Is the Alan Rogers/Camping Cheque business dying ?
Is Alan Rogers/Camping ChequeUK a dying business?
I think this could also be called “Is Alan Rogers/Camping ChequeUK killing itself?”
I have used this business on and off for about 10 years to book our channel crossings with Camping Cheques.This year I have already made one booking with them but it took 3 weeks and several phone calls by me before I received written confirmation of my
booking.
I have been looking at the website for a good part of this year with a view to making a second booking for later in the year – but website bookings have not been available (and are still not available).So I phoned last week on Monday, left a message on their
Ansaphone and expected a call back reasonably quickly.But no call, so wishing to confirm arrangements with our friends to meet them in the Dordogne, I phoned again on Thursday and was able to confirm a booking.
It is very apparent that the number of sites in the camping cheque scheme is staying more or less static with newcomers barely exceeding leavers.Others have noted that both Eurocamp (Touring Cheques) and Vacancesoleil have stopped their cheque schemes.Some
of us are fed up with providing an interest-free loan to camping cheque and the other charges they make at our (and campsite owner’s) expense.I seriously question why The Club purchased this business – certainly not for the site guides, which are informative
but grossly overpriced.You might well ask why I use the business? The answer as many will know is the favourable ferry rates together with the need to purchase only 3 cheques.
This is all very sad, not least because I have always found the staff at AR to be most helpful and proficient.As an aside, I must say this also applies to the staff at The Club’s Travel Service.