Caravan Club Closes Elvaston Castle Site

We got a letter yesterday from The Caravan Club, announcing the loss of the Elvaston Castle Site from it's network with immediate effect.   As regular visitors to this site, we are deeply saddened by this unexpected news. 

The reason given  in the letter is "considerable quality problems on the site resulting in several pitches being withdrawn from use, unacceptable maintenance costs and the belief that it is not of an acceptable standard for members"   Hmmm.  As a democratic, member-run Club, it would have been nice to have been asked our opinion first  . . . .

Living quite near to Elvaston Castle, we know that the whole estate, including the Caravan Club site, is owned by Derbyshire County Council.  The Caravan Club have leased the caravan site from the Council for over 40 years.

And for several years now there have been rumours that the Local Authority want to find a private sector investor who can turn the Castle and grounds into a luxury hotel and golf course.  There is considerable opposition to this plan, and indeed there is a local group actively opposing development plans for the Elvaston estate.  http://www.friendsofelvaston.co.uk/   

We also remember that the Caravan Club previously announced the closure of this site two or three years ago, only for it to re-open  a few month later.   

OK, the site is not up to the usual high standard of most Caravan Club sites, but then not everyone wants to stay on a cloned, sanitised, samey type of site.  Elvaston had a unique atmosphere all of it's own, was run by friendly wardens and was regularly full or almost full.  It was also one of our favourites.

This closure truely is sad news indeed.