The increasing cost of site fees.
Comments
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I find your last paragraph quite insulting actually, as if there are, firstly, some members who will use club sites just out of habit, that blindly go to club sites no matter what the cost, just not true. I cannot speak for all but certainly every time I go on a club site I re-evaluate if I am getting value for money, if at any time the club's standards start to slip then I will look elsewhere but so far I enjoy club sites and think the price appropriate.
And 'fritter away' ? How really insulting is that? We are not able to make conscious reasoned decisions on our finances but just spend, spend, spend what we have and end up penny less? Those can afford to change vans or cars or anything when they feel like it have worked hard to get to that place and probably have a lot of money sense. And maybe like me think that life is too short and a lot of pleasure can be gained by having a new car or van so why not? Naturally I do realise how lucky I am.
You, it appears to me perhaps, appear to take pleasure by having money in the bank, that's great but you should perhaps not insult those who live and spend differently?
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Shameful? Really?
Well speaking as someone who was restricted to school holiday times throughout my working life, I'd be interested if you could give any (just one) example of a leisure/travel industry provider who does not raise prices in school holiday time. In fact I believe the club's price rises are relatively modest compared to many others.
Not saying it's right, by the way, just a fact of life and has been for at least the past 40 years!
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When we look for sites we are looking at location rather than price. Having said that we have been away for 50 nights this year and the average nightly fee has been £23 which I think is pretty reasonable. That has mainly been CMC sites but does included two C&CC sites and two well known commercial sites. The latter being amongst the more expensive sites we have used. If we spent more time away then cost might well come into play a bit more but there would have to be a significant increase in the nights per year before that would kick in.
David
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yes and looking at the big holiday companies they do it on a much large scale, you could easily end up paying £500 or more per week during school holidays, make you realise why parents gladly pay the £60 fine.
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I think you're taking this away from the OP Corners, it's more about comparing prices between the club and other sites. I'd agree with comments from others that we choose sites for the location first but we'd look around at what's available not choose an entirely different location due to price.
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Hi
school holiday price increases justified or not there is a major difference between the caravan and motor home club one is as the name suggests it is “a club” and we pay an annual membership fee.
I personally don’t agree with the sudden increases for school holiday periods and it appears theses periods are getting longer. Ok a small increase all year if felt necessary but don’t punish the family element of our club
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Throughout the Leisure industry, it is standard to reduce the prices charged when out of season. I see nothing wrong with that, as it attracts customers who would otherwise go elsewhere and leave the supplier with unwanted and unused products or services.. It is good business practice to discount prices during times of low demand. When in the busy peak season the prices are what they should be, as there is no need to discount. ------ Just live with it, it happens world wide.
K
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I'm sorry that you felt it was insulting. Your response seems to presuppose that I have 'money in the bank' in the first place. It was merely an observation from my own standpoint in relation to site fees. Clearly there are those who have disposable income far in excess of mine.
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Not aware the school holiday prices are sudden. The "Club" jumped on this bandwagon years ago.
There's little Club like about the CAMC, you pay to access a network of Club Sites and inspected CLs, with other aspects thrown in. The days of collecting little Site plaques and displaying Club stickers letting all and sundry know how loyal you are have been has been superseded by the drive for profitability, packing 'em in tight, and managing visitors to a micro degree. It's popularity is to a certain extent changing the whole ethos, but it's not quite dealt with reconciling a mainly ageing membership, with attracting new blood. That is the ultimate challenge.
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I would like to clarify. Site fees, Clubs and Private/Commercial have risen almost annually. But there are a few private sites where such increases are very small. We find both Norfolk and Cornwall attractive although, in truth, Cornwall is for us the better of the two. We have visited Cornwall far more times than Norfolk (and Sandringham only once). Since we always fully use our facilities in the caravan (using the site facilities would be an emergency) our site comparisons do not include the amenity blocks in assessing value for money, and actual pitch conditions and surroundings were very even in comparison. Therefore, the additional cost of diesel to go to Cornwall was balanced by the £200 saving in site fees, and we used our rightful options - 8 days (not 3) if one wishes to be pedantic - to change venue.
Someone mentioned holiday periods, and the resultant price hikes. There are a few sites we visit that do not 'up' their prices during these peak times. Frankly, to be fair, the Clubs should not do this to their members - if a private site can operate with a flat rate throughout the season, so can the Club.
Let's jump in with both feet! Many club sites have barrier keys. Perhaps they should extend their charges to a two-tier system, where the higher charge supplies a key for the use of the amenity block, and the lower charge for those who restrict themselves to using their own van facilities?
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thanks for the reply CY
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I seem to have a slightly lower idea of expectation when going to sites than many of you but we've just spent three days, in a Motorhome, on a Haven site in Yorkshire.
Water points around the camp, a toilet block with key access, EHU on every marked pitch, a dog walking field bigger than I've seen on any C&MC site I've been to, an easily accessed Motorhome filling and disposal point, no entrance and exit barriers, no Wardens, a Chemical waste point, walking on the Cleveland Way just outside the camp and a good Pub close by.
Also a Mini Market store, a Restaurant and a Fish and Chip shop on site.
Fresh air, sea views, walking, food and relaxing – and all for £7 a night – a grand total of £21 for three nights.
Three miles away inland at a C&MC for the same dates it is £23 at night.
Just saying …..
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Haven offer very good special deals out of season - of course they are subsidised by the sky high charges for families during peak season.
Personally, I prefer the club's pricing policy to that of Haven!
Just my opinion of course!
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I suupose you can find good value sites like Haven (at certain times) and if you like Haven that's fine. Same for other places, we had friends who never bothered about the actual sites they used. We once visited them on a muddy CL used by construction workers on the A30. I thought it was miserable it didn't bother them at all and it was cheap too.
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As I said earlier – my expectations may be lower than yours.
I don't particularly like the C&MC pricing policy any more than you dislike Haven's pricing and that's why I'd rather pay Haven one third of the price of a Club site for very similar, and in some aspects better, facilities and on site amenities.
We all have our own ideas of what we want and accept or we'd all finish up trying to get on the same site – whether it be Club or Haven.
I'm happy with my choice and I'm sure you are happy with yours.
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Ah, Haven. Mud, glorious mud. It was very cheap mud but still mud.
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Let's jump in with both feet! Many club sites have barrier keys. Perhaps they should extend their charges to a two-tier system, where the higher charge supplies a key for the use of the amenity block, and the lower charge for those who restrict themselves to using their own van facilities?
Not likely to lower prices that much as you are still using the water and sewerage/drainage systems but there is obviously a lower cost to the club in heating water but the cost of servicing boilers, heating blocks etc. remains the same.
For lower costs then you could have choice of EHU or not, but again the cost of putting bollards in and testing them still remains but the lower cost to the club of reduced electric bill could be shared. We have been to sites in France where if you want EHU you choose how many amps you want and then a person comes to pitch inserts said breaker into bollard, locks bollard then you have to get them to unlock it and remove the breaker when you leave so not quite so convenient.
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The Club does operate a two tier system. It has some sites without loo blocks, and quite a few are only £14 per night to stay on. That's with a hook up as well. Sadly it has lost a couple of these sites in last few years, Much Wenlock for example.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/special-offers/tour-for-less/
It was actually possible to have a night on Marazion Site, for just £12.55 per night.
My OH had a few nights at Exeter Racecourse for less than £10 a couple of years ago!
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Hi k yes I am aware that lots or even most in the hospitality business up their prices at school holiday times, they generally are not a club and why do what everyone else does why not be different.
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Look at it this way, Clarinetman. If the club reduced peak time prices when sites are very busy and popular, income at those times would be considerably reduced. To compensate, site fees would need to be increased dramatically at off peak times when sites are far less busy.
We're already told by some that site fees are already too dear at off peak times and that commercial sites are cheaper. To increase prices further could see sites empty at those times and running at a loss.
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We have frequently used Cadeside low amenity site as a stopover - did so this last weekend. £14.00 per night, which we think very reasonable.
Same 16 amp EHU and water, drainage and chemical toilet emptying point as standard sites, so this lower price feasible for those who wish to only use the facilities in their own vans. The CMC needs to get up to date and charge according to usage - Red Pennant already do this with their charges for travelling abroad. Many services only charge for the level of service required and, if they did not, customers would soon be up in arms or voting with their feet. If Brexit does squeeze the economy, CMC might have to rethink their costings to meet members' drop in disposable incomes.
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And the club ploughs it's profits back into the company to improve the overall business. Private and other types of sites are running a different business model where profits are made in the peak season and pitches can be sold at a potential loss in low season.
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So what?
There's a world of difference between a limited company and a profit oriented business. Even charities are limited companies and it’s perfectly possible to be a club as well as a Ltd Co. It means nothing at all other than limiting liability in the event of insolvency.
Another record that needs changing?😋
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The club has other areas of business, eg it has travel and insurance sections, it can't be considered in the same vein as many caravan sites. It's a completely different set up, there are other ingredients too, the "social" ethos and the use of profits.
edit
If you look up Haven which are part of Bourne Leisure you'll see they have a different business agenda and profits.
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Goodness, what a faff!
In the next three weeks I will be stopping at 9 different sites.
Where I stop is based on lots of considerations, the main ones being quality of facilities, dog friendliness offsite and on, local areas of interest and ability to communicate online using mostly my own resources. Price only comes into it after those and other considerations.
I have researched every available site by every available provider.
I will be stopping at 5 CAMC sites and 2 CCC sites, a britstop and a friends drive.
Nothing to do with "being in the club"..... er, let me rephrase that .... "being a club member",,,,,
Everything to do with location and quality of product offered.
If I could have equal facilities cheaper elsewhere then I would stop there. I can't. The club seems to offer a high quality product at a competitive price. I want for nothing more.
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