Caravan and Motorhome Club: Difference between revisions

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The Caravan Club is an organisation representing caravanners in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and now represents nearly 1 million members.

The Club has over 900 staff and an annual turnover of £86 million[1]. It is owned by its members who may vote at the Annual General Meeting and is organised into ten regions.

The Club operates around 200 main Caravan Club sites and 2,500 smaller certificated "five-van" sites, or CLs (Certified Locations) as they are known. The Club offers caravan insurance and other insurance services. It is also active in lobbying on behalf of its members. The Club also provides overseas ferry and pitch bookings, Red Pennant recovery/breakdown service and a range of technical advice.

A Certificated Location is an informal privately-owned caravan site for up to 5 caravans in the United Kingdom. Visitors with caravans pay a small fee to the CL owner in order to park overnight. This is usually cheaper than larger commercial caravan sites. Normally referred-to as 'CLs', there are about 2500 CLs in the UK. CLs are for exclusive use by Caravan Club members. Each year the Caravan Club issues a Certificate to those sites that continue to meet their standards; for this reason they call them ‘Certificated Locations’ (or CLs). Caravan Club members vote annually for the best Certificated Location in the 'CL of the Year' competition.

Most CLs are in the countryside, they are individually owned and can be on a farm or smallholding, on spare land next to a pub, golf course or hotel or on land attached to the owner's house.

CLs need no site licence or formal planning permission, but are covered by two Acts of Parliament:

• The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960) and
• The Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 Chapter 17.

Although exempt from planning permission, CL owners are liable to pay business rates and income tax on their profits.

The Law affecting CLs:

• Visitors with caravans must be members of the Caravan Club (who are required to act responsibly and to observe the Country Code)
• No more than 5 caravans may be accommodated on the site at any one time
• No caravan may stay for more than 28 days per visit
• CLs are for recreational purposes and only touring caravans, motor caravans or trailer tents are permitted
• Outfits should not be left unoccupied overnight
• Tents are not permitted other than attached caravan awnings, toilet tents or small pup tents.
• Static (permanently-sited) caravans are not permitted on the same landholding

By guideline:

• CLs should be fairly level and have at least ½ acre of land
• CLs should have safe access for caravans including 12ft wide gateway and safe approach road
• if the landowner has a caravan site licence from their Local Authority, the Caravan Club is unlikely to issue a Certificate, unless the CL is entirely separate from the landowner's other business activities

Owners should provide

• An emptying point for chemical closets, with rinsing tap, preferably on mains drainage
• A safe drinking water supply
• A bin for dry rubbish
• Public liability insurance cover

Some owners provide the following optional extras

• Electrical hook ups
• Showers and toilets

Each year, the club holds a "National Rally" over the Spring Bank holiday at the end of May. Usually taking place in the grounds of a stately home, it attracts a large number of caravanners, up to 10,000 at a time!

In 2007, for the Club's Centenary year, the 80th National Rally was held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire from Friday 25th to Tuesday 29th May.

The first rally was held at Leamington Spa in 1936 and attracting 100 caravans.

• 1938: Warwick Castle
• 1939: Near Northampton
• 1981: Glanusk Park, in Wales

• Official Caravan Club site
• National Rally at the Official Caravan Club website
• Caravan Club Ireland
• Legislation: The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960)
• Legislation: The Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 Chapter 17
• Caravan Site Finder - A list of caravan sites in the UK which includes all Caravan Club and Camping and Caravanning Club sites for comparison

• The Camping And Caravanning Club - a competing UK organisation.
• Caravan parks