# "Nightstop"- free overnighting?



## TeamHymer (Mar 28, 2008)

On page 69 of September's edition of Practical Motorhome there is an article about a scheme to provide motorhomers with overnight stopover sites based at pubs and sports grounds, possibly with no charge. It is a joint venture by Practical Motorhome and The Motor Caravanners' Club. There is no charge for membership [unlike the Motorhome Stopover scheme] and lists of sites will be published in P.M. each month. Sounds good and it's free! Can't be bad.
Peter


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## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

Hi,

Are there any Pubs listed in the September edition?

CHEERS


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## TeamHymer (Mar 28, 2008)

Hi I_n_S
No lists printed this month, I think the first list will be in the October issue .
Watch this space.
P


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

If you know of any pubs or sports clubs who'd like to join there is an e-mail address to pass on to them for further details. They must be able to provide a fresh water tap and chemical loo disposal point ( is this really necessary ?) and may charge a reasonable sum. They'll be licensed as a 5 van site.

[email protected]

or

Tel. 0208 267 5629

G


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

September? It's only Just July  So the October edition will be out early August? :? 

Seriously, though, good idea. Many pubs will probably let you stop over "unofficially" in return for a meal / several pints


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## mondo33 (Feb 17, 2009)

Seriously, though, good idea. Many pubs will probably let you stop over "unofficially" in return for a meal / several pints [/quote]

Then you may get some over enthusiastic plod knocking on your door asking why are you parked here and have you been drinking sir?and will you give a breath sample....Keys in your possesion you may get your collar felt!!!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

mondo33 said:


> Then you may get some over enthusiastic plod knocking on your door asking why are you parked here and have you been drinking sir?and will you give a breath sample....Keys in your possesion you may get your collar felt!!!


This has been discussed at great length on many posts mondo and the general opinion is that the police have a lot more sense than to wake someone who is asleep in a corner of a pub car park in a vehicle intended for camping in and breathalyse them !

You are quite safe so long as you don't drive off after your meal.

G


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

I wonder what Kevin Bird thinks of this..... :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Pub*

Who is Kevin Bird? Is he related to Dicky? Or an MP?

Russell


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Isn't he the guy who has started up motorhomestopovers - dot - whatever? :?:


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> sn't he the guy who has started up motorhomestopovers - dot - whatever?


Yep Mike- could be a relative of Dicky but I doubt it :lol:


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Just as well that I'm not re-newing my subs at motorhomestopovers then.  The reason that I'm not joing it this year is.. the growth rate seems really slow and looks like it could be struggling to get fully off the ground. 8O 

steve


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## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

Chigman said:


> Just as well that I'm not re-newing my subs at motorhomestopovers then.  The reason that I'm not joing it this year is.. the growth rate seems really slow and looks like it could be struggling to get fully off the ground. 8O
> 
> steve


Hi,

Did you get much use from your membership? Seems a great idea in principal.

Cheers


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Ian_n_Suzy said:


> Chigman said:
> 
> 
> > Just as well that I'm not re-newing my subs at motorhomestopovers then.  The reason that I'm not joing it this year is.. the growth rate seems really slow and looks like it could be struggling to get fully off the ground. 8O
> ...


Hi

Not much use at all really. Because the number of pubs wasn't rising to quickly the 30 quid joining fee I thought would be better spent joining the c&cc with all the cs's available to me. Add these to the cl's that I already had available through the cc, I would be much better off.

If I stop at a pub and I like the look and feel of the place, I will just ask the landlord in future whether I can stay or not. 

steve


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Sounds like a good idea to me. 

Also when we were talking about the history of Aires a while back someone mentioned village halls as possible stop over spots. Their car parks tend not to be used at night and they normally have the kind of infrastructure in place that could accommodate motorhomes without much bother.

Plus their local economy would get a boost from hungry and thirsty motorhomers


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## SteveandSue (Aug 25, 2008)

I think the village hall idea - Yozz suggested h- has to be a winner - We have seen so many village halls with large car parks in good locations - 
They could earn some extra money - bring some extra trade in to the village etc etc - 
However it would probably need pilot project to show it could work and cover the typical questions like liability H & S - collecting money etc
But a great idea!
Steve


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

barney2 said:


> I think the village hall idea -
> They could earn some extra money - bring some extra trade in to the village etc etc -


If there was an icon for "sharp intake of breath" then insert here....

I can just hear the reactions from the average English villager to this idea.

a) the travellers will take it over
b) the village hall parking is used, mostly, in the evening. We can't allow it to be covered by MHs
c) They'll leave rubbish/make noise/ puddles/dog mess/worse
d) Trade ? The shop is closed, the pub can allow use of their car park if they want to.
e) There's a campsite down the road. Why can't they use that ?

and so on....

I lobbied several local places when the English aires scheme was started up ( by Carol) on here and heard it all. There was only one positive reaction and they are now a thriving CS. Even Oxford Redbridge P&R, where there is dedicated MH parking, won't budge on their "no overnighting" policy.

It is a good idea Steve and I'll do a bit more lobbying, but I can see flying pigs on the horizon.

G


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Chigman

Hi Steve-interested in your comments. I'm sure the unofficial approach to publicans is best. 

Reading the PMH article, and doing a bit of research myself, I'm even more convinced that KB's stopover scheme is technically illegal- a view I aired way back in the original thread on the Scheme.

Looking again at the PMH article, i see that participating locations will need chemical disposal point. I assume this means a proper purpose built point, rather than an ordinary flush toilet. I doubt that most pubs or sports grounds would have such a facility at the moment and would they be prepared to finance this?


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Telbell said:


> Looking again at the PMH article, i see that participating locations will need chemical disposal point.


Isn't this what PMH _ think_ should be provided rather than any legal requirement ?

How many of us feel that this is absolutely necessary ? We'd be content with a quiet corner. A fresh water tap would be a bonus but not vital. We'd use this sort of stop over as just that- somewhere to overnight en route - but not as a holiday destination. We'd be using a campsite of some description either the night before or after so could service the van then.

G


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

G

I agree entirely with what you say. But for the PMH/MCC Scheme they are REQUIRING CDP's. They say "to comply with basic regulations...." (??)

I may just EMail PMH- though they've never replied to me before!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Telbell said:


> But for the PMH/MCC Scheme they are REQUIRING CDP's. They say "to comply with basic regulations...." (??)
> !


Presumably this is so that they can get CL licensing for them - ?

CL/CS 's take caravans and tent campers and so, presumably need a chemical disposal point - though I can't remember all having them - but, if a clause could be added that only motorhomes are allowed at these " aires" ( for want of a better word!) then I wonder if this could be worked around ?

How do those many motorway service areas that charge for overnighting get round this? You're not expected to empty your loo in the toilets I assume and I've never seen a chemical disposal point advertised.

Isn't it so frustrating that something so basically simple as a place to sleep in your van overnight should be so hedged about with regulations.

G


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

But this is what I don't get.

Presumably if they're going for exemption to Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. , then they are using the MCC to gain that exemption. MCC have their own CL's, as does CC and C&CC of course.

BUT a condition of the "exemption" (ie as you say, a "licence" for a CL- though I think it's a certificate!) is that the location can only be used by members (of MCC etc)

And PMH have made it clear in their article that no membership is needed.

So it can't be a CL "licence"

...So why do they have to have CDP's??

I've sent an EMail to PMH and will keep you informed


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

barney2 said:


> I think the village hall idea - Yozz suggested h- has to be a winner - We have seen so many village halls with large car parks in good locations -
> They could earn some extra money - bring some extra trade in to the village etc etc -
> However it would probably need pilot project to show it could work and cover the typical questions like liability H & S - collecting money etc
> But a great idea!
> Steve


Hi Steve

It is a great idea, but I can't take credit for it. As mentioned earlier it was another poster who brought it up when we were discussing the history of Aires a while ago


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Hook up*

Speaking of places to park and camp, I spotted a couple of hook ups in another Tesco store. Further investigation - basically be clomping about and peering over a fence, revealed it is not quite what it seems. The hook ups are for the vans that do the delivery service. Could always put a splitter on though - share and share alike!

Russell


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Grizzly said:


> barney2 said:
> 
> 
> > I think the village hall idea -
> ...


Hi G

I didn't know you had been lobbying on this idea, so can I just say thanks 

Maybe we need to get even further down towards the grassroots and ask any one on here who sits on a village or town council to seriously float the idea. It has to start somewhere, and it will 8)


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

yozz said:


> Maybe we need to get even further down towards the grassroots and ask any one on here who sits on a village or town council to seriously float the idea.


Now that is a very good idea....

We have a very nice little village not a great distance from here with a lovely new village hall and parking area. Allegedly they built the place on the profits from the speed camera place strategically half way along a long straight stretch across the common. I'm sure their conscience pricks them now and then.

G


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

bognormike said:


> September? It's only Just July  So the October edition will be out early August? :?
> 
> Seriously, though, good idea. Many pubs will probably let you stop over "unofficially" in return for a meal / several pints


I think the date refers to the time when all offers end rather than when it was published.

Even so it's all very daft to me.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Had a comprehensive reply back from Practical Motorome as regards my querying a) need for CDP's and b) Required mambership status of people using the nightstops, as follows:

"Many thanks for your email regarding our Nightstop scheme. With regard to the issue of chemical-disposal points: the reason we stipulate that participants must offer such a facility is to comply with the MCC’s current CL regulations. While it is true that most of us would not require the facility when staying overnight, the MCC has asked us to ensure such facilities are available, in order that they can issue participating locations with the required exemption certificate that allows them to legally take part. 

However, we do make it clear to those landowners interested in participating in the scheme that this facility could include a regular flush toilet; we also tell them that if need be they can specify that users of the Nightstop scheme only use green chemicals, for example, or that no chemicals are disposed of (ie as with SOG units). We will pass this kind of specific information on to motorcaravanners wishing to make use of the scheme via the magazine, and also via an information pack, which will be handed out to users on their arrival at a participating site.

With regard to membership: the participating locations are indeed true CLs, as they are issued with the same exemption certificate as that which, for example, the Caravan Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club issue to their five-’van locations. The difference is that the MCC does not demand that users be a member to use its CLs – it already has a network of sites that are open to all to use. Under the exemption certificate that the MCC has, there are two options for CLs. They may be licensed for use by members, or licensed for use by non-members: to increase traffic to its CLs, the MCC has chosen to adopt the latter option. Therefore, users of the Nightstop scheme do not need to be members of the MCC to make use of our new network.

I hope that answers your questions satisfactorily – if you have any further queries we would be happy to answer them.

Thanks and best wishes

Sarah Wakely." 

I didn't realise that you don't need to be MCC members to use their CL's.

A faitly comprehensive reply I thought?


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

I joined the stop over web site at first, but the few times we did go out in the van we couldn't find any on our routes. The other point that we talked about was that if we go out to a pub site it would be for a week-end away and then we will include the cost of the nights meals & drinks in our calculations. However, if we are just "overnighting", on route to somewhere, to then have to pay £15.00 or more for the cost of those meals makes it an expensive stopover. Especially when a CL/CS site costs about a fiver.

We've now joined the MCC, as well as the other 2 main clubs, to give us more CL site selection, so we'll see how that works out for 12 months. 

This new scheme does seem like it might be a good thing too.


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