The talk of motorhomers

Editorial Department • Published 10 Sep 2010 09:00 0 Comments

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Dear Sir, - I read with interest the article in the Impartial Reporter dated September 2, 2010 regarding ‘the tourists who being told to move on’ and to the letter from Messrs Cunningham from Kilkeel about their horrific experiences in our ‘tourist’ county.

As avid motorhomers ourselves, I spoke with many fellow motorhomers who attended a ‘motorhome rally’ at the weekend in Portrush Primary School and over and over again the article was discussed by many. So, so many of our friends are disgusted by the behaviour of certain Fermanagh District Council ‘Officials’ who ask motorhomers to move on yet, on many occasions, I have been advised that the Council staff are not willing to produce their Council identification when asked. Many motorhomers have said they do not want to come back to Fermanagh but will intend to head to Broughshane or around the North Antrim coast where they will be made more than welcome.

I read in Mr. Cunningham’s article that, even though he is a boat user (also having the need for a blue badge), he cannot park overnight at the Forum. What happens in Mr Cunningham has parked up his motorhome within the confines of a car parking space, yet for a change decides to sleep overnight in his boat? Is he to be treated any different from a car user who parks the car overnight in the same carpark??!!

I have held several meetings with Fermanagh District Council regarding proposed ‘aires de service’ to be told that they were to commence last autumn. One year later work has still not yet commenced! I do understand that parking around Enniskillen is at a premium yet there are only 2-3 cars parked early morning at the Round O. I suggested that this would be an ideal location as our visitors could easily walk into town and yet enjoy waking up to one of the most wonderful scenic locations to be had in Fermanagh.

Obviously the Round O is not used by anyone working in the town centre. I had also suggested another suitable area as being at the very bottom end of the Forum carpark, past the playground area, Suitable signage could be erected at both of these areas allowing overnight parking from say 9.00pm - 9.00am the following morning when it would not intervene with families using the playground facilities.

At the weekend so many people said that they would happily pay say £5.00 per night to stay overnight close to Enniskillen. They do not require the facilities offered by our first class camping sites in Fermanagh hence prefer to stay in ‘aires de service’. This fee would generate some income back to the Council and allow our tourists to continue to enjoy shopping in Enniskillen. I understand that our traders want the motorhomers to park up close to the town - obviously they have already realised the income derived from the occupants.

I would ask the Council to ‘wake up or lose out’ as throughout Europe each town and village have ‘aires de service’ facilities as obviously they realise the spending power from each motorhome. Do the Council not think that it is best to provide many more of these facilities rather than having our tourists park up in unsafe/unacceptable areas eg laybys where they could become more susceptible to robberies as what happened to an elderly Scottish couple as they travelled along the South Armagh border approximately 2 years ago. How well would this sort of thing help our tourist industry which is so badly depended upon in Fermanagh?

With the increase of motorhomers throughout UK and Ireland, really what will two ‘aires de service’, located in rural areas, holding approximately two to four motorhomes do to increase our tourism industry?

I trust that this will not be the end of this matter as I already have been asked by BBC NI and UTV if they can publicly report on this matter.

Come on - lets do all that can be done to increase tourism and trade in Fermanagh in this economic situation one finds themselves in!

Yours faithfully

Fermanagh Rate Payers

This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 09 Sep 10

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