Yurts? Pods? What on earth?

yellowbelly3
yellowbelly3 Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited May 2017 in Club Products & Services #1

I was horrified to receive an email yesterday from our Club, offering Glamping Pods, Yurts, and cottages on our Club sites!!

I belong the Club, and go to Club sites, to mix with like-minded caravanners and motorhomers, who have the same shared leisure experiences to share, talk about, and give advice.  This bonhommie of fellow travellers is an absolute part of why we belong.

I cannot express the sheer disbelief and horror I felt on reading that the Club, without consultation (unless I have missed this??), has decreed I will be sharing with people who perhaps do not understand or abide by night noise rules -and that is just the first thing that springs to mind.  The precious bonhommie will rapidy disappear.

What on earth has happened to our Club?

Only CL's from now on.

Yellowbelly3

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Comments

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited May 2017 #2

    I share some of your thoughts yellowbelly however so far I have not encountered lager louts etc on various non club sites where pods etc are in use but it is a valid point.  They aren't actually a cheap option that might attract noisy customers!  When I first saw it I thought it might be an option to try different locations without the caravan until I found the price and the not pet friendly bit!  Pods in good walking areas do very well I believe I know of some on the West Highland way that are economically viable but we will see if there is a future for them on club sites.  I do think sticking to the rules is very important as people seem to be getting more and more oblivious of their fellow travellers.  

  • triky auto
    triky auto Forum Participant Posts: 8,690
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    edited May 2017 #3

    undecided "Caravan & Motorhome Club" 

                 ' say's it all ' frown.

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #4

    Now its the "caravan, motorhome, yurt, pod and cottage club" laughing

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2017 #5

    Campervans and trailer tents still not part of the"club"surprised

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #6

    Forgot those !.....sorryembarassed

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited May 2017 #7

    It's the future. I'm afraid just because someone doesn't own an LV does not make them noisy out of control sociopaths. Disbelief & horror, really?. Look at what is happening in the World we live in-there's real disbelief & horror unfortunately, not the fact you may see things other than tin boxes on wheels around youfrown

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited May 2017 #8

    I have mixed feelings on this and as said they may prove too expensive for that kind of clientele.

    I think there is another point being missed here though, "The Club" has evolved into a very large commercial business which to be fair benefits us all with the services and products it can now offer. Having worked in a large National company for many years I can see exactly what is happening in my opinion, Its called "Milking the Asset" in the business world in a drive to achieve maximum cost effectiveness from your existing assets with minimal investment cost. In this case the sites/land. 

    For what it's worth I would rather just see Motorhomes & Caravans on Site but its done.

      

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #9

    Exactly Rocky , company's have to diversify these days to stay in business, people are looking for more and want their money to go further , I am constantly looking at different ways to get customers in my shop ,and the CC is no different .....

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited May 2017 #10

    You & other business folk look to innovative ideas for survival HD, bring in new blood, sell more, it's called survival-innovators will always survive & prospersmile

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #11

    My all time favourite site has a tree house, a wooden tent, a David Cameron shepherd's hut,  and a dozen tents, caravans and campervans all mixed up - no silly restrictions of members only or adults only or nonawning pitches  -  and an old lady owner who serves drinks on the terrace behind her house on summer evenings. Variety is the spice of life. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #12

    That's a bit over the top, YB. We're talking about a few posh tents and sheds, not the end of civilisation as we know it. Live and let live, I say. Evolve rather than die.

    You'll find comments for and against in the other thread.  

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited May 2017 #13

    Had the same email,  can't see what the problem with them is.

    I was tempted to book one, thought the Glamping Pods looked great, only problem is "no pets" .

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,041 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #14

    Club has done cottages for years. And tents. Hope you get over the shock YB. Be prepared to see yurts, pods, huts and cottages alongside CL pitches as well, some CLs have done this for years!

     

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2017 #15

    Only on sites that had cottages when aquirred  by the club,and tents have only recently been welcome on more sites,in the past it was only if the lease specified tents and non memberswink

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,041 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #16

    Semantics JVB. As I said, cottages and tent pitches have been available for years. I have camped on at least five Club Sites, going back at least 15 years. 

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited May 2017 #18

    I despair!! frown

    What next? undecided

    Wherever will it all end? frown

    The Caravan Club should never have allowed anything other than Horse-drawn Caravans and I said so at the time!!  winkwink

  • Amesford
    Amesford Club Member Posts: 685 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #19

    Warming to the ideacool  now if our grown up kids and partners invade our holiday reliving their childhoods they can now stay in one of those and the annexe can stay in the bag

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #20

    Bring in a bouncy castle as well on Club sites, communal shared barbecue pits, table tennis tables, a volleyball pitch, bike hire and ice creams .....and we might do the sort of three generation family holidays we regularly share on proper campsites. But this Club has a long way to go beyond a few yurts before it will attract the younger parts of my big family. Till then they will leave Club sites to the old folk.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #21

    In my recollection the club has had a few sites with accomadation' including tents, for what some would call 'donkey's years'. Our family have even stayed in one which had cottage accomadation whilst we stayed in our van. This really isn't a new thing and so enjoyable it was to have our non caravaning family on site with us.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #22

    Will the users of these facilities have to be club members and pay the same dues as us?

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #23

    I can't remember if that was the case then (as previously described) it was so many years ago, Oneput. Just to add that she later went on to buy a camper van mind you she had toured with us throughout her childhood and this experience helped rekindled her love for our pastime.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #24

    Will caravans (both trailer and motor) now be accepted on site by the Yurts, Pods, Huts, Campervan, Trailer Tent and Cottages Club?

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2017 #25

    Campervaners and trailer tenters do not seem to have any hangups about them not being recognisedwink

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #26

    YB, why do you think that the people who will use these Pods, Yurts, or whatever will :

    perhaps do not understand or abide by night noise rules -and that is just the first thing that springs to mind

    Why do you think they will be any different to those that use caravans and MHs?

    Also do these poders or yurters have some sort of diplomatic immunity if they do break the rules?

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited May 2017 #27

    I agree with the op.

    There is a fallacy that the more the Club provides, the more money it will make. Not true. 

    These units are very expensive to buy, site and maintain. They will replace caravan / motorhome pitches on sites which are the opposite of all of these.

    Of course, the Club will never reveal the losses made on this expensive experiment......because they have the comfort of all those membership fees to cushion them.

    Membership fees that these new (temporary and occaisional) site users won't be paying of course, just as tent campers don't have to pay membership fees or non-member site fees.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #28

    I have just book with an affiliated site and discovered the discount I get as a CC member from the all-comers rate is . . . . one pound a night!

    It will take a lot of these bookings to fund the £40 the Club now demands.

     

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #29

    I think the Club managers are probably worried about site occupancy rates and are looking for ways  to bring in more customers. The late availability page is telling me that the eight Club sites here in Cornwall have a total of 400 empty places at the end of next week - and that's the Bank Holiday weekend. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2017 #30

    But then find a pitch in most of the rest of the countrywink

    Its a well known fact that the far south west is usually only "busy" for about six weeks of school holidays, thought you might know thatsurprised

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #31

    ? ? ? ? undecided