alan29

Whereas the front seats in our van make up to a bed that is 6'10" x 5'11" It would need a lot of persuasion to swap that for something that is totally inadequate for my height.

I'm 6'3". This is why I laugh every time I see a fixed bed. £20,000 and I can't sleep in it. Having a laugh. And no, we aren't at all interested in separate beds ..... we still have a pulse!

On the other hand ours is on a a site with 20+ seasonal caravans. We all leave our awnings up March to October. Last years gales were the only time I have seen an awning collapse. It was one van, and the awning had not been properly tied or pegged down so the roof sagged and filled with massive pools of rain water. It was the weight of the water that did it. Proper storm straps that pull the poles down, and belt and braces with pegging, especially at the corners. And re-stretch every pole on every visit. We have a Ventura. They obviously expect seasonal/permanent use becaise they publish these tips on their website "Seven top holiday tips for permanent pitchers: Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Use storm bracing with storm bands around the corners of the awning and strong pegs. Make sure you have the right flooring solution in your awning. It should protect the awning from mud, insulate, provide a smooth even surface, and have a nice finish. (For example, you can use Ground Cover, Comfort Carpet and Isabella Floor ) Stretch the awning out tightly. It looks more attractive and stops rainwater from pooling on the roof. It also makes your awning last longer, and prevents the canvas from flapping noisily in the wind. For example, you can use the Hercules Triple pole tensioner. Ensure pleasant lighting in the dark evenings. A good tip is to click the light source onto the awning pole. Make your awning more stable. Use extra strong and stable poles and put a ‘Stabilo’ or wooden board under the legs of the awning to prevent the legs from sinking into the ground when you tension it. Use the regulator tabs to get the right distance to the ground. There should be approx. 7-14 cm. between the band at the bottom of the tent and the ground. Use large pegs. If you’re going to leave the awning up for a long time, we recommend using 30 cm pegs around the whole awning."

You might find that a site has rules about taking awnings down in the winter - many do, especially in places that get snow - the weight can destroy awnings. We are on a seasonal pitch in Snowdonia. Had a used Walker awning, it must have been 15 years old when we traded in the caravan. It was superb. Carbon fibre poles were no problem. Now got a new Ventura with carbon poles again. Superb. Its all in the pegging out and tying down with storm straps. Double peg at the corners and keep your poles properly extended so that rain can't pool on the roof. Spells of high wind has a way of pushing poles in a bit.

We had one of those permanent encampments on the promenade at the bottom of my road, motorhomes and unhitched caravans . No facilities - I caught one emptying their toilet cassette into a drain in my road, litter bins had water bottles filled with wee thrown into them. Locals were very unimpressed. The council has now banned overnight parking and they have gone.

Theres a place right by the sea not far from where I live that has been colonised by semi-permanent motor-homers who never seem to move their vehicles. They are parked on the road month after month. Yes the location on the prom is lovely, but with no facilities, hygiene levels are low to put it politely. I just cannot see the attraction. We locals are far from happy about it. At least Travellers only stay a couple of days when they tip up.

Starting our 4th year with no problems. Just do a belt and braces job with double pegging at the corners and storm straps. And after windy spells check that the poles haven't been pushed shorter - that will give you nice saggy bits to fill up with rain water and bring the whole thing down.

Theres a thread about it here https://www. caravantalk. co. uk/community/topic/123146-seasonal-pitches/

A lot of 60s have dropped to 50s already in the UK.

What a complete waste of time. It is treating customers with contempt not to be up front and open about costs. That why I left the club.

Don't they know that when we whistle Rule Britannia, they are expected to come running?

An utter shower.

theres a differential birthrate - the Nationalists are having more kids and are overtaking the Loyalists. A fact that doesn't please them at all.

Don't forget the special 50p. That will be very special. It will be so very special that everything else will be worthwhile.

You mean they didn't actually force us out of Schengen?