# Overnighting in supermarkets ?



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

In the USA I believe that Wallmart and other big supermarkets are happy to have RVs park overnight providing they observe sensible rules about waste and so on. 

Has anyone experience of the same in UK ? It would be useful to know if it is OK to use a corner of the big 24 hour supermakets car parks for an overnight break.

G


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi *Grizzly*. I am a member of an American Motorhome Forum and they are airing the views that some Walmart Supermarkets are clamping down on Wild-camping (Boondocking in the USA). At the moment it is not widespread but they are starting to worry about the trend.  You will find a majority of supermarkets in the UK have barriers to prevent Wild Camping. :evil:


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## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

Probably 12 years ago now, there's been a gap in my motorhoming proper, I stopped in supermarket car parks. Tesco at the Ipswich end of the A12 for one, but I think it was bigger then than now. The thing I remember most was the lights made sleeping dificult. I suppose one could close up everything, but always wild camping there's the feeling that being able to move off with a certain promptness is never a bad thing.


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## 89084 (May 13, 2005)

*Supermarkets*

We have just got back from France and nearly every supermarket we went past early in the morning\late at night had motorhomes in them.

It is handy for that lovely bread in the morning!

Wish we had the same attitude to wild camping as the French.

Luigi & Katy


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

When this came up on another group 2 or 3 years ago it was said that Tesco weren't averse to it but it was sensible to advise the duty manager of the 'open 24 hour' stores.

In France a number of the supermarket chains (Super U, Intermarche and Shopi come to mind ) have a borne and allow parking. We have overnighted on a couple.
The bornes are not always well sited. The Super U in Nontron for instance, has a borne and allows overnight parking but the dumping point usually has at least one car blocking its use.


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

I suppose the problem is if a motorhome can get onto the car park so can our peg whittling friends who will tell your fortune oh and leave a great mess :wink: 

Sorry just being politically friendly


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I think the whole issue of motorhome friendly parking and camping in France vs UK is down to their more relaxed way of looking at things. The attitude there seems to be " allow people to park and overnight and, if it becomes a problem, then do something about it." By and large it does not become a problem but we have all seen the signs that prohibit caravan and motorhome parking at certain places in some towns. 

In this country we tend to foresee trouble before it ever happens and so the attitude is " ban it before there are problems."

Yes, the French are lucky in that they have space to set aside for dedicated MH parking but even we could manage car parks more efficiently and make them user-friendly to higher vehicules. If they are used for people to set up camps for longer periods then there should be some easily applied law that can be implemented quickly by a local authority to remove the offenders. There are already laws that prohibit leaving litter.

G


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

A few years back (not many) there were problems in York of putting vans on at the start of the show

Police moved quite a few onto a supermarket park overnight


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## 88930 (May 10, 2005)

*supermarkets*

i have just returned from 3 weeks away in france and spain, we stayed at 4 supermarket carparks, just made sure we moved on before opening time. Reims,Bayeux,pamplona and poitiers.

 dave


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Couple of years back we stayed 3 nights on the quay at Sete about Bastille day time. I recon there were about 100 vans parked adjacent to a no camping/caravans sign 
The explanation was that France is a Republic and they will do as they please and if they don't like a regulation they will ignore it. The Government is "tolerated" and is there for the benefit of the population.

Seemed like a good explanation and it does tend to explain a lot of other things in that country.

nobby


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

nobby said:


> France is a Republic and they will do as they please and if they don't like a regulation they will ignore it. The Government is "tolerated" and is there for the benefit of the population.


Hmmm maybe we need a revolution then, get rid of all the height barriers and no camping signs .. down with the monarchy :evil:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Perhaps we need a change in the law to make it easier and much faster to evict those groups who camp for weeks in lay-bys etc and leave them in a disgraceful state. I can't believe it takes that much commonsense to tell the difference between a group of the former and a touring motorhome pulling in for the night ?

Perhaps we need to ask local authorities who do put up height barriers on car parks just why they are doing it ? 

We don't need to overthrow the monarchy to do all this; just a quiet revolution would do.

G


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## slicker (Aug 11, 2005)

We have found that in England it is difficult to park a motorhome in a supermrket carpark let alone camp overnight. There are very few supermarkets that have bays for bigger vehicles. I know that if the shop is not very busy you can take up 2 car spaces but if it is busy then there is no parking spaces allocated to longer vehicles. I am sure alot of you have found the same problem.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Tesco have applied for a 24 hour liquor license.. I'm thinking it might be last place to stop overnight .. our local Tesco car park is already a boy racer playgound after 11 pm .. add cheap and freely available alcohol ........ 
I think you see where I'm coming from 8O 8O


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

For those who feel sufficiently strongly to write something, the Government is listening:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-8038-0-days0-orderasc-.html

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

A goverment that listens! that would be a first 8O 8O 

Olley


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## 88790 (May 9, 2005)

You would think this could be a golden opportunity for Supermarkets!

They could charge a nominal fee, say £2 or an exchangeable voucher and we would be there at shop opening to buy................

I should think a lot already have security cameras and night time security staff so it should not cost them much, just gain extra profit!

I can only think Tesco has not woken up to the fact yet!!!!!!

John 8)


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Jabber,
This subject and others like have cropped up before and one of the answers is that they are not allowed to do it.
It constitutes a change of use and local councils are not in favour...there's also the question of insurance cover should you "hurt yourself", health and safety legislation and of course the ever present mobile scrap yard brigade.

Dream on!!!!

nobby


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi
Good point Nobby, however can anyone explain to me how it is that when you own land in the UK (and pay taxes on it) you are not "allowed" to do what you want with it? I would have thought that if you owned something it was your right to do with it as you pleased, within the law and codes of decency etc, so how come some snotty nosed pen pusher can decide what you are or are not "allowed" to do with your property?
I would love to know
Thanks
Keith


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

I suppose that is the same argument that 'travellers' put up when they buy land on the edge of your village and want to turn it into a huge enclave without planning permission.

Are you suggesting that you should be allowed to do 'anything' with your land no matter how much it may impinge upon the quality of life of your neighbours or the majority?

Nobby


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Presumably people offering their driveway under the Safe Knights scheme or a corner of their field for the English Passion scheme would have be subject to the same rules nobby ? 

I understand that supermarkets have to be ultra-careful as they have a higher profile but they must already have a raft of clauses protecting them in case a customer injures themselves or others in their car park.

If I make a business of it -ie set up a CL or a full blown campsite then this will be subject to a whole new set of laws but if it is for free with no contract on either side....... ?

G


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Grizzly,
I know what you mean and not being a legal expert I would not presume to know the answer but as i understand it even if it's free it's still liable to the full weight of the law.

Nobby, 
I think that the present system is probably "about right" but it needs fine tuning a little/lot to make sense to Joe Public.
To some extent I agree with he sentiment " If I own it I should be allowed to do with it what i want" but that will lead to monstrous abuses, I'm afraid. Himan Rights springs to mind of course.!!!

On a slightly different tack but related. I have just had a planning app refused on the grounds".....only be granted...if it will enhance the form or character...". This was turned down by the committee on the voice of on planner and it seemed almost obvious the the committee had not even read the application. So we have a situation where one person can make a _*subjective *_decision and carry the day. The phrase itself is not even objective as I see it and that's what we are up against with local authority...if they "think" it will have a problem then say "No".

nobby


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

Nobby,
Councillors are amateurs guided by the macievellian antics of planners.
A majority of them don't live in the borough in which they are making the decisions and any site visits are usually handed over to a junior or at worse a clerk with little or no technical knowledge. They are given a brief and cannot deviate, they cannot answer questions because they do not have the requisite knowledge.
It took me 2 1/2 years to sort my problem with them out and another 3 to retrieve my costs.


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Wish i could afford the costs of a Human Rights claim against such a nebulous load of claptrap as they gave me.

nobby
Oh I wish!!!

oh by the way we've gone off track in this line of thought.


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi nobbythehobby
No. I have cut and pasted the actual statement here.....
"I would have thought that if you owned something it was your right to do with it as you pleased, within the law and codes of decency etc."

Doesn't sound like "Are you suggesting that you should be allowed to do 'anything' with your land no matter how much it may impinge upon the quality of life of your neighbours or the majority? " to me.

Keith


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

Hi Keith,

Sure - just playing devils advocate! 

That's why we need snotty nosed pen pushers to decide what you are 'allowed' to do with your property I'm afraid. Your codes of decency and interpretation of the law may differ from those of your neighbours. Just because you think you are being decent and honourable, doesn't mean that everybody else will.
I find that officials are usually snotty nosed if they disagree with you :evil: If they agree with you, they're usually okay. :wink: 

Good luck with the new RV by the way - been watching with interest.

Nobby


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