These offer pitches for tourers, motorhomes and tents on a daily basis. Planning permission or the Site Licence may not necessarily allow all three types, so do check. All parks must have a minimum level of toilet facilities, and other health & safety regulations may apply as conditions to the Site Licence. There will be a maximum number of pitches specified for the park.
Booking
A non-refundable deposit is usually required for advanced bookings. More and more parks are using computerised booking software to keep track of their bookings, pitch allocation and the accounts.
Pitch fees
These may be charged per pitch or per person. It is usual for these fees to vary according to the season, with higher charges in peak months and Bank Holidays. Some parks charge extra for awnings, groundsheets, dogs, extra car, visiting adults etc. Hot water in the toilet block may be free or charged by meter. All charges are subject to VAT.
Open season
The most common pattern is to open 1st March to 31st October. This may be through the owner's choice, customer demand, or dictated by the Site Licence. More and more touring parks in popular areas are staying open 12 months, as many modern touring caravans have full central heating systems and are no longer restricted to the summer months.
Extra tent capacity
Parks may extend their capacity by opening an adjoining field for tent campers only. The field need not be licensed as long as it is used for this purpose for no more than 28 days in any one year.
Storage
If planning permission allows, parks may offer storage facilities for touring caravans and motorhomes. This is useful for those wanting to keep their tourer somewhere safe between holidays.
Seasonal pitches
Some caravanners like to keep their tourer on one site throughout the season, and then put it into storage for the winter. Parks usually offer much discounted rates for keeping a tourer on a pitch April to October.
Toilet block
Minimum provision: 1 WC, 1 urinal and 2 washbasins for men and 2 WCs and 2 washbasins for women per 30 pitches. Showers should be provided at the ratio of 1 to 25 pitches. Sites with less than 10 pitches are not obliged to provide toilet facilities.