CL Price Rises
I have just read a report on FB about a cl owner apologising for putting up her prices.
I thought it a very refreshing reply to some of the large price increases I've seen lately. What cl's owners have to remember is that they are not the only ones suffering from the present climate, so are the members.
I have pasted the article below with some minor changes for identity reasons.
"Just returned from this little gem CL. It’s *************** at ************, There are EHUs around the edge of the field and a toilet and shower. The owner is extremely friendly and checked with us most days that everything was ok. She said she had to increase the pitch price this year to £15pn, which I said was understandable and still a very good price. Her response was that she didn’t want to increase it too much as WE had to pay so much more for fuel than last year and if she charged too much people wouldn’t be able to afford to use their caravans and motor homes. I thought that it’s a great shame more site owners don’t have the same outlook.".
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If the CL owners don’t make ends meet they lose out as they own the site. We just don’t use it to save money. Personally I’m happy to support the good CL’s & I’m not interested in making them suffer so I can save a few £’s.
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"What cl's owners have to remember is that they are not the only ones suffering from the present climate, so are the members."
Although that’s true, Harry, CL owners need to make a profit in order to future proof their sites. They aren’t running a charity.
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Shame that you have not name the CL, harry, as it might result in addition bookings for the lady.
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Yes, do the lady a favour Harry and name it. If it’s got loos and showers, at that price it is indeed very good value for money. We did a review for a CL a few years ago, and when we returned had a big thank you from the owner who said it had made a difference as they hadn’t had many reviews done.
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I agree with the previous comments, why not name the CL? At £15 a night, with toilets and a shower, that CL is very cheap IMHO. Of course I realise that there is more to choosing a CL than just facilities, but purely based on providing those, that is extremely good value and deserves to be named.
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Perhaps Harry is keeping the name to himself, so that he has more chance of getting a pitch, whereas if he should name it others might have filled the places before him!
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Ok, you twisted my arm.
The site in question is, The Paddocks listed under Spalding.
Just finished a tour of the south. These are names of sites I used similar to the one above. Lawn Fishery, St. Ives, Cambs £16 Ehu, Toilet, Water hook up
Brookcroft, Harwich, Essex, £20 Ehu, Toilet, Shower
Rovendine, Rye, East Sussex £20 (now £23) Ehu and Water hook up
Choller Farm, Arundel, West Sussex. £16 Toilet,Shower and Water hook up, free wifi
Nutley Farm near Dorchester, £19 Ehu and Water hook up
The Old Vicarge £20 (now £22) Ehu Toilet and Shower
The Crofts, Leamington Spa (Rugby Club) £15 Ehu and water hook up
That worked out at £18.86 so there are still sites priced to suit my budget
I don't wish to sound like I wish to make sites suffer but it is more a necessity to find those that suit my budget, as was the case here. Cl's are a business I know and some are happy with their prices so it can be done. It is those that raise their prices by large amounts that is worrying to me.
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One we used recently shows a pretty up to date price on the App of £18, however when we booked back in April/May we had been quoted £20.
We had therefor fully expected to pay £20, but the price had just been put up to £23!
Apparently we should have received an e mail stating this, but we had not. Not much we could have done to go elsewhere anyway, as it was part of our planned 5 week tour.
However, a bit of a shock as no facilities other than EHU, and the most expensive CL we have ever used.
On The Bury, near Ludlow, at present, £20 with EHU and water tap, waste to ditch, and everything else very close. All hard standing with grass between pitches. Good site.
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Thanks for that H👍
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I do think that it is a good idea to add the price charged for a pitch when reviewing a CL and as I am a sinlge tourer, £23 for a CL with no facilities, other than EHU is, in my view, far too expensive, especially as it is the height of summer so electric heating is not likely to be required.
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Likewise Harry. We dropped on a great site this week. It’s a bit off the beaten track, being on the edge of the Humber, but there’s lots to see and do in the area if you enjoy history (Roman, right through to WW2), walking, cycling, birdwatching. The CL has been in existence for over 40 years, lovely relaxed pitching in a big, landscaped lawned garden. No loos or showers, but good hook ups, TV signal, phone signals. Quiet and relaxing. Roxton CL, only £15 per night. It’s not open all year.
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I agree, we always mention the price we paid, especially when the on line price is well out of date.
We were a bit miffed that we had been told the price per night was £20 when on line, from 14/06/22, it was given as £18 ......it had been updated after we booked as it was originally out of date. It still shows as £18 on the App.
Had we known it would be £23, we would have booked elsewhere.
£23 is more than we paid for our hard standing pitch at CCC Sandringham.
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I haven't stayed on many CLs ( 4, I think in 8 years), specifically due to their locations as I have an interest in canals. I usually tour out of season when Club sites are usually cheaper than many CLs and I have mentioned it, but none have offered to reduce the price and I haven't really expected them to.
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There was a "canal" CL thread not too long ago, well it could have been a couple of years as someone asked specifically for CLs and sites next to canals as I seemed to recall so that he could cycle along the paths.
I'll try to find it but someone else is willing to look s well if they want!
There you go. Not helped by our useless search facility I hasten to add.
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I'll second that.
Those sites that you have used harry, would you recommend them all for a visit?
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I will add a recommendation for a CL we were on last week. Cefn Eithin lies about 4 mls south of Caernarfon, is a level all grass paddock with views to the West and East. There is EHU and the usual recycling, and although it lies between two main roads it is very quiet, and Good value at £16 pn.
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We used to stay on a very nice basic CL next to the Tiverton Canal, it’s a lovely waterway, in fact I think it is actually a linear Country Park. Sadly, it closed quite a few years ago, the owners were very elderly. The Minnows private site isn’t far away.
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Nellie,
I don't usually recommend sites as what I like others may not. However I will mention that I would return to most
1 Lawn Farm, This was an overnight stop on the way to Harwich not far from the A14. A very pleasant, large and level site next to fishing lakes and in between Huntingdon and Cambridge. Only £16 per night. Some road noise from the dual carriageway. We would return to explore this part of Cambridgeshire
2 Brookcroft, Harwich. Our first time to Essex and an area we didn't enjoy very much. The cl was quiet down a country lane in a small village. The field is steeply sloping and we required some work to get level, Toilets and showers were good. £20 per night The biggest plus point for this cl is that it’s very near the ferry port and was busy with one nighters when we were there. We wouldn't return here.
3 Rovendine, Rye. First impressions were ugh! It is relatively new (2021) and in my opinion needs a lot of work to bring people back. It's biggest plus point if the views over Rye out to sea are splendid. Would I return? The jury's out on that one. I have put a site review on the website. It has now risen to £23 which is dear for what you got
4 Choller Farm near Arundel. Thoroughly enjoyed the area and everything about the cl. The cheapest one of all given the facilities. £16 per night A table top flat field with 5 hard standings on plastic grids or grass if you wish Lots to do in a short distance. I would definitely return here. One interesting thing about this site is that we were given a £5 electric card in with our price. We left after 5 nights and there was still £1.20 on the meter. So an interesting topic re price rises because of higher electric charges. We only used .76p per day
5 Nutley farm have sent in a site review on this one. Not far to anywhere within the area. .We would return here although the site is now £3.50 dearer at £22.50 see my site review
6 The Old Vicarage, near Devizes. Quite a sloping field, side to side, Very quite with good facilities. Central to this part of Wiltshire. We enjoyed our stay here but wouldn't return because of the rules in the shower/toilet block. We were told to clean the shower down after use, not just wipe it out and told where the cleaning agents were. This also applied to the toilet which never had loo roll all week. Price of £22 a night I don't expect to have to do that. We won't return
7 The Crofts, Leamington Spa. I'm not quite sure where the name comes from as you are actually on the Old Leamingtonians Rugby field. We only booked three nights here on the way home. The field was massive and close mown. The main playing pitches are in the next field. Just basic facilities plus water hook up and only £15 per night. Good security with electric gates. We would definitely return here
So there you have it. The choice is yours.
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We stayed here last year for two nights, wending our way home from Cornwall. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/england/wiltshire/devizes/court-farm/
Right on the edge of this lovely canal. Very basic though, field tap, dustbin. But stunning location, pub in village. I must have forgot to review it. The land is owned by Her Majesty. Cycling along canal path isn’t that good close to site, rutted long grass and busy with walkers, but OH persevered and did a huge ride including the famous lock climb. Views are stunning, and we would definitely spend more time there. A good Summer Site.
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I have friend here in Cornwall who is now 40 years old, but I have known him since he was born. He can’t afford to buy or rent a farm but has scraped together ten acres of grassland and is breeding and selling young beef cattle.
If he took some land out of use, fenced it, installed water and a septic tank (and paid to have it emptied regularly) , bought a mower and took time out to cut grass regularly to suit the townies so who might come, he could run a CL.
Being inland in the “middle of nowhere” he might average two caravans per night, So at £15 a night, a gross income of about £200 a week - and £2000 for a ten week season down here.- less income tax, expenditure, time and trouble.and so on.
He won’t bother, but those who want cheap CL pitches are welcome to buy some land and try.
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Loved it there especially the view over to Anglesey. Are they still talking about installing two pods? I did warn them that I thought it would affect their CL status but they seemed to think that they would make more money from pods than the caravans.
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No mention of pods to us, LTC. They do have a couple of holiday cottages, which were being used when we were there. Did they have them when you visited?
Thanks, harry, for those reviews. There might be a couple only that we would consider using.
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We too are been onto CLs with pods and yurts, shepherd’s huts. All that I can think of have been situated away from CL area. It makes for a nice mix usually.
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