There is a lot of very unhappy club members
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Perhaps I need to ask the Club some questions about Pods. In particular to find out how often the pods are used in relation to what marketing is done, who uses the Pods (members or non-members - is there a difference in cost). Also is there a strategy to increase the number of Pods.
Of course, if each Pod takes up a pitch, then every extra pod would mean one less available pitch. I wonder if this should be seen in relation to tent pitches. Are tent pitches underused? If so is it viable to increase pods and decrease tent pitches? Are club sites bound by by-laws on some sites to say there must be tent pitches on certain sites? (Folk may be aware that some sites have to be open to non-members, for example, because of local regulations - but non-members pay more).
One advantage of pods is that they can be moved from one site to another - and I know the Club have done this.
Lots of questions worth asking to see if there is anything to be gained by increasing the number of pods without making disadvantages for current caravan/ motorhome users etc.
David
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The answers would be interesting David ...... if you can obtain them.
As I said earlier they would not make sense on some sites. No point a big advertising campaign with so few to let.
I doubt if many users have not already got contact with a caravanner.
The season for those using tents would I suspect be shorter than pods perhaps,
Maybe a use for a less popular grass pitch
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It seems to me that images of tent pitches are more in evidence on Club site booking pages and that booking looks easier.
Is it me or is this a relatively new thing. Seem to remember that getting details of costs for tent pitches was not so easy previously. I could be wrong though.
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Certainly when our lads met up with us about 6 years ago they had to book a tent pitch by phone with the site. Now it is possible to book online and see availability, just like if booking our van.
Perhaps they will bring in the same for pods, when folk get a bit more familiar with them.
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As posted on another thread (to many "new" threads on one subject)it has been said the "old club" were losing members as younger families were joining the more "upwardly mobile" camping club, but i think it is more that because of the increasing pressure on their finances ,and modern houses having no place for parking anything, let alone a large leisure vehicle and storage in this area at about £600 pa, a modern tent with more space and all the equipment that is available for modern camping is far more attractive option , as is a small camping trailer and smallish family car is also a lot cheaper,and camping is still the c&cc core and growing customer base
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On the subject of motorhome being sold to younger people, I can't remember the exact words spoken by the representative from Spinney Caravans, but the notes that the Central Region secretary made at the question time session 2 weeks ago says this:
"Motorhome too expensive for younger people?
• Spinney say that more younger people are in fact, buying motorhomes using finance to purchase.
• More motorhome being sold than caravans, using PCP. "(By the way, PCP is short for Personal Contract Purchase. It complicated to explain, but basically it's a way of purchasing a car/motorhome and what you pay is based on the depreciation value of the vehicle over a period of time. Martin Lewis can explain it much better than me HERE.)
David
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Then we have another dealer (ours) telling me when i booked our c/van in for its service,they are getting a lot of enquiries asking if they would take a m/van in px for a c/van, as they are thinking of getting rid of the Diesel? engined m/c
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In my opinion no. Or at least not at the expense of caravan pitches and even more so because of their shorter season with families. With normal pitches they are obviously most popular during peak school holiday times. Many older folk avoid this period but do take up lot of the slack during other times. I cannot see many of the older folk wishing to tent.
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If you go to FaceBook a new closed group started up on there only a couple or so months ago named Caravanners UK it now has over 18.500 Members, its own Website started this last week. Stickers and Mugs etc. Going fast. They are all Caravans a lot of New ones but more Second Hand ones and many many new folks to caravanning and younger folks too. Within the group is another closed one for Kia Owners with Caravans started couple of weeks back which already has 214 Members. A very go ahead Main Group and very active.
Dianne
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So who buys what type of outfit when, sometimes seems to be misinterpreted.
Purely based on what I heard (and overheard) looking at caravans, both trailer and motor, at the Scottish Caravan Show a lot of those viewing who were not already owners were liking the idea of a motor caravan as to them it seemed the simplest way to start. No licence or towing/reversing worries, etc.
However, those expressing a liking for trailer caravans were existing owners of both forms. The main basis appeared to be flexibility - it was easy to change the size or number of berths, or layout, without a huge investment, simply by trading in. Similarly a few had recently changed tow vehicle and were looking at what opportunities that now provided.
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Exactly right and that's reflecting what I see in my hometown.
It's a very big potential market. This club seems to have decided that they want to go for a different market and that's their choice. I do know a couple of people with T5 and T6 conversions as we go to many vw rallies and festivals but they camp with 'bus' clubs, go to rallies or wild camp.
It's difficult to know who the future market will be but I feel this club is aiming at the 45-55 sporty, outdoorsy couples. I fit the age profile but nothing else
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I don't think you can read much into the shows. For example my friends and I look at little campervans, teardrops and tents because they are different from what we have but we've no intention of buying.
At the Manchester show we heard a few families in the motorhome area discussing how they wouldn't work for them. I understand that because they wouldn't have worked for us.
A lot just go to compare layouts so they know what to look for second hand
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I certainly agree that more tent pitches should not be at the expense of other pitches. I wonder if there is a difference between trying to obtain permission to open a caravan park as opposed to a camp site that takes mixed units? I know that the Club finds it difficult to find suitable new Land for sites. Is different if you include tents? Does if differ between one local authority and another?
I'm finding this a really useful and positive discussion. Keep the ideas and thought coming....
David
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It won't be a planning requirement. Planning can only consider what is applied for. There's little difference to a planner between a tent and a caravan in land use terms
It will be part of the lease or an historic agreement to provide pitches on behalf of the local authority when that was required.
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I know member only sites can be an issue - that's why some Club sites are 'open to non-members'. Just wondering if the inclusion of grass pitches has any effect on the number of 'objections' from local residents etc - whether more object to 'caravans only'. Just clutching at straws really...
On the subject of the Club aiming at the 45-55 sporty types, I don't think this is the planned intention. I think the Club is aiming to try and be more inclusive - to encourage others, but I'm not sure they have got it completely right. I would bet that it's all 'work in progress'. I'm not sporty and not in that age bracket. Perhaps they are aware that they have already 'caught' a certain demographic so they are just trying to widen things a little. I can't see the wine drinking, sightseeing and sunbathing group that I belong to going anywhere particularly quickly - I don't go anywhere particularly quickly these days, and I think there are probably a good proportion of my type in the Club already. LOL
No offense meant to anyone.David
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Tent pitches certainly make sense if you want to attract the younger element, who cannot afford or have no current interest in a caravan. We picked sites with camping pitches available, in order for ours sons to join us. If that possibility was not there, the CAMC would be in danger of loosing both our business and our sons to the friendly club, which do cater for it.
A lot of the folk we have seen camping on club sites, have been there with others in caravans or motorhomes. If they ever decide to upgrade to hard shelled accommodation, the CAMC are perhaps more likely to get their business.
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Where the "old club" seemed to have a problem with more sites taking tents is the lack of understanding by some of the what seems,non caravaning management, as from what i understand is a push to find more tent pitches on sites,when a "manager?" goes to a site wanting to know why the warden could not find space for tents? and when advised as a Non Facility site how can they take modern families in tents? it did not compute
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