CLOSED - Prices of pitches

tracyp
tracyp Forum Participant Posts: 45
edited July 2016 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

i was looking at caravan site's for next year, as holdays are not out for next year yet i thought id price up for this year and see how much it cost's for two weeks in august-september £515.00 for 3 adults and one dog now thats a lot to say im a member as
well, we are going to cornwall this year same two week fully serviced for £280 non cc site, how can they justify charging that much discrace

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Comments

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited July 2016 #2

    Tracy....I think you will find that there are many threads on here making the same point as you.......CC have over-priced themselves for what they offer.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,404 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #3

    Tracey, did you not say on an earlier thread that you'd happily paid £250 for a week in June at Fallbarrow Park? So I can't really see the justification for querying that price in August. But you have to make up your own mind; if you think it's too expensive,
    shop around, there are plenty of alternatives out there, especially in Cornwall. Happy

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #4

    It as has been stated on numerous threads about prices ,but what it really comes down to is choice,as both the cc and c&cc seem to have it about right for the thousands who use their sites,a lot of commercial sites tend to "hide" extras which in the peak bring them up to either of the clubs priices,

    hope you enjoy the site you have booked 

    Ps which site is it ?

  • nicko
    nicko Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited July 2016 #5

    why not go on a cl then they are just for members often with similar facilities

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #6

    Or a Camping Club Temp Holiday Site at around £10 per night even in Cornwall in the summer holidays.

    But you do need to use your own facillites and have a means to charge the battery.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited July 2016 #7

    I have carried out an analysis of our first year of caravan ownership and CC membership. As a family of 3 we are tied to school holidays and weekends away that are in reach in the autumn/winter/spring.

    In summary, the CC charges the most for less. The standard of amenities and pitches on the sites we have been are equitable, wether we use them or not, pitches are larger on commercial sites. The only 'hidden' charges we have seen are on the CC App, where
    you locate a site and are greeted by 'choose pich type', once filled in you get 'pitches available from £xxx', you then go to book and you are hit with 'hidden extras' of 'number of adults' + 'number of children'. So the headline pitch cost is not actually
    a true reflection of CC prices.

    Here is a comparison of our actual site fees for our first year:

    Lowest cost night fully serviced pitch with leisure facilities = £18 on a commercial site. New Forest

    Fully serviced pitch night in school summer holidays = £30 on a commercial site with leisure facilities. Watergate Bay, Cornwall

    Grass pitch with electric night in school summer holidays = £33 on CC site. Trewhetthet Farm

    Fully serviced CC pitch night in school summer holidays = £40 Charsworth

    Serviced pitch night in school holidays = £23 on a commercial site near Alton Towers. Little Micklin

    Fully serviced pitch night with leisure facilities at Christmas = £23 on a commercial site. New Forest

    Easter holidays CC at Cheddar £34.40 per night. Ruda £28 per night including unlimited water slide park thingy, entertainment for children and on the beach burrows.

    There are no CC sites open at Xmas near to us, the 4 closest are closed for winter and early spring, so of no use to us.

    Facilities on commercial sites above include swimming pool, fitness facilities, bar, retaraunt, enternatinment.

    The simple fact for us is that CC sites are higher priced when we can use them. We accept that and have taken a second year membership. If CC want our exclusive custom, the prices have to be reduced, and facilities like swimming pools, entertainment and
    sports facilities for little un have to be available. We have combined both CC and commercial sites on our longer holidays over summer school holiday and Easter where the CC has cost more for less, a simple fact that is not readily understood by those that
    don't have families or don't venture off CC sites but compare by hearsay and internet information.

    We have used CL's and will continue to to for weekend visits to family as they are a valuable resource.

    I'd welcome similar factual comparisons from others ho reckon the CC is not the higher priced options in order to provide informed debate, Factual information by means of prices are few and far between on CT, what is being 'hidden' to coin a phrase? Tongue Out

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #8

    Hi Tracy, would love to know which site this is?

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #9

    Sandy balls is renowned for giving "offers" but the extra charges that some need ,more than bring it up to the standard prices that both clubs in that area charge,but as has been said in numerous posts nether of the clubs are in the "Holiday camp"market 

  • Unknown
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  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited July 2016 #11

    Never been to Sandy Balls, although my brother borrowed our MH to take his boys there for a school summer holiday. No idea of what the price was. They had a great holiday though.

    I saw the SB offer thread on here and enquired, but it wasn't available during the school holidays when we were available to go on holiday.

    We use a different site.

    Have used Forest Holidays / Holidays in the Forest in the early days of MH ownership, but FH are now priced around the Centenial CC site price, which is far higher than where we use, again for less facilities

    Are holiday camps like Butlins? Butlins don't do tourers do they? I understand from family members with pre school age children, Butlins is a good value holiday on their offers out of peak times. We've visited for the day on vouchers available to the holiday
    makers on site for free and won giant bars of Dairy Milk in the penny arcades Tongue Out

    Butlins at Minehead in the early 1960's was a good family holiday, my memory tells me. That was before parents got a tourer Tongue Out

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #12

    Are you referring to Temp Holiday Sites?

    They are like a rally but held over a week or Two.

    I like 'em

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #13

    I may be wrong ( and often am) but I don't remember the CC ever saying they were the cheapest , I am not defending the club in any way ,but if you don't like the price the look at an alternative 

    I think that M&S food shops are too expensive ,but I don't go on their website moaning about it , I find an alternative .......

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #14

    I may be wrong ( and often am) but I don't remember the CC ever saying they were the cheapest , I am not defending the club in any way ,but if you don't like the price the look at an alternative 

    I think that M&S food shops are too expensive ,but I don't go on their website moaning about it , I find an alternative .......

    They have always been priced at the top end of the price range. That's from personal knowledge beginning in the early 1980's.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited July 2016 #15

    JVB, last week at SB would have been around 15% cheaper than the same week at Broadway.....we visited both in the past two weeks...

    yes, friday and saturday were £40 at SB but the other 5 days were only £15, so a total £155.

    Broadway, 7 nights at £25.60, total £179.20

    so Broadway £25 (or 15%) more expensive for the week. 

    similar (slightly less at the weekend) prices at Lytton Lawn this week, def not a Holiday Camp, just a nice site in a great (very expensive) location...oh, and nearly 20% cheaper than Broadway for the week.

    We viewed a house on the seafront at Milford on Sea, just opposite the Needle Eye Cafe, as it was almost finished. Thought £650k was a fair price given the size and finish. Only  £1m out, £1.65m.

    There is a lovely place a bit along the seafront that was £1.4m by the deveoper, is now on at £1.75m

    http://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbccrdcfd140006#/r/detail/GBCCRDCFD140006

    Looking forward to see the new beach huts finished.

  • Unknown
    edited July 2016 #16
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  • johndailey
    johndailey Forum Participant Posts: 520
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    edited July 2016 #17

    I wonder if the CC actually have any say in pitch prices. If they do, they are being greedy and overpricing. If they don't, they should be talking to site owners and representing their members by expressing our concerns re prices.

     

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #18

    Which Haven sites have you got personal experience of BB?

    I would like to try one or two but I have heard poor reports of the ones on the Yorkshire coast.

  • Unknown
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  • Unknown
    edited July 2016 #20
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  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #21

    Thanks BB.

     

  • Unknown
    edited July 2016 #22
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  • pip the beast
    pip the beast Forum Participant Posts: 45
    edited July 2016 #23

    Never been to Sandy Balls, although my brother borrowed our MH to take his boys there for a school summer holiday. No idea of what the price was. They had a great holiday though.

    I saw the SB offer thread on here and enquired, but it wasn't available during the school holidays when we were available to go on holiday.

    We use a different site.

    Have used Forest Holidays / Holidays in the Forest in the early days of MH ownership, but FH are now priced around the Centenial CC site price, which is far higher than where we use, again for less facilities

    Are holiday camps like Butlins? Butlins don't do tourers do they? I understand from family members with pre school age children, Butlins is a good value holiday on their offers out of peak times. We've visited for the day on vouchers available to the holiday
    makers on site for free and won giant bars of Dairy Milk in the penny arcades Tongue Out

    Butlins at Minehead in the early 1960's was a good family holiday, my memory tells me. That was before parents got a tourer Tongue Out

    Write your comments here...I believe that Butlins at Skegness do tourers

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited July 2016 #24

    Never been to Sandy Balls, although my brother borrowed our MH to take his boys there for a school summer holiday. No idea of what the price was. They had a great holiday though.

    I saw the SB offer thread on here and enquired, but it wasn't available during the school holidays when we were available to go on holiday.

    We use a different site.

    Have used Forest Holidays / Holidays in the Forest in the early days of MH ownership, but FH are now priced around the Centenial CC site price, which is far higher than where we use, again for less facilities

    Are holiday camps like Butlins? Butlins don't do tourers do they? I understand from family members with pre school age children, Butlins is a good value holiday on their offers out of peak times. We've visited for the day on vouchers available to the holiday
    makers on site for free and won giant bars of Dairy Milk in the penny arcades Tongue Out

    Butlins at Minehead in the early 1960's was a good family holiday, my memory tells me. That was before parents got a tourer Tongue Out

    Write your comments here...I believe that Butlins at Skegness do tourers

    So Butlins see the investment in attracting caravanning families worthwhile. Wonder what the pitch price is in school holidays.

    Interesting how Butlins have constantly reinvented their offering to attract families over the decades. When we visited Minehead we had visions of cheap and cheerful, but were pleasantly surprised by the full fat all inclusive offering that off peak delivered
    to family members.

    I sense from this thread, and others, any factual comments from family holiday makers in respect of the CC fees being the highest is taken as 'how dare you young whippersnappers criticise us died in the wool long term members of the CC and our choices'.
    Nothing could be further from the truth. The simple fact is CC fees are higher for families, when families are able to take their holidays. Why should the CC not be made aware of these facts and endeavour to attract families in peak times. The peak times we
    have been on CC sites have not seen them full to bursting, even prime sites. Todays families are tomorrows off peak users when the parents become empty nesters or their offspring go off on holiday on their own.

    I would venture todays families are probably under greater financial pressures than their parents generation and look harder for where to spend their pounds. It would be sensible for the CC to at least look at the reasons members give. 

  • tracyp
    tracyp Forum Participant Posts: 45
    edited July 2016 #25

    yres i paid £240. for a week at fallbarrow but that was a fully serviced pitch, with club house (not for me) but its there if i wanted it, the site i was looking at was bunree in scotland, we are looking in to going next june, £515 to hire a piece of concreat
    and some electric, i know they have to make a profit but thats a joke, i feel for people on a buget with a family,  

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #26

    yres i paid £240. for a week at fallbarrow but that was a fully serviced pitch, with club house (not for me) but its there if i wanted it, the site i was looking at was bunree in scotland, we are looking in to going next june, £515
    to hire a piece of concreat and some electric, i know they have to make a profit but thats a joke, i feel for people on a buget with a family,  

    How many of you are there. A week for a family of 4 at Bunree this year, spring bank was £236.5, the rest of June £186.20.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #27

    Not a full test yet but on the 3 sites that I looked at for the Lakes in Sept ALL were more expensive than the CC sites not by much though.

  • TerryFlech
    TerryFlech Forum Participant Posts: 36
    edited July 2016 #28

    yres i paid £240. for a week at fallbarrow but that was a fully serviced pitch, with club house (not for me) but its there if i wanted it, the site i was looking at was bunree in scotland, we are looking in to going next june, £515
    to hire a piece of concreat and some electric, i know they have to make a profit but thats a joke, i feel for people on a buget with a family,  

    How many of you are there. A week for a family of 4 at Bunree this year, spring bank was £236.5, the rest of June £186.20.

    The price she quoted of £515 was for a 2 week holiday 

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited July 2016 #29

    The commercials provide much cheaper prices "off peak". They are also much better quality than the CC we have used recently. Eg Haven- Hafan y Mor. Full serviced Euro pitch with Van Hard standing, gravel awning and grass sitting area. Own water, EHU and
    grey waste, plus Tv socket. All pitches surrounded by their own hedges.The facility block immaculate, cleaned 3 times a day.Total 84 pitches, well way but accessible to the static facilities if you want them. Fees are for 6 people and you get free "entertainment
    pass". Cost in ealy june £9-90 per night. Next  week Morris Leisure-LLanberis will be £27-50 per night, Van + 2 (peak period). This compares favourably with Brecon wherewe were last week.Having used Morris Leisure previously,again quality beats CC and much
    cheaper comparitively off peak.  It seems that at all times the CC is outpriced,out quality by the commercial sector and competition is getting  bigger.Its time the HO lot got a grip on the baics of the club and those directors on £90/100K per year earned
    their pay. With Internet allowing us to compare he daysof slavishly adhering to CC sites is past and the club must get up to date. Dont get me wrong we do use CC and Cls but now only if they provide  value and quality. For the sceptics just look at the recent
    reviews for Chirk - Lady Margaret CC site.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #30

    Low season Morris leisure hardstanding +2adults +1 dog =£28 per nightUndecided

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited July 2016 #31

    Not a full test yet but on the 3 sites that I looked at for the Lakes in Sept ALL were more expensive than the CC sites not by much though.

    2nd September is last week day of the  school holidays this year in this part of the country. 

    How does the school holiday period compare? That is the relevant point of comparison. 

    Our first week of the school holidays in July has our first stay on a CC site at £40 per night mid week non awning, 120 pitches, the second stay is £23 per night weekend awning on a less crowded site that has 15 pitches, like for like on site facilities
    ie bog (loo of the year award winner last year), shower, shop, HS, water drainage and leccy on the pitch; both next door to attractions. The smaller site has games room and playing field / climbing frame thingy for kids, that the CC site has a tiny play area.

    Our second week at the end of the holidays is £23 per night for a grass pitch with EHU, 400 yards from a beach so easy to walk to. The nearest CC site requires a drive to a beach and is £33 per night for grass pitch.

    The cost difference is sufficient to cover the diesel in the first week, and diesel plus food for the second.