2023 site fees
Comments
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How do you know that they are "very happy"? Do you go around with a clipboard and ask them and note their responses? Reading the various reviews, members may be booking and staying but a lot of members are not happy about the price and frankly, it would be very bizarre if large numbers of people are "happy" to pay, not just a bit more, but quite a lot more. I have not "actually stayed" at any sites yet this year as my son is a paraplegic and we have been waiting for notification of when some alterations are going to be done to my property, as he has to move upstairs whilst they are being done, so I cannot book to go away, nor go away whilst that is in progress. I stay on CMHC sites for the reasons that I have mentioned, but it does not mean that I am disallowed from criticising the rise in site costs, as this is supposed to be a discussion forum!
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Well a lot of lost deposits then and they are not doing what they were brought in for? But at least the club will have kept the money as it will have been within the 21 days. Definitely low here, only three pitches I can see.
Also I recall that JK saying that it's the number of pitches offered that accounts for the lows and not to base it on what one can see as an empty pitch may be out of service?
Either way as you say often, don't like the price then don't buy, we agree on that.l
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Vbfg as you've replied to me can I just take your last question first? Have I ever said that people cannot post their view? I welcome polite discussions like yous.
As above I meant to say happy to pay as they were there, apologies for not making myself clear.
However it is my view posted a number of times, and my own firm belief, that if people are willing to pay club site prices then they must be happy with those prices. I have never bought anything if I was not happy with the price, emergencies and have-tos excepted and using a club site to me is not in those at all. I'm not going to move away from that, not saying you saying I should.
My main point again is that the club will look at occupancy before posts online.
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Inevitably the Club will examine occupancy rates at different sites across the year, whenever they do the review. Most of us on here have no idea of occupancy levels of previous years on a week by week basis so can’t use snapshots reported on here as a true comparison. If occupancy is no less than previous years then no doubt the club will claim that the new deposit system and the current high prices are acceptable to members. That will probably be true for those members who use those sites. Doesn’t mean it is good for all members. I wonder what proportion of members actually use club sites and for how many nights? An interesting statistic me thinks. The Club will know. Of course if the Club dropped its prices, not just for special offers, more members might want to visit Club sites, and they would not all be able to get places. Market forces. And totally ignores the club aspect of the Club.
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Well a lot of lost deposits then
Not necessarily, we are still in the period where deposits were not required if you booked before the new system came in. Quite a few did, including myself. We will get a better take on the effectiveness of deposits in June.
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Fair point as I booked this one a year ago. Although HD said he checked the day before so they may have been a good number of no shows. But yes you're right. Going forward though all those bookings June onwards will have had a deposit.
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This debate is all about semantics.
Willingness is about readiness, preparedness, inclination.
It is not the same as contentment which is about satisfaction, fulfilment and happiness.
I made the point on another thread that I am willing to pay because club sites guarantee me what I want (good spacing and [usually] a quiet and peaceful stay among like minded people). Am I happy about prices that I am now having to pay? Not really no, but better to pay a premium than to stay at commercial sites where there is the risk that people can pitch where they like, turn up when they like and make as much noise as they like.
My own example is anecdotal, but based on language alone I do not think you can say that if people are willing to pay club site prices then they must be happy to pay those prices.
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"I made the point on another thread that I am willing to pay because club sites guarantee me what I want (good spacing and [usually] a quiet and peaceful stay among like minded people). Am I happy about prices that I am now having to pay? Not really no, but better to pay a premium than to stay at commercial sites where there is the risk that people can pitch where they like, turn up when they like and make as much noise as they like. "
yup almost agree with you particularly your first sentence, not sure i am totaly in agreement re commercial sites. There are many commercials sites that are as good if not better than club sights at providing great facilities and a peaceful stay, check out the "Tranquility sites" , most are ok for dogs foc, but no children, and they are priced pretty much in line with CAMC prices, we use commercial sites with swimming pools, something CAMC only offers on a few sites, out of peak season, and they are what i think VFM.
Am i happy re price increases for club sites or commercial sites, certainly not, but i am not happy that Asda increased my favourite marmalade by £1 but i still buy it.
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I have a slightly more cynical view of how things are going post new booking experience and price rises. Club has a loyal and dedicated section of the Membership who like and enjoy Club Sites, for whatever reason might be personal to them, and they will be the mainstay of Club Site bookings going forward. Hence, it’s possible that this particular section of the Membership has a much higher price threshold than those who have decided to look elsewhere, nothing at all wrong with this, either way, as it’s personal choices and personal willingness to pay whatever the Club deems it can or needs to charge. Each individual will make their own decision, based on their own needs and desires.
The only things that have me thinking a bit, are the”low” element of pitch availability, and the fact that the last six months have seen a “sale” of pitches at certain sites, albeit with only if booked ahead criteria. If the low availability is followed by a pitch sale at the same site, then it would warrant some questions. No idea if this has happened though, but there’s no better way of selling something than sowing a seed that something might be in short supply😁
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+1 for that. especially the like and enjoy Club Sites,
For your second paragraph, from what I've noticed that high occupancy, or in demand sites, are not the sites in the latest offers, certainly not the one I'm on (sadly), and in fact two sites we use are on offer in the spring and not in the summer which mirrors the occupancy rates when we've been there.
But yes you're right about the short supply selling things, even a hint works, remember the 'fuel' shortage some while ago.
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And that is precisely the point - the history of CT is littered with "disgruntled" punters complaining about high club prices for mediocre sites .... but going on to say they'll pay them and stay anyway. How does that make any sort of sense?
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I don't disagree TDA. CAMC has this year developed salesmanship tactics of a very different order and if people start to feel they are pawns in a sales game some will probably decide not to play. It's a club and the reactions of the membership are important.
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Yes, I’ve been a member of CT since it’s inception and you are right, a littering of disgrunts have, over the years, made the points you highlight but having stayed on several sites recently I’m convinced that the difference today is that members are now staying away in significant numbers. What’s more, I’m of the opinion that the membership will also fall too as a result. There are many discussed factors at play and many of these explain what currently seems to be happening. What’s more, we also witness some counter measures to these being recently employed. Whether these will have the desired effect we shall see.
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Been said before but as along as you're a member of CT all opinions are equally valid and equally entitled to post. There are no extra points for being a member of the club is there?
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Could you expand on what you mean when you say in your last sentence "And totally ignores the club aspect of the club." For me the club aspect of the club are the rallies and events organised by the members for the members, which if I have read the club history correctly is how the club came into existence
I have read so many posts lately saying that the club is no longer a members club but never give a reason why they have that opinion.
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I think we will have to wait until the Club AGM before we get a more accurate steer on how the change in booking system has impacted on the Club. Anecdotally it seems that availability is better? In fact in some situations it is better by quite a large margin. If that is the case is that because prices have risen to the point where members are using sites less. Is it because we have not had particularly good weather up to now? Is it because people don't actually like paying deposits so are leaving booking to the last minute? I suppose it stands to reason that if there is any uncertainty that whether you will be able to get to a booked site you are not going to book that far ahead. Whilst I appreciate that we have had Mid-Week discounts in the past they seem to have been quickly reintroduced this year and on top of that something I don't recall seeing before but we have now had 20% discounts on some sites. Does this mean the new system is not working as hoped? As to falling membership we have had other instances where a lot of people have said they will not renew membership but the overall figures seem to remain more or less the same. If there was a substantial reduction in membership I suspect the Club would have to react to that but how I am not sure! We are also in a general cost of living crisis for many people which will impact on things.
David
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I've just checked out another Trust Pilot review about a stay at Hillhead and the increase in costs v the decreasing on site provision. This is where I think people will start to weigh up things more carefully. Having just stayed on a second very good non club site with excellent modern private facilities for a reasonable fee I think CAMC will have to improve their standards, the competition is now strong. (And I didn't have to pay a membership fee to enjoy the sites!)
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There are indeed some very good private sites Brue, and not always as expensive as Club Sites.
Club Sites have become an easy choice for many because they are very much a “known” commodity, nothing wrong with this if you like a certain kind of provision and little in the way of something different. It’s a selling point in itself.
It’s been apparent these last two or three years how many more Members have tried a CL instead. This can go two ways, either some good research has been done, and the CL will suit. Or folks rock up without a better understanding and expect something akin to a Club Site (staffed, manicured, lots of notices, policed for any form of perceived abnormal behaviour) and leave a weird review that says more about their preparedness than the actual CL itself.🤭
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AD. You probably saw the area in the peak season , I can understand the feeling of crowds but we've done some all year round stays (except for the closed time) and it can be very enjoyable.
We are missing the Steamer Quay site at Totnes this year, we are frequent visitors to the area as we don't have a long busy journey to make.
However costs and vfm do come into it and we've now opted for other non club sites
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We drove slowly past the Castleton Site yesterday, lots of spare pitches. We got talking so someone with a campervan who were staying on the site, and they said it was quiet. Yet today it shows as low availability, a sudden rush I am thinking🤔🤨
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Each year, in September, we go to Hampshire to visit son for his birthday. For this trip we generally stay at Rookesbury Park. The weekend usually coincides with a Goodwood event so the site is busy. In 2015 we couldn’t get a pitch so stayed at Bow Hill Farm. In the review I wondered if at £25/night if it were VFM. We are going to Bow Hill again this year and at £40/night it is definitely VFM and only about 0.40p more expensive than Rookery.
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Removed by R2B due to AD’s deletion.
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