Prices of a pitch with or without awning?
I have just returned to the club after many years absence as I now have a motor home. I always found the club a bit stuffy before compared to the “other” one but having stayed on a few sites this year, I have been pleasantly surprised. However, I am a bit mystified at the “with” or “without” standard pitches. I started off booking pitches with an awning as I have a pull out one but then read in the handbook that those without awnings should not book a “with one” . So I don’t now but am feeling a little bit miffed. I stayed at Chapel Lane this weekend. Great site but the “without” pitches were nothing more than a car park with bigger spaces. Not an awful problem at the moment as only a few of us sharing them but I could imagine it to be a bit “friendly” in high season. Other sites “without” pitches are the smallest on the site. I can understand that the club needs to maximise their space on sites BUT I do not understand why the pitches are all the same price. I feel that I am being penalised because I don’t have a tent to stick on the side of my van. Is it unreasonable to expect a slight reduction in pitch price for these pitches? And if I book a with awning pitch, will I be asked to move if I don’t put one up???
Comments
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no you won't, Elaine.
this is an ongoing debate, where, like you, some think that non-awning pitches are generally a bit smaller.
also, like you, those who have no need for an awning might 'feel' they should book a non awning pitch to keep awning pitches free for those that have awnings. all very noble.
but the club does nothing in its pricing to encourage those noble campers to plump for a (sometimes) 'lesser' pitch...
despite the club's recent history on price management, it should be very easy to steer those without awnings towards non awning pitches, perhaps a couple of quid cheaper....
but until it does, just do what most do and choose an awning pitch and enjoy it....you're a member, the same as all other members.
enjoy.
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Some are smaller, some there is no difference, as they were awning pitches that have been reclassified to preserve the 6 metre spacing between units. (in case of fire) However, the main reason we always choose an awning pitch is that it normally gives a lot more choice. Sometimes we deploy a roll out, often we don't.
On many sites, even some of the awning pitches are not really big enough for a full awning. Cirencester and M in M are two examples. A pricing differential between a small awning and large awning would make sense at these, as would one between awning and non awning.
Perhaps it could be introduced at the same time as surface type booking with a price differential also for grass.😀
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Even if non awning pitches were a bit cheaper than awning pitches, there is absolutely nothing to stop members from booking and paying for an awning pitch but not actually erecting an awning on arrival.
On the rare occasions where we have booked a non awning pitch there has been a limited choice compared to bigger and more plentiful awning pitches.
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Of course there should be a price differential between Awning and Non Awning pitches. Also there should be a price differential between H/standing and Grass pitches. It makes sense. Until then I would suggest that everybody books Awning pitches even if you don't have one . Also book H/standing pitches, you can always choose a grass one when you arrive. Until the CMC use common sense on pricing differentials, I wouldn't blame anybody for playing the system.
K
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Please be polite,Alan.
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when we go to Minehead, we always book a non awning as there are three in particular which get the sun all day. probably the lightest on the whole site.
i arrived a while back (having booked my default awning pitch) and spotted these three in the sun....back into the office and we changed to an non awning.
so, for some sites a different type might suit better...
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As you say BB. At Southport, where it can be breezy, some may choose no awning in Winter as there are a number adjacent to the service block. At Bunree we have chosen non awning to permit using pitches closest to the Loch.
Whilst choice is restricted given the lower number of non-awning pitches that choice can be an advantage for some
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ET050, non-awning pitches are very often in dark corners and there aren’t many of them. You book whichever type you want. I always book awning pitches if I can and ours is only a van conversion.
Even people who have awnings don’t always erect them on awning pitches.
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If the OP is suggesting there should be a price differential between the various types of pitches I agree. There already is between service pitches and other types so why not extend the concept? I think many of us book an awning pitch to ensure the widest choice of pitch when arriving on site. A bit like booking a serviced pitch because you can be sure (in the majority of cases) it will be on hardstanding. Looking at the site plan before booking is always advised as usually there is not a large choice of non-awning pitches and you should be sure that you would be happy with all of them. We have just come back from Warwick Racecourse and we deliberately booked a non-awning pitch because they are all on hardstanding, mainly tarmac which suited us fine for the few days we were there.
David
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Warwick is the exception to my rule, too, David. Non-awning gets you a level HS (usually on the rails) while an awning pitch may well be on grass and sloping.
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As far as I am aware, regardless of what outfit you have, you can book with or without. It is all about the Club fitting the most pitches onto sites under spacing guidance. Some areas, such as the tarmac apron at Warwick will be none awning, cos you can’t get pegs into tarmac. Didn’t stop us rolling our canopy out. We didn’t need to peg it down. Agree about checking site plans, gives a better idea of where pitches are located in relation to other aspects of a site.
Pricing structure is already complicated enough with all the “seasons”. If the Club was going to do it properly like Camping in the Forest do, it’s based on pitch size, what can physically be safely accommodated rather than with or without awning. So a tiny ridge tent could book a big pitch and set up a dining area alongside, or a mid sized MH book a small pitch and have nothing else out. I think that’s how it works.
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"Of course there should be a price differential between Awning and Non Awning pitches. Also there should be a price differential between H/standing and Grass pitches."
It always makes me chuckle when a post starts with the words "of course", especially when what follows is, well let's be polite and say not fully thought out!
Why "of course"? Are non awning pitches always smaller/ less desirable than awning pitches? Well, no, for reasons explained in a number of posts above. Are grass pitches less expensive to maintain than HS pitches? Well, no, they need mowing and are often prone to damage from inconsiderate awning useage and need to be taken out of use or reseeded.
I can see absolutely the argument for charging extra for a serviced pitch because you are getting something extra, whether or not you actually intend to use it. I can see the argument for economy pitches where there is no EHU. I could even be persuaded that if there are a number of "small" pitches they could be discounted. But otherwise, on club sites, a pitch is a pitch is a pitch - no need to start introducing unnecessary price differentials.
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We always book a awning pitch on all CMC sites we visit , the decision to erect our awning is our's & no one else's until that is changed .....that's how it's going to stay ....regardless of what others might think .😘
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With a motorhome we can use the roll out if you are without car on a NA pitch, you just can't put sides on it. Sometimes those NA pitches are in prime positions but not always. As has been stated, it's not always the size of the pitch itself which dictates classification but that grassed areas width between pitches. We will book awning pitches, as we carry sides to our roll out but only ever use if weather allows and its 'needed'. We will offer to swap if not using it on arrival which, of course, give others more choice. It's all about keeping options open and all remaining flexible.
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'of course'
there are other things that influence price...like customer demand.2 -
A couple of posts from the "We're not in favour of value for money posters". made me smile.
It's a bit like buying a car. The salesman says, we have two versions of this model of car, One has a radio, a heater and built in Sat-Nav. The other is without those features, Customer asks " what's the difference in price ?. Salesman says " there is absolutely no difference, they are both the same price, after all a car is a car" Customer says I much prefer the one with the features then, I want the best value for money.
As would most of us..
K
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Whereas a totally irrelevant post from a non-member made me smile.🤣🤣🤣
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Two comments referencing the fact that a poster is 'a non member'
aren't all the posters in this thread members of CT and entitled to contribute?
however, 'i look down on him....(as he's not a club member)....I know my place' etc
comes to mind. (thanks to R. Barker)1 -
I'm sure K 'knows his place'
....he gets told often enough
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It’s not a case of looking down on a non-member, as I think you know well, BB, and it would appear you are creating a divide where none exists.
One could even accept that the input might be relevant, even though that club member (which is what we are talking about) has not used club sites for some time, if it were not for the person concerned being well know for his style of posting. 😋
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I look down on him, because he is not even a member, but I look up to him, because even though he is a member, he only uses CL sites.....Me? I know my place, I use whatever suits us best, and always book an Awning pitch , but not a serviced pitch....they are for caravans...and are more expensive.....I know my place.
and No, you dont have to put up an awning, it just means you can if you want to.
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