10% off offer
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I think the Club seem to have members over a bit of a barrel. Those that are willing to book a year ahead may well get the better prices but have to commit to a deposit months and months ahead. If they decide to to leave it to nearer the time it is possible that prices have gone up. Both sets of bookers could also be impacted by offers that come along at the last minute and find themselves not able to take advantage of the offers because of the rigmarole they have to go through to change anything. I am not sure members are being best served and as I have said before the Club should aim for complete transparency even if that means making major changes to the booking system. By all means keep the deposit system but they should sort out the pricing. In the past the Club have always promoted the fact that all members should be treated equally, is this the case with the new booking system?
David
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To me over a barrel implies being at the club's mercy or doing something one doesn't want to do but somehow has to, and of course it assumes people have to choose a club site with no other choice available? Isn't there better and cheaper out there? we're often told there is?
Is this the case? Not to me anyway, I will book a club site for whenever based on where I want to be at that time and not on whether I can get the site cheaper by booking now or later, and the deposit do not even come into the decision, I'm not going to start calculating lost interest over those week or months, but of course it's a nice little earner for the club but isn't that the same for paying any deposit paying holiday. And of course you will get that deposit back fully within the T&Cs.
Are people going elsewhere? Everyday there are about 8 very positive reviews from people who actually go to club sites (counted 7 so far and all more or less saying the same thing, words like excellent, great,fabulous, well maintained, and high standards... many of whom are first timers and say they will return) with one or two less positive but usually about tired facilities or others things like road noise. Very few over a week (counted) actually mention VFM or costs being too high. Appears to be a lot of very happy people out there based on the reviews? A small sample but far more than those who post the club doesn't offer VFM.
Are these offers a symptom of poor pitch occupancy? I don't think so based on the high occupancy I've seen by actually visiting sites, some on the offers list as well. Don't forget these are for autumn and traditionally off peak (as it says on the tin) so a good time to drum up even more business.
Also I get offers from a number of different originations all the time, it's just good business sense. But while offers are there it doesn't mean they have to be taken up? If it suits (like K) then go for it.
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Sorry just seen this, yes we're quite happy, when we booked last February (the day after we came back actually) they prices were more or less all the same price.
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I tend to agree Corners, We're setting off tomorrow on a 30 day trip that we booked in March. The average pitch price (including a commercial site where full payment before arrival has been demanded) is £34 a night, so total deposit paid is £204, and I could have got it all back if I had cancelled by the 7th August.
I've worked out that the interest I would have earned on that would be less than £4.
I'm happy to pay that.
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Yes so am I, as do most I would think who go to club sites. I think you posted after your last trip club sites were full? Likewise here, always good to get first hand experience though.
I get offers from various banks, I find them funny as looking at their profits they still want more business.
And of course why not? what company says to itself that's enough profit for this year? I would think any company in your street that did that may have to close?
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I'm setting off shortly and have not booked a single site.
You would hardly expect those that are avoiding Club sites/don't like them to write a critical reveiw. Don't you have to go to a site to be able to review it! No wonder it is aleged it is all a bed of roses. The AGM is not far away now, so no need to speculate much longer, not that we will get much detail as it will largly cover 2022.
peedee
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The Club will charge us £34.60 per night for a grass pitch at Cayton Village next week. That’s the cheapest possible option, on grass. Yet book a Glamping Cabin for two at the same location, the same dates, and you can stay for a mere £29 per night.🤷♀️
Perhaps the pitches are subsidising the glamping cabin offers?
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Traditionally for all the years on club sites, the autumn isn't as full, still a few pitches to sell, and on some sites even more so.
So I really can't see what is so wrong with an autumn offer? More income. It might tempt a few or many, or none, just for the cost of an email.
It got K to book after all.
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At times yes and maybe the other way round?
If so another good thing about those glamping cabins.
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Yes, correct about the footpath to the toilet block. I didn't use it, preferring to walk the longer way round as part of my 10000+ steps a day!😆
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Are people going elsewhere? Everyday there are about 8 very positive reviews from people who actually go to club sites (counted 7 so far and all more or less saying the same thing, words like excellent, great,fabulous, well maintained, and high standards... many of whom are first timers and say they will return) with one or two less positive but usually about tired facilities or others things like road noise. Very few over a week (counted) actually mention VFM or costs being too high. Appears to be a lot of very happy people out there based on the reviews? A small sample but far more than those who post the club doesn't offer VFM.
You obviously haven't read the post on the club's members review page on FB concerning Cheshire Fairoaks then CS with all the adverse comments about the state of sites and the relatively huge increase of pitch prices.
We have just arrived at Cheshire Fairoaks for a couple of nights heading back home from Anglesey. Oh dear. This site used to be immaculate but the grass is very long and all the hardstanding are full of weeds. I have paid £45 a night for an awning pitch with EHU so don’t think it is unreasonable to expect cut grass. Arriving on a Saturday I expected to struggle to find a pitch but there are quite a few empty. What is happening to the Club that used to lead the way? I’m afraid I won’t be using their sites any more as compared to others we use they are definitely not worth the money. Shame as been a been a member for 30 years 🥲.
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I thought I had made it clear I was talking about reviews posted on here? I don't do FB and only post about what I can see and verify for myself, and at least I believe the reviews posted on here are by club members actually staying on club sites, I wouldn't be sure about anything on FB.
And of course, with respect, your single quoted review doesn't prove anything? I put far greater trust on the club's reviews as they come from members as far as these things can be proved, but that's just me.
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Why should reviews posted by members in the members section of FB be any different from those posted on here? I think that you are reading them through rose coloured specs. How can you be certain that the reviews on ST are actually from members who have visited the sites that they have allegedly visited?
BTW that is not the only critical review of sites, but just an example that I came across today.
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Again I have no idea how FB checks that only 'real' members can post? I did look once and it was by answering three questions, one of which was are you a member? And that was it, trust alone. There was no actual checking of membership numbers, is it different now?
At least on CT one has to input your membership number to become a member of CT, I do recall when joining that I got one digit wrong and it noticed, there's also an email to put in as well.
Yes non club members can join CT but I would doubt very few non members go to club sites and then go on to leave review?
So I can't be totally certain that they have actually visited the site reviewed but it seems an awful lot of effort to leave a review like that? Would people just leave random positive reviews and in so many numbers, just by that I'm quite sure they have stayed there.
I never said that wasn't the only one and I'm sure you are correct in saying there are more, it's just a) I don't do FB so cannot post on them and b) I can't justify to myself they are from actual members with the same trust I place on those here. That's my view.
Equally though I could say I think you are looking through muddy coloured spectacles?
Now this is getting off topic, I'm sure there will be a thread about club reviews v FB, but till then I'll leave it there and hold to my views.
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There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with bookings at Morn Hill in autumn, plenty of lows and several dates missing on hardstanding / service pitches. However, you do have to wonder about the thinking of the club planners in the last week of summer. From my observations in previous years, once the August bank holiday is over families tend to head for home.
No change this year Saturday and Sunday sold out, Monday, when we arrived, hardstanding side about 50%, grass almost empty. It was the same story Tuesday and Wednesday and availability didn’t show any lows until the price reduced by £6 from summer peak on the 4th September. At least it meant we didn’t have any problems securing a late departure on the Wednesday when we went for our ferry.😀
I just don’t see the logic in keeping the prices high for the week after BH and having half empty sites. If we had been holidaying in the UK we would have done as most seem to, delayed our tour start to the 4th.
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As you say, we've had many, many threads complaining about prices but members still continued to use Club sites as they like 'the consistency of sites', presumably clean facs and pitch areas....
However, possibly starting with 'no mow May', we are now seeing more posts about falling standards on sites themselves, scruffy pitches, unkempt areas etc...huge areas of scruffy, long grass aren't everyone's cup of tea and at £45 a night don't folk have some sort of expectation that the site will be clean and neat and tidy?
..and as Steve suggests, why would the club hold onto the BH pricing 'coat tails' to try and squeeze another few days at a peak rate when folk are way too savvy and will just delay until the price drops on the Monday?...
we've a few days spare and a spell in the Forest at BK in non term time might be ok but at still over £48 a night....perhaps not...🤷🏻♂️
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That review was on a Facebook Group page (Facebook Group )- while it may refer to CAMC members it is not affiliated nor endorsed (I think!) by CAMC. This is CAMC's page - CAMC Facebook
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Anyone, Member or non Member can post on the CT forum. But to leave a review on the Club’s own website, yes I think you do have to be a Member. But reviews can be left on other review platforms of course.🙂
There’s no doubt, regardless of where you read reviews, that a great many comment on the prices and the new terms and conditions.
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See a good review posted today about Chester?
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Well yes and no Steve and I suspect planning for sites is a little more complex than looking at numbers in one year and one week.
It's still, or rather was the summer holidays and therefore 'peak' and yes most would go home after the BH but there was still a number of pitches taken as you say, about 25 times the price of £42 gives the income for that night, about £1000 per night, very rough figures and 'sums' used here btw
The question is would a reduction just after the BH translate into more people being on site? Well if not that's a loss of about £150, so the club would need an extra four outfits to break even? Would they get them? I don't know but as a retired person wanting a kid free site I might wait till the schools have gone back? And in fact when it's going to be quieter all round in and out of the site?
Also are the occupancy figures good or bad? One might think bad but what's the competition doing? Is it up or down on previous years, especially pre 2020.
To to say it's not as clear cut as it looks?
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BB hav a look at my reply to Steve to see why the club might want to keep peak prices.
Reviews on here tend to outnumber those posts about falling standards often in the ratio of 10:1, and not to make the same point again from people actually staying on site
You're making it sound as if the club is the only one doing this but this isn't true, you past recommendation of Concierge Camping is keeping its prices at £62 till late September down from £64? And a high of £79 for one night?
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Have a quick flip through Latest Reviews, BB, and you’ll see the only ‘anti’ reviews made yesterday appear to be of an AS and an overseas site.
I suspect, as with most things in life, it’s the bad stuff that sticks in the mind even though it’s a very small proportion of the whole.
As for pricing, all I can say is that there were plenty of LVs arriving in Cornwall yesterday. Of course there’s no way of knowing if they were heading for camc sites, the nearest cliff top lay-by, commercial sites or the popular pub stops.
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Just for a comparison I checked the other club out to see when they came off peak rates. In England Wales and NI it was the 1st Sept and in Scotland 14th August. Yet as we have been informed here this club didn't reduce their rates until I think someone said the 4th Sept.
Another comparison is Easter this year the CCC was only at peak rates for 3 days, I haven't checked but I would guess that CAMC was at peak for around 14 or more days. Same over the May BHs CCC just 3 days. Christmas this year oh just 3 days the 24,25,26th doesn't CAMC kick in the week before and stay peak right through to around 4th Jan.
Yes it's definitely worth looking around for VFM.
We are shortly going to be staying on a lovely well placed site near Cambridge for £26 a night with CCC I haven't checked but I would imagine the CAMC offering would be around £10 more. Still it doesn't matter as my choice is where I want to be, just thought I would show comparisons.
Edit: by the way it's soooooo much easier to see when the CCC price bands change and what the rate will be 🙂
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Official CAMC page - https://www.facebook.com/candmclub
Facebook Review Group - not affilated or endorsed by CAMC - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1793261070745241
Sorry for any confusion - and it's wandering from the point!
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No, I couldn't find it, but going though today's reviews the vast majority were for CLs not club sites and reading a few of the club site reviews there was mention of how rundown the facilities were considering the price that members were now being charged, and how scruffy others were looking.
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Not sure where you're looking Nellie was it FB again, there's eight very positive reviews of club sites today, the Chester one was quite early, three cheers for the wardens it was called. As I said usually about that number a day with a few less good too of course, but then some poor CL reviews too.
But off topic, so apologies and I'll leave it there.
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