Cost of sites has gone mad
Comments
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Yes there are alternatives. In the past I have stayed at BW many times, but the last two visits I have stayed on a C&CC CS for £15p.n. For me to pay even over £40p.n. it has to be somewhere special and BW isn't it. FYI the CAZ charge for some is £100 x 2 so absolutely rules out staying there if you are classed as an HGV.(over 3.5 tons).
peedee
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As expected GE
JK
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As you say obviously, but as I read it it would just mean finding alternatives to the two club sites on a tour, not really a great effort my view.
Or just be ripped off or forced to stump up - I know what I would do.
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You can only compare fee increases between clubs if you look at all site fees. My point was that to compare fees for two sites as diverse as BW and Devizes is not a valid comparison.
No one will dispute that CAMC fees have risen, and they may indeed have risen more than those of C&CC, but the OPs post is not free of anomalies as was pointed out at the start of this thread.
If CAMC prices are jumping ahead of C&CC, so what? No one has to use CAMC when alternatives are available. It’s a bit like doing our weekly shop in M&S and complaining about the cost when Aldi is available next door. We each make our choices and it’s good we’re free to do so.👍
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Just catching up and saw your comment. You make a very valid point as a few years ago I stayed at the site near to Grassington and as the day I was leaving was so beautiful, I thought that I would stop off for a few hours at Bolton Abbey. The car park, which is right next to the CMHC site, charged almost as much for a few hours parking as it cost to actually stay at the Bolton Abbey site! I don't think that the car park, next to the strid charges such high rates, so I wonder if they are owned by the same people. Since then I have stayed at the Bolton Abbey site a couple of times and it is a lovely site which was worth the site fee, although I am not sure what the site fees are now!
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Yes it's sadly now totally prohibitive for some van owners but for others I think a one off visit is worth it. Bristol harbour is unique and it's a bit like Venice, worth seeing from the water. The ferries are there just outside the site and the city sights and cafes have a lot to offer. So personally I'd always recommend a visit especially if it includes one of the festivals.
Other city sites are going to become much more expensive due to CAZ expanding. So make the best of them while you can.
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Bolton Abbey is a lovely Club Site (if you like rural locations) We used to stay a lot in the run up to Christmas, but it closes early now. What you need to realise is that the area is owned by the Devonshire Estates (of Chatsworth ) Extraction of money for visiting, car parking, looking around anywhere owned by the Estate is a priority for them. It used to be good value to stay at the Site, and walk the woodlands and Strid area, down to the Cavendish Pavilion and the Abbey ruins. No idea on Site prices now, but possibly double what we used to pay. You can walk a dog on the river and woodland footpaths, but not anywhere else on the Moors around. Precious pheasants to protect. It’s a beautiful place, can get very busy by the Pavilion. Heaving on a hot Summers day. We used to wild swim there, but well away from The Strid😱
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If you fancy a different type of eatery, and like ice cream, this is a nice place Moulesy. Good burgers, interesting themed inside……
https://www.billybobsparlour.com/skipton/
Avoid weekends though👍
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Indeed one can prove anything by being selective. I think it’s fair to say that the CAMC are milking their most popular sites, you either pay up if you want to stay or look elsewhere, if there is a suitable alternative.
As it happens I found one of those pricing brochures they used to publish, it’s for 2018. Baltic Wharf has increased by 61.7% for the May Day bank holiday weekend, where as Cirencester Park, a site we visit a lot, has increased by only 31.6%, similarly Malvern 26.5%. Both are less popular sites.
A few others I checked were Chatsworth a honey pot site up by 54.3%, and Castleton 13 miles away, also popular by 46%. York Rowntree ( a similar site to BW) about 69%, many of the dates are missing so a bit of a guess but certainly in the 60’s
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Pastime / hobby no more. The cost increase of all sites is now well into the ridiculous. Spent hours and hours trolling CMC website and astounded by these increases. Yes the cost of energy has soared but is due to return to normal shortly, will site prices fall in future. The website of some sites has shown a grass pitch with EHU being dearer than a hardstanding with EHU. Another thing I can't fathom out is shown below:-
Pembrey Site
Mon 15th May £36.10 Ordinary midweek day.
Mon 29th May £46 B/H why the £10 increase.
Wed 31st May £43.80 Ordinary midweek day.
Thrs 1st June £45.10 Ordinary midweek day why the £2 increase
Fri 2nd June £43.80 Weekend
Weekend prices increase is unfair to families because of school commitments etc. 50% midweek reductions and few and far between.
I have been a member since 2001 but was an on and off member for years prior to that. I have made enquiries with The Camping and Caravaning Club and their prices and special offers appear to be much more attractive than "ours" CMC. seriously considering changing over to them as CMC is pricing me out of touring altogether. This is a members club after all and empty pitches mean a loss of revenue for the club.
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You will find prices increase in school hols and bank hols industry wide, Desv.
I refer you to the closing paragraph of my post at 09:10 today.
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Just returned from a private site 2 mile inland from New Quay West Wales. Mostly static homes, seasonal caravan pitches and touring pitches some serviced pitches. We had a hard standing with EHU. Found this by searching the internet for alternative sites due to incredible prices hike with CMC.
Pencnwc Holiday Park New Quay Ceredigion SA44 6NL
Shower block was immaculate, cleaned twice daily.
Crazy golf course on site
Indoor swimming pool 50pence per swim (yes 50p per swim) child and adult price
Fishing lake
Live entertainment
Children's play areas
Games room
Smugglers Bar and Grill
Laundrette
Free mini bus service to and fro New Quay beach area 11am return 5pm
Three night stay Fri / Sat / Sun £35 for two adults with code OAP50 which is available all year round barring B/H, School Hols etc.
This is just an example of what is available outside of CMC price increases
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So there’s your answer, Des. Vote with your wheels. Simple.
However, I note that the offer doesn’t apply to school or bank hols when their prices will effectively increase just like the rest of the leisure industry, including CAMC.
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Indeed. But you might need a certain level of fitness and mobility to walk from the Site to the Cavendish Pavilion and Abbey. There is however a decent woodland walk purpose designed for those with less mobility and who might need to use a scooter, around 100 metres from Site entrance opposite Cafe and Gift Shop. Early morning, it a great little track to spot unusual birds and deer.
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So five-year site fee increases for this club in the range 26.5% to 69%, trending somewhere around 45-50%. Over that same period, CPI inflation has risen 22%. So they're running at twice the level of inflation.
Thank you for amplifying my point so well.
And I believe you don't need to step back as far as five years either. Most of the increase has been in the past year or two.
It would be interesting to repeat this exercise for the other club, where I'd bet my pension the increase in pitch fees has remained far more modest.
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“Thank you for amplifying my point so well.”
And mine in that comparing prices at two totally different sites is meaningless and it’s the overall picture that counts.
Even so, does it matter as we either use CAMC sites or we don’t? We either pay the membership fee or walk.
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All these calculations about increases over time are just meaningless, the simple choice is does one to pay the club prices set now, yes or no. With anything I'm buying the questions are do I want it and is it good value for money and/or will I enjoy using it, I can't be bothered looking at what the increases were over a few years.
The ones comparing increases with inflation even more so. We're not talking about some basic need here, like food or energy costs, that are above the inflation rate, we're talking about a holiday. So what has the inflation got to do wit it? There are plenty of cheaper sites out there (we are told - and far more expensive ones too) so just choose the one you want for the the price you want.
But really if you freely choose a club site then don't complain about the price? I will never understand that at all.
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Yes of course one either books the site or not, depending on whether you want/can afford he price. BUT I do think inflation is relevant. The thrust of this thread is the rise in prices. We all know costs have risen over time and therefore expect site fees to increase. What the issue here is that those increases are far higher than inflation over the period of time. There may or may not be perfectly good reasons for that. We know that inflation for some things can be higher than the average inflation, currently that applies to food. Without having a breakdown of site costs and relevant inflation rates for those various aspects I cannot tell whether the site price rises are justified or not.
As Club members we are entitled to question what appear to be above inflation price rises. No doubt the next AGM will refer to the relevant prices pressures!
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Maybe you enjoy all the indepth calculations, and getting previous year's spreadsheets out, but these posts seem to suck all the joy out of planning what should be a relaxing/energising time away from day to day worries.
One day we'll realise there's a few quiet days ahead and just click on our favourite site and go. No thinking of what it cost last year, or the year before - just enjoying the time away from the daily grind.
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There are many solutions to this issue of site fees increasing above inflation:
Vote with your wallet and caravan and go elsewhere - probably the most effective solution. No amount of whining on here will make a half penny of difference.
Open up your own caravan site - given many of the commenters seem to believe its an easy money spinner.
Suck it up and stop moaning - you are long time dead and you can’t take it with you.
Look at price rises of other holiday offerings and see how much half decent holiday accommodation now costs.
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I don't have any figures for the other club so can't do that. However, it would be meaningless they are separate organisations and set their own prices, you either pay them or you don't. Wether clubs or others have got there current pricing right will only be seen when annual accounts are available.
The trend of 45 / 50% from so small a sample is quite a leap as well, when the CAMC has so many sites, a bit creative I feel. Given the recent inflationary pressures, particularly in gas and electricity, I also don't find it particularly surprising that most of the increase will be in the last year or two.
I shop in both Waitrose and Aldi, they have totally different methodologies in both stocking, staffing and pricing. I don't expect them to be the same, why should I expect it of the CAMC and CCC.
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I am perfectly content to pay the prices charged by the CMC, because their sites suit me absolutely. I've never moaned about the prices in this place, but, when booking sites, I have said to myself - goodness that seems a lot - and I might mention to others that sites are getting pricey. Am I not entitled to do that? It seems that some here think so.
I cannot agree with the opinion of several in recent posts above promoting the view that it is meaningless or pointless, or somehow invalid, to compare increases with inflation or with competitors and to complain if those comparisons show the CMC to be out of line. It is surely perfectly pertinent and understandable that people will do that and is the kind of thing that both consumers and market commentators do all the time - and rightly so. How many times have you heard on the news that rail fares have, "once again", increased beyond the rate of inflation. (I use that purely as an example and not to attack the rail franchises). It is what people do and it is a valid exercise whether they choose to pay the increased prices or not. In no way is it meaningless. Indeed, on the contrary, it says a great deal about the market and how each supplier in that market is positioning themselves. It is perfectly valid to compare changes in prices at Waitrose and Aldi. That they are in different places in the market is wholly irrelevant.
I am also intrigued as to how it can be that inflation has nothing to do with holidays and, as implied, inflation is only relevant to essentials like food and energy. That is simply factually incorrect. The CPI includes the full spectrum of goods and services, in 12 categories, variously weighted and including, just to quote one or two examples (abbreviated), food 9.6%, clothing 4.8%, housing and household services 30.3%, transport 11.1% recreation and culture 11.2% and restaurants and hotels 11.2%. So essentials certainly, and weighted that way, but also holidays, leisure, eating out, etc. The prices of all these things are included when working out the rate of inflation.
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There are many valid points in this thread regarding the level of price increases and I understand it is a valid discussion. I also feel the CAMC is pushing its luck. However those who seem to suggest sounding off on here will have the club reducing their prices is about as likely as seeing a flying pig. It is competition and good old capitalist response to supply and market demand that will drive down prices. And market demand is best demonstrated by taking custom elsewhere. No one is forced to use any site irrespective of ownership.
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I agree with most of your first paragraph, GDJ, although I see no one saying that people are not allowed to have a moan.
However, your example of rail fares increasing is not in the same league as you cite "rail fares" in general. I think you would see such a comment lacked validity if folk were comparing prices on LNER with GWR, Scotrail etc which are different operators with differing circumstances. To use your analogy, the complaint here would need to be that caravan site prices are increasing in general but that is not the basis of this thread which is about CAMC’s prices only.
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