An independent campaign has been launched, petitioning to save the Baltic Wharf Caravan Club Campsite, which faces serious threat of closure.

The Caravan Club issued a statement saying: “After lengthy negotiations with Bristol City Council regarding The Club’s leased site, Baltic Wharf, the Council has reluctantly given The Club forewarning the site will be needed for a school to serve the local community.”

The award-winning 55-pitch caravan site, situated on Cumberland Road in Bristol (BS1 6XG) is currently on land owned by city council, leased to the Caravan Club. Bristol City Council now want to end that lease and put a school on the land for 420 children, set to open in September 2015.

The petition is being led by campaign coodinators Matt Gibbs and Lou Phillipson, and received hundreds of responses within its first week. It reads:

“Please support us in our attempt to convince Bristol City Council to reconsider their decision to close the Baltic Wharf Campsite at the end of the year. The decision was taken without any public consultation and is likely to have a devastating effect on the local harbour community, tourism and businesses.

“The site, a waterside haven on Cumberland Rd and open since 1986, is a great Bristol success story; open all year with one of the highest occupancy rates in the country. People are drawn from across the UK right into heart of Bristol to explore and enjoy our wonderful city.

“Year after year campers liven up the area bringing summer trade and a vital winter lifeline to local businesses. Some local organisations and companies are very concerned for their own future should the site close. There simply is no alternative campsite in Bristol!

“Please sign our petition to convince our counsellors to reconsider and allow this vital facility to stay open!”

The petition is hosted at: http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2706#div_sigs

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews