Out of touch with members
I have been a member for several years.
My cost of my membership has always been met by the savings in club sites in comparison with private campsites, and most importantly the discount I have on ferry crossings.
I now see that a lot of equivalent sites are now cheaper than club sites, and booking my ferry crossing through the club would cost me £100 more than with the ferry company.
I will not be renewing my membership, as I feel that the current management of the club is not representing the best interests of its members, but relying on the hard core of people who have been with the club for years to boost its profits.
Comments
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If you feel that the club is no longer meeting your needs you have clearly taken a sensible decision. However, I always find the phrase equivalent sites cheaper ( and it gets used a lot on CT) a rather odd one. Personally I don't pick a site on price alone, in fact that is most definitely secondary. Out in front is location, is it where I want to be. Behind that there are things like, does it offer what I want, ease of booking, access etc. There are undoubtedly cheaper similar sites, as there are similar dearer ones. Would I want to use either of them. Possibly.
Again in my opinion, although you might find a near equivalent cheaper site, it is extremely unlikely to have similar terms and conditions in respect of booking and any alterations. Given two similar sites in the same location, I would generally opt for the CC, even if it was more expensive. For an example, we could now at many times of the year get the C&CC sit at Malvern cheaper than the CAMC site next door. However, we opt for the CAMC site.
Discounts on ferries always seem to vary year on year and are very route dependent. Given the losses the ferry companies have racked up, I would think there would be less available for the foreseeable future.
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Hi Dr N, We have not used club sites for some time now but for few years used them for up to 5 weeks a year.
They were chosen for their location, and there were no suitable alternatives, so we never did a comparison however, just looking at the sites we did stay at now the prices are still not what would attract us.
We remain members as it gives us access to CLs, we use one when visiting one of our daughters, and the savings that can be made when rallying and getting ferry travel.
The old ITX fares are now called combined fares-ferry and site vouchers- and a check 2 minutes ago for our likely 2021 trip-Plymouth to Roscoff out May back June with cabins shows a saving of £303 on the direct price with BF.
This however, includes the site vouchers which means the price of the ferry only is £390 less than with BF.
We are booked on a rally in September on a beach side site at £13.87 per night and if booked direct, but the site is full, would be £32.10.
So over the next 12 months, looking at just these two holidays, my membership will give me £645 of savings.
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Has our membership of the CMC proved of value this year - not really
but there are many other memberships that will not provide any value for me this year. In previous years the main benefit has been the ability to use CMC sites. Last year CMC sites made up 55 nights of my normal 105 nights touring plus 15 nights at a longer stay. The club sites are not the the dearest sites that I used, but the cost of any site is not a main consideration
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It is what it is.🤷♂️
Members come and go all the time and I'm not going to try to persuade the OP to stay.
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I will not be renewing my membership, as I feel that the current management of the club is not representing the best interests of its members, but relying on the hard core of people who have been with the club for years to boost its profits.
Is that not an indication that perhaps it is fulfilling the needs of many members? It seems that the COVID situation has concentrated the minds of some when it comes to re-evaluating whether their membership suits them. I have not booked a ferry with the Club for years, except for a trip to the IOW, because I have gone direct to Eurotunnel because I want to be able to change a booking and not have to do that through the Club. We discuss at length on here the relative merits of campsite pricing often with the Club being accused of excessive prices. However the other side of the coin is that the Club have a very simple booking system which is a greater advantage to members than it is the the Club? If a member decides that the Club no longer offers them what they want it would seem pointless to continue but one has to be a careful , as what might not suit you might well suit others?
David
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Some people like the formality of Club sites - the rules, the security barriers, the lines of gravel squares, the tarmac roadways and one way traffic, the wardens in uniform, the comfort blanket of bookings made a year in advance, the set times to arrive and depart, the unlimited dogs go free approach, the known social type of clientele......and are willing to pay for Club sites for those reasons.
Others prefer campsites with a more casual, informal, relaxed, laid back style.
There are innumerable campsite options of all sorts beyond Club sites and CLs these days, and for me the choice is never just based on cost.
Happy hunting, Dr Nigel.
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I've always said that each individual must make up their own mind as to whether the club and its sites gives you want you want at a price you consider good enough. If it doesn't then that's great as you have decided.
But as shown in a thread this week club site prices are middle of the road and one cheaper site had, in my view, unacceptable booking conditions. £50 non returnable deposit, £2.20 booking fee and that is for even you turn up on spec (I can't get my head around that one), no money back if you cancel and/or leave early. £7.50 amendment administration fee. Extra charges for dogs, awnings, awning annex, even some breed of dogs were banned. The club does without all this, and thankfully so.
Has the club 'lost' it's members? well no, the evidence is that sites are difficult to book and the vast majority of reviews very good indeed. Is it still catering for its members' interest? Yes of course by providing good quality sites that people use again and again, otherwise why the difficulty to book a site?
relying on the hard core of people who have been with the club for years to boost its profits.
Again apart from the growing membership I personally find this a little offensive, that these hard core can't make up their own minds and perhaps you can't consider that they are happy using club sites and that is why they return?
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Which was pretty much what I said 🙄
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Most sites have rules do they not?
Many sites of a similar type to CMC sites have security barriers, including those that are family run.
Many people prefer a hardstanding.
Most people prefer an access road within the site to be gravelled or bitmac. Many less able folk don' like to walk on deep gravel though.
I doubt that many are concerned that wardens are in uniform but it does make it easy to to spot them if you want to ask a question or report a blocked toilet etc.
Many sites allow bookings 12 month in advance if that is what somebody wants. We usually book sites, both club and non club - including CLs in February to cover our tour routes from April to end of July.
Most sites, including CLs have set arrival times.
Those with more than 2 dogs probably appreciate that the club allows unlimited dogs as many sites place a restriction of two.
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Easy T, I think perhaps I move in different circles from you, and choose different sites - but my choice is based on ambiance rather than price. And no one ever mentions what the rules are.
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We joined many years ago to enjoy the CC sites, but sadly they have now priced themselves out of their market and we find many commercial sites at the same or higher standard cheaper and more conveniently located that many CMC sites.
We now mainly use commercial sites or CLs and stay members for the benefits like Mayday and CL network.
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