A group of farmers and landowners running small campsites licensed by the Caravan & Motorhome Club have launched a new mobile app and website to help campervan, motorhome and caravan owners to check availability and make a pitch enquiry or book directly.
CL Booking, which already has more than 220 sites, provides essential information about each farm campsite including, facilities, photos, costs and availability.
The online platform was envisaged by Ted Howard-Jones, owner of an award-winning Caravan & Motorhome Club ‘Certificated Location’ (CL) site, Cholsey Grange, in Buckinghamshire.
Following its launch in July 2021, CL Booking has so far helped generate more than £450,000 for the rural economy.
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A CL Booking spokesperson said: “Although the Caravan & Motorhome Club, which oversees these sites provides a booking system for their larger club-owned sites, they haven’t had the resources or time to work with the 2,000 or so smaller sites.
“Members of the Club call these sites ‘little gems’ and value them for the space they offer and their connection to the rural environment and communities.
“But finding out if they have space, or the right facilities has been particularly frustrating recently with members having to call the sites often to find they are full.
“CL Booking mimics the functionality customers have all started to expect from sites like AirBnB, meaning you’ll get all the information you, as a camper, need to know such as price, facilities and photos.”
To book a CL site you need to be a Caravan and Motorhome Club member with a valid membership number.
Harvey Alexander, director of marketing and membership services at the Caravan and Motorhome Club previously said: “Our Certificated Location (CL) network is the jewel in the Club’s sites network crown.
“Our members love holidaying at Certificated Locations and many members cite the CL network as the reason they joined the Club.
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“The Caravan & Motorhome Club provides the certification (planning permission) for these small rural sites to operate, inspects them annually to ensure basic standards are met and advertises them in its directories, but encourages owners of the sites to manage them independently of the Club.
“The club operates online booking for its own club sites but does not get involved in the day-to-day running of the Certificated Locations provided they meet their rules and conditions regarding certification.”
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1 comment
This could prove invaluable