Throughout the UK there are over 2000 small, licensed sites known as Certificated Locations (CLs). These are privately-owned campsites licensed by the Caravan & Motorhome Club. In order to book a pitch and use them, you must be a member of the club.
The sites are licensed to have no more than five touring caravans or motorhomes staying at any one time and on many sites you’ll find you have more space per vehicle than touring parks.
Facilities at CLs vary greatly; it may simply be an unmown farmer’s field with a fresh water tap. Others offer hardstanding pitches, electric hook-ups and additional facilities such as showers and toilets. Prices vary, but CLs can often provide an inexpensive way to camp.
Harvey Alexander, director of marketing and membership services at the Caravan and Motorhome Club says: “Our CL network is the jewel in the Club’s sites network crown. Our members love holidaying at Certificated Locations”
Last year, twenty farmers and landowners who run small campsites licensed by the Caravan & Motorhome Club designed and launched a website and mobile app called CL Booking that allows motorhomers and caravanners to check availability and book a pitch on their sites.
Ted Howard-Jones, a farmer and owner of an award-winning CL site called Cholsey Grange (main photograph) in Buckinghamshire said:
“One year on and we now have over 230 sites – most based on farms – across the UK listing their availability in real-time. We’re solving a problem for campers looking for a pitch for their caravan or motorhome and for farmers operating or running these sites who are looking to increase their occupancy or fill a cancellation”.
But it’s not just campers and farmers who benefit. CL Booking now has over 16,000 users and has already delivered more than £450K of enquiries to the rural campsite economy. But these small sites are often in very remote locations and their local economies, such as village pubs and farm shops for example, also benefit greatly from visitors.
CL Booking mimics the functionality customers have all started to expect from sites like AirBnB, meaning you can access all the information you, as a camper, need to know such as availability, price, facilities and photos and it has the ability to filter searches according to your needs.
You can check out CL Booking at their website or by downloading the iPhone or Android app CL Booking.
