Loosing More CLs, why?
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As with all business large or small identify your market and provided what the market demands. As a caravanner I wanted a small campsite hardstand and serviced pitches. So when I built my CL that’s what I included I was lucky it turned out that’s exactly what other members wanted and I now have a 55% occupancy, a long way from a traditional CL perhaps.
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You have the wonderful location as well HBHF
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So often on here we see CL users hypothesizing about how much the CL owners might be making and why they should keep their charges low, that it is interesting to hear that a site as beautiful and well kept as yours still only manages 55% occupancy. Does make you wonder how little used some other sites are. We are usually abroad in the spring so tend to use CLs in July, September and October when we find it fairly rare to find all the pitches occupied and far more likely only two or three on site.
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I also wonder if the prices asked at Cls are now too high. If I want to go to the Llyn Peninsular here in North Wales a cl will set me back £15/20 tending towards the higher price. Off season ( which would be the only time I went) I can get a fully kited Euro Pitch at Haven - Pwllheli for £10/11 per night. Peacefully away from the statics and adjacent to the bus route. No need to move my van. That's the competition unfortunately. I cant see a 5 van site being able to provide hard standing EHU and a toilet block at that price. I vote with my pocket.
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I don't think CL owners are in competition with Haven and we all know how high Haven prices rise in the main season. Personally Haven sites have no attraction for me, I like CLs because they are small and often in places were larger holiday sites would not be allowed to exist.
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I don't think CL owners are in competition with Haven and we all know how high Haven prices rise in the main season. Personally Haven sites have no attraction for me, I like CLs because they are small and often in places were larger holiday sites would not be allowed to exist.
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Well I must be a bit of an oddball as although I mostly tour abroad I happily pay the same (or even a bit more) for a CL versus commercial or CC sites merely for the peace and quiet and a small rural and basic location. Perish the thought, but If I couldn't tour abroad and had to use CC or Haven sites I'd be seriously tempted to give up.
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If you are an oddball then I am too but I think that we in the minority that we are prepared to pay more to have the smaller CLs. So many of the club members seems to think that CL should equal low cost because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles but that is exactly why I like them. I pay for the chance to be just one of five.
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If you are an oddball then I am too but I think that we in the minority that we are prepared to pay more to have the smaller CLs. So many of the club members seems to think that CL should equal low cost because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles but that is exactly why I like them. I pay for the chance to be just one of five.
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Imagine running a B&B, with bedrooms vacant, but only being allowed to take members of one particular Club, and having to refuse customers who are members of the other Club, and having to refuse customers who are not members of any Club at all. It would be a crazy way to run a B&B.
No wonder some CLs are pretty empty - because they are operating within rules like that.
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All l I am doing is looking at reasons why the Cl network is shrinking. It could be Size is too restrictive. Prices are too high in view of the recent expansion into the touring market by what used to be static sites. We want too many facilities so the differential between CC and Cl is too little. Limited advertising confined to hand book. Inability to allow non members in. The list goes on-like most things there is no simple answer. The harsh reality is as mentioned here there is a marked decline in numbers and very few new sites opening. I don't have an answer but I now use a variety of sites whilst in the past it was almost exclusively Cls.
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Eurotraveller - you raise an excellent point. CL's have been asking the Club for a number of years to be allowed to sell Non Members a Membership when they arrive on a CL (what I'd call a 'drive-in') or call at the last minute.
So far, the Club has declined to incentivise us to do this..
- It would bring some additional members into the club and boost the revenue of the club long term
- It would be another incentive for CL owners to check Membership details
- It would align with the policy at Club Sites (where Membership can be sold)
- It would align with the policy of the C&CC (CS's earn £ from this)
- It might earn the CL's a small commission
I'm hoping, that after repeated requests, the Club suggest CL's to sell membership packs in 2017, and receive a small commission from the Club for their efforts.
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Some of us stay at basic cl's not only because we prefer them but because they are the only ones we can afford.
We struggle to afford our subscription. I had understood that, originally the club had introduced cl's partly for this reason.
Perhaps we are the only ones in the CC in this position....
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My OH and I are both retired and try to be careful with the cash. It is nice to have very good facilities etc. but we generally use CL's as we are very rarely in the caravan all day, so really we are only 'parking' there. We have no qualms about using our own shower if necessary are quite satisfied with that situation. It is very nice when we do go on a bigger site but each to their own. Whatever floats your boat as they say. I would be very surprised debroos, if you were the only ones.
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I see in February's magazine there are another 12 closures, and no new CL's . 😢
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Oops double post!
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Funny you should mention that.
One of the sites reviewed in the Feb Mag sited in the Midlands started off as a CL but is now a 58 pitch site, Hanbury I think. Can't check as the mags in the recycling bin and its outside for collection tomorrow.
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Maybe, just maybe, people such as myself who are wedded to the 5 van rule might have to change their view slightly in order to preserve the existence of a small CL type site.
What if the law was changed and allowed a maximum of 10 units, but only if there was a minimum space set aside for accomodating each unit based on the rules for current CLs. Then owners might decide to upgrade facilities or bring in hardstandings or leave some pitches without EHU and basic with a lower price per night for those who like basic sites.
If we CL lovers faced the steady but inexorable reduction in CL numbers would we be prepared to compromise our long held doctrine of a 5 unit site?
If there was a consensus then the club would have to use its collective weight to lobby parliament.
So would you be prepared to compromise?
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Yes, Harbury Fields used to be a CL, we used it when it was one, quite a few years ago. Even then it had a second field for permanent vans and was building new toilet facilities.
With regard to the raising the number of allowed vans to 10 depending on the size of the site, you know what would happen....some sites would just cram in as many as they could, with little room btween the vans.... they do it now with a 5 van limit!!
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I might be prepared to compromise on the number of units on a site up to seven or eight if the pictures showed the area was big enough, but I am not prepared to accept there being more units than is stated.
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LTC - I was only advocating a possibility if and when legislation changed, not as things stand.
I also agree with NTH that some CLs are overcrowded and more and more seem to be accepting that 5 vans is a starting point. The point I was making about increased vans would be based on the CLs ability, area wise, to accommodate any such increase.
I sincerely wish and want there to be more CLs not less but the very fact of that this thread is up and running seems to be an indication that the opposite is true.
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We shall just have to disagree on this one.
I think it's the whole idea of membership and members only which is a straitjacket which CLs have put themselves into. A site which does that is losing half its potential customers. It doesn't happen anywhere else in the world - campsites there are open to all. They don't turn people away and they don't hand out membership forms before letting customers in.
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The only way to determine an answer to the OP's question is for 'someone' to phone a number of CLs and ask them why they have been delisted. They are at liberty to not reveal why but no doubt some will give the information.
I have declined this Club's advertising brochure in magazine clothing so cannot readily identify which ones have closed.
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We have stayed on one of this months now closed CLs a couple of times.. Its near Berwick on Tweed, a pub site. A little research on Trip advisor and ukcampsite reveals that the previous owner has sold / left the pub. The CL is therefore no more.. It's not even clear if there is a new landlord yet....
Who knows how many other closures are due to change of ownership, retirement etc..
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