2016 Site Fees and Site Renovations

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Comments

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited January 2016 #62

    Supply and demand, price should reflect this,  popular site's and popular weekends when demand outsrips supply, price should increase, less popular times decrease, most of the sites that I visit reflect this,the more expensive are always packed cheap ones
    seem to be empty. CC should take note.

    Not quite sure I follow your logic there. Are you saying the CC should increase its prices at popular sites until folk stop using them? Undecided

    Write your comments here...It seems illogical to me too, Chris. Northbrook Farm in Worthing is a basic facility site of £12.50 a night for two people in low season. Yet I have seen it full during the summer holidays. At high season, you can't get a pitch
    there unless you book in advance.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited January 2016 #63

    I think in most cases the charges reflect the cost of running the site so even if some are booked up provided they are running profitably then the fees remain reasonable. The very busy sites like Rowntree, Bristol and Chatsworth are not significantly higher
    but particularly city centre sites will have very high cost factors and this will push up prices. I doubt the Chatsworth Estate rents the site out cheaply either.

    I do wonder though if some rises this year are just too high but time and bookings will tell.

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #64

    Are you saying the CC should increase its prices at popular sites until folk stop using them?

    I thought that was what the latest rises were trying to achieve,  i.e as others have said  "until the pips squeak"

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #65

    Hi everyone,

    Thank you for your comments and feedback which I have been forwarding on to the relevant departments and are valued by The Club. 

    In response to your comments and OP regarding Club site pitch fees for 2016, this rise is largely due to increased operational costs including government levied increases of the national living wage and unavoidable inflationary increases on utilities. In
    real terms, this has resulted in site fee increases from 25p up to £1.25 per person per night. 

    As a Club we really value our members and do all we can to provide you with the highest quality sites. Your site fees go towards maintaining the wonderful network of 200 sites, managed by 800 comprehensively trained staff, dedicated to providing you safe
    and happy holidays. In addition to this, we are continuously striving to deliver a programme of redevelopment works to ensure that sites are maintained to the highest standards. This winter alone, we will be upgrading 10 sites across the network at a cost
    of £4.5 million, ranging from exciting full scale redesigns to road resurfacing. To read more information regarding this, please visit the

    site redevelopments page
    of The Club website. There are many more already in the pipeline for 2016 and beyond on our continuous improvement plan.

    With regards to Scotland, there are no major works going on in Scotland currently, but we do minor works across the network all the time which enhance and improve sites. Scotland has been a major focus of The Club over the last 5 or so years with The Club
    investing millions of pounds in 3 fabulous new sites – Lochside, Stonehaven and Strathclyde. We have an ongoing development programme that is prioritised each year based on need and planning approvals, at this time other regions and sites have a greater need
    but this is constantly reviewed and there are developments in Scotland on the plan for future years.

    Please be assured we are working hard to continue to provide competitive prices and value for money by offering midweek discounts at selected sites, extended family offers, and reduced pitch fees at Southland on the Isle of Wight as well as a number of sites
    where prices have been flattened to offer great value all season long.

    We strive to provide quality sites and as such £9.7m was reinvested into the sites network in 2014; an increase of £2.4m compared with 2013 bringing the total investment in sites over the past five years to £46m (an average of £9.2m per year). 

    I hope this hekps provide further information and thank you again for your contributions. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2016 #66

    Thank you for the post Rowena,Smile

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #67

    So the lower cost is obviously attracting other caravanners into using it in the winter.

    It's not rocket science!

    You cannot directly compare one site in one area of the country with another. Particularly at this time of year. As numerous factors come into play. One in a rural location may be very unpopular mid week but full weekends. One near a town have more
    people mid week. The club has to decide a price that it feels is right or the site. Yes it could lower the price and perhaps get a few more vans midweek. However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.




  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2016 #68

    So the lower cost is obviously attracting other caravanners into using it in the winter.

    It's not rocket science!

    You cannot directly compare one site in one area of the country with another. Particularly at this time of year. As numerous factors come into play. One in a rural location may be very unpopular mid week but full weekends. One near a town have more
    people mid week. The club has to decide a price that it feels is right or the site. Yes it could lower the price and perhaps get a few more vans midweek. However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.




    ...And midweek discounts are in place for that ,if its thought needed

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #69

    However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.

    Even B&Q have a 10% off day?

    look at it this way - if weekends are full it really means they are over subscribed

    so if by offering mid week at a cheaper rate some weekenders change to mid week. the week end spots will most likely be filled by others

    Result - increased pitch use and profit

    It really is not rocket science  Happy

     It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,404 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #70

    "It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board"

    I'm not convinced midweek discounts across the board are the answer - many sites do very well mid week as it is - but I could see an argument for late booking discounts midweek on sites which have vacancies, even if only out of peak season.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2016 #71

    However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.

    Even B&Q have a 10% off day?

    look at it this way - if weekends are full it really means they are over subscribed

    so if by offering mid week at a cheaper rate some weekenders change to mid week. the week end spots will most likely be filled by others

    Result - increased pitch use and profit

    It really is not rocket science  Happy

     It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board

    ...The B&Q 10% is for over sixties? midweek discounts attract the retired already,so I think it would not alter the W/end bookins that atract the "less fortunate" ie those that are workingWink

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #72

    "It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board"

    I'm not convinced midweek discounts across the board are the answer - many sites do very well mid week as it is - but I could see an argument for late booking discounts midweek on sites which have vacancies, even if only out of peak season.

    M,.. you may well be correct but would it not be nice if the Club just trialled a few ideas. My way of thinking is 'Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained'

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited January 2016 #73

    I have been a long term advocate of market driven pricing. By offering large mid week discounts the CC company would benefit from otherwise empty pitches being used. 

    This would of course mean that there would be a number of well subscribed Urban sites where mid week discounts would not apply. 

    Head office would have to decide which sites require mid week discounting. 

    K

     

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #74

    However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.

    Even B&Q have a 10% off day?

    look at it this way - if weekends are full it really means they are over subscribed

    so if by offering mid week at a cheaper rate some weekenders change to mid week. the week end spots will most likely be filled by others

    Result - increased pitch use and profit

    It really is not rocket science  Happy

     It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board

    ...The B&Q 10% is for over sixties? midweek discounts attract the retired already,so I think it would not alter the W/end bookins that atract the "less fortunate" ie those that are workingWink

    JVB, ..  I realise that the B&Q day is for pensioners. Innocent

    The point I was trying to make is B&Q could have sat around for years, too scared to do anything, watching their profits slide but they didn't, and I would suggest that Wednesday is probably one of their busiest days. One thing is certain - they are not losing money on it!

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #75

     

    JVB, ..  I realise that the B&Q day is for pensioners. Innocent

    The point I was trying to make is B&Q could have sat around for years, too scared to do anything, watching their profits slide but they didn't, and I would suggest that Wednesday is probably one of their busiest days. One thing is certain - they are not
    losing money on it!

     B&Q is probably not a good example, the profit margin on most of the stuff they sell is astronomical, so a 10% discount is nothing. Not quite the case in the winter caravan site industry.

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #76

    Steve,.. so are you saying just leave everything as it is and accept under occupied sites?

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #77

    I would leave it to the CC clearly they will reduce prices if they feel they will benifit, they are after all in business to make money. Before you say they will not do that as they want to keep putting them up. They don't do this with the honey pot sites,
    where they could certainly raise them above current levels and still fill sites.

  • Westiegirl1
    Westiegirl1 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited January 2016 #78

    You have more faith in the Club than I do, to maximise profits, without continually raising prices

  • PITCHTOCLOSE
    PITCHTOCLOSE Forum Participant Posts: 658
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    edited January 2016 #79

    Supply and demand, price should reflect this,  popular site's and popular weekends when demand outsrips supply, price should increase, less popular times decrease, most of the sites that I visit reflect this,the more expensive are always packed cheap ones
    seem to be empty. CC should take note.

    Not quite sure I follow your logic there. Are you saying the CC should increase its prices at popular sites until folk stop using them? Undecided

    Write your comments here..NO supply and demand means popular sites are oversubribed especially wk ends,so bang the price up get the money in tocut the rate at unpopular site's this is what most holiday company's do in fact there are one or two cc sites they
    would have to pay me to go.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,660 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #80

    I think the Caravan Club does cater for tight budgets. There are many sites in the network where you can stay for £12.50 per night during Spring, Summer and Autumn. The difficulty is when these low price sites close in the winter leaving us all with less
    choice at that time of year. I believe caravanning should be an all year thing and not just a seasonal activity.

    Where are the many, Malcolm? Even with Midweek discount I can only find 4 that are less than £13. Even the basic non-facility sites have gone up to £14 this year.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2016 #81

    "It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board"

    I'm not convinced midweek discounts across the board are the answer - many sites do very well mid week as it is - but I could see an argument for late booking discounts midweek on sites which have vacancies, even if only out of peak season.

    Most if not all sites have vacancies mid week and especially outside peak period and so the midweeks would always be discounted.

    Personally I have never taken much notice of which sites have a discount.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited January 2016 #82

    However if it is full at weekends this could end up costing it money, unless it had separate weekend pricing.

    Even B&Q have a 10% off day?

    look at it this way - if weekends are full it really means they are over subscribed

    so if by offering mid week at a cheaper rate some weekenders change to mid week. the week end spots will most likely be filled by others

    Result - increased pitch use and profit

    It really is not rocket science  Happy

     It just needs the will to try something different such as mid week discounts across the board

    ...The B&Q 10% is for over sixties? midweek discounts attract the retired already,so I think it would not alter the W/end bookins that atract the "less fortunate" ie those that are workingWink

    Write your comments here...Not everyone works weekdays. At the moment, I'm being asked to work weekend evenings and being given time off on weekdays. 

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #83

     

    Where are the many, Malcolm? Even with Midweek discount I can only find 4 that are less than £13. Even the basic non-facility sites have gone up to £14 this year.

    That £14 also represents a 10% annual rise over the past four years as well. Most definitely a squeezing of pips.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited January 2016 #84

    I think the Caravan Club does cater for tight budgets. There are many sites in the network where you can stay for £12.50 per night during Spring, Summer and Autumn. The difficulty is when these low price sites close in the winter leaving us all with less
    choice at that time of year. I believe caravanning should be an all year thing and not just a seasonal activity.

    Where are the many, Malcolm? Even with Midweek discount I can only find 4 that are less than £13. Even the basic non-facility sites have gone up to £14 this year.

    Write your comments here...I was going by 2015 prices. They may have increased a litlle for 2016. However, I'm now staying on a full facility Caravan Club site for £14.50 a night even though it is now 2016! I'm not sure but it looks as though the Meek family
    are here too right opposite where we are. We recognised them from the photos in the club magazine. 

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited January 2016 #85

    ! I'm not sure but it looks as though the Meek family are here too right opposite where we are. We recognised them from the photos in the club magazine. 

    you will have to pop over and say hello, or you could take them a pizza.Wink

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #86

    or even ask for an autograph. Wink

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #87

    Read their latest story in the stories section....they sort of missed the boat for Spain recently..Frown

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,660 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #88

    They may have increased a litlle for 2016.  

    Malcolm, from that comment you obviously consider a rise of over 10% a small amount. It may well be to you but it's certainly a lot greater than any rise I might get in my pension, and so will result in me and probably others in the same situation as myself
    from using CC sites less in the future.

  • IamtheGaitor
    IamtheGaitor Forum Participant Posts: 529
    edited January 2016 #89

     The difficulty is when these low price sites close in the winter leaving us all with less choice at that time of year. I believe caravanning should be an all year thing and not just a seasonal activity.

    It is probably just not viable to keep them going over the winter for the few - especially when it is likely that costs - eg electricity use - will be more not less at this time.  Unless of course those few are happy to pay a lot more each to allow the site to at least break even.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited January 2016 #90

    Sites seem to have a death wish with their prices.Just looking for next week and the Cl I looked at has increased the price to £17 per night. One off our list.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,084 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #91

    Not sure which area of country you looking at fisherman, or which CL, but at that price, this time of year,  some Club Sites are much better value, especially if you can take advantage of midweek discount. If it is a popular CL, then perhaps they can justify
    the price and have no pitches spare. If it isn't popular, try haggling on price. Few years ago, we were astonished at how much a CL would cost us in the area we wanted to visit, all very very expensive, and no Club Sites or private sites open at that time,
    so we gave up and had 10 glorious days in a cottage closer to home. Cost us a fraction of what CLs plus towing travel would have, and of course cottage, space, all mod cons ensuite, dogs welcome, up on NY moors, a bargain! Hope you find something.