2017 Site fees

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  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2016 #122

    Another one we went to in May New Forest Centennary Site 2 weeks £344.40 same time and date 2 weeks 2017  £362.60 an increase of £18.20.

    ..£1.30 a dayUndecided 

  • Briang
    Briang Club Member Posts: 670 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #123

    Another one we went to in May New Forest Centennary Site 2 weeks £344.40 same time and date 2 weeks 2017  £362.60 an increase of £18.20.

    ..£1.30 a dayUndecided 

    And your point is.?

  • Hallsontour
    Hallsontour Forum Participant Posts: 199
    edited December 2016 #124

    Yes, it's true that some people will just pay whatever their favourite organisation wishes to charge, because they are blind to any of the CC's faults.

    Still, when their comments comprise of nothing more than "+1" then I suppose that about sums up their ability to put forward a reasoned argument......

     

    An interesting point of view, and maybe one that proves to be correct in the long-term but I wouldn't say all were blind to the CC's faults. I'm happy to pay whatever because in the main I know what to expect from a CC site and I'm happy with the experience
    when I arrive there.

    As we're very time short due to work commitments we can't get away that much. The times we do get away are generally peak price times anyway. In our experience other sites that are available, at the times we would need them, are more expensive and too busy.
    We don't want bars, clubs and entertainment, just a site with a good clean toilet block. Friends of ours often go for special mid-week offers, especially out of peak season. They do indeed get cracking deals at non CC sites but I believe that's at the expense
    of the 'peak time fees' charged to others that are far higher than the club fees for the same time. 

    As I've said before on this thread, for the few weeks I can get away I'm happy to be part of the club and use their sites, but this isn't because I'm blind to others, just choose the club over them. Is that so hard for people to believe or accept?

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,436 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #125

    Yes, it's true that some people will just pay whatever their favourite organisation wishes to charge, because they are blind to any of the CC's faults.

    Still, when their comments comprise of nothing more than "+1" then I suppose that about sums up their ability to put forward a reasoned argument......

     

    An interesting point of view, and maybe one that proves to be correct in the long-term but I wouldn't say all were blind to the CC's faults. I'm happy to pay whatever because in the main I know what to expect from a CC site and I'm happy with the experience when I arrive there.

    As we're very time short due to work commitments we can't get away that much. The times we do get away are generally peak price times anyway. In our experience other sites that are available, at the times we would need them, are more expensive and too busy. We don't want bars, clubs and entertainment, just a site with a good clean toilet block. Friends of ours often go for special mid-week offers, especially out of peak season. They do indeed get cracking deals at non CC sites but I believe that's at the expense of the 'peak time fees' charged to others that are far higher than the club fees for the same time. 

    As I've said before on this thread, for the few weeks I can get away I'm happy to be part of the club and use their sites, but this isn't because I'm blind to others, just choose the club over them. Is that so hard for people to believe or accept?

    A vey good post, it mirrors my own thinking, reinforced by the occasions when I have gone to non club sites and been very disapointed, to choose club sites to ensure a good holiday. I don't choose them blindy, in fact I am all too aware of how good they are.

     I think your last sentence is so true and for some it is a difficult concept to accept.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2016 #126

    Another one we went to in May New Forest Centennary Site 2 weeks £344.40 same time and date 2 weeks 2017  £362.60 an increase of £18.20.

    ..£1.30 a dayUndecided 

    And your point is.?

    ...It will hardly cover the increases in wages and contractors service increases 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #127

    I think that is fine, if you are restricted to peak season and maybe have children, CC prices are good .

    But for those of us who are on a fixed (pension) income with no opportunity to work overtime to increase our income, we are finding that peak season expansion and increased prices are raising the cost of Club sites beyond what we are willing to pay.

    We like Club sites, we like that we know the standard will be good, we like the booking system, but surely as members we can say that low season prices are too high?

    We will be using more CLs this year, looking at commercial sites low season, and spending as long as possible abroad.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #128

    I think that is fine, if you are restricted to peak season and maybe have children, CC prices are good .

    But for those of us who are on a fixed (pension) income with no opportunity to work overtime to increase our income, we are finding that peak season expansion and increased prices are raising the cost of Club sites beyond what we are willing to pay.

    We like Club sites, we like that we know the standard will be good, we like the booking system, but surely as members we can say that low season prices are too high?

    We will be using more CLs this year, looking at commercial sites low season, and spending as long as possible abroad.

    I agree with much of what you say, Kjell. We, too will be using more CLs next year, even though club sites suit us fine.

    But I do think the pension thing is a bit of a red herring. After all the retired and those on pensions (I'm including myself, by the way) have been better looked after than most over the past 5 or 6 years. 

    So I find it disappointing that there are repeated calls for families to be hit by higher prices at weekends and peak season (when they're most likely to be using club sites) so that retired folk may be given special offers midweek and off peak - that's what many commercials do and the club offers an alternative vision to that.

    (Obviously, just my opinion though! Happy)

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #129

    Thanks Briang for some more examples.

    Yet more evidence, this time showing 5.3% and 11.6 % increases.......far more than the increases that I was generously attributing to the CC this year.

    The usual comments about the small and totally correct increases to the living wage have been trotted out. These increases have been previously shown to add only a fraction of one percent to pitch prices and this could have easily been  off-set by efficiency savings elsewhere.

    Shame on those who try to put the blame on the poor wardens for these huge increases, simply because they are given a living wage!

    Yes, some people will continue to blindly accept these increases, often because they are afraid to step outside of the CC and therefore know no different (not that this stops them from pontificating!)......and I'm afraid that they are the ones that are causing these massive increases and, paradoxically, will bring about tbe end of CC sites, as they are driven out of the market by excessive pricing. 

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #130

    Kjell raises a very valid point in that those members he cites on fixed incomes are the very core of the CC membership, yet these are often the same people raising concerns about pricing, especially the continued sneaky expansion of high priced 'seasons'
    (will it all be 'high' in a couple of years?) and the lack of pricing imagination when it comes to filling (or trying to) sites in the off season...Sad

    yes, we can all do as regularly suggested ('go elsewhere', as Kjell is doing...) but isn't it a case of cutting off your nose etc for those who have been members for years and are happy with 'the club format'....

    however, the bottom line for some on fixed incomes, as Kjell illustrates, is that they just cant afford club prices....now that is a sad state of affairs....Sad

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #131

    Exactly so, BB.

    And any business that shuns its core customers (as the CC is doing) is an a slippery slope to failure.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #132

    I think that is fine, if you are restricted to peak season and maybe have children, CC prices are good .

    But for those of us who are on a fixed (pension) income with no opportunity to work overtime to increase our income, we are finding that peak season expansion and increased prices are raising the cost of Club sites beyond what we are willing to pay.

    We like Club sites, we like that we know the standard will be good, we like the booking system, but surely as members we can say that low season prices are too high?

    We will be using more CLs this year, looking at commercial sites low season, and spending as long as possible abroad.

    I agree with much of what you say, Kjell. We, too will be using more CLs next year, even though club sites suit us fine.

    But I do think the pension thing is a bit of a red herring. After all the retired and those on pensions (I'm including myself, by the way) have been better looked after than most over the past 5 or 6 years. 

    So I find it disappointing that there are repeated calls for families to be hit by higher prices at weekends and peak season (when they're most likely to be using club sites) so that retired folk may be given special offers midweek and off peak - that's
    what many commercials do and the club offers an alternative vision to that.

    (Obviously, just my opinion though! Happy)

    You must have a very good, generous pension M (public sector?),  for us in the private sector, the overall increase in the last few years has been under 1%, so barely keeping up with inflation in general, let alone leaving anything over to cover above inflation
    CC price increases.

    We are trying to save as much as we can as a hedge against inflation, but now interest rates  are so poor that it will soon not be worth bothering.

    Now, in Scotland anyway, we are to be hit with massively inflated council tax increases, which bear absolutely no connection to our ability to pay, so we are being hit in many areas.

     

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #133

    Some people are out of touch with the real world, KjeIINN.......often the same ones who keep saying that these inflation busting increases of well over 5% are not a problem.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #134

    Yes, Kjell, I accept that I am lucky in that my (deferred salary) pension is generous, but, my point was that, generally speaking, pensioners have been well looked after over the past 5 or 6 years ( and rightly so). Many working families have not been so
    fortunate.

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited December 2016 #135

    I think that is fine, if you are restricted to peak season and maybe have children, CC prices are good .

    But for those of us who are on a fixed (pension) income with no opportunity to work overtime to increase our income, we are finding that peak season expansion and increased prices are raising the cost of Club sites beyond what we are willing to pay.

    We like Club sites, we like that we know the standard will be good, we like the booking system, but surely as members we can say that low season prices are too high?

    We will be using more CLs this year, looking at commercial sites low season, and spending as long as possible abroad.

    I agree with much of what you say, Kjell. We, too will be using more CLs next year, even though club sites suit us fine.

    But I do think the pension thing is a bit of a red herring. After all the retired and those on pensions (I'm including myself, by the way) have been better looked after than most over the past 5 or 6 years. 

    So I find it disappointing that there are repeated calls for families to be hit by higher prices at weekends and peak season (when they're most likely to be using club sites) so that retired folk may be given special offers midweek and off peak - that's
    what many commercials do and the club offers an alternative vision to that.

    (Obviously, just my opinion though! Happy)

    You must have a very good, generous pension M (public sector?),  for us in the private sector, the overall increase in the last few years has been under 1%, so barely keeping up with inflation in general, let alone leaving anything over to cover above inflation
    CC price increases.

    We are trying to save as much as we can as a hedge against inflation, but now interest rates  are so poor that it will soon not be worth bothering.

    Now, in Scotland anyway, we are to be hit with massively inflated council tax increases, which bear absolutely no connection to our ability to pay, so we are being hit in many areas.

     

    Public sector pensions rise with the consumer price index which for this years rise was 0% so sorry to dissapoint but this last years public sector pension rise was nil.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #136

    Some people are out of touch with the real world, KjeIINN.......often the same ones who keep saying that these inflation busting increases of well over 5% are not a problem.

    Well, sensibly, I haven't said that. But I do wonder if anyone has bothered to check on whether the (perceived) large increase in CC site fees are out of line with the increases at commercial sites?

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #137

    Yes, they are certainly a problem for us!

    Not only is my pension not keeping up with inflation, all the banks are reducing interest rates to half  of what they were, so we have absolutely no chance of keeping up with inflation.

    While this is good for our children, we have lived through 25% inflation, mortgage interest rates of 15%, and have never known "child tax credits" or "working tax credits".

    As OH's mum said ......."we were born too soon"

  • briantimber
    briantimber Forum Participant Posts: 1,653
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    edited December 2016 #138

    I must have a different public pension to others as mine has actually increased for the last few yearsSurprised

  • Hallsontour
    Hallsontour Forum Participant Posts: 199
    edited December 2016 #139

    I think that is fine, if you are restricted to peak season and maybe have children, CC prices are good .

    But for those of us who are on a fixed (pension) income with no opportunity to work overtime to increase our income, we are finding that peak season expansion and increased prices are raising the cost of Club sites beyond what we are willing to pay.

    We like Club sites, we like that we know the standard will be good, we like the booking system, but surely as members we can say that low season prices are too high?

    We will be using more CLs this year, looking at commercial sites low season, and spending as long as possible abroad.

    Everyone is entitled to their views, of course you are. 

    I don't want to seem like I'm moaning because I'm not, but I'm 47, so due to retire in 20 years time if I'm lucky. Salary income so no overtime available, no real increase in wage for the last few years. Everything going up. We appear to be in the same boat
    as you although we're currently working for our income, you've put your time in and have a pension. Both appear to be pretty fixed by the sounds of it.

    If things are going out of reach for some then others might be available to fill the gap. Even if we had more time available to use the excellent facilities of the club we no doubt wouldn't have the income to use them much more than we do. At the end of
    the day it's up to the club management to run the business as they see fit and although people may have their own views, it's a case of afford it and use it or vote with your feet, just like everything else in life. Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on this,
    I'd love to be able to have time and money to camp much more but life is life, it's getting tougher for most of us as the good times have appeared to have passed most of us by.

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited December 2016 #140

    I must have a different public pension to others as mine has actually increased for the last few yearsSurprised

    so did mine until last year

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #141

    ...but the members questioning CC site price rises dont want to go to commercial sites.....they want to stick with CC but are finding it ever harder.....and ever harder to understand as they are paid up members to what they still see as a club.....a club
    which doesnt seem to realise the level of alienation of some of these members.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #142

     

     

    You must have a very good, generous pension M (public sector?),  for us in the private sector, the overall increase in the last few years has been under 1%, so barely keeping up with inflation in general, let alone leaving anything over to cover above inflation
    CC price increases.

    We are trying to save as much as we can as a hedge against inflation, but now interest rates  are so poor that it will soon not be worth bothering.

    Now, in Scotland anyway, we are to be hit with massively inflated council tax increases, which bear absolutely no connection to our ability to pay, so we are being hit in many areas.

     

    Public sector pensions rise with the consumer price index which for this years rise was 0% so sorry to dissapoint but this last years public sector pension rise was nil.

    So does my company pension, so I too have had a 0% increase on that.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #143

    ...but the members questioning CC site price rises dont want to go to commercial sites.....they want to stick with CC but are finding it ever harder.....and ever harder to understand as they are paid up members to what they still see as a club.....a club which doesnt seem to realise the level of alienation of some of these members.

    Some of them still do - regularly - BB! Wink

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited December 2016 #144

    ...but the members questioning CC site price rises dont want to go to commercial sites.....they want to stick with CC but are finding it ever harder.....and ever harder to understand as they are paid up members to what they still see as a club.....a club
    which doesnt seem to realise the level of alienation of some of these members.

    There does seem to be a number of people on here who find the club expensive but the club cannot reduce fees unless they can make savings to cut costs. The sites are not making money according to the club but we do not know how efficient they are so cannot
    be sure what could be done.

    The club is meticulous in sticking to legislation and cannot employ family members to cut costs both of which can happen on  ommercial sites. Looking at site fees published in PC I have tried to average them on occassions and find the club sites are reasonably
    competitive with the commercial sites generally being both sides of the clubs charges. Just because people find some very cheap sites does not show club fees are too high but posdibly the ones quoted are very low.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,436 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #145

    Kjell raises a very valid point in that those members he cites on fixed incomes are the very core of the CC membership, yet these are often the same people raising concerns about pricing, especially the continued sneaky expansion of high priced 'seasons'
    (will it all be 'high' in a couple of years?) and the lack of pricing imagination when it comes to filling (or trying to) sites in the off season...Sad

    yes, we can all do as regularly suggested ('go elsewhere', as Kjell is doing...) but isn't it a case of cutting off your nose etc for those who have been members for years and are happy with 'the club format'....

    however, the bottom line for some on fixed incomes, as Kjell illustrates, is that they just cant afford club prices....now that is a sad state of affairs....Sad

    No it isn't. the club is not a charity for retired people to have high quailty sites at reduced prices. is it sad that I can't afford a a £50000 range rover, should they lower their prices for me? 

    You know what your pension is when you retire but sorry if you didn't make enough provison for club sites then its your own fault? isn't it? or too harsh?

     

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #146

    Wildwood - So Sandy Balls etc. employ family members and ignore safety legislation to keep costs down?

    They are one site, without the ability to use the huge buying power and economies of scale that are available to CC and yet they consistenly offer lower prices than the CC.

    Their site is every bit as good as most CC sites and they include the ability to book a specific pitch if you want to and fully serviced pitches.

    That is the reality of pricing.

     

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #147

    ...but the members questioning CC site price rises dont want to go to commercial sites.....they want to stick with CC
    but are finding it ever harder.....and ever harder to understand as they are paid up members to what they still see as a club.....a club which doesnt seem to realise the level of alienation of some of these members.

    Some of them still do - regularly - BB! Wink

    yes, they do....ask KjellUndecided

    oh, you weren't referring to me were you? you know my custom is spread far and wide....Wink

    however, i certainly do question CC prices as i think they lack imagination in the off season and the repeated expansion of the peak seasons (especially the english/scottish holiday price catchment this year) os nothing short of pure commercialism..

    so, not really a club, just a hard core business like all othersSad

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #148

    We would like to use CC sites as we do like them, but we do have to consider the prices, we have a point beyond we are not willing to go,

    We are actually considering how much longer we will continue touring.

    We were seriously considering buying a MH, but have not yet found one that ticks all our boxes.  So then we thought whether we should buy a new tow car.

    Now we are rather thinking, at 74 and 68, and not being in the best of health, just how much longer we will really want to be touring.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,436 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #149

    Wildwood - So Sandy Balls etc. employ family members and ignore safety legislation to keep costs down?

    They are one site, without the ability to use the huge buying power and economies of scale that are available to CC and yet they consistenly offer lower prices than the CC.

    Their site is every bit as good as most CC sites and they include the ability to book a specific pitch if you want to and fully serviced pitches.

    That is the reality of pricing.

     

    in your opinion of course? Its not a fact they are as good, or have you read seem any sort of report? Again if you have rather than quote it as fact I would be very interested to see it. You shouln't really pontificate like this you know Ian!

    Oh at the same time perhaps you could post some facts and figures to support your claim of club sites being 10% full?

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #150

    Sandy Balls - 2 adults and 2 children under 11 is £395 for 7 nights next August, Ian. Still reckon they "consistently" offer lower prices? Have a look at the CC sites for the same period.

    The fact of the matter is that Sandy Balls ( and others) offer admittedly very good special deals out of peak season because they know they can recoup this by whacking up their price in peak. Great if you can go when they're offering those deals, not so
    good if you don't have that option.!

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,436 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #151

    Sandy Balls - 2 adults and 2 children under 11 is £395 for 7 nights next August, Ian. Still reckon they "consistently" offer lower prices? Have a look at the CC sites for the same period.

    The fact of the matter is that Sandy Balls ( and others) offer admittedly very good special deals out of peak season because they know they can recoup this by whacking up their price in peak. Great if you can go when they're offering those deals, not so
    good if you don't have that option.!

    Good post, i was going to say +1 but would be mod Ian doesn't like thatSmile

    Again as you point out their prices are not consistent