Site Fee Increases from 2016 to 2017
I'm currently on site and was looking back through the 2016 Site Directory and comparing the fees with those paid for the same period in 2017. I believe the CC has some explaining to do. Two examples:
Lady Margaret's Park
2016. Site Fee £7.00 per adult. Pitch fee. £9.20.
2017. Site Fee £7.80 per adult. Pitch Fee. £10.30.
Significant increase i.e.10% plus.
York Rowntree Park
2016. Site Fee £7.40 per adult. Pitch Fee. £8.20.
2017. Site Fee. £8.50 per adult. Pitch Fee. £9.50.
Please feel free to check my numbers.
If correct then we have experienced a 10% plus increase on 2016 charges. What business could expect to survive in these times if they added more than 10% per year to their charges? Are we getting value for money and/or have we all experienced a surcharge to pay for the massively costly rebranding of the CC. We deserve an explanation. Should I hold my breath?
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The club held the prices on some sites plus retaining the low fee sites at £14 all in. So the increase is not across the board and averaged out is probably lower than 10%. Not that I'm advocating price rises but overheads will increase year on year.
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Overheads being the capital outlay on rebranding perhaps?
If the average is less than 10%, perhaps 9.99%? Then the cynical might think that the CC raised prices on those sites they thought would suffer least from less patronage yet kept the increases at other sites lower on those sites it needed to increase patronage on?
If we are to experience 10% annually or even bi-annually then medium term they will have major problems with lower levels of bookings.
The two sites I quoted are sites I actually use hence I have experienced over 10 per cent increases on my stay costs.
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Then the cynical might think that the CC raised prices on those sites they thought would suffer least from less patronage yet kept the increases at other sites lower on those sites it needed to increase patronage on?
Wouldn't that be normal business practice?
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if they applied supply and demand, then there are two site's on the system that would carry a greater increase, this would allow them to lower the price in other areas, then again pigs might fly.
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The price freeze sites are listed under details about Club Sites at the top of the page including the £14 per night site and other reductions.
I've no idea when the rebranding process started and whether costs started to come out of last years accounts with a follow on this year maybe? I would imagine the expense is spread due to the length of time it would take to approve and implement.
The site prices will no doubt always increase due to various factors including redevelopment work, also listed on the club site pages.
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You also need to add in season drift, the peak and shoulder seasons have got longer over the last few years on most sites.
Those where prices were held for 2017 were mainly the less expensive sites to start with, so not that great a saving for members.
With a less than 1% increase in my pension, and interest rates cut yet again this year, these increases are making us seek out more CLs and non club sites.
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I think that on the whole site fees for most of the sites most of the time are fairly reasonable......
However, for us they have edged towards the upper limit of what is doable for the part of the family budget we are prepared to allocate to caravanning.....
We are not interested in CL's and the commercial sites we would be prepared to use are invariably the same price or dearer than "full fat" club sites. We are members of CCC as well but their sites seem just as expensive and seem to have often unworkable for us minimum stays.....
As a result we have cancelled or are not taking several of the trips we had planned....
I must say that the CC sites we have been to this year have appeared full but there seems to be some evidence that this is not the case everywhere with members reporting on here and looking at availability on some of the popular sites webpage....
You will probably have to dig deep into the Annual Report to see occupancy percentages for this year but my gut feeling is that it is time for a slight realignment of prices downwards, they appear to have overcooked it this year.....
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Everything's getting more expensive, as a season ticket holder traveling by train I will soon get turned over on that too.
So long as the Club puts the funds to good use and updates sites etc and we can see some good come of our fee we'll remain.
I guess there is a lot behind a site fee, not only up keep but labour costs, maintenance, gas costs, parts, insurance etc etc.
The rebranding would have cost a fair wedge, but so long as that's it for many years ahead and no further changes, OK.
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A large corporate operator of yacht marinas, when challenged about price increases, once famously said "we will continue to increase prices until the pips squeak". At that time they had waiting lists for berths at their marinas.
Eventually the pips did squeak. They now have vacancies at most of their marinas. Market forces always eventually rule?
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Just cancelled our bank holiday bookings for next weekend as we have just got somewhere nicer and a lot cheaper, No doubt some one will take it but it will not be us. In the drop down menu for canceling there should be a got some where cheaper option.
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Given the devoted following and lack of competition in many areas I think it will be a long time before market forces make any difference.
I think one point is that often the comparable competition is not markedly cheaper for many. When I book sites I am unlikely to to search around to save a 2 or 3 quid if there is a CC site where I wish to be.
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A very good point, I'll be staying at Troutbeck head soon which for 2 adults and 2 children from now till start of September comes in at £33 per night. Within a few miles are the following non club sites:
Quiet Site £40, Lowther park £35, Cove £34. Some of these charge extra for dogs. So it it appears the club site is the cheapest.
Also it appears that these 10% plus increases haven't really put off new members joining or club sites being full, I'm basing that on the fact I couldn't get in to my favourite sites til after the BH, and September seems pretty good too (on the sites I want). also don't forget many sites did not not have an increase this year. But at the end of the day if you (or one) doesn't like the price for what you perceive to be getting you then go elsewhere.
Also a bit late in the year to start working out percentage increases for this year isn't it?
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also I notice the CCC Derwentwater site comes in at between £33.70 to £38.85 in high season for their family deal. Also there are minimum night stays and of course deposits (I assume that includes EHU)
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People complain about CC sites being dear. I agree they are not cheap. However I have used some commercial sites that may have been slightly cheaper (because no CC site where I wanted to be) and these have not been a patch on the CC sites. Yes I have used some commercial sites that are good. Also used some with really nice showers etc but no privacy cubicle. OH not keen on those - I like a privacy cubicle as well.
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Hmm.....I would have thought an increase in fees of over 10 per cent would be of interest and/or concern to many members no matter what time of year? I don't understand the relevance of your statement "a bit late in the year".
It would appear that since the CC is such good value you eagerly anticipate another hike in prices next year just so long as private sites also hike their prices.
I, too never paid too much attention to CC prices in the past however such are the price levels now a week away for two or three people is becoming quite an expensive consideration for many and not just pensionersr or others on low incomes. The club is in danger, as maybe are some private sites, of pricing themselves out of business. We shall see however is anyone out there really going to accept another round of such increases next year?
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Hi, The site directory only comes out every two years so the prices referred to would be for the 2015 season as I have just check my old site directory and the latest one is for 2017/2018 season not sure what the increases will be for next year.
When we use club sites it is usually is the lower season prices and would not go at this time of year cl's have more appeal and price.
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well onto your first point, I have stated in the past that personally I simply look at the price (of anything, camera's, gadgets, cars, computers...) and if I think it's worth paying for I'll pay it. I do look at the competition's prices to see if what I want is the same price, and more importantly, the same quality. (I know that quality is a very subjective thing). If it passes then I'll buy it. I really really don't start to compare or calculate the price rise from last year, what's the point? That's the price it is. Do you compare every purchase you make by the percentage increase?
2017 is almost over, the peak season is more or less over, why suddenly complain about 2017 prices now? I would have thought a more relevant thread would be about furture price rises?
Your second point is rather puzzling to me. I don't eagerly anticipate another hike but will apply the value/competitor as above test and decide on that.
As to your third, aside from why the club lower it's prices to accommodate those that can't afford it. I don't expect other leisure companies to do that? Thomas Cooks' didn't lower their prices for me this year. But that aside I've shown you that the club is in line with others similar sites. and people are affording it, how many times have their been complaints this year about how sites are full, can't get pitches? And to answer your last question, yes sites will be as full next year if the same increase happens again provided the completion does the same, have all these new large numbers of members since the rebrand signed on without checking prices? What about the other thread that reports the increase in caravan and motor homes sales? all these people haven't checked prices?
The good news is that there are plenty of cheaper (and surprisingly) emptier sites out there for those who feel club prices are too expensive.
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Yes +1. I acknowledge that quality is very subjective but, like you, I believe club sites to be better in this respect, also, for me, I like the consistency of this high quality in all sites. Never been disappointed with a club site.
Still luckily if you don't think it's worth it you are not forced to go to a club site.
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The OP (Countax) posted:
Lady Margaret's Park
2017. Site Fee £7.80 per adult. Pitch Fee. £10.30.
York Rowntree Park
2017. Site Fee. £8.50 per adult. Pitch Fee. £9.50.
What are the alternative better value sites to compare with? I struggle to find comparisons amongst commercial sites.
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also while saying it's a 10% plus increase,
2016. Site Fee £7.00 per adult. Pitch fee. £9.20.
2017. Site Fee £7.80 per adult. Pitch Fee. £10.30.
it actually comes down to 80p per night pitch fee, that's £5.60 per week per adult so £11.20 per week per couple, and 7 x£1.10 = £7.70. That's a grand total of £19.90 per week! hardly bank breaking when you have spent thousands or car&van/MH?
If this is an issue then remember on many club sites there was no increase.
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Next year l am going to start looking at private sites and compare the difference. The amount of money the club spent on rebranding was a con in my view, all we got was raised prices. Don't get me wrong l love the club but if the only way to give them a sharp shock is to vote with my wheels so be it.
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