'Hippie vans' threatening Kingston's park.
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 10:30 am
"HIPPIE vans" and other non-compliant vehicles parking for free in Kingston are threatening the future of the town's caravan park, its owner says.
Kingston District Council voted to restrict vehicle access to the town's four "RV friendly" zones after Kingston Caravan Park owner Kevin Pascoe made an impassioned plea for something to be done about the "freeloaders" who weren't bringing any benefit to the town.
He told the council's April meeting the RV friendly parking areas - where compliant self-contained RV vehicles are allowed to park overnight for free - were costing his business significant trade and putting its future in doubt.
"With the advent of all the free parking around town, I've had to cut my staff from 14 to six," he said.
"I've lost workers who were doing office, cleaning work, gardeners.
"They live in town, spend their money, buy food and fuel, get their car serviced."
But he said non-compliant people were taking money away from the park.
"The vehicles that are self-contained and are proper RV vehicles, I don't have a problem with them," he said.
"It's the station wagons with feet hanging out the back of them, tents, hippie vans and backpacker vans that are nowhere near self-contained, they're the problem.
Source: Coastal Leader. Read more here: http://www.coastalleader.com.au/story/1 ... k/?cs=1441
Kingston District Council voted to restrict vehicle access to the town's four "RV friendly" zones after Kingston Caravan Park owner Kevin Pascoe made an impassioned plea for something to be done about the "freeloaders" who weren't bringing any benefit to the town.
He told the council's April meeting the RV friendly parking areas - where compliant self-contained RV vehicles are allowed to park overnight for free - were costing his business significant trade and putting its future in doubt.
"With the advent of all the free parking around town, I've had to cut my staff from 14 to six," he said.
"I've lost workers who were doing office, cleaning work, gardeners.
"They live in town, spend their money, buy food and fuel, get their car serviced."
But he said non-compliant people were taking money away from the park.
"The vehicles that are self-contained and are proper RV vehicles, I don't have a problem with them," he said.
"It's the station wagons with feet hanging out the back of them, tents, hippie vans and backpacker vans that are nowhere near self-contained, they're the problem.
Source: Coastal Leader. Read more here: http://www.coastalleader.com.au/story/1 ... k/?cs=1441