Excessive site fees

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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited July 2016 #362

    But are all the sites classed as expensive in Winter/Spring/Autumn we stayed on 'Seaview' site Berwick on Tweed in November last year £13.95pn full facilities, H/S pitch. That was 5p less than the CL we had just left @ £14pn, grass, no toilet or shower block,
    the price had gone up by £2 for the winter to cover the cost of extra electric. I didn't mind paying either as they were in the place that I wanted to be, but it does show that not ALL sites are expensive all the time, in fact its about the only time that
    we tour in the UK is Off season, quieter sites, guarenteed H/S and lovely clean warm shower blocks.Smile

    Frankly I do not think the clubs fees are exhorbitant for what you get although the are on the high side of average. If you look at this months Practical Caravan review on sites in Cornwall then it is clear that club sites are at the top
    end of the costs in most cases but only one seriously undercuts them and one is far more expensive. That is a particularly competitive area though which means sites do have to keep prices reasonable which is not always the case elsewhere.

    WW, what you get on a club site is just about the minimum any organisation could get away with and still be called a campsite...

    a pitch, an EHU and a toilet/shower block.

    dont start quoting wardens, receptions, waste bins etc, etc...just about every other site has these...

    when charging prices over £15 customers have a right to expect a bit more....

    free wifi?

    water/waste on the pitch?

    these at both the commercials ive used this week @ £15...

    not to mention the bar, restaurant, mini supermarket, etc...

    the club is in a timewarp, charging extra for a 'serviced pitch' and for a really dodgy wifi set up....customers expect more than a pitch, leccy and a loo.

    Write your comments here...I am happy to pay more for less. I certainly don,t want more than hard standing and EHU. Also happy to use non facility CC sites. The sites provide what I want

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #363

    But are all the sites classed as expensive in Winter/Spring/Autumn we stayed on 'Seaview' site Berwick on Tweed in November last year £13.95pn full facilities, H/S pitch. That was 5p less than the CL we had just left @ £14pn, grass, no toilet or shower block,
    the price had gone up by £2 for the winter to cover the cost of extra electric. I didn't mind paying either as they were in the place that I wanted to be, but it does show that not ALL sites are expensive all the time, in fact its about the only time that
    we tour in the UK is Off season, quieter sites, guarenteed H/S and lovely clean warm shower blocks.Smile

    Frankly I do not think the clubs fees are exhorbitant for what you get although the are on the high side of average. If you look at this months Practical Caravan review on sites in Cornwall then it is clear that club sites are at the top
    end of the costs in most cases but only one seriously undercuts them and one is far more expensive. That is a particularly competitive area though which means sites do have to keep prices reasonable which is not always the case elsewhere.

    WW, what you get on a club site is just about the minimum any organisation could get away with and still be called a campsite...

    a pitch, an EHU and a toilet/shower block.

    dont start quoting wardens, receptions, waste bins etc, etc...just about every other site has these...

    when charging prices over £15 customers have a right to expect a bit more....

    free wifi?

    water/waste on the pitch?

    these at both the commercials ive used this week @ £15...

    not to mention the bar, restaurant, mini supermarket, etc...

    the club is in a timewarp, charging extra for a 'serviced pitch' and for a really dodgy wifi set up....customers expect more than a pitch, leccy and a loo.

    Write your comments here...I am happy to pay more for less. I certainly don,t want more than hard standing and EHU. Also happy to use non facility CC sites. The sites provide what I want

    ..And that is what seems to be what the majority of people are quite happy with ,as both clubs sites seem fuller than in the past, off peak this year

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #364

    We've actually only spent 8 nights on CC sites so far this year. Including the early May Bank Holiday, they've averaged about £17 a night. Next week we'll have 8 nights at Penrhos. By using some site night vouchers it'll work out just under £16 a night -
    hardly excessive!
    Happy. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited July 2016 #365

    3rd para....

    i use them when the occasion warrants....if there is a suitable alternative (not always one available) i'll use it, as in the past two weeks...

    one night CC Tewkesbury, three nights CL Ludlow, three nights CC Broadway (friends wanted to try it there with us), three nights Sandy Balls, five nights Lytton Lawn...

    i am one of the few who actually does vote with their wheels...but i 'occasionally' use CC sites....

    at least my opinions of their 'value' (or not) is based on real experience.

    Write your comments here...but do you use the commercials when it's cheaper i.e. Monday to Friday rather than a whole week so you pay the exorbitant in many cases weekend prices? 

    For us we never notice the cost of a week as we rarely stay on CC sites that long so our costs are 1 or 2 nights at a time so it doesn't seem so bad.

    i sometimes bit the bullet with commercials and CC etc....

    i am staying a couple of extra days here at Lytton Lawn...one day will be £15, the other £30+

    however, i did a comparison way upthread which shows that a week at Sandy Balls was cheaper than a week at Broadway, despit the Fri/Sat being £40 as SB.... the £25 X  7 at broadway made it a fair bit more expensive.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #366

    Yes but Sandy Balls and Broadway are in two completely different parts of the country. Maybe ( note that word!) Broadway is "expensive" because the CC are providing a site in an expensive part of the country which the "chains" can't or won't build sites
    in and maybe if they did they'd end up charging the same "excessive" prices.

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited July 2016 #367

    Yes but Sandy Balls and Broadway are in two completely different parts of the country. Maybe ( note that word!) Broadway is "expensive" because the CC are providing a site in an expensive part of the country which the "chains" can't or won't build sites in and maybe if they did they'd end up charging the same "excessive" prices.

    Write your comments here...Land is land. If you own a piece of land and put a Campsite on it, it matters not what the surrounding property costs. 

    You charge for what you are retailing. In the case of Broadway, that's somewhere to park your van overnight while you tour the surrounding area. No different from most of the other CC campsites.

    Are you saying that for example, the supermarket in Broadway, part of a nationwide chain, should charge an additional supplement on all its products because of it's location. ------------ I think NOT !!!!

    Cool

     

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited July 2016 #368

    I have been surprised at horw full Bromyard Downs, Cherry Hinton and present site at Norfolk Broads have been.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #369

    Yes but Sandy Balls and Broadway are in two completely different parts of the country. Maybe ( note that word!) Broadway is "expensive" because the CC are providing a site in an expensive part of the country which the "chains" can't or won't build sites in and maybe if they did they'd end up charging the same "excessive" prices.

    Write your comments here...Land is land. If you own a piece of land and put a Campsite on it, it matters not what the surrounding property costs. 

    You charge for what you are retailing. In the case of Broadway, that's somewhere to park your van overnight while you tour the surrounding area. No different from most of the other CC campsites.

    Are you saying that for example, the supermarket in Broadway, part of a nationwide chain, should charge an additional supplement on all its products because of it's location. ------------ I think NOT !!!!

    Cool

     

    Is that right? Is land in the Cotswolds no more expensive than land, say, in West Lothian? I don't know which is why I used the word "maybe" (I don't live in a world of certainties the way some appear to Wink). What I was getting at is the question of why other providers don't seem to think it's worthwhile providing opposition to the CC in that area.

    BTW, I'm not on the "all things CC are marvellous" bandwagon; we use a variety of sites, whatever gives us the best experience in the area we're visiting. Happy

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited July 2016 #370

    Land in the Cotswolds and many places is far more expensive than say the north of Scotland etc.

    We normally book CC or C&CC sites and ahve found hte C&CC to be even more expensive and not as nice as CC sites sso we have dropped membership.  We have used commercial sites and stayed at one in Swannage in June but at £25 a night it was awful with sub
    standard facilities.  However I am now following BB's UK tour with interest to find alternatives, not for cost sake but more for the area and actual location of sites plus these seem to be groups of sites that are located in other areas that we may also use.

    Seems to me the cheapest way out of season is to use commercials with or without speccial offers Mon-Fri then CC (if you can get on ) at weekends

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #371

    I am beginning to think why am i member  We just went to book morton in marsh site (cotswolds) £215 for 7 nights begining of august  

    Not paying that  so booked riverside in stratford on avon right on the river with a water taxi from the site into the centre of stratford  for the same 7 nights £162 

    Ooohh I thought when I read this as I stay at Moreton in Marsh quite often, so i looked at Stratford Caravans website (I'm guessing this is the one you are refering to?).

    http://www.stratfordcaravans.co.uk/touring/2016%20%20-%20%20prices

    and it looked nice at first, until I realised it was all grass. Now that will suit some people but not me, looking out my window now at my wet garden, I wouldnt want a grass pitch even in July or August. My preference I realise. TBH for that reason I wouldnt
    stay there if it was free.

    Then there is the Deposit, the charge for awnings, the charge for dogs, a limit of two dogs, the various booking conditions etc etc.

    If this suits you great, but it wont suit a lot of people on here.

     

     

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited July 2016 #372

    I wouldn't think that land in the New Forest (where Sandy Balls is) is particularly cheap.....

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #373

    Club sites have always been at the top end of the price range right from the early days. When I first started out I used to say "blooming heck" at the prices, when at the peak of my earnings I used to say "blooming heck" and now retired I still say "blooming heck"

    With the expanding use of the internet however campers can more easily comprare the prices and what is on offer with other alternatives and make their choice. That information was not as easily accessable years ago so the club needs to take care.

    My impression is that members are beginning to vote with their feet.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #374

    It's certainly good to shop around for the best deal these days. We've found by using a combination of CLs, CSs, C&CC sites (with ACR) and CC sites ( sometimes using site night vouchers) we can get pretty much anywhere for under £20 a night which I consider
    reasonable for 2 adults, 2 dogs, awning, EHU and where available HS. Happy

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited July 2016 #375

    I agree moulesy

    We also use a mixture of sites depending upon the time of year and weather conditions and what we fancy.  In summer in the UK we keep to under £15 and have found plenty of sites at under £10. We don't need or use "facillities"

    Recently we have using C&CC Temp Holiday Sites (we have a Solar Panel) and really like the friendy good nature of these. Usually under £10 per night, some under a fiver!

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited July 2016 #376

    It's certainly good to shop around for the best deal these days. We've found by using a combination of CLs, CSs, C&CC sites (with ACR) and CC sites ( sometimes using site night vouchers) we can get pretty much anywhere for under £20 a night which I consider
    reasonable for 2 adults, 2 dogs, awning, EHU and where available HS. Happy

    M, how do you get your site night vouchers...?

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited July 2016 #377

    I agree moulesy

    We also use a mixture of sites depending upon the time of year and weather conditions and what we fancy.  In summer in the UK we keep to under £15 and have found plenty of sites at under £10. We don't need or use "facillities"

    Recently we have using C&CC Temp Holiday Sites (we have a Solar Panel) and really like the friendy good nature of these. Usually under £10 per night, some under a fiver!

    just this mornin i cycled from Lytton Lawn (milford on sea) to Bucklers Hard and went past a THS site just beyond the ferry terminal, went for a gander, no one there yet as first day, but organiser told me it was £8.50 a night.....walking distance from Lymington,
    not bad.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #378

    It's certainly good to shop around for the best deal these days. We've found by using a combination of CLs, CSs, C&CC sites (with ACR) and CC sites ( sometimes using site night vouchers) we can get pretty much anywhere for under £20 a night which I consider reasonable for 2 adults, 2 dogs, awning, EHU and where available HS. Happy

    M, how do you get your site night vouchers...?

    Well, I'm sure you know about the CC Barclaycard BB ( why do I suspect a trick question here? Wink)

    At the moment we use it for all our main shopping and pay it off in full each month, so no interest to pay. The vouchers are a nice little bonus which means we can use CC sites economically at times when we otherwise wouldn't. Now that the scheme is finishing we will probably close that account and apply for a Sainsburys credit card (that's where we do most of our main shopping).

    No lectures please on how we're not really getting a good deal with the vouchers - we can use them as we please and to get deals which suit us! Happy ( We'll get 8 nights at Penrhos next week for about £125, hardly "excessive" as I've said before.)

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited July 2016 #379

    M, oh Paranoid One.....no trick question, just interested.

    we have Sainsbury credit cards and, like many, pay it automatically each month. the points there are not brilliant.

    we put around £15k a year on the card so i was hoping that the Barclaycard deal (which i didnt know about) would be worth the switch....it seems not, if it is being withdrawn... 

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #380

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #381

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

    Can you use the vouchers in the petrol stations? I always thought it was just the main store.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #382

    I am beginning to think why am i member  We just went to book morton in marsh site (cotswolds) £215 for 7 nights begining of august  

    Not paying that  so booked riverside in stratford on avon right on the river with a water taxi from the site into the centre of stratford  for the same 7 nights £162 

    Ooohh I thought when I read this as I stay at Moreton in Marsh quite often, so i looked at Stratford Caravans website (I'm guessing this is the one you are refering to?).

    http://www.stratfordcaravans.co.uk/touring/2016%20%20-%20%20prices

    and it looked nice at first, until I realised it was all grass. Now that will suit some people but not me, looking out my window now at my wet garden, I wouldnt want a grass pitch even in July or August. My preference I realise. TBH for that reason I wouldnt
    stay there if it was free.

    Then there is the Deposit, the charge for awnings, the charge for dogs, a limit of two dogs, the various booking conditions etc etc.

    If this suits you great, but it wont suit a lot of people on here.

     

     

    ..Thats where the "hidden" extras on other sites soon make them on a par with both clubs sites

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #383

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

    Write your comments here...£250 ?? or £2.50Wink

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #384

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

    Can you use the vouchers in the petrol stations? I always thought it was just the main store.

    Yes, you can use Nectar points in the fuel stations. Haven't done so up to now. We usually keep them for special "liquid" treats around Christmas/New Year! Wink

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #385

    Yes but Sandy Balls and Broadway are in two completely different parts of the country. Maybe ( note that word!)
    Broadway is "expensive" because the CC are providing a site in an expensive part of the country which the "chains" can't or won't build sites in and maybe if they did they'd end up charging the same "excessive" prices.

    Write your comments here...Land is land. If you own a piece of land and put a Campsite on it, it matters not what the surrounding property costs. 

    You charge for what you are retailing. In the case of Broadway, that's somewhere to park your van overnight while you tour the surrounding area. No different from most of the other CC campsites.

    Are you saying that for example, the supermarket in Broadway, part of a nationwide chain, should charge an additional supplement on all its products because of it's location. ------------ I think NOT !!!!

    Cool

     

    ..That is the case of most supermarkets when there is no competion and only one supermarket in Broadway, 

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited July 2016 #386

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

    Write your comments here...£250 ?? or £2.50Wink

    Yes, I had to look twice at that! 

    Just checked and Moulesy is (of course) quite correct. £250 just for signing up to it.

    MrsH already has one - drat!

    I wonder if i could also get one?

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited July 2016 #387

    Switching to the Saintsbury's card will make sense for us, our nearest store is within walking distance. 5000 points for joining (worth £250) then double points for 2 years. Admittedly they have to be used in store but as I said we do allnour main shopping
    there anyway, and we could always use them for fuel for trips in the van! Happy

    Write your comments here...£250 ?? or £2.50Wink

    Yes, I had to look twice at that! 

    Just checked and Moulesy is (of course) quite correct. £250 just for signing up to it.

    MrsH already has one - drat!

    I wonder if i could also get one?

    Curses! just checked again....and Moulesy is wrong!

    The 5000 points are only worth £25......and depend on you spending £800 on the card in the first 3 months.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #388

    OOOPS! hanging my head in shame at that blooper! Embarassed. Use left and right arrows to navigate. Of couse 5000/2 = 2500p which is indubitably £25! Laughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    (Good to see your faith in me though, Ian, even if eventually unrewarded!)

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited July 2016 #389

    OOOPS! hanging my head in shame at that blooper!
    Embarassed. Use left and right arrows to navigate.
     Of couse 5000/2 = 2500p which is indubitably £25!

    Laughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    ...Just stopped OH dashing into sainsbogsTongue Out

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited July 2016 #390

    OOOPS! hanging my head in shame at that blooper!
    Embarassed. Use left and right arrows to navigate.
     Of couse 5000/2 = 2500p which is indubitably £25!

    Laughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    Write your comments here...Never mind M.  -- Mathematics can be difficult  for some people !!!!!!   HappyHappyHappy

    Wink

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #391

    OOOPS! hanging my head in shame at that blooper!
    Embarassed. Use left and right arrows to navigate.
     Of couse 5000/2 = 2500p which is indubitably £25!

    Laughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    Write your comments here...Never mind M.  -- Mathematics can be difficult  for some people !!!!!!   HappyHappyHappy

    Wink

    understanding rule 15 was a mighty challenge for others!Wink