Closure of Postern Hill campsite – part of a wider strategy by Forestry England?

When the news that the much loved campsite at Postern Hill in Savernake Forest was to close Forestry England stated that it was the decision of the site operator – Sherwood Pines Ltd. This is part of their statement: “The current operator of Forestry England Camping at Postern Hill (Sherwood Pines Camping Ltd) have chosen not to renew their lease at the end of the current season“.

However, this appears to state that the decision was nothing to do with Forestry England and was made by their leaseholder. One issue – there isn’t – or never has been – a lease. It’s not allowed. Part of the agreement between the Forest’s owners – Savernake Estates – and Forestry England is that no sub-letting is permitted so no part of the area managed by Forestry England could be leased out to a third party.

Marlborough News has asked further questions of Forestry England and their camping management team but as yet, no response. We look to them for clarification. Our questions relate primarily to the role of and their relationship with Sherwood Pines Ltd regarding the campsite.

Maybe, and we don’t have confirmation of this – yet – the ‘internal discussion document‘ that was produced around the same time as the ‘Our Shared forest – Land Management Plan‘ (published in response to the public consultation) appears to offer a quite different future for the forest – the roads, access and the activity area around Postern Hill. We ran a story about this in March 2022.

This internal document would appear to promote the closure of roads into Savernake Forest (Grand Avenue etc.) whilst noting that regarding the campsite and car parking area – ‘These facilities are extremely well used, and their popularity is having a detrimental impact on the ecological values, and aesthetic values, of the site‘. It went on to discuss alternative options such as:

• Quality pay and display car park, often now with ANPR payment systems; 
• Café and play facilities; 
• Toilet facilities, often with changing facilities (including specialist facilities for those with learning and / or mobility difficulties); 
• Waymarked trails – including a surfaced all-ability route, walking and running trails. Most sites, but by no means all, will also have a family cycling loop. 
• Where a cycle offer is made, sites will have a cycle hire, shop and workshop facility; 
• Learning offer – trail based with self-guided trails and interpretation for schools, as well as young families

All quite different to what is actually being proposed in their published plan and possibly conflicting for the reasons of their creation? These measures would appear to be about increasing traffic – visitors – and income, whilst the reasons for their creation is to alleviate the detrimental impact of the current activities and traffic.

The Postern Hill campsite is appreciated by all visitors. Well liked and respected, excellent management, great reviews and good repeat visiting. A superb site, but short of one basic facility that most other campsites (good, and not-so-good) offer – showers. Water, toilets and electricity – yes, but showers are regarded by many campsite users as ‘a must’. So why no showers? Lack of infrastructure investment? And if so, by whom? The answer to this must realistically point towards Forestry England as the operators don’t have such control, as – contrary to what Forestry England would wish us to believe – there is no lease. It would appear that they (Sherwood Pines Ltd) are ‘operating partners’, or employed to manage the site which would preclude such investment in infrastructure that would bring the campsite up to the standard of others.

So what is really happening? Short answer – we don’t know. And Forestry England appear to be sending out contradictory (and incorrect?) messages. At the risk of sounding cynical money, or more money would appear to be a ‘significant motivational factor’. We’ll see…….