Adult Only Club Sites
Comments
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'Few' instead of 'Suspects'. You're trying, Ian.
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No group, just individuals, Ian. People tend to find they're like minded when they have reasonable views.
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Friends.........like minded friends. Always a good word is friends!
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Why do I keep loosing the thread whenever I try to read previous posts? It make it impossible to follow the responses to the OP!! What a mess this forum is getting!!
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agreed, Nellie, when i page back to understand all the Bryan Singer
jokes, it takes me to a parallel thread with just three posts....whatever bugs are affecting duplicates (and therefore navigation) are getting worse. add in the ressurection of really old threads and its becoming very difficult to get anywhere on CT these days.
not only that, it takes a l i f e t i m e to do anything.......and then youve arrived at the wrong place....total cr*p, im afraid
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Couldn't have put it better myself BB. I think I'll give up and just go onto a better, simpler to negotiate forum.
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Pages are not available. Unfortunately by clicking on “ this link “ I lose the ability to click on back arrow on top left of laptop [not sure why] so will give this discussion a miss as this type of subject matter has been on discussions before.
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As has been said time and again why join an inclusive club and then want it to become exclusive to some, especially when there is no shortage of quality AO sites throughout the country. This is like an oft quoted lie that suddenly is seen as fact.
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Things change.
Who would have thought that the Caravan Club would start to encourage tents, provide pods and assorted other sheds, holiday lets etc.
None of these were available either, when we joined the Club.
If the Club, as part of their transformation to CAMC, are changing in order to provide products that are popular, then why not try AO sites? According to several posters, there are plenty of them out there, so they must be very popular.
So why not give them a ty?
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Surely the point is that, unlike commercial sites, members pay a membership fee to belong to the club and use its facilities - all its facilities. Why would anyone pay a full membership fee and then only be able to use some of its facilities?
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Agree fully with you Moulesy.
Just because something exists does not mean it is popular! It is the demand that counts. Are these AO sites full as club sites? I think I did a simple test last time this came up where I choose some AO sites near to club sites in August. The club sites were full or only had a few days here or there, not a full week. While the AO sites had plenty of full weeks.
Two children on a club site boost the income for that pitch by over 20%, sometimes 25%. Spread that across the network in peak and the club makes a lot of income due to children. If you don't like children then club sites aren't really for you and don't join or come to them in school holidays, you are not forced to use club sites!
Also as stated club sites are practically AO during term time anyway. A fact I have now certainly found out for myself.
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The Tiny minority who seem to be hell bent on keeping this thread (and previos threads)going on the subject of the club having AO sites or AO areas on current sites, then they are living in a world far apart from the real world of the majority of members, who are far more worried about the lack of sites for everyone, without the niche market of AO pitching areas/sites
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Ian it is totally unreasonable to compare these two aspects.
The tents, pods etc actually make the club more inclusive, as it allows other family members, who don't own a caravan or motorhome, to holiday together. We have certainly made use of this facility on several occasions.
AO sites on the other hand specifically exclude anyone with children. Despite, in most cases, those folk having paid a membership fee at the same rate as anyone else.
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That's a reasonable point that you make, M.
It also begs the question - why do we have to pay a membership fee and then share the sites and facilities with non-members who pay neither membership fee nor an extra fee per night (tent campers, shed occupiers etc).
In answer to the point about AO sites and finances - If it came to a competition between a commercial operator and CAMC about who knows best how to read the market, give customers what they want and how to make profit - I know where my vote would go.
Why do so many private sites operate on an AO basis? Do you think it's because they like to lose money? No. And they make money without the huge (£12 million?) cushion of a membership fee.
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It also begs the question - why do we have to pay a membership fee and then share the sites and facilities with non-members who pay neither membership fee nor an extra fee per night (tent campers, shed occupiers etc).
Well in August at Trewethett Farm they actually pay £2 more a night for a 5m x 5m tent pitch, as against a non electric full awning pitch. So I would say there is an extra fee.
However, surely that is not the point, the club wants to encourage new younger members and the camping / pods initiative is a good way of doing it.
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When I was in Marketing, it was always wise to compare like with like to get a decent comparison. Comparing a huge multi site, multi department entity such as the CC, with a single site, single raison d'être private site isn't really a good comparison. It's a bit like comparing Tesco with a corner shop. Neither is right or wrong, both serve a purpose, and hopefully both thrive. But they won't be using the same operating procedures.
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Why do so many private sites operate on an AO basis? Do you think it's because they like to lose money? No
I really boggle how people are able to write statements like this without thinking of backing it up with some evidence?
How many private sites operating on an AO basis are there? How many compared to non AO sites? Again some figures would be useful.
Why do they operate on a AO basis? I have no idea, maybe the owner doesn't like children? Of course the owner can do whatever they want. It is their site, Hopefully they have done their homework and can make it pay. But it is usually a private site, not part of a 200+ site network like the club where we all pay a membership fee and all should have equal access to 'our' sites.
All I can assume, not having the figures and data to hand and do not claim to have is that as they are still in business they are making money, but are they as popular as club sites are? Are they making as much money as the club?
Take out the income from children and that will mean higher sites fees to make up for it. Even if sites continue to be as full as they are now all that income from children (remember roughly 10% extra per per child per pitch) will have gone.
As the OP has stated that he thinks club sites are expensive for what they are what is the point of making them more expensive?
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As an operator of 200+ sites, the CAMC is in a far better position than most to experiment with AO sites. It will, in all probability, find them to be their most profitable sites.
To those who say that there are few AO sites (in a forlorn attempt to suggest that they are unpopular) I would refer you to their earlier comments, where they say that there are 'plenty' of AO sites outside of the CAMC network to try.
Of course, it is not uncommon for people to change their argument, when flailing about to defend what is clearly indefensible.
AO sites are popular. They are clearly profitable. I predict tbat the CAMC will embrace the concept if they wish to carry on in the business of caravan sites.
But I suspect that this sort of modernisation may be left to tbe company that takes over the running of their sites within the next few years.
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Just out of interest Ian, when was the last time you chose to stay on an AO site in the UK? I've read you mentioning CAMC, C&CC and certain commerial sites but I don't recall you actually saying you'd chosen an AO site, even though I'm guessing they must exist in the areas you've visited. Of course, I may missed something!
Just asking!
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