10% deposits at all UK Club campsites
Comments
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I don’t disagree Arch. It’s difficult to understand really what the Club’s main priorities are at the moment, so difficult to comment constructively.
We don’t like the changes or the pricing structure, but we are using alternatives to Club Sites, so not really bothered what they do as it hardly affects us.
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Paying a deposit doesn't bother me, it's the 21 day cancellation period that does.
It's rare for us now to use CMC sites not solely because of the new T&Cs but more so the price per night of the sites.
As others have said often if you don't like the price go elsewhere which is exactly what we have done.
I think WN was on the right track with his suggestion of a lower deposit and a shorter cancellation period, couple that with lower prices the club would not have lost so many members.
On another thread there is talk of much higher admin costs in the annual budget. Maybe if was looked into they could find a way of reducing costs to members.
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Not sure CAMC is the only business suffering at present, recently returned from 2 weeks in Cornwall, site we stayed on was only 50 % for most of our 2 weeks, toured around the area visitng various sites CAMC & commercial, all reported occupancy rates down, now in Devon site we are on 70 pitches 10 units on site and 3 are on seasonal pitches, owner reporting never experienced a season so bad so early, just praying for a good July/August. This site is £33 per night HS fully serviced and you could get 2 caravans on the pitch and park your cars.
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It’s not deposits and it’s not prices . Campsites are half empty because people are doing other things and going to other places.
My daughter has just flown back from Dubrovnik - and on a mid week morning there were 6 flights back toUK from there. - to Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. That’s 1200 people travelling on that one day alone- so 8000 people a week on that one route alone. And there are dozens of similar routes.
Uk campsites will fill up in the school summer holidays - but only then.
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There could be far less cancellations if far fewer members are booking in the first place?🤷🏻♂️.....edit.....sorry just saw Hja's post....
we know there's availability, many on CT have reported spare space...
even the (non club) site I was at this week was short of customers this morning when we left....it's usually rammed on a Friday evening, especially with the fab weather we've had.
so I don't think lower numbers are confined to CAMC, however they have instigated changes lately (deposits, price fluctuations, eroding free cancellation period, 'new' booking system) which have not necessarily made life better or easier for some members.
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As before I think it should be 'some' have reported spare space, not 'many' - personally I recall less than , what? five? six? saying so, not 'many'.
And anyway there has always been 'spare' space, not even club sites are always full and no one ever said so. So really do we 'know' - what? Yes some have reported spare pitches, equally others (besides myself) have reported full sites.
You keep mentioning the price fluctuations but I don't think it in itself affects bookings in any way at all.
And the cancellation was given as a percentage rate, so it's a proportion, so we can't tell the original numbers from it in any way. Also it would be calculated from the original numbers as percentage change calculations are done.
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Yes some have reported spare pitches, equally others (besides myself) have reported full sites.
We found it very variable. Cirencester, coronation BH largely full. Cheddar midweek largely empty. Brighton weekend largely full, Battle midweek not much more than half. Whitehouse Beech midweek half term, about three quarters full. Norfolk broads half term, half / three quarters. Seacroft 80% when we arrived on the Saturday at the end of half term, emptied out on the Sunday and refilled to 80% Monday when the price reduced by £10.
The C&CC sites we used were similarly variable.
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Yes it's variable but not all one way. Merlose was full most nights out of seven while river Bremish is full and a few days next week.
I think it's settling down to the same pattern before Covid, this is probably really the first 'normal' May/June since 2019 but it's looking and sounding healthy enough to me at least and certainly far better than the vast number of empty pitches that were predicted last winter and currently posted about.
And yes other providers are posted as being the same, so it could be said that the club isn't doing any worse than others.
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From what is being reported on this thread that numbers on down on commercial sites and on CLs. Even if the club still had the old T&Cs bookings would still be down. As it has been said many times on CT people are watching their pennies as disposable income for many has been reduced over the past year.
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Those who write aboutUK sites on this forum may be watching pennies, but many others aren’t. Brittany Ferries has 199,000 bookings on the UK -Spain route for the next six months over the summer season. That’s 14% higher than it was in 2019 pre pandemic. With a car+ caravan that’s costing in the order of £1000 return - paid in full in advance - and the posh cabins have sold out first.. it’s only on here that people are watching pennies. Younger people are spending - and travelling as never before.
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Meanwhile nearer home…200,000 tickets for Glastonbury at £300 a time - sold out in a flash. Yet people on here moan endlessly about having to pay a deposit for a caravan site.
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There are certainly a few complaints in relation to deposits, however the majority seem to be directed towards the significant increase in prices. Personally although I preferred the old system I don’t have any issue with deposits, it just levels the playing field when deciding what site to go for.
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I pay for our ferry up front, I paid for our last two (non club) site breaks up front. I have no truck as I felt these were good value.
I don't worry about deposits to CAMC as I don't pay any...this, as Steve says, is because the site prices have gone beyond our VFM level.
of course, location is a prime element, but there are so many sites about (small, commercial, CL/CS, THS, even C&CC at ACR rates etc) that there will always be something in the right place.
CAMC are facing really stiff competition from all sides....pop up random discounts might help, we will see🤷🏻♂️
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It’s book by 30 Sept for stays in 2023 and 24 so should work but it’s subject to a minimum of £20.
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I'm waiting for the one that goes:-
Are you OK?
Great news YOU asked for deposit system and 21 day cut off period but YOU were wrong so WE will re introduce the previous booking system with its brilliant USP, at the same time we will reinstall the old online booking system that YOU asked for as it is now becoming financially unviable and due to the increased number of call centre staff required since its inception. 😉
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At one time I called it estate agent speak. Doesn't stand up as untruths but needs very careful reading and interpretation otherwise one can be very misled....
Does one need a special set of classes to gain this level of English? words that make innocent sentences and it turns out it's 'spin'. Or is it deliberately obscure cos the folk regard Joe Public as uneducated, and contemptible?
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This must be your first booking under the new system David?
There was always a minimum deposit and if I recall correctly it was £25? Which would have been close 70% on your stay. So you've saved a little at least.
The minimum of £20 was mentioned sererval times and as I said upthread it's designed to get those staying longer than four or more nights.
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