Campaign for Real Aires UK - CAMpRA

The Car Wash Association has its own e-newspaper which is sent to members each month. I hope we can work with them to publish an article about the huge opportunity to service motorcaravans. There is no info I can find on an editor’s name, although an advertisement sales person is shown, however, I’m avoiding being led in that direction at the start.

To advertise contact Rachel@lewisbusinessmedia.co.uk 07879 440948

There is not much information on this association, such a number of members, but I presume it must be an important group to contact, with thousands of members, as there are usually several businesses in every town nationwide.

Car Wash businesses are the perfect partner to build a network of motorcaravan service points across the UK.

The association is based in London near Regents Park and is tied up with the Petrol Retailers Association.
Gordon Balmer is shown as the Executive Director.
Another person there is Alexander Russell, the Director of Strategy.

The website is https://www.carwashassociation.co.uk/. Tel. No. for RMIF is 020 7580 9122

Today, I used the only means of contact available, and asked for a phone call from Mr Balmer.

Here is a copy of my email…

“I see that Gordon Balmer is the Executive Director, and would like to speak with him.

I am with CAMpRA, a motorhoming group with over 35,000 members (representing over 400,000 DVLA registered owners of motorcaravans) who are working on building a supportive infrastructure for Motorhome Tourism throughout the UK.

With a huge boom in ownership during Lockdown in 2020 we saw that there needed to be more touring stopover availability, our own ‘Aires’ (safe, off-road stopover parking spaces near civilisation), and Service Points in towns (off camping and caravan sites), as they are hard to find off-season (October to Easter, half the year), which are needed every 3-4 days to empty on-board storage waste tanks and replenish with fresh water.

As Car-Wash businesses have popped up everywhere and have existing plumbing for water and waste on site, and are perfectly placed for easy access, it seems a simple job to adapt them to service campervans and motorhomes as they tour. A self-service facility as is common across Europe would bring in £3-5/time every day, all year round. Plus many would need a clean too after weeks away from home.

I’d like to explain how this works, what the Association could do, how it would benefit, and how we can promote each business on the popular SearchForSites website/app for free.

Now that it is coming to the end of October, and sites are closing for winter, leaving the Motorhome tourists stranded from Service Points, the need for service you could easily provide is more desperate than ever before. This is a Golden Opportunity for the Car-Wash industry to step up and benefit from a new compatible income stream!

Please call me soon”

The form allowed me to give my name and contact details.

CS

Let’s see what response we get and what we can learn about their ways, soon.

Nice one Charles - fingers crossed.

Well, it’s a week or more later, and I’ve received no response.
So, I have resent the email to an email address I found on their website - gordon.balmer@rmif.co.uk
And had no reply there, either!

So, today, I’ve resent the email to the Director of Strategy - Mr Alexander Russell, Director Of Strategy, Car Wash Association
alexander@batcombehouse.co.uk

Let’s see if he responds. It’s more his department, I think

2 Dec ‘23 - Approached this association again, this time via their Adv Sales Dept, Rachel, who turns out to be located in deepest Portugal - she works on the Newsletter with the editor called Anne Bruce ~ annebruce@rocketmail.com

Rachel suggested I contact Anne asap as it is soon deadline for the December issue. She asked to be copied in on my email, and that she would chase up the Chief Exec too, Mr Gordon Balmer.
I emailed them both and suggested an article to go in the Dec Newsletter to all members.
No response… really?
I emailed Rachel again, asking if she’d got my email. Immediately I got a response saying ‘Sorry’, she had personal matters to deal with, and a deadline, and that both Anne and Gordon were away on holiday (?,? Together?,? )
So I’m still waiting, having sent Rachel a reply including the page on the website detailing ‘How to set up a Service Point’. So, if they need to fill some space in this issue, they could use that. Not perfect, but I also suggested she calls me for a quote and photos, too. Let’s see….

After nothing back again, I re-contacted Rachel (Sales, with Media Company for the e-newsletter), and I think she finally got my 2nd email to the right place. Christmas intervened too…
Then on first day back at work, 2024, I finally received a letter from the Director of Strategy, to agree to a phone chat about it all, though he was quite despondent that there would be much joy from the members. After a quick reply from me and date suggestion for a conversation I got a second detailed email response which explained the situation, and the efforts they are making to legalise and improve the practices in the business.

2/1/24
Dear Mr Shelbourne,

Motorhome Tourism on Car Wash sites

May I begin by apologising for the delay in replying to your e-mail below that was originally addressed to Anne Bruce and eventually landed on my desk via a circuitous route.

I would be very happy to discuss this with you when convenient for you but should also let you know that I am not too hopeful that this concept could work with even a small number of car wash operators.

My reasons for saying this are based on 39 years of direct hands-on experience in the car wash sector where a fast and unimpeded throughput of customers on sites is critical to all such operations. A large proportion of typical customers are impulse buyers who are easily discouraged if they see a slow-moving queue waiting to go through the wash.

Secondly a very small proportion of car washes have any spare space available on their sites that would enable them to accommodate even one motorhome, let alone a greater number waiting for their turn to be cleaned.

I’m sorry to sound discouraging and would be happy to talk through this with you. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if that would be helpful.

With kind regards,

Alexander Russell

Alexander Russell
Director of Strategy
The Car Wash Associtation
Mobile: 00 44 (0) 7881 502581
Please note my new email address: alexander@batcombehouse.co.uk
——-—. ——————. ———————- ————————. ————————

I responded, swiftly, as follows:

Dear Mr Russell

It’s very good to hear from you, at last! Even though you’re rather despondent at present! It certainly would be useful to have some more information about the way it all works, though I do know that several local to me car wash businesses look to be able to help us out and open a new income stream.

I’ve spoken to a couple (one in Beccles) who’ve been enthusiastic but need to know more about setting up a toilet waste disposal unit (which we at CAMpRA assist with), and would think that some encouragement from your association would help enormously.

So an article in your e-newsletter would be a place we can then refer them to, and an endorsement from you on top would be ideal!

I’m away in a moment in our motorhome for 6 days (for a family event in north Devon) so won’t be able to ring you till Tuesday 9/1 - is there a good time next week?

Cheers
Charles

——————————- —————-——————. ————————————

Dear Charles,

Motorhome tourism on Car Wash sites

Many thanks for your reply. Let’s definitely speak on your return from Tuesday 9th January…I’m available most days barring Monday 8th and Wednesday 10th.

In the meantime, one thing to bear in mind is that a majority of hand car washes unfortunately are failing to comply with applicable regulations particularly as regards trade effluent discharge which by law has to go through a foul drain but regrettably in so many cases is illegally being discharged to a storm water drain. This then allows polluting detergents and toxic chemicals to flow into nearby streams, rivers and beaches to the sea.

In addition, these sites often also fail to abide by employment regulations with employment abuse of trafficked immigrant labour and even modern slavery taking place in addition to neglect of H&S regulations and fiscal laws as well (‘cash-only’ payment).

I am pointing this out as, at the Car Wash Association, we are working closely with regulatory and enforcement bodies such as the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the National Crime Authority (NCA), the Police and HMRC to address such abuses and it would be unfortunate for your organisation and members to have any dealings with such operations.

There will of course be law-abiding exceptions to such cases and we can happily discuss the above and how best to identify such problems when we speak next week.

With kind regards,

Alexander

I suppose that any prospect car wash business, that agreed to become an ‘official CAMpRA approved Service Point’, would be obliged to be inspected (in the same way we check out prospect sites for Aires) beforehand with a checklist, including legal trading regarding waste discharge of waste water on site?

This morning, I held a zoom meeting with Alexander Russell, Director of Strategy at the Car-Was Association.

This resulted in CAMpRA being invited to write an article (max 350 words) to introduce the idea that car wash businesses can cash in on Motorhome Tourism by becoming Service Points. And that it is with the approval and encouragement of the Association.

The association is doing its best to wipe out slavery in the business (linked to drug dealing and laundering the profits), and to stop pollution from their sites by installing waste control, and to ensure the boom in new businesses are setting up legally, with Planning…. etc. They are lobbying the government with their campaign, and working with several organisations to solve all these issues.

Alexander says he is happy to work with us and monitor our progress, indeed our members can approach their members in future, and monitor businesses to see if they are operating correctly.

I will draft an article for approval before submission to Mr Russell.

The article has been submitted and will be published in the March edition on 14th March.
I hope to obtain a copy at that time, or before.
Get ready to follow up afterwards by visiting your local fuel station and car wash business and suggest they get going, referring to the backing of this association.

The Car Wash News article has been published today!

We have a full page piece, with 3 photos, and links to CAMpRA - Business Hub.

The newsletter link is here… on page 5. https://cloud.3dissue.net/40773/40641/4 ... html?19364

Now is the time for our CAMpRA members to visit their local car-wash business and urge them to set up these essential services for passing motorhomers.

Leaflets to leave there with the manager are available from CAMpRA (pay for postage only) at https://campra.org.uk/funding-order-form-entry/





Keep us posted on developments!

Talk to your local press and Tourist Office and Councillor for Economic Growth and Development, and get their involvement - make it a good news local story, that’s going to help Motorhome Tourism enormously, particularly when campsites are closed; many are shut half the year, from October to Easter, whilst motorhoming and campervanning continues.

Help us build a fantastic nationwide network of Service Points, a supportive infrastructure that, along with Aires, will entice foreign motorhomers to come and spend their good money in our local economy.

PDF file available to print onto A4 paper, to take to show to your local carwash:-

In the March issue of Car Wash News was an article about a successful car wash business called Penny On The Move.


The family run business owns 88 sites in the north from Blackpool to Newcastle (as far as I can tell from the story). They have just installed a hugely expensive piece of washing kit in the Blackpool site, and have similar plans for the Newcastle site which is currently closed.

I have obtained the contact details of the Commercial Director, Tony Jackson, and have emailed him (tonyjackson@pennypetroleum.co.uk) - twice actually, as he didn’t respond immediately, and I sent him a shorter one
.
His response today (23.4.25) is:- (Copied to a Viktoria Smith - viktoriasmith@pennypetroleum.co.uk)

“Dear Charles,

Please forgive my terribly tardy response and many thanks for your emails.

We have a senior leadership meeting next Wednesday 30/4?) and I have put this topic on the agenda to discuss further within our business, and whether or not there is scope or appetite for this.

I will be in touch once we have had an initial discussion.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Tony”

ARE THERE ANY CAMPRA MEMBERS IN THE AREA WHO KNOW THESE PENNY ON THE MOVE SITES, WHO CAN GET INVOLVED HERE?
This is far from my home in Norfolk!

My email… 15 April ‘25

Hello Mr Jackson
I wrote to you recently after being given your contact details by the CWA. No reply!

I am with the motorhome tourism support group, CAMpRA, which is setting up dedicated motorhome and campervan overnight stopover places across the country, for short stays at places they are visiting when touring different regions.

The other main target for our campaign is to create a network of Service Points as every one of the 400,000 DVLA registered motorcaravans (as they refer to them) needs to empty its waste water tanks and toilet waste cassettes, and top up with fresh water, every 3-4 days. There are now more motorcaravans than caravans out and about.

The only places these services are found are on caravan and camping sites (most of which are closed October to Easter); there are none on motorway service areas or at other places like supermarket stores, fuel stations, etc., yet 68% of motorhomes use them all year round. They have all the mod-cons on board nowadays, with solar power, mobile wifi, as well as toilets and showers and central heating. The logical place to put service points is in each town, in car-wash businesses or fuel stations.

I had an article published in Car Wash News last March to alert those businesses to our need for Service Points. It’s a great pity that no authorities have recognised the need like they do now for charging for EVs. Motorhome Tourism can contribute a great deal into the local economy if vans can stop and stay overnight in public and private car parks like they do abroad. France has over 6,000 aires, dedicated safe off-road motorhome parks to entice motorhomers to visit these rural communities.

After reading the latest Car Wash News I was most impressed by the achievements you have made with Penny On The Move. Congratulations on the Blackpool car wash business relaunch and the 30th anniversary.

You might like to help us set up a network of service points - one per town is ample, as Britain’s car wash businesses have a golden opportunity to cash in on the boom in motorhome tourism!

CAMpRA is advising local authorities and private landowners how Motorhome Tourism benefits local communities helping those hard hit hospitality and tourism businesses since Lockdown, and how car park barriers and restrictions are driving this valuable category of tourists away from some towns.

CAMpRA now has over 41,000 members through its Facebook group, and with a website library, we are campaigning with emails to our local tourist officers, business development councillors, MPs etc to encourage them to welcome motorhomers and give them parking spaces in mainly empty overnight car parks. Our Rally Group subsidiary is now authorised to grant Planning Exemption Certificates to suitable landowners for opening 5-van sites.

And we now have hundreds of private car parks welcoming us for short stays at pubs, village halls, garden centres, farm shops, sports clubs and visitor attractions who list their availability and terms on the popular SearchForSites app and website. More and more councils are opening up their car parks for motorhomes for overnight stays, the latest being at Cleethorpes. Click for the news story.

The overnight charges are around £5/night with the option to charge an extra £3-5 a time for using the services if any, and another £5 for plugging into electric, if available. Visiting a nearby car wash business for use of these services, would be easy on a main road on to the next stopover place.

How to set up a service point: By adapting the plumbing at car wash businesses to install an Elsan waste disposal unit with a rinsing hose, and a drive-over grey water drain, and a tap to top up, all the vans in the area can pop in and serve themselves like they do at campsites. You charge £3-5/time. CAMpRA has all the info about these units and how to do it. No extra staff required!

If we could work with you to build service points into your network of car washes, I’m sure the financial benefit would be most worthwhile. And so useful for us, as it means that car parks, which would be ideal overnight stops, would not need to install them.

Incidentally, touring vans that are away for months at a time need to be washed (especially those difficult to reach rooftops) every now and then, to keep looking good, as campsites don’t allow it.

We have even sourced some of the best/most affordable waste disposal units for installation to make it all easier for you to proceed and get involved!

You can find much more information on our Business Hub page on our website here - www.campra.org.uk/business-hub

I’d be delighted to answer any questions, or forward you to someone in CAMpRA nearer to you., if you like. Please call and let me know what you think.

Photos of Service Points

Signed off, as usual…

Charles Shelbourne