Why are our sites so much more expensive than C&CC
I often stay at Ashridge, a site I love, nice and small and quiet. On the occasion's when I have been unable to get booked in, usually over a weekend, I often choose Hertford a few miles down the road which is equally nice, albeit the shower blocks need a refurb.
So this week I started to book Ashridge for 13 & 14 April as spaces were available. However to my astonishment the prices for one person for two nights this week are £39.00, this compared to £25.30 at Hertford! Sorry M&CC but this is a no brainer. Why so much more expensive when it's not even Easter week?
Comments
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Why so much more expensive when it's not even Easter week?
Maybe because it one of the Easter holiday break weeks for many with schools breaking up 6th April and going back 22nd.
However to my astonishment the prices for one person for two nights this week are £39.00,
Did you mean the price for two people for two nights is £39 and if so you are correct.
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You could equally ask why M&S are more expensive than Aldi.
Each club has its own pricing strategy and we can choose whichever suits.
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No sorry but you are incorrect.
Its £39 for one person for two nights....
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Like you we have chosen to use more C&CC sites this year just as we did last year.
If others chose to pay more then that is up to them.
Why the difference in price is it because the C&CC do not start there holiday period as early as the C&MHC for Easter, in fact in Scotland they do not go into high season at all over Easter so up here its got to be C&CC
plus I can book a hard standing if I chose to do so.3 -
Just looked at starting our upcoming break a little earlier. Can't arrive at our booked CL as they are full. So had a look at the clubs site at Carsington, Ashbourne. Reasonable price for 2-4 April at just under £19 pn. However 5th.April (a full 2 weeks before Easter Friday no less) comes in at nearly £30 for 2 adults.
Still laughing!!!2 -
Yes and some in Durham don't start till the weekend of the 15th April, and two weeks from then.
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There lies another issue....Ashridge is nearly always fully booked at weekends....until Thursday's then miraculously some pitches are available.
This is obviously down to members playing the system. The sooner the club adopts a deposit on booking system the better, then this ridiculous situation of people booking, for no fee, and then cancelling at the last possible moment will hopefully stop.
I can't always plan too far ahead so I am often finding myself having to book Hertford instead of my preference of Ashridge because of this abuse of the booking system.
That should put the cat amongst the pigeons!
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But no toilet or showers at the moment so silly price!
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“…then this ridiculous situation of people booking, for no fee, and then cancelling at the last possible moment will hopefully stop.”
It’s supposition and speculation unless you have proof.
Your circumstances prevent you booking earlier, M&K, but that is not the fault of the club’s booking system. Should the whole system be changed because you feel something that suits you better should be put in place? Should your needs take precedence over those of others?
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Same here schools break up tomorrow for 2 weeks then back for 4 days then off for the Friday and Monday. Her brother who goes to school in Wiltshire doesn't break up for another 2 weeks yet.
C&MC however have decided to make the most of it and have just about the whole of April at high season, greedy or what.
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Not supposition at all! I have been advised by various wardens that on this particular site, which is only a small site, that this cancellation of bookings is commonplace with certain members taking advantage of the booking system.
Frankly I enjoy the space at Hertford so it doesn't worry me too much if I do end up there, particularly as at the moment it's a lot less expensive than Ashridge, but it's the principle of certain members taking the pee by cancelling at the last minute that bugs me.
Don't worry I'm just one in a million. My needs will never "take precedence over those of others"......or will they 😉?
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Don't worry I'm just one in a million. My needs will never "take precedence over those of others"......or will they 😉?
Hopefully not.C&MC however have decided to make the most of it and have just about the whole of April at high season, greedy or what.
Looking at some other commercial sites the caravan club markup for this site during the period seems quite modest.1 -
Out of curiosity I've just had a look at Cambridge which has a site from each of the clubs from April 10th for 5 nights...This club is roughly £31 per night and the Camping Club ( with our oldies discount ) is roughly £19. Unless I have made an error, I make that a £12 per night difference, so £60 for the 5 nights. At the end of the day its a big amount for those of us with a limited income, so I guess I will be leaning towards the Camping Club more and more. Someone earlier mentioned that its like comparing M&S to Aldi, well we like Aldi, and infact shop there quite a lot, it offers reasonable quality at an affordable price.. I don't remember buying food at M&S very often...
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I'm another that has found that this "club" has priced itself out of the market as far as their sites are concerned.
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My comment was “You could equally ask why M&S are more expensive than Aldi“ but it seems to have been given legs. I wasn’t making comparisons or saying there is anything wrong with the discounters. It was simply another example of similar suppliers of products with different price strategies.
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I understand that TW, but the analogy for me was a valid one, I think this club has moved to a strategy of let's charge as much as we possibly can. People have noticed and are finding cheaper, in some cases much cheaper alternatives. For some, price is more important. I don't see that much difference between the two clubs, quality wise apart from being able to book a HS with the Camping Club.
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I always book the Cambridge C&CC site rather than Cherry Hinton. The C&CC sites are certainly not more expensive than CMS sites whatever age groups you are but for us oldies there are good discounts to be had especially in peak season where a number of sites offer 20 percent off.
peedee
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I have just booked the C&CC site at Barnard Castle for 2 people for 4 nights in July. The price was £45 cheaper, than the C&MC Barnard Castle site partly due to the very welcome Age Consession Rate which is 20% at this site in peak season. Happy days.
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You can of course use the current system to your advantage if you can't book that far in advance. We do, rarely booking a week or more before we go. So late cancellations are a benefit to us. Be careful for what you wish for, deposits may well stop people booking a long way in advance unless they are totally committed to meeting their booking but I suspect if members have to pay a deposit they will leave informing the site until the very last moment before they cancel. Not sure that helps anyone? Popular sites will always be popular sites so whether a deposit system actually frees up pitches has yet to be seen.
David
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The OP said weekend pitches suddenly appear on Thursdays but anything cancelled on a Thursday would be for Sunday onwards if it was cancelled in line with the 72 hr deadline. If the cancellation was within those final 72 hrs, the club would be contacting the cancelling member(s) regarding breach of the terms and has already told us they monitor the system and contact anyone abusing it.
Cancellations within the terms for Friday/Saturday would appear from Tuesday by my calculation so I think there is more to the OPs findings that is immediately apparent to him/her.
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