[Report 1973] / Medical Officer of Health, Axbridge R.D.C.

  • Axbridge (Somerset, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1973
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1973] / Medical Officer of Health, Axbridge R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/14 (page 2)
    CARAVANS and CAMPING At the height of the holiday season the caravan parks and camping sites now accommodate up to 17,000 people, a very significant increase in the population of the District. There are 63 licensed static holiday caravan sites and 12 licensed transit sites. 35 caravan sites are subject to exemption certificates, whilst of the tented sites 8 are licensed and 39 unlicensed. The number of residential caravans on licensed sites is now 476, housing 796 adults and 115 children. These figures compare with 322 residential caravans ten years ago, 1 23 twenty years ago, and 72 when they were first recorded, with the comment : this type of camping appears to have become a permanent feature of our national life (l 951). The realisation by town-dwellers that the countryside can provide a cheap and healthy holiday has produced problems for Rural Districts who, whilst not discouraging such means for obtaining recreation, must prevent abuses which may be to the permanent disadvantage of their areas (l 932). The tendency to proceed with the surreptitious erection of hutments and other forms of sub-standard temporary buildings was not as evident as formerly, and it is hoped to prevent the further establishment of railway carriages, bus and tram bodies as holiday dwellings. It is unlikely that many more of the horse- drawn type of caravan will be constructed (l937)» Routine inspections of all types of food premises were carried out during the year with a view to continued improvement in the standards of storage, display and food-handling. There was a satisfactory response to the informal approach of the Inspectors, and no statutory proceedings were instituted. Standards are constantly improving, the Sanitary Inspector and his Assistant being most tactful and successful (l923). All too often, when asking for adequate facilities for hand-washing to be provided, one is met with a blank look or even open hostility and the question 'why'? (1948). Particulars of the various types of food premises in the District are given below; - Pood Premises in Area No. of POOD CONTROL Premises A„ Poojl MannnF^^^ Edible Pat Refinery Cheese Straw Factory Cheese Factory Bakers Pickle Factory 1 1 1 7 1