Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

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AndyC
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Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

Post by AndyC »

Just heard from Lochore Meadows that their popular aire will close from Wednesday 27th October 2021 until Friday 1st April 2022.

Trying to find out why, and if the CDP and water will remain available.
arthur49
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Re: Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

Post by arthur49 »

We stopped over last night though its only 30 minutes from home!

I was told the reason for closure over the winter was "to let the ground recover, mainly the grass"

Whilst the Aire itself is compacted gravel/sand, its bounded by grass and I saw evidence of "camping behaviour" on it - BBQ's. Also suspect campervans have been parking on edges of grass - its a popular Aire.

She was not sure if water and waste would be available over winter.

PS its now CAA !
GeoffL
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Re: Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

Post by GeoffL »

Unfortunately, I suspect that the aire will not reopen.

Over on the Wildcamping forum, I was notified that the Secretary of the Benarty Community Council (BCC) had posted one of Cameron McNeish's YouTube videos that gave a glowing review of the Lochore Meadows aire to Facebook. The Chairperson was the first to reply and the tone of this and subsequent posts by him suggest anti-motorhome bigotry and vitriolic hatred against motorhomes. The Facebook thread can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/benarty ... 035396661/ In that thread, it seemed very clear that the Council Chairperson wanted the aire closed and would monitor it with a view to doing exactly that.

Both I and another WC user tried to complain to Fife Council about that chairperson's online behaviour as we felt it had violated several of the tenets of the council code of conduct. However, Fife advised us that we had to complain to BCC in the first instant and sent us a copy of the document that included the complaint procedure. Basically, this obliged the chairperson to investigate complaints about himself and gave him to power to summarily dismiss any complaint he considered vexatious! The office bearers of the committee are the Chairperson, his wife, and two of his friends -- so I doubt our complaint would get a fair hearing.

I'm happy to pass whatever info I have to CAMpRA if the organisation wants to take this up.
arthur49
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Re: Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

Post by arthur49 »

Thank you for this Geoff.

You will find my comment, the last one, on the link. Fife is generally pro-motorcaravan so I believe it unlikely the Aire will close. There are plans to build a children's multi equipment playground and I understand that is the reason for closure.

I know one of my colleagues in CAMpRA spoke to the Manager this week. She may have some input.
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Re: Lochore Meadows aire to close for the winter

Post by Biggarmac »

Hi Geoff. I have replied to you on Wildcamping. Lochore Meadows is still available to us as we can park overnight in the main carpark. We can still use the service point for waste and water. The only thing which is not available is the EHU. The chairman of Benarty CC has no power to change anything at Lochore Meadows. His intemperate outbursts make him someone with no standing. It is up to his community to deal with his position.
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