Is it a rip off?

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  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited April 2019 #182

    😂😂😂😝

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,632
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    edited April 2019 #183

    +1

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited April 2019 #184

    Whilst the switch from caravan to MH has enabled a slightly more flexible approach to where I stay, even when I still had the caravan, I've felt for a while now that prices for what is provided is getting a bit much.

    Some have said that they are not dissimilar with commercials providing the same level of facilities and I find those equally a bit pricey for what is provided. As has been stated numerous times, it's the CL network that retains many members.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #185

    I agree and think that in our position of useing numerous club sites all year, it is very noticable how most are getting more patronage, and even some of those that we have used in past years  when it was quite easy to book late are now filling up earlier so even if some think that sites are "basic" it seems it what the majority of members seem to like with the increase in membership and use of the said "basic"sites 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited April 2019 #186

    You can get a good idea of take up by looking at late availability as the Easter break comes to an end. It's quite a mixed picture across the country.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,374
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    edited April 2019 #187

    Perhaps not so surprising that Devon and Cornwall have so much availability. The combined population is only 1.7 million and not many folk are going to travel there just for a long weekend. Compare that to my area Notts / Derbyshire / South Yorkshire 3.4 million, plus less campsites and weekend pitches are much harder to come by. I am sure the situation will change as we move into the period where families take their annual holiday.

  • Unknown
    edited April 2019 #188
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  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,632
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    edited April 2019 #189

    sorry but if a couple see an £28 extra on a two week's holiday as a difference that causes a problem, or even struggle for a £100 over a year then they should sell their outfit and just stay at home. Things must be really tough for such a couple and having a LV with all it's extra costs is just now out of their reach.

    Or use cheaper sites, why should the club become a charity for such folk?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,377
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    edited April 2019 #190

    Looking at the heavy traffic over the past couple of weeks and the number of LVs on the road, I’m surprised Cornwall hasn’t sunk under the strain!

    We’ve had this conversation before, Steve, and it all depends on the starting point of the journey as to how far it is to travel to this area which is littered with camp sites of all types. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited April 2019 #191

    We tend to call it the south west down here so that includes Somerset and Dorset, Avon might also be included and the pop. count is over 5 million. We're a popular area for those from the SE although the outer reaches of Cornwall and Devon will fill up more in the summer. But this time of the year, when it's warming up should be a good time for visitors if the prices are attractive?

    There are obviously some favourite sites dotted over the uk and a lot with spare capacity.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited April 2019 #193

    Apologies for my reply, but I don't think anyone has suggested the club sells pitches at give away prices but a few more inducements might help.

  • Unknown
    edited April 2019 #194
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  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,727
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    edited April 2019 #195

    This reminds me a bit of a story I saw on TV in Norway not so long ago.

    Costs there are high, as are wages, but many pensioners are being left way behind.  In Norway, local tax has always been based on income, unlike here, but in the last few years the government has given local authorities the right to levy a property tax.  This started out modest, but has increased hugely.

    In Oslo, house prices are very high and a situation has developed where there are elderly but perfectly fit widows, living in the homes they love and have lived in for maybe 50+ years, but who only have modest pensions, who are getting property tax demands that they cannot pay.

    There are no reductions even if your income is low, so they have been told to pay up or sell up.

    ( These are not huge mansions they are living in but early 1900s pretty average 3 bed type properties, the difference is that unlike the newer houses, they have fairly large gardens so have a high value. )

     

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,345
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    edited April 2019 #196

    Steve, might surprise you, but this SY based couple used to do weekends in Cornwall, although we did cheat by leaving our van down there! Two drivers, one fast car, a lot less traffic admittedly, but we have done it  in around 5 hours, that’s with the dogs crossing their legs!

    It’s very possible that to some extent, the Club has got its peak charges just where they want them. Highly likely to be newer members, younger folks, with children using Club Sites during school holidays. If the commitment has been made towards a touring outfit, then unlikely to balk at paying what a lot of older members, with a good few years of membership behind them, consider expensive. Pull up, pitch up, all facilities there if you want them, usually in a nice place, job done. Cheaper than most holidays once the van is bought.

    I think the Club is cheating a little by having what seems like ever widening peak charging periods, and it could be good if it could heavily discount unsold pitches on the day to keep other folks touring around. Most holiday providers do the first, but then offer the second as well, at least to those of us canny enough to barter. Private holiday lets are very good at this, but perhaps here the big Club decision making ethos doesn’t filter down to Site level, so onsite staff have no remit to discount that unsold pitch until it does sell.😀

     

     

     

  • MikeyA
    MikeyA Forum Participant Posts: 1,072
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    edited April 2019 #197

    We've just had 3 weeks away in Devon and Cornwall using a mixture of CLs and Club sites. The sites were very quiet and good value in early - mid April. 

     

     

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,345
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    edited April 2019 #198

    We love Cornwall at all times of the year, but the place is just too popular July and August nowadays, getting around got to be a nightmare, so we much prefer June, early July or September to see the best of the county. April and May are stunning for wild flowers and camellias. We do miss going to some of the really great local events that happen in the busy Summer months though. 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,374
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    edited April 2019 #199

    The past couple of weeks were of course the Easter period. Brue was commenting on the availability figures as the break comes to an end.

    It does of course depend on your starting point. However for Cornwall with its just over half a million population, any influx can only come from one direction and has to come from further away. Making it more of a full holiday destination rather than a weekend. Plus of course you have a lot of camp sites to fill.

    Here in the East Midlands folk can travel quite short distances from many directions and of course we have fewer CAMC sites. Hence the weekends tend to get more or less fully booked most of the year, even in the depths of winter.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #200

    When useing sites on the cc network as often as we do it is very noticeable just how many families use sites during the peak periods when it seems as said by some posters, they do not venture out,,we were among the,, what seemed very few "older" generation ,on the very popular and full  of families, Black Knowl site,and as we (not like some it seems)are still able to carry out conversations (no need for interviews?) with other younger members,and why would younger families come on here when they have. they think, better methods of comunicationwink

  • layton1837
    layton1837 Forum Participant Posts: 109
    edited April 2019 #201

    I must agree that Caravan club sites are grossly overpriced I( have been with the club since 1978 and used a lot of rallies which was great for my children and a fair price. Now just the 2 of us i find that i cannot afford the club fees. The only thing that we benefit from are the Cl's.

    Would have expected better after paying £50 membership fees

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,632
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    edited April 2019 #202

    why unkind? sad perhaps but if a couple has trouble finding an extra £28 for a two week club site holiday, they are in big trouble and should not consider it. To think otherwise is being stupid.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,377
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    edited April 2019 #203

    As I said, Steve, we've had this conversation before and for that reason I’m not going to continue other than to ask that you please don’t create the impression that we're some remote backwater which is so difficult to reach as, in many parts and from many areas, that is simply not the case.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #204

    when in the New Forest at Easter it was noticeable just how wet the area was in places and that several grass pitches were still unusable,which may, if the same in other areas, may now be a reason for extra pitches to be available on some sites as more dry out and are released onto the network

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,632
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    edited April 2019 #205

    buying a Range Rover may be slipping away from me, but I don't complain, I'll just rough it with (insert cheaper car). Same with sites.

    Sorry but if club are too expensive for those on a fixed income who retired many years ago, due to rising costs which happen every year, then sadly that is it. It is neither right nor wrong, but a fact of life.

    The only way for these folk is the club to lower it's prices? why should it do that? And what threshold of fixed income should apply?

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #206

    I agree with you, £28 extra for a two week holiday per year is minimal ,i have just had to get new glasses, and for the same frames as last year it was £25 more,it would have been £35 more to have the new lenses in my current framessurprised

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,377
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    edited April 2019 #207

    It is indeed a fact of life that the cost of certain things rises faster than income. It’s neither unkind nor stupid to point out the obvious that people will need to alter their ways if something becomes out of reach.

    That doesn’t mean it’s right or ethical for prices to be jacked up but it happens. It’s sad but true.

    As an example of changing our ways, we used to visit a fish and chip cafe which whacked its eat in prices up to a silly level. We now either buy them as a take away or use another cafe. The same principle applies - adapt to suit.

     

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #208

    Grossly overpriced? what are you useing as a comparison ? when as mentioned before how costs in all areas have increased from what our base was when we were of working age?

  • Unknown
    edited April 2019 #209
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  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #210

    "other known measures?" English translation pleasewink

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2019 #211

    But this time of the year, when it's warming up should be a good time for visitors if the prices are attractive?

    I don't know about you Brue but I don't look for an area with cheaper sites to book, Iook at sites in the area I want to be