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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

Just returned from worst campsite I've ever stayed on - come and share my pain!

50 replies

slayerette · 08/08/2009 13:28

Beautiful beautiful location in Dorset (which I love) ruined by a horrible site

Booked in February to turn up last Saturday and be told to 'pitch wherever you can find a space'. Squeezed into a tiny space; essentially it felt as if we were camping on a grass car park. That was certainly all we could see around our tent - other campers' cars. No welcoming smile at reception, no 'How was your journey?' as we've had at other sites.

My sister came down to visit for the day and was charged £10 to come onto the site. When we expressed surprise at this, she was told to 'Get off the site, now' if she didn't like the rules. I have never met such appalling customer service as I did on this site. Any queries were met with offhand rudeness.

The mark up on goods in the shop was way above that which you might expect in a campsite shop (sample tin - 90p in Tesco, £1.75 here) and they were even charging for carrier bags.

The site was busy, noisy and so crowded. We had lovely days out but our hearts sank at the thought of returning to the site in the evenings.

If anyone has any recommendations for good sites near Weymouth, we'd love to try to have a better experience next year because the location is gorgeous!

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 21/08/2009 15:24

I will ask my friend. She camps near Weymouth most years. No complaints so far.

Lilyloo · 21/08/2009 15:24

silentnights likes it then

UnquietDad · 21/08/2009 15:44

I'm still intrigued as to how OP's sister was physically stopped and made to pay.

Lucycat · 21/08/2009 17:11

Well the website does mention that visitors need to check in at reception, so slayerettes' sister was following their rules!

The overcrowding issue is one that really irritates me - some campsites pack the tents in during the summer months to get as much money as possible with no regard to safety from things like fire. What they don't seem to realise is that by doing that their visitors will never return - and neither will their friends / family / internet camping buddies!

Lucycat · 21/08/2009 17:12

Trevornick near Newquay do exactly the same overcrowding thing - where our guy ropes were crossing the tent next door and we dreaded returning to the site n the evenings too.

TheDailyMailHatesWomenAndLemon · 21/08/2009 17:36

I would expect a friend to be able to visit me for free almost everywhere else, as it happens. Not to use fancy facilities, perhaps I can see charging for non-guests' use of a swimming pool or something like that but there don't appear to be any fancy facilities at Sea Barn Farm. So you are effectively charging slayerette's sister £10 to sit in slayerette's tent and have a cup of tea made by slayerette with slayerette's own gas (OK, possibly using a whole cupful of the campsite's water). That is completely barking.

Online reviews suggest that slayerette is far from alone in her opinions.

But East Fleet sounds lovely and I'll be making a note of that for a future stay.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 21/08/2009 19:25

at silentnights. Honestly, if you're going to come and defend your own campsite, try to be slightly less obvious about it.

Mixed reviews on UK campsites and a few mentions of overcrowding in high season.

OrmIrian · 21/08/2009 19:37

What would happen if you asked rudely at the shop? Would they give you directions then?

Millimat · 21/08/2009 21:19

Silentnights you have definitely been caught out!!! And def in the minority too!

UnquietDad · 21/08/2009 21:52

"You wouldn't expect to take along a friend for free anywhere else, would you?"

Actually, yes. Over the last five years we have stayed in UK self-catering cottages, French campsites and French gites, and friends have come to visit without any hindrance or additional charge.

There was a charge at CenterParcs - vere all ze papers are checked at ze barrier - visitors need a day pass. But that's because they presume they are coming in to use the facilities (pool, playgrounds etc.).

Original poster

slayerette · 21/08/2009 22:08

Hadn't realised this thread had been picked up again!

UnquietDad - yes, my sister checked in as a courtesy to the owners, but all the cars have yellow ID stickers issued and the staff check up on cars which don't have these.

Silentnights - not sure where to begin with your comments! - the 'ask politely at the shop' is particularly galling since the people in there were never anything but rude and abrupt regardless of how polite I was so to insinuate that my manners are lacking is a little much. And I am not expecting not to see tents and cars but I would like to not be surrounded by them. Your comment about getting a good night's sleep is gibberish, since the noise of the site was one of the things I found most upsetting - where do I suggest that I didn't want to get a good night's sleep? But by all means, go and camp there yourself if you're such a fan - you can have the (minute) space I won't be occupying next year. Although other posters have probably hit the nail on the head and you live there already!

TheDailyMail... - thank you for your very neat summing up of what my sister was charged for - spot on, although you forget that my sister not only used their toilets but walked across their grass to get to the south-west coast path for our walk

OP posts:

Original poster

slayerette · 21/08/2009 22:11

UnquietDad - I have never been charged to have visitors on a camp site before. My face was like this for the rest of the day.

OP posts:

Original poster

slayerette · 21/08/2009 22:15

silentnights - I do believe this is your only post on MN. Either you really love the campsite in an objective, entirely unbiased way or there are darker forces at work. Honestly! [exasperated emoticon]

OP posts:

silentnights · 22/08/2009 12:40

I guess I just find it hard to reconcile your stridence that the park was too full with the expectation that everyone should be allowed to have visitors and extra cars at no charge. It is, after all, privately-owned land, so I imagine the owners feel they have a right to set the terms by which they allow visitors and vehicles access. If they didn't, every farm, greenspace, garden and school playing field of England would be at risk of being over-run. Especially those in more beautiful locations. Sounds like it wasn't the park for you though.

Original poster

slayerette · 22/08/2009 17:45

I don't believe there was any stridency in my posts at all, nor did I anywhere express the belief that everyone should be allowed to have visitors and extra cars. I was surprised that my sister was charged; what I took exception to was the offensive manner of the woman in reception. As a teacher, I have the right to set the terms by which students are allowed to behave in my classroom; I do not have the right to be offensive and aggressive while doing so. It's called common courtesy. I accept, however, that you may have different opinions on this and are quite happy to be treated badly. That's your prerogative.

It certainly wasn't the park for me and, in my opinion, anyone else who values courtesy and good customer service. That was why I wanted to flag it up to other camping MNetters who I know do look for similar things to me in a campsite (as evinced on another thread). It sounds as if it is the perfect site for you though so please feel free to ignore my opinions - and indeed my thread.

OP posts:

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 22/08/2009 17:59

LOL silentnights, if this is your place, you're really not doing it any favours. It is indeed privately owned land and yes you can do what you want with it. Just don't be surprised when people find the attitude a bit rude and unwelcoming.

serinBrightside · 22/08/2009 18:23

Have a look on the UKCampsite website and read the reviews that others have written before you book anything for next year. Don't forget to add your own review of this place either!

There are loads of dodgy campsites around, we tend to stay at the Camping and caravan club ones, or the Caravan Club sites and we have never had any bad experiences there.

Does it have to be near Weymouth??

Only we returned from Clippesby Hall in Norfolk today and it was just heaven. Has been voted AA campsite of the year for 2009. I fail to see how anyone would have any reason to complain about it, (other than it is fully booked months and months in advance).

MachuPicchu · 22/08/2009 19:05

Looking at the response to your review here OP, I would say that it's pretty clear who SilentNights is!

Original poster

slayerette · 22/08/2009 19:22

OMG

Isn't that a bit - creepy??

OP posts:

Lilyloo · 22/08/2009 19:22

Doesn't seem you were the only one who experienced rude customer service and at them insinuating it was you who was rude.
Personally i would avoid this site now so thanks Slayer.

TheProfiteroleThief · 22/08/2009 19:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Millimat · 22/08/2009 20:35

Not even sure it was a cunning disguise!!!!!

anniebear · 22/08/2009 21:50

lol that made me giggle, if that was me I would have at least choose a different name !!

Silentnights, maybe it is time for a bit of a change at the campsite, maybe a bit of staff training?

I would use these comments and use them in a positive way instead and go make some changes that will improve the site

OrmIrian · 23/08/2009 11:54

Not allocating pitches leads to increased flexibility does it ? Increased flexibility to have to pitch your tent 2" from someone else, have insufficient space and no privacy more like. Lovely. Great if you get charged less for having a smaller pitch....

IOnlyReadtheDailyMailinCafes · 24/08/2009 14:31

lol at silent nights, to be fair we have stayed here and know lots of other people who have done and they have all been very happy with it. Shower block is fab,

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