Squires Bike Cafe, near Sherburn-in-Elmet, West Yorks,  have started charging for camping... IF you arrive in a car or on a trike, or if you have a caravan.

At the moment 

Bike + Tent is FREE
Trike + Tent is £10.00 per night 
Caravan is £10.00 per night.

Also the shower token charge is increased to £2  (previously £1)

Jason (the Manager) says this is to 'attract more bikers'.....  Surely anyone who visits Squires will know how packed it is during the summer and even throughout the year, there's usually a fair few bikers there, especially on Wednesday Bike Nights etc, so I don't get it 

They say they have kept the camping price for motorcyclists Free for 2013, however there will be  a small charge for camping pitches in 2014'  

Don't get me wrong, I guess we've been lucky in the past, having free camping, but I think £10.00 is a bit steep...  or am I just being tight?  

http://www.squires-cafe.co.uk/

                                                                                                                                                                             

Yes it is s bit high Kaz but he would do better if he gave you £5.00 in tokens to spend in the place that way he gets best of camping fee and gets you in the cafe.                                                                                                                                                                              

Yeh that would be a good idea John, but I think its set in stone now, all the info is set on the website                                                                                                                                                                              

Methinks someone is getting greedy                                                                                                                                                                             

They don't take the 'bike' magazine 'free cuppa' vouchers either,despite being listed as participating,also put coffee up to 1.50! They must make plenty of money there,surely he can afford to decorate and replace the manky old carpets? Still prefer Dunnies in Otley....

think 10 pounds to dear  and to charge trike ?????? they are bikes with 3 wheels  10 pound for the weekend or 3 nites is ok                                                                                                                                                                              

Shame when greed takes over, eventually people will find somewhere else to go, it made a good place for families on low budget to have a few nights away camping, more than likely using the cafe while there.
They will do themselves out of customers eventually.

'Attract more bikers' or more people on bikes would be my question

I used to be in a small-ish bike club and we had x2 rallies a year that were put on by us.  However, in the later years of holding the rally the Land owner retired and left it to his sons to run the place.  From then on the prices for everything they wanted were virtually doubled up.  Renting the land, the old barn to put on the music, the beer... etc etc.
Needless to say we were caught out the first time as the 'new prices' were just sprung on us.  And with all the work put in it was too late to find an alternative venue.

The result = the next time we told the new landowners, sorry you're too damned expensive now, we've found an alternative venue to hold the rally at... And guess what it didn't take them long to realise how much revenue they had lost from being greedy!

There has to be a reasonable compromise between making a little extra money if you really need to, and making sure you get the custom next time around.  Sadly though many people just seem to ramp up prices quickly as a quick fix, which often results in tears at the end of it all when you have to close the doors because of lack of customers so to speak!

I must admit though, if there was ten of us going and I was the only one on a trike, I'd feel a little miffed that I'd had to pay £10 just because I had an extra wheel on my vehicle.  As if it isn't expensive enough now just getting 'gate tickets'?!

There are a few event's I'd like to go to, but some of the events are expensive on the gate, that you have be far more picky and choosy now as to what you go to and what you have to leave till some other time.
                                                                                                                                                                             

I have no problem with them charging what they like for cars and caravans, and i'm glad that bikes with tents are still free for the moment at least, BUT, I really don't see the logic in classing trikes along with cars and charging them £10 too.
Just out of interest, does anybody have any idea what they're planning to charge motorcycles & sidecars with tents? And no, I don't have a sidecar, just curious                                                                                                                                                                              

and what about teh peeps that are on trikes due to a disability from a bike accident... that seems a bit darn unfair to me.......   well MFN camping is still free when they have a weekend rally or bash and the tea, coffee, burger prices are pretty darn good too...   do they provide showers etc at squires then to be included in tenner? i know ived camped there bt cant remember!!   im sure also The Vic in Coalville dont charge that much for camping....                                                                                                                                                                             

I don't know about sidecar/tents.. good point though..I'm guessing they will be in the same category as a trike...

As far as I know the Squires Spring Show, 25-26th May is still free, but bigger events like the Yorkshire Rock and Bike show, 9th-10th August are ticket or otg charges.

I don't think it will stop their trade as it's a very busy place without the camping, I just think it's a shame that they have seen fit to slap these charges on, as it will mean people have less money to spend in the cafe/bar.

xSuzix,  they have a toilet block and showers, there is a charge of £2 for a shower (5 mins) which used to be £1, tokens available behind the bar.

                                                                                                                                                                             

  Thanks for the info Kaz.   My memory must be worse than I thought, I've always known the shower charges as £2 (token from staff) not £1 ??   I wish the extra money they charge was put to good use, like training the staff how to make a cup of tea without stewing it Bler! AND buying some new mugs without chips in them (no, not potato chips ) I drink milk, it's only 40p (probably a quid by now) and they can't stew that lol   It's not just the carpets that need replacing, the seating leaves a lot to be desired, however I don't think that I'd be in a hurry to upgrade them knowing that bikers with dusty/greasy boots/trousers will be using them.    Even tho it's run for bikers you have to remember it's a business and not a charity, that said I do think the owners are taking liberties with their charges.   Jasen doesn't own the gaff, not sure if he's the manager but I reckon so cos all the staff are pretty young females lol   The Rock n Bike show used to be free, well it was the first year, then it was £5 and now £10, unless they've upped the price for this year. If it was still free I'd be able to go, if I could get a lift of course.                                                                                                                                                                                   

I have yet to have a shower in that place with the shower doing anything more than dribbling out of the faucet!  How they have the nerve to charge £2 for the tokens I don't know but as there's no alternative I always give them a try and am always disappointed.
If they've upgraded them I'd happily pay £2 for a shower but I doubt it very much.  I normally get the money back from Jason after unsuccessful attempts at a shower.