THE BROWNHILLS FIASCO

Barry and Margaret Williamson

Updated August 2011

Stop Press: Following the closure of Brownhills Swindon branch, the Brownfools Website is being updated along the following lines:

Email from Brownfools, dated 26 August 2011: "Following the demise of Brownhills Swindon branch some quick edits were clearly called for. On the "Sales" page, we've changed "Brownfools is growing" to "Brownfools is shrinking!" with "Closed" and "Mothballed" after Swindle, Witless-shire and Can't-erbury. And the "Club Brownfools" page has a quick parody of their "Closure statement" (under the title "...and if one green bottle...").

We have been amazed at how many people have contacted us recently having had “lucky escapes” that were down to bone idleness (as opposed to the usual boneheadedness) of the staff/managers. When we have a little bit more time we will update the correspondence page to reflect this. We may also add a simple animation of the old Brownfools map with the sites disappearing one by one. This will either be to the sound of “Ten Green Bottles” or a Churchill-like voice saying “The lamps are going out all over the Brownfools map. We will not see them again in our leisure time” (You have to be of a certain age to get that one, I think)."

Stop Press: We are now happily linked to, and working closely with, the excellent Brownfools Website, run by David, Prew and Connor. It's ironic, it's informative, it's excellent. In addition to their own complaints, this intrepid trio have made a platform for other complaints and a source of information about Brownhills/fools and all their works (or lack of them). Among much else, they copy the absurdly insulting emails we have received from Brownhills (see below) and a copy of a 7-days-or-else-type-email they have received from a person hiding behind the role of Solicitor, selling his doubtful services to Brownhills unequalled Customer Services! Not to be missed!

INTRODUCTION

The following disturbing complaint has been received from Vivienne Luscott, after buying a motorhome from Brownhills Motorhomes for a life of travel in retirement with partner Alan. They were rescued by the competence and excellent service of Motorhome Medics of Cheltenham.

It is indeed amazing that Brownhills Motorhomes, a major motorhome company, can treat a customer in the cavalier and insulting manner described below - and not least at a time of recession when the customer should be even more important to the survival of any business.

Only publicity of the kind we offer can expose and correct this abuse of trust, together with the waste of the customers' time and money at an important transition point in their lives. Brownhills was subject to a 46 million pound managament buy-out only a year ago, after the original over-large company became bankrupt. Does it now want to head back in the same direction?

We found contacting Brownhills Motorhomes via their website a considerable trial of patience. We had to give a full name, a full UK address including postcode, and a landline telephone number. We then had to register with the usual need for a user name and password. No reason for all this was given and no assurance that the information would not be used for spam advertising. Getting over all these hurdles and attempting to provide 'feedback', we were faced with a long questionnaire with tick boxes!

After finding a place on Brownhills' website where we could simply write something, we were given two tiny boxes with a limit of 300 and 200 characters respectively (including spaces). This adds up to no more than 50 and 30 words - but who is counting? The customer! Apparently they couldn't just give a simple email address: they need to control the nature of the feedback.

We also noticed that the feedback they headlined on their website was all positive. How transparent is that?

The 'Brownfools' website to which Vivienne refers can be found at: Brownfools. It makes depressing reading, relieved only by the ironic tone of the webmaster. The only response from Brownhills Motorhomes seems to have been the usual mealy-mouthed '7-days or else' warning letter from a hack solicitor, hiding behind a misuse of his title and his professional role. 

Other complaints about Brownhills Motorhomes can be found at: Motorhomefacts, Motorhomefun and UKcampsitechatter among others!