It’s a Hi De Oh No at camping ground
Good morning campers.
If you’re staying at Lyndon Copland’s Gore Motor Camp, you better follow his rules.
Copland is hitting back at negative reviews the leafy campground in the middle town has received on TripAdvisor, saying all the negative ones are fake and everything’s been distorted.
The camp ground, which is owned by the Gore District Council and is leased to Copland, now has 12 reviews on TripAdvisor.
Six have rated it as terrible, while three new reviews have rated it as excellent and one as very good.
‘‘Of course the bad ones are fake. They’re bullshit. But this is what happens with human nature. If you say to somebody ‘look, you’re going to have to go, you’re not smoking in the toilets anymore, you’re not cleaning up your mess in the kitchen like you’re supposed to’ – and this is what you get.’’
He said anyone who wants to know what the camp ground is like should ignore the inter- national website and look at the visitor’s book at reception instead. ‘‘I’ve never asked anyone to write something nice about this place.
‘‘There’s a book full of happy people. Anyone who doubts the authenticity of that can come and have a look at it.’’
He’s putting some of those reviews on the motor camp’s Facebook page, and responding to the reviews on TripAdvisor when he had time, he said.
Copland said he hasn’t had a drink in 20 years, so a review that said he was drunk when dealing with tourists staying at the campground was incorrect.
‘‘That is just absolute bullshit. And I don’t like swearing.
‘‘I don’t like people thinking I’m a drunk.’’
He’s also unhappy at being called a racist.
‘‘I’ve been playing in bands with Ma¯oris for years.’’
Copland took over the lease for the camp ground in 2014 and since then he’s implemented some rules of his own. He’s enforced a surcharge of $15 a night for people who only stay one night, and he’ll charge you more if you go out and leave the heater running.
Running the camp was ‘‘bloody hard work’’ and he often worked 14 hour days.
‘‘I’ve found drug paraphernalia in the rooms. I’ve had sheets and towels stolen.
‘‘I don’t suffer fools very long, but perhaps I should. I don’t suffer fools at all but I tell you what I get some fools in here.’’
Council chief executive Steve Parry said the council is ‘‘very concerned’’ about the camp ground reviews and since a story was published on Stuff earlier this week more people had come forward to discuss the service at the camp ground. He is now dealing with the issue personally.