**** Copy of a letter to head office of garreg goch****

26 September 08

Dear Sir,

We write to air our comments on the way we feel we have been treated at one of your caravan sites. We bought a new caravan four years ago at Garreg Goch whilst Peter was the campsite manager and have in the past three of the four years been very happy with the site. Yes there aren’t great facilities on the site, but this was reflected in the fees and we bought into a site we believe was ‘distinctive & special place for families to stay!’

Peter and his wife were friendly and used common sense approach to the park policies and gained respect from many of the owners and children we know. There were rules that we all followed and the children enjoyed the freedom of the park as that to us was great and we all felt secure in letting our children play around the site. Many a time after we would have been on world holidays the kids would say they liked the caravan better!

This year we arrived to find the new un-introduced managers Pauline & Brian. The park was unaware and un-informed of the change and many rumours flowed around the park of the new couple that may hopefully introduce new facilities such as wi-fi, traffic calming measures etc. Personally my first meeting with them was as Brian chased and stopped the kids from playing ‘sponge football’ in the park because it was ruining the grass! I queried this and was told it was only while the grass was so wet it had to stop as was ruining the grass and muddy ball marks were on the wall- we totally agreed.. But what followed the next six months has been what we can only describe an absolute disgrace. The changes made to the park feel as if owners are now entering a ‘concentration camp’ a saying that many owners have expressed to myself alone. Listed below are ‘Some’ of the new changes.

· No ball games of ANY type in the park or on site
· No riding of push bikes any faster than a walking pace!
· No post allowed to be sent to caravan. (Was told its illegal!) Rubbish!
· No over 12’s in the play area.
· No cycling through the play area.
· No children aloud out after 9pm curfew if out will be escorted back
· No playing hide and seek (must be only in open areas!!!!)
· Only 1 car allowed next to caravan
· No wind breaks
· Basketball now taken down!
· Netball now taken down

The above non-exhaustive list is only some of the rules we have had to abide to otherwise risk being thrown off the park. I myself have managed many large establishments and have adhered to H & S issues but some were along the line ‘due diligence’ must take its role. H&S has been used as the excuse to make this once Family Park turn its self into a retirement site. I have raised my comments regarding other issues such as speeding delivery drivers / skip wagons / post wagons that daily enter site doing over 20MPH (which to me is lethal) but the park considers a child on a BMX more a danger! We were told that these drivers are being told but every day, day in day out, same vans and trucks came in delivered to the site managers who at that time could raise the issue of speed and nothing ever changed.

A camp walk about / talk with head office was planned (during week days when most families are working) and before the meeting began the owners we told if any negative issues are raised at the meeting there licences could be revoked!!! What sort of constructive open meeting is that?

I feel extremely disappointed with ‘Normanhurst enterprises’ that they have not listened to ALL of the owners that pay the fees to keep the park going. We invested a lot of money in the caravan with the insight of living our lease out and enjoying the surrounding countryside. We feel that you and your team have been feed incorrect information regarding the atmosphere that is now at Garreg Goch and hope one day you may see the sense to see it from paying customers that have families there.

I was going to seek legal advice concerning the changes to the site but to be honest we didn’t wish to stay there anymore. We used to look out of our window and watch 20 kids running, playing, and having great times, unfortunately this year all we see is misery and kids confined to caravans on play stations. Well if that promotes healthy living your very wrong. I intend to make as many tourist boards and caravan web sites my views to ensure no one else makes to mistake of thinking that this place is ‘a special place to stay’ its certainly ‘distinctive’!

Whether you intend to throw this letter in the bin and choose not to respond to it,is entirely your choice as I’m sure the response would only quote many H&S policies and procedures and I’ve heard that all year. I and other owners have found the couple there unapproachable and I’m sure some owners are enjoying there retirement now but we didn’t buy into that.

We have now bought another new caravan on a site that we believe has fantastic facilities and yes is double the site fee per year but worth the stress free life, which is why we once got away from the city and our offices to ‘relax’ on holiday. We have lost over 12 thousand pounds due to your changes and now you are requesting a fee of 500 pound to disconnect our caravan! I’m pretty sure your going to be pleased we have moved and can only imagine the picture that Pauline has painted of my family, but we have never felt treated and harassed by anyone so much as the way we have in the last year.

Yours