Prices
Comments
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Not sure about exactly what you mean by that last sentence JVB, but having lived permanently in UK for 52 years now, and before that spent 4 years studying here, it would be surprising if my outlook was other than UK focussed,
I do however keep abreast of things in Norway, even though I have not been there for almost 7 years, and, with some of the government policies there, am glad I do live in UK.
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"My post was more to show that there are almost always alternatives to Club sites if price is a factor, as there are quite a few members for whom a site has to be a Club one."
Yes, absolutely, there are alternatives out there but I think most folk are savvy enough to realise that and, if they continue using club sites, that is out of a conscious choice, not because they are unaware of the fact.
But my point really was that when price comparisons are made, to be fair, it has to be on a like for like basis, so comparing CLs and discounted C&CC rates with club sites is not a fair comparison. As for commercial sites, there are many out there which cater for family groups far better than traditional club sites; some work out cheaper but lots are considerably more expensive when families are most likely to be using them, especially down here in the south west. I'm sure lots of folk would pay club prices to avoid them at peak times.
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I don’t see anything wrong with comparisons where discounted rates are included. If C&CC choose to embed a discounted rate into the pricing structure benefiting a substantial % of the membership, then that’s reality. It’s not a special or limited offer therefore a legitimate basis of comparison. I’m surprised that some members remain in a state of denial about CMC prices. On a like-for-like basis they have become very expensive by any reasonable comparison.
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Well, Bill, I'm not a member, don't even own a van any more (as has been pointed out more than once)! And I agree that the C&CC age discount is a good selling point to older folk who benefit from it, but it is a "limited offer" (limited to over 65's now I believe) and if a comparison is to be made, particularly for younger families who don't get that benefit, it should be on a like for like basis for what it would cost them.
Club prices expensive? It's over 2 years since I stayed on one, but I read what folk write on here. Try looking at Trevornick's prices for the school summer holidays (and add on all the "extras" for activities).
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Club site prices are what they are, they are still, and can be shown to be so, in the middle of caravan site prices. Far cheaper and far far more expensive sites out there. One I've just seen which is often praised a lot by posters on CT is at £79 per couple per night, their basic off peak price is £49
People should just choose what they want to spend.
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It’s a right old faff about to be honest. Ferry Meadows….Intercom dial up at first barrier, wait for it to be answered, a few questions that you can’t hear properly (do you have a booking, what’s your name, etc…..) that hopefully gets you through the first barrier. Then it’s into reception for the usual third degree around membership card, then lots of other stuff that frankly failed to connect with me, you pay and then are let through the second barrier to find a pitch, but you must report back to collect a barrier card, which you only get on declaration of your pitch number. I tried five times to phone FM day before we set off. No chance, no one picks up the phone. Staff too busy operating the gates, or having to check out the sewage system alarms, in between knocking second white posts in everywhere for those who are too thick to park on a pitch properly.
Mind security cameras are good at FM. Last year we were pitched on seasonal side, but I decided to cycle round other side for a look around, see if there were any interesting outfits. Staff didn’t catch up with me until I had made it out again and was on my back to our pitch on the other side. 🤣 Shades of wacky races. We had gone through reception only day before, but I was classed “dodgy character”. It will be because I am so young and can move fast on a bike. 🤣🤣2 -
The C&CC offer a range of discounts Moulesy, the age discount is still for over 60s, there are 20% discounts for families during the summer holidays, 15% off Camping in the Forest, discounts for children etc etc. I won't put a link on but there is plenty of choice if you're looking to pay less and there's even a discount on the age concession discount!
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Not all club sites are designed for families and in any event it's just a place to sleep not a resort, it's what is outside the site that counts for me.
it was overpriced for what is on offer - for you others but may think differently?
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But that's the point, isn't it, David? Would you have gone to Chapel Lane for a family holiday? We certainly wouldn't!
Last time we stayed vaguely in that area it was at Gate Farm CL for, if I remember correctly £14 a night,, but as it doesn’t have a toilet/shower block it probably doesn't fit your description of a caravan site.
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It’s not just about comparisons for family holidays. That premise and your earlier point about Trevornick is off beam. It’s a 5* factory campsite. I don’t think there’s anything remotely like it in the CMC portfolio. I think the CMC are very lucky to have members who just accept things are as they are.
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"It’s not just about comparisons for family holidays."
I thought that was precisely the point Kj was making, Bill. It's no less relevant to compare the two than to compare CLs and discounted C&CC prices to club ones which you seemed to suggest was OK earlier.
Still, since site prices no longer affects us, I'm going to leave it there. 👍
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I did exactly the same we were supposed to be at Looe now, arriving yesterday 12/4 and leaving next Thursday 21st and it would have been costing us the best part of £400 on a standard pitch. We are now settled on a beautiful site just outside Barnstaple which is part of the Tranquil Parks network, on a fully serviced en-suite pitch (yes our own wc and shower) for exactly the same duration for £300. Had we stayed on a normal serviced pitch then it would have cost us just under £200, but because we had already saved almost £100 over the clubs price at Looe, we thought we would try the en-suite serviced pitch. There are cheaper and better sites out there and I would recommend the Tranquil Park sites as we have stayed on quite a few, but just bare in mind they are adult only sites. We only keep our club membership going for CL's and Mayday, club sites are far too expensive.
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Morning
As your alternative sites is adults only I don't really see the comparison. The Easter break will see sites like Looe full of families. There certainly many sites outside of the club's network and it's good for people to highlight those.
Interesting that you only keep your membership going for the cl's (many do) but you were still booked at Looe site.
JK
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I have just completed the site/CL/Commercial/Rally occupancy questionnaire. I have left them in no doubt that the pricing is a major factor in avoiding club sites.
In the response to the "what would you like" query, I requested "dump & fill" service like the other major club.
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We passed Castleton Site yesterday. Lots of empty pitches, and a glance at the bookings page shows only the Easter weekend busy, pitches there midweek. Laneside, a couple of miles away looked very busy in comparison. For us, £38.60 a night for Club Site. £33 per night at Laneside, which is a very nice location a couple of minutes walk from Hope village. More open, and on Riverside.
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The age discount is a good one but it's not the only discount the C&CC offer. They have weekend offers, midweek offers, grass pitch offers which happens to be 30% these are available to all age groups not forgetting the family group offer.
The age discount is available in the low and mid seasons and as Kj stated in Scotland they do not charge the premium holiday rate over Easter, unlike the CAMC.
Their price bands do not extend for days up to a week either side of holidays either. Their school holidays reflect the part of the UK that is on holiday so again go up to premium in late June but down again in mid August in Scotland. While the CAMC go up in June and stay in the high band until the beginning of September.
There are differences between the clubs but when folk are trying to save money ANY information from others is surely welcome. Not everyone who reads these posts have been doing this hobby for as long as many of us on here have.
Kj's posts are correct and informative and I'm sure they will be welcomed by many who are new to this hobby.
Speaking today to a fellow camper who has been one for over 40 years, he said he does still us a few CAMC sites but not as many as before and he doesn't stay as long. Being a pensioner he has to make savings somewhere so he uses more CLs and private sites.
The club I think will lose site nights, maybe not members as they stay for other reasons.
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We have been looking at joining the C&CC club as the discounts looked good.
We hardly ever use the main club sites now due to the cost, its CL'S and small commercial sites for us now.
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The fact it's adult only makes no difference at all. That's all anyone is doing is renting a piece of land on a site to park their caravan/motorhome on for a set period and to make use of the facilities on that site if they so wish. It's just there better and cheaper sites out there than the CAMC, that's what the discussion is about, prices. Add in to the fact that the CAMC charge peak rate for the whole of April, whereas the private sites that we've used including the one we're on now, only charge peak rate for four days over the Easter weekend, which is why we 'were' booked at Looe.
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Just checked the availability of pitches across Devon and Cornwall, the only site full for the whole three days is Steamer Quay a site without any EHU and one of the cheapest sites in the west country. Exeter Racecourse comes a close second with only two of the three days fully booked. With the exception of the Sunday at three other sites (Hillhead, Putts Corner and Willingcote) there are vacancies everywhere else for the Easter Period.
peedee
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It seems members are not staying as long on club sites (according to site staff? and with it being school holidays it seems that to get a long weekend like Easter there will be days where. Pitches are vacant but it could just be one pitch
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I wonder if the "Price" debate has been sparked by a gradual and subtle change of policy on pricing by the CMC? Interesting that Pontyboy points out that the Club extend increased prices around school holiday periods like Easter for the whole month of April rather than the week either side of the Easter weekend. We now have increased prices for weekends on a lot of sites. In the past September was always in a lower price band but now seems not much less that the summer school holiday rates. Could it be that some of these commercial sites that people mention as being cheaper have not yet caught up with the reality of ever rising prices? Some of the longer serving members will recall that some time back it wasn't uncommon for the site revenue account to be in deficit for the odd year here and there.
David
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In the past the sites network. (,according to a regional manager.) was not what kept the club on a viable footing it ,was Travel and insurance and with the now very competible markets in both the products and also the extra regulations that have been introduced over years sites are now to be self financing with what the later member are expecting ,and cannot be subsidised by the departments
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