot near the front
door. He said: "You aren't supposed to personalise your pitch, but the site
let me put a large plant pot here and the slabs as a favour."
But with some people making themselves so at home on site, aren't the people
who tour being disadvantaged when it comes to getting a pitch in peak
season? Wally and Jill Brown from Kent say they do have a problem with the
number of seasonal pitches that have already staked their claim. "When you
finally get onto a site, you find it is full of empty caravans because they
are all seasonal pitches. It seems as if the clubs are no longer for touring
caravans," says Wally.
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