Pitch Prices 2018
Comments
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This was exactly our experience the times we took the caravan to France......
Add in fuel costs from the Chester area (as alluded to by BB) to centralish France and it becomes a very expensive holiday indeed, with hours and hours of boring driving on Motorways/Autoroutes.
We keep "holidays" and caravanning as seperate pursuits.
We fly to southern europe for about £100 quid each return, hire a small car & book modest hotels, usually cheaper & simpler than "vanning".
The van is to explore & enjoy the UK, cosy pubs, walking the dog, Lake District & Scottish scenery.......
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We have a rough "holiday budget" each year, that represents what we feel we can afford without eating into savings, which are for big things like a new car.
There is a finite amount of money available and rising costs in many other areas of life mean the holiday budget is static or even reducing, so we either look for less expensive sites or take shorter holidays.
Whichever way we choose to go, I can see it is very likely we will be spending less money with the Club.
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I have been to various sites offering real leisure amenities - I have seen sites with covered as well as outdoor pools, some with water slides as well, eat in or take away meals, fishing lakes, outdoor fitness centres, bike hire, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, fire pits, campfires, communal barbecue areas, social interaction, gardens and landscaping, drying rooms for outdoor wet clothing, spas and saunas, free wi fi, and so on. Some were dearer than Club sites, some weren't.
It's not the price which turned me off Club Sites - it's simply the fact that for the most part they are just parking lots with a toilet block. No other amenities at most of them, no real leisure provision, no social activity, no fun - just pay on arrival and park neatly on your gravel square. You don't get much for your money, do you ?
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It's not the price which turned me off Club Sites - it's simply the fact that for the most part they are just parking lots with a toilet block. No other amenities at most of them, no real leisure provision, no social activity, no fun - just pay on arrival and park neatly on your gravel square. You don't get much for your money, do you ?
I don't want covered as well as outdoor pools, some with water slides as well, eat in or take away meals, fishing lakes, outdoor fitness centres, bike hire, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, fire pits, campfires, communal barbecue areas, social interaction, gardens and landscaping, drying rooms for outdoor wet clothing, spas and saunas, free wi fi, and so on. I don't use the caravan to spend time on a site.
When I was on my own and used to fish (sea, coarse, fly mainly on rivers) I regularly stayed on a site with fishing on site and also available nearby. The fishing was an extra cost but nice too have on the doorstep. Don't think OH would be too happy if I disappeared most days from 6am until 10 or 11am to fish. Went for a bite and a bit of shopping and fished again from 3pm 'till 7pm.
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apart from reference to me in your first sentence
I do agree with you and HD.I realise that I'm very lucky but as my dad kept saying you can't take it you with and there is no point in saving a few quid here when you don't know what is around the corner (see what I did there).
Are these price rises that bad? for me no.
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Ditto, and that was by default because it was convenient for a family 'do' and I couldn't get a nearby hotel at short notice. I only belong for occasional access to CLs otherwise most nights are 'over there' taking pot luck on inexpensive (mostly rural 'ish) and peaceful campings municipals.
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No other amenities at most of them, no real leisure provision, no social activity, no fun - just pay on arrival and park neatly on your gravel square. You don't get much for your money, do you ?
Well I don't want any of that (apart from the fun part) and if I need that any other leisure stuff I'll go off site to get it (and do so). It's just a base to visit the area.
I consider to get a lot for my money and enjoy using club sites and obtained a lot of fun from using them.
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That's what was brought home to us some years ago too, in a totally unexpected way, and since then our attitudes have changed too. I've always been a bargain-hunter, but if we want something, then we'll go for it. Tomorrow might be too late.
We do like some of the Club sites for their position, and so we'll continue to use them. despite any price rises. As well as using CLs over here, and going "over there" twice a year.
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TT and Michael, i have to agree with this response from David....we have NEVER paid anything approaching the prices you mention.
if one went in August, i can imagine that peak prices might be high but who from the UK holidays in France in August...?
...and away from this period, i wouldn't be paying more than €19-20, usually a bit lass than this.....and for far 'more' than on a club site (whether one uses it or not).
..and as to logistics, a trip,to Scotland to walk the dog (we dont have one) is a blooming long (and expensive) trip...
a quick hop to France makes far more logistical sense to me.
however, back again to the OP, as Brue says, the club still doesnt seem committed to getting bums on seats during the off season midweek periods, no across the board MWD which would declare their intent.
we are often 'home' in the summer so any increase in site fees just push us (like others have said) further towards CL/CS and THS meets...
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It is disconcerting that these threads so often degenerate into a here/there battle. One of the principal aspects of "there" must be the experience of a different culture. If a caravanning trip is to be solely judged on economy, we would all be using solar panels on a non-EHU basic CL within fifty miles of home. Having said that all I think that BB and AD are trying to get across is that "there" is not as prohibitively expensive as some may think.
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if one went in August, i can imagine that peak prices might be high but who from the UK holidays in France in August...?
Friends of ours go in August every year. Pitch prices are astronomical but if you're tied to school holidays as many are then options are pay up or don't go where you want to go
Of course this is way off the original topic of club site prices but isn't that always the way?
Luckily we can discuss matters relating to the club elsewhere on the Internet (and generally get a rapid response)
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if one went in August, i can imagine that peak prices might be high but who from the UK holidays in France in August...?
Probably people with Kids BB as you probably did when yours were young??
We generally go in July so may not be full peak but its expensive, you go out of season so you cannot compare what you pay to what someone in July or August pays but for the purposes of arguing the rise in site fees for 2018 you have to compare apples to apples.
Now if we compare off peak prices say for now with sites in France we cant because they are all closed!!!
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Thats my point David, you have to compare like for like and not just pick and choose.
And if there is no demand how come all the continental vans especially MH's are fully winterised with double floors, good insulation if the Europeans do not use them when its cold?
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Much has been spoken about the costs of the holiday overall, BB mentions that for him a holiday in Scotland would work out more expensive than going to France.
We travel from Scotland to holiday in the South of England, it is more expensive than going to France. The ferry costs are recovered by the cheaper site fees, we don't need to take out RP as we have european wide breakdown cover through our bank free of charge, likewise holiday health cover. Fuel is cheaper abroad as is lpg. The weather is usually better and the overall experience is better.
The Camc prices are getting dearer every year, we use less each year. Nothing to do with not affording it, just we have other types of holidays. We are currently in a villa in Southern Spain, holidays to me mean, blue skies and sunshine. Not wellies and raincoats.
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The Camc prices are getting dearer every year, we use less each year. Nothing to do with not affording it, just we have other types of holidays. We are currently in a villa in Southern Spain, holidays to me mean, blue skies and sunshine. Not wellies and raincoats.
My sentiments exactly, £30-40 pn for 65 sq mtrs of gravel...no thanks.
Would help if the CaMC sorted the MWD across the network in low season...
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How many is that for?
Certainly more than I generally pay on CC sites although I shall pay £32.50 a might during the Christmas period. I have paid more on commercial sites.
As I have never paid those prices £30 - £40 I presume that they must apply in peak times on some sites. I wonder what price other main sites are charging then in similar areas?
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hi Guys please may I put another slant on this I'm a single lady with 2 dogs being a cleaner I.m on min wage ,when I got my camper in 2014 as soon as I put my deposit on it joined the club as I was a member in a previous life so I knew how the pricing works ,pitch fee plus 1 adult night rate as I love in Yorkshire everyone loves it so can't get in at some sites however I have my favourites but this summer I went to a park resorts site that was £7 night plus £1 per dog so at £9 night is cheaper than CMC sites it has a club house and is very near the seaside town I went for 4 nights then moved to a CMC site Oh yes I thought much better ,better toilet block but it cost me £15 night ,I know some of you don't like clubs etc but as a single person it's somewhere for me to go so I'm not alone all the time ,having looked round there are other sites that are cheaper I'm going away 24/26 Dec and the price is low season so even with extra charge for 2 dogs is cheaper than CMC sites same time of year so I'm not paying £49 to join a club that doesn't give me great member benefits
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I and most others would,say that those with families and also caravan abroad will be in France or other parts of mainland europe during the July/August school holiday period, except those that now do staycations because it cheaper in Uk
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Havnt looked at 2018 prices, but if 2017 is an indicator, there are much better value options out there. Easy to find by the web. What we found is that the commercials ( Don't use either sort at school hols times) are keener priced and invariably better equipped than CC sites (Haven & Morris Leisure are examples). They also respond to vacancies much quicker than CC to fill their sites.No doubt they will also increase their prices in 2018 but that little research can give you an edge. We also use Cls quite extensively but there is even a trend there to out price themselves or use underhand (IMHO) by charging more than advertised, even on their web pages. After all the Cls are in the competitive field like all others. No doubt each and all will make their own selection and go according to their choice
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I don't think that I have considered Morris Leisure as better value. The times when I have used them I have found them (with the discount) very much the same pricing as CC sites and if anything very slightly dearer.. As far as facilities go I have not found them markedly better. Not used a Haven site.
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Whilst I agree that Morris Leisure have some good deals, these are generally at fairly short notice. I would rate their sites as generally the same quality as the CAMC. However, I do not think their ratio of facilities to pitches as high. Not that this matters much away from peak.
However, if I want to book a tour ahead, as I do, Stanmore Hall would cost me ( 2 adults, up to one dog and awning) £244.30 for a HS service pitch and £223.39 for a HS standard. Both for 7 nights in mid June, so off peak.
Chatsworth, one of the more expensive CAMC sites, would cost £23.1 less for the service pitch and £36.40 for the standard. The difference is actually slightly less than that, as ML give a CAMC discount. They don't say what it is currently, but last time we went it was £1 a night.
So if you book ahead, on this example at least, ML work out more expensive. We still use them though, as their sites are located where we want to go.
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