Help shape future facilities at UK Club campsites
Comments
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Each to their own of course but I don't go to club sites, or actually any holiday pace to engage with anyone else out side of those I have with me. My 'fun' comes from them and the places off site and interacting with anyone else is not at all a necessity for a good holiday. But as always one goes where one will find the type of holiday one will enjoy.
Nothing happened, no one did anything, no one spoke - in fact they rarely ventured out
I think there might be some creative poetic license there? I've never been to a club site where that happens and always get a cheerful hello at the very least and often a good chat too.
In fact I've been to Burford and when we were there, lots of people out and about on site, and certainly venturing out, lots of kids playing and one of the biggest play fields of any site I recall.
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Thanks for the feedback, WTG. It’s looking as if this research is very much facility block centred with nothing else being considered for the future of the club and its members even though many of us can see scope for changing several aspects of site use.
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I wonder if we will ever know if the Club got more feedback using this method rather than just asking members generally what they thought? One imagines that the reason for using outside pollsters was to garner a bit more of a "blue sky" response rather than the more predictable? At the end of the day they have to establish how many people would be willing to pay, say, another fiver a night, on top of the price of a service pitch, to have the exclusive use of a toilet/shower during their stay? Perhaps I am undercooking the price and perhaps £10 a night would be required to recoup the cost?
David
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Thanks very much for your informative replies WTG. I wonder what CAMC are considering?! I've often wondered about more luxury on sites and whether a charge could apply etc. Personally, like DK, I'm not much of a user of site facilities, some aren't up to scratch at all and after Covid I'm even less inclined to venture inside their often cramped portals. And I understand KJs comments about disabled facilities too.
However I've seen good and bad on many sites, not just CAMC and I can think of some truly sub standard facilities with the other club too!
I'd suggest Carnon Downs as the reasonably up to date gold standard if anyone thinks CAMC is OK elsewhere. I hope those facilities are kept in good shape and there's no black mould allowed in sight.
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While this survey looks to have been focused on the future of facility blocks, I have just had an email from the Club to complete a Harrison interactive survey. I have completed it.
First it asks a bit about yourself and your touring plans and then moves on to questions about your Club experience and ideas for improvements. Final questions were about the Club handbook and magazine the latter obviously seeking views about going digital. Has anyone else had it?
peedee
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Care to name the site?
Sorry when you said sites, as you've often posted that you haven't used them for a while due to cost and won't be using them this year I thought as always you weren't taking about club sites?
Actually I'm still confused even more by this latest post, you posed:
Most disabled rooms have an entrance directly from outside
and some sites have and now you have found four sites that do?
Still no matter. The club is going down the path you wish, and so it should I agree.
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It will only pursue this luxury route if I assume enough people on this survey say they would like it? And assuming the survey is more representative than CT.
Personally I hope not too much, I have no wish to book anything and happy to take my chances when I wish to use a shower, but booking a family bathroom or disabled bathroom might interest those who need it and really that could be done now where they exist, I do remember we always had to find a quiet time to get them all in when they were all young.
Thanks for the feedback
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Silverbank at Banchory.
And in June/July we used 3 Club sites in Southern England, none of them had the new arrangement either.
The 4 sites we visited that do have lobby access have all been like that for several years, we assumed it was possibly because they were in exposed locations.
However, like DK and brue, we rarely use site facilities these days, finding our own onboard ones more convenient and comfortable.
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Well a surprise I must say to hear you have been using so many club sites after saying for a significant amount of time, and certainly a year ago and more I think I recall, they were always too expensive for you in peak times but off topic. Thanks for the reply
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Less VAT and the purchase of a modest amount of the discounted vouchers did help.
Savings on using CLs and CCC sites also help to "subsidise" the occasional Club site, and none were at peak prices, i.e. school holidays.
4 in a year is not exactly many out of a total of 15 sites visited. Likely to be zero this year.
But yes, off topic, apologies to others.
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Peedee
Not had it yet, if I get it at all. Is this the Club's belt and braces approach to getting membership feedback?
David
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Not so on the two sites that we have recently visited, on both the separate toilet compatrments, ladies and gents, were accessed from the outside.
Two of sites that have used in the UK have separate shower/toilet/washbasin rooms, one a council run one in Scotland and the other an A/S site under the auspices of the C&CC, complete with underfloor heating, so the is no need for those at HO to go aboard to view them.
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I feel quite angry reading about what happened to the young couple in your post. Exactly the same thing happened to us, in our mid 20’s, back in the mid 1980’s when we joined. Every time we pulled into a Club Site, we had to demonstrate how the interior of our camper van (an A60 Suntor Camper van) worked. Usually in front of a gloating set of snooty Members as well. I had hoped the Club might have moved on from treating people in this way, but apparently not. Our niece has a very nicely converted Citroen Berlingo, and she asked us if it would be worth her joining Club last year. How right was I when I said no, and bought her Membership of the C&CC instead
To say I am angry is at the moment a serious understatement🤯🤬
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It's not always a case though, tda. There was a small converted Vauxhall Combo, probably smaller than the Berlingo, on the Balbernie site and the owner was saying how well she had been accepted on club sites. Maybe the attitude in Scotland is different to the South of England?
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There needs to be consistency surely, which sort of compounds the issue really. I know the Club has rules about this and that having to be fixed etc…. But some of these little conversions are all some folks can afford, and are more than likely their day vehicle, work vehicle when not in use as a camper🤷♀️ I know ours was, and my niece’s certainly is. But it’s been professionally done, safety inspected. And just the sort of reason why such vehicles will want to join a Club as fixated on is ruddy loo provision as this one seems to be at the moment.🤷♀️
Anyone who knows a little bit about the history of one of the World’s favourite Camper Vans, the VW knows that they started out as a vehicle that could do a multitude of tasks, simply by having slide in and out fixtures and fittings. Giving opportunities for holidays for the less well off.
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We considered buying another tiny camper when my OH retired, idea being to tour all around the British coast, stopping between campsites and B&Bs. Sadly, a month after my OH retired, my Dad was taken seriously ill and needed caring for, so we ended up getting our much loved MH after trying to use the caravan for short three day tours. Van was just too much hassle to get ready, tow, then back again a couple of days later. MH was brilliant, we set off late at night, stopped on CLs, made the most of just three days, and my OH would stop out and move on on his own, while I commuted by trains.
Things are a bit easier now, but we certainly don’t pick our Sites based on the loo and shower blocks🤣 Location/places of interest, then price. Ultimately, we want to do what Nellie does, tour as much as we can, until old age and infirmity means we have to think about alternative holidays.
Just ordered this years Britstop book. That and CLs will do us nicely, along with a few private Sites.
Only the Club could think of a hierarchy of users based upon their toileting needs, and consider charging accordingly🤣🤣🤣
”I look up to him, because he pays for a private bathroom”
”I look down on her, because she uses her built in bathroom”
”We both feel sad for the micro camper user, because they aren’t really welcome”
😉
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The question of prices arose in the context of paying extra for extra facilities, for booking a bathroom, for tiered sites (more basic / better facilities).
These questions have been asked before in the surveys you get after visiting a site. I have always answered "not interested" As it is, like others up thread I make little use of facility blocks.
peedee
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Could be David, this is what I recevied by email. You may in fact be able to go to the survey by clicking on the included link.Towards the end of the note it indicates it has been sent out to many members.
Spring Survey
Please take part by Monday 25 April
Dear XXXXXX
Now that the longer and lighter days are here, we're really keen to hear how you’re doing - and how well you feel the Club is supporting your desires to get away.
Whether you’ve already toured this year, are eagerly awaiting trips in coming months or perhaps still at the early holiday planning stages, we’d love to hear from you!Please take your survey now
Click >here<
Your feedback really helps us to understand what we’re doing well and where we can improve. It’ll only take around 10 minutes; we’re always keen to hear back from a wide variety of members, so whether you’ve got lots or little to share, we really appreciate you taking part.
As a thank you, you can choose to be entered into a draw for one of three prizes of a £100 Gift Card (winners can choose from M&S, Amazon, Halfords, Sainsbury’s, Blacks, B&Q, Boots or Caravan and Motorhome Club).
Many thanks
Viv Harrison
Research and Insight Manager
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