Whitby Again

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Cambia
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Whitby Again

Post by Cambia »

Whitby is advertising a Winter Festival and I emailed to ask about motorhome parking overnight. We seem to have a sympathetic ear, so could others please send emails backing me up?

mailto:tourismbureau@scarborough.gov.uk

Please note that we have no motorhome aires as you are not allowed to stay in your motorhome overnight at any of the council owned car parks/facilities, due to the council's insurance policy not covering people staying overnight. Therefore most motorhome users stay on the many campsites/motorhome/caravan parks, the nearest site to Whitby would be Whitby Touring Park - https://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/ ... k-p1278371 by the Abbey, which is very close to town.

My response
hank you for replying so quickly. We will just have to give Whitby a miss then sadly as it does not cater fo motor homes. Such a shame!

Perhaps for the future Whitby might have a look at Campra.org which is campaigning for Aires throughout the Uk? There are a lot of us motorhome owners that travel all year round and like to spend our time and cash enjoying the beautiful places in the UK.

Response back
Thank you for your feedback, I have personally owned a VW motorhome/camper and travelled across the UK and Europe, so I understand your frustration that some places don’t have free facilities/aires. However, Whitby does have the touring park and other sites and they cater for motorhomes, but they are not free-of-charge. Please also note that the following place has motorhome pitches for just £10.00 per night and is 30mins drive from Whitby - https://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/ ... s-p1280101

Please also note that I have forwarded your email to the management team, so they can consider the issues raised.

My last response
Thank you so much for replying. Really don’t mind paying to stay but we only need a parking place rather than a camp site (usually out of town) with amenities we don’t use. We like to stay in town or as near as possible so that we can go out for a meal or a drink without driving!

I live in North Yorkshire and we are so fortunate to be in such a beautiful area. More and more people are buying motorhomes especially after the past year. We just need to get the infrastructure in now so that we don’t become a nuisance in tourist areas! Scotland is working really hard on this and has introduced a number of Aires providing parking off road, water and facilities to empty toilet cassettes. Much as we love Scotland, we would love to see this happening in North Yorkshire too.

Campra are working very hard to establish Aires throughout the UK and I really appreciate you passing this information on to your management team.
Cambia
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Cambia »

Latest reply relating to above seems to pinpoint the problem!! Do keep pointing out that we don’t expect free!!

Please note I have empathy for your situation as a former campervan owner and hopefully there may be improvements that can be made hence why I have sent your email to the management team, however, it is a very complex situation because the campsites/holiday parks etc… would argue that by providing free facilities we would be undermining their businesses/livelihoods and there is possible legal ramifications over loss of earnings etc… .
Traceybarkwill
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Traceybarkwill »

And there we have it! What a valiant effort on your part though. I think it might be time for us to consider some legal advice re fair competition! The new Campsite in Boulmer, Northumberland, is fully booked despite being not yet open so it is clear to me there are enough customers for all businesses.

How do we get across the fact that it is not campsite v carpark but town/village with what we need v town/village without??
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Cambia »

Yes there does seem to be some heavy influencing from the camp sites! So frustrating as we are never going to use these anyway!
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Steve »

If the council are offering the same facilities as a campsite for free they may have a point but we are not asking for it be free and there will not be camping or campsite facilities so it is not like for like.
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Jmick
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Jmick »

This is exasperating. Earlier this year I contacted EVERY member of Scarborough Borough Council (that's a LOT of people) and only received 4 replies - a ratio of less than one in ten 🙄. I followed this up with many other emails - toing and froing - giving CAMpRA's details etc. A couple of the replies were pretty positive, the others not so. I managed to get a 'public question' put to one of their general council meetings - only to be told I had to be there in person (I couldn't - I live almost 100 miles away) - a stipulation that wasn't mentioned at the start of the process. Barriers and excuses were raised at every argument/reason I put to them. It was soul destroying.

During the process - over many weeks - I have: sent photographs of empty (evening) car parks in the centre of Whitby; mentioned a small fee for 'limited' parking; asked about overnight use of their (often) empty park and ride outside the town; brought up the subject of councils being able to 'permit' businesses with car parks to allow a small number of vans to park overnight (not camp - just park and sleep). All met with negative excuses and regular citation of 'people emptying their loo cassettes inappropriately' (which I vehemently contested). This now seems to be somewhat of a myth, perpetuated by local rags and social media unfortunately. I also gave examples of their local campsites which often ask for more than one night to be booked & sometimes 3 nights if at weekends or BHs (campsites within walking distance, as - remember - we can't park our vehicles in Whitby in the evening if we do fancy a meal out). Also, because these sites are within walking distance of the resort, they are booked up many, many weeks in advance. This obviously defeats the nature of motorhoming - ie touring and 'moving on' to our next port of call.

We have now taken a lot of our 'spending money' elsewhere: who wants to spend time somewhere where you are so obviously not wanted - treated like pariahs almost? So, we go to (many) other places where we ARE made welcome. I may get 'on it' again and contact SCB in the future, but quite honestly I really feel that until there is a change of Council membership, motorhoming will still be frowned upon by them for some inexplicable reason. Sad situation for SCB businesses - I really hope Scarborough Borough Council change their views and approach to motorhoming. It would be a win-win for everyone.
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Steve »

Maybe time to try chamber of commerce or small business groups to let them know that the council are turning away thousands of pounds that could be supporting their shops and restaurants etc ?
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Jmick »

I have now emailed Whitby Chamber of Commerce and Yorkshire Coast BID team in the hope they can put some pressure on SBC to change their course re motorhome parking - even if just for the Winter season - would be a start? I have tried to include ALL the points myself, CAMpRA and others have raised since the SBC parking restrictions were introduced. Also, have put to them that many campsites will be closed during the Whitby Winter Festival. No reply from anyone so far. (I can provide text of my email if anyone would like to see it).
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Jmick »

I have, to date, emailed Robert Goodwill MP, all of the Scarborough Borough Council members, reiterated all of the suggestions to the Yorkshire Coast BID team and the W&NY Chamber of Commerce and a member of Whitby Town Council who (according to Council Meeting minutes seemed to be on the side of motorhomers). Out of almost 50 recipients, I have received 4 replies. Four! To say that SCB couldn't care less one way or the other about motorhomers, and the potential funds they bring with them to the area, is an understatement. As a last resort, I have sent a copy of my most recent email to Mr Goodwill MP - hoping that he acknowledges that no 'official' entity in his area has even bothered to acknowledge the motorhome parking/overnighting situation. If I hear from him I will put the upshot of his reply on here. Otherwise, I give up!🙄
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Re: Whitby Again

Post by Steve »

If you don’t hear then why not write to the local media or even radio asking why the council is not interested in supporting local businesses and turning their back on a year round revenue stream estimated to be worth over £1billion per annum to local shops and restaurants .

Keep it positive just ask the question and promote the benefits
Steve - CAMpRA Leadership Team
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