Union Gap Year

Thursday night at the Home Farm gave Kay and I the chance to visit the Night Owl’s nightclub for a night of 60’s music as Union Gap was topping the bill. Now I always remembered this group as ‘Garry Puckit and the Union Gap’, I’m not sure if Garry is still alive, well I suppose they couldn’t advertise themselves as ‘Garry’s Snuftit and the Union Gap’ if he is deceased (my sick sense of humour).

They played some of their old 60’s hits but to be honest we weren’t that enamoured by their sound, something was sorely missing! The bass drum was too loud and thumpy the snare drum sounded to bass’y the keyboards to tinny and weak, it just didn’t gel, though the vocals did have some nice harmonies. 

I did try to take some photos with my mobile phone, but sadly due to the lighting they didn’t turn out very good.

Needless to say we left early and even then it was one o’clock in the morning as it was 10.30 before they hit the stage. We must have slept like logs that night as in the morning we had reports from one of our neighbours that a rowdy gang of drunken louts leaving the venue disturbed some of the other campers, though thankfully not us. I must admit that some people just can’t handle their drink and should be made to clear up their own mess, as pools of vomit can be quite unpleasant to walk past.

The following night the star act was the Dreamers, minus Freddy of course who we knew had passed away some years back so we thought we'd give it a miss. Bands just don’t sound the same if a major player is missing.

Saturday morning as I made my way to the washrooms I was disgusted to see the state of the area near to where we were parked. Some idle clown instead if disposing of their rubbish in the waste bins provided had left it unattended overnight by the side of their motorhome. 

Naturally the birds and foxes had scattered its contents far and wide. Matters became worse when I entered the gent’s washrooms, every one of the toilets was fouled and not a single one had been flushed by the previous occupant. One filthy individual had even trampled his faeces all over the floor. I was disgusted to see the state that some British holidaymakers are prepared to live like; they’re such a filthy lot of tramps, no wonder the Europeans look down their noses at us and after seeing that mess I can’t blame them. The young Polish couple who cleaned the toilets four times a day really had their work cut out for them, they always had a nice smile and pleasant demeanour pity they have to clean up after filthy Brits and god knows what they think of us.

Sunday was move day, the sun was out and it was baking hot, we hooked up the toad and headed for our next stop The Haven Campsite the other side of Burnham, OK it’s not that far away I know just over a mile, but as we were having the grandson for the week we thought that it would be a great place for kids.

Damn it! The LPG went haywire again on the way over; we are booking this in with the experts in Newport to get this problem sorted for once and for all.

By twelve we were at the site waiting to be shown to our pitch, which from a previous visit was going to be number eight. Going to be was the operative word as we found out that pitch number eight, was now occupied (panic time we knew there were very few pitches at Haven that would take an RV of our size).

Fortunately the warden Darren sorted it all out and we were put on another pitch that turned out to be just right. By the time we had set up we were exhausted and sun burnt to boot.

Our daughter and grandson arrived in time as I was preparing the BBQ but sod’s law kicked in and the gas bottle ran out of gas half way through my cooking. So Kay had to finish the food off in the RV. The Munchkin (Rhys) was bouncing to see and try everything, the fishing, the carts, the swimming pool, the arcade machines you name it. Later my daughter said ‘have you seen the 4X4 opposite he has a military insignia in the back that looks familiar’ at first I didn’t think much about it until as she drove away to go back home (leaving the Munchkin with us) I noticed on the back of the 4X4's spare wheel cover was my old regiments cypher.

It’s a small world again, as the owner of the 4X4 and the caravan that's sited opposite turned out to be a chap that I served in the forces with nearly fifty years ago. So that night over a bottle of red wine and some beers we recounted many of our old exploits and memories of old comrades of which some have now sadly passed away.

The Munchkin (Rhys)

The Cypher

Pete Lote & Stu
old army mates

Monday…. is Haven a Rip Off? Now when you pay top dollar for a week at a Haven camp site what do you expect to get for your money?

For a one week’s touring pitch it will cost you £34 a night at high season (and that’s with a discount!!!) You get a 30’ hard-standing pitch with a small parking bay a standard electric, water and TV connection on a bollard to the right of your pitch and a waste drain to the left.

The toilets and shower facilities are clean but by no means are they of a particularly high standard, so you would think that the rest that’s on offer on these sites would be reasonably well priced. Think again!!!

The quad wheel cycle’s will set you back a £20 deposit and £8.00 per hour, the crazy golf £5 deposit £2 per head, in the laundry the cheapest wash was £5 and the dryer £1 for ten minutes and a fishing permit £7 per day.
In the fishing shop I asked for a small rod and reel for the grandson, the only one on offer was £30, I declined the offer as I had a better quality rod and reel in the angling shop in Burnham for £20.
The games arcade is plainly set up as a cash trap as you have to walk the kids through here to get to the pool the crazy golf etc.  

Everything in the camp shop we noticed was top price (I would advise anyone visiting this site that they should shop outside as there’s a Morrison’s and a Lidl nearby) the only thing you don’t pay extra for is the swimming, but all the other sessions you do. You can imagine the dent this will put in the finances of a family group of a mum dad and two kids

These sites will soon be out pricing what the average cash strapped holidaymaker can afford to cough up. I personally think that the writings on the wall for Haven.
As they’re part of Butlins group they should remember what happened to the Butlins & Pontins holiday camps of the 50’s and 60’s!!!!

Not!! Nick Feldo

The Boss

Sited at Haven

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