Inn bans 'arrogant' camper van visitors

The Wasdale Head Inn has experienced repeated issues in recent summers, its owner says

A hotel and pub in the Lake District has banned camper vans from its car park with bosses saying a "ridiculous" number of incidents saw staff threatened, waste tanks emptied into a river and a barbecue lit just yards from a gas tank.

The Wasdale Head Inn, near the village of Gosforth, has previously allowed visitors to park motorhomes on-site for a charge of £8 per person, per day.

However, owner Dr Nigel Burton told the BBC a "small, arrogant minority" had forced the business to take action.

Recent months have seen widespread complaints about visitor behaviour across the Lake District, with Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner warning the situation "cannot continue".

Dr Burton, who has owned the inn for 25 years, said: "We've spent the last two or three summers trying to deal with this in a sensitive way, and I never want to say no to potential customers, but it's become too much of a nuisance.

"Recently, the number of problems became ridiculous.

"The vast majority of people who come in camper vans are perfectly well behaved, but we've had people littering and emptying raw sewage from their waste tank either on the ground or into the beck at the back of the hotel.

"We literally had someone light a barbecue on a concrete base on which two 4,000-litre gas tanks sit. It's hard to describe how stupid that was.

"It becomes confrontational. If you ask people to move something or tidy up, you get people who threaten our staff. I don't want that."

'Epidemic proportions'

The car park has about 50 spaces and Dr Burton says further issues have been caused by some of the vehicles taking up multiple spots due to their size, as well as people "putting their awnings out and setting up their deckchairs".

"It suddenly means our other customers who want to come in to eat and drink haven't got anywhere to park," he said.

"We thought of introducing pre-booking, taking deposits or only allowing the vehicles in winter, but I think the reality is you've got to have clear, simple messages and so we have to say 'no'."

Dr Burton added hundreds of replies had been posted to the inn's Facebook message announcing the move with "all but a small number being fully supportive".

About 18 million people visit the Lake District each year, but many residents and businesses say littering, illegal camping and poor parking is becoming more common.

In September, the Friends of the Lake District conservation charity said it had reached "epidemic" proportions, while shortly after Labour-elected commissioner David Allen said: "What is clear is that we cannot and must not be in the same position this time next year."