Have standards of behaviour on campsites fallen?

• Monday, 30 June 2008
• Heather Newby
• 0 Comments

Do you find yourself complaining about behaviour on sites more than you used to, or are standards just the same as they always have been?

YES - SAYS FRED INMAN
Caravanners used to acknowledge each other and would stop to help a caravanner who had broken down. It was the same on site – everyone spoke to everyone else and any caravanner who had his bonnet up would soon be surrounded by people offering to help.

Sadly, the esprit de corps has almost disappeared, with nearly every caravanner wanting his own space to do his own thing. He’ll light his barbecue despite the wind blowing smoke into his neighbour’s caravan. His children are left to their own devices, with their shouting disturbing the peace. When you ask him politely to reign in his children, the chances are you’ll be met with a load of verbal abuse. This is often cited as the worst part of the job by site staff.

The same situation exists when it comes to the facilities on sites. Caravanners used to leave the toilets and showers clean. Nowadays, despite the best efforts of the campsite staff, the facilities are often left in a disgusting condition. Would that we could return to the halcyon days of caravanning 30 to 40 years ago. Unfortunately however, today’s standards of behaviour are a sad reflection on what used to be known as the caravanning fraternity!



NO - SAYS CLAIR WITHERS

People who moan about bad behaviour are harking back to a golden era that simply never was. In the ‘good old days’ apparently, children respected their elders and played quietly. What nonsense! I can remember, 20 years ago, balls bashing into vans, bikes racing round the site and kids laughing and yelling to one another.
And what about noise? These days, caravans come supplied with TVs and stereos, people add computers and air-conditioning, and an outside electric point allows migration to the open. Yet you still don’t find a cacophony blaring out of every van. You might get Eastenders emitting from the next awning along at the very worst.
They’d have us believe, too, that every park resembled a latter day St Mary’s Mead, everyone nattering with the neighbours. They didn’t, in my recollection. All right, we are more reticent these days, but who can blame us? In a country riddled with political correctness where everyone’s considered a threat, it’s a wonder anyone dare open their mouth. But I find the majority respond to friendliness.
It’s not behavioural standards that have fallen, just the public perception of them.