Caravan & Motorhome Club site prices

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  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #32

    Seems the purchase of a motorhome comes complete with a huge sense of "enlightenment", CY (or should that be cynicism?) wink

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #33

    The sites we use do seem to have gone up this year and I have been wondering about alternatives for some but they are still just about competitive. Some commercial sites bump up what looks a good price with extras like charging for awnings. dogs and other things which the club do not.

    The late availability pages do look to me to have more pitches available than earlier years which might indicate prices are getting a bit steep.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #34

    I have never complained but there is the opportunity to express ones views in the site surveys which seem to be sent to most after a site visit. One of the questions is about value for money of the site. I know I have never rated it highly or ever said it was poor.

    peedee

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,024 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #36

    We have noticed over the last couple of years that the price of club sites seem to be increasing. We like club sites but have recently started using the CL network more and have found this excellent value for money. An example of this was last weekend where we stopped of in Blackpool for 2 nights on our way home from the New Forest. We priced the club site and it was going to cost around £65 for 2 nights but we went to a CL just 5 miles from the club site and it was only £12.50 per night much better value for money especially when you consider the club site (in my opinion) is looking quite tired and according to some of the recent reviews they are having major issues with travellers at the moment.

    We use Ayr Craigie on a regular basis as it is only 30 mins from home and their pricing seems to have went through the roof to. An example of this being in April this year where 2 nights cost us almost £70 and again the site is tired and in need of modernisation.

    We like club sites and will continue to use them but will be making more use of CLs in future as I think the price of club sites is too expensive especially as it is supposed to be a club where we should get benefits for being members but we have used a few private sites recently that offered better facilities and were quite a bit cheaper than the nearest club site.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #37

    We have met many people who have said that they no longer use club sites in the main season, you don't have to go far to find them JK, they are on the CL's wink

    Complain to the club about pricing I would think be a waste of time, yes we can mention it in the site survey, whatever good that will do. undecided

    We have stayed on only 1 C&MC site this year a non facility site for 1 night only. 

    On our recent trip to the ferry we used a CL, on return nothing.

    On our next trip it will be a CL again and a C&CC site both for 1 night only (going to Plymouth for ferry).

    I would imagine on our return it will be C&CC at Salisbury then maybe, just maybe the C&MC site at Chester (mid Nov) not too expensive, followed by Burrs (mid week discount) and then another CL.

    The only time we now use C&MC sites is in the low season or if there is nothing else in the area that will suit (very rare) 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #38

    Comparison of using a Club Site or a small private site was an easy decision for us earlier in July. We could have had two nights at Bridlington for £71, or two nights on an easily comparable private site for £44. No prizes for guessing where we stayed. The Club is definitely profiteering at certain times of the year. I have said for a while that the Club operates a far too rigid pricing policy. Complicated as well, so much so, it now has its own booklet!

  • Unknown
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    edited August 2019 #39
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  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,867 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #40

    Peedee

    It seems to me that the Club are basing a lot of decisions/changes on the outcome of these surveys so they are probably worth completing especially as you can also give a reason why you think they are expensive. Are we not always seeing the quote "We have been listening"? Now whether much can be done on pricing I doubt it can. I think we have reconciled ourselves to paying around £20/25 a night in low season, £25/30 in mid season and probably £25/35 in the high season. Obviously we will go below those prices as well as going above if we wish to be on a certain site at a certain time. People like to compare with sites in Europe but if I were to add the cost of a crossing and insurance (which I don't pay in the UK) I would have to add another £8 a night onto any site fees which brings me fairly close to what I pay in the UK.

    David

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,024 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #41

    Just as a footnote to my last post on this thread. We are looking at heading down to Dumfries area next week for a few nights so priced the C&CC site at Moffat and it was coming out at £110 for 3 nights. We found a private site just a bit further south and easily accessible for the motorway for £78 for the same period and it had a bar/restaurant ect. We haven't booked it yet but hopefully will be over the next couple of days. As much as we moan about CC sites I have always found C&CC sites to be even more expensive.

  • Paulrambler
    Paulrambler Forum Participant Posts: 29
    edited August 2019 #42

    Chester will cost me £35.70 for one night (Aug) 

    Hillhead averaged £45.30 per night for a week at the end of May

    St Agnes averaged £16.20 in June

    2 adults, no awning, no dogs.

    Perhaps it is the cost of facilities that are pushing the prices up to an unacceptable level.

  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #43

    Hillhead averaged £45.30 per night for a week at the end of May

    shocking, I know it has a pool, but not a very big pool and has small limit on how many people can be in at one time, and i seem to recall wardens are pool watchers, not lifeguards undecidednot been during peak periods, but getting in must be a nightmare. I seem to remember there was a bar/resturant of sorts and i guess end of May was also bank holiday.

  • Unknown
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    edited August 2019 #44
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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2019 #45

    Perhaps it is the cost of facilities that are pushing the prices up to an unacceptable level.
     

    Unacceptable for you perhaps Paul but the occupancy levels are high for both Chester and Hillhead. Particularly Hillhead!

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,024 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #46

    Yes there is a bar area and also entertainment. We like Hillhead and go every couple of years the last time we were there was July 2017 and it cost us over £600 for 2 weeks which was quite a bit more than we had paid for the same time period in 2015.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #47

    ." As much as we moan about CC sites I have always found C&CC sites to be even more expensive."

    Well, Francis, as the saying goes "with age comes, if not wisdom, ACR  at C&CC sites"! wink

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2019 #48

    Even at the higher figure I still feel we had better value as nearly all these sites  had a pool and other facilities lacking from the club model and although we enjoyed some discounts we didn't go out of our way to find "cheap"
     

    The only thing that would add value for me David is the location perhaps. This is simply because I don't want a bar, swimming pool, entertainment or restaurant. Other than when I had children I would only use a pool for exercise whilst in UK. In most holiday destinations that we have visited in Europe our use of a pool has been rare as we prefer the sea. We also prefer to eat out somewhere we are not staying depending on menus etc. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,147 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #49

    And Veteran half price membership if you’re really old😄. 

    Never mind, this club gave me a 15 year sticker. That’ll make up for it. 🤣🤣🤣

  • Unknown
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    edited August 2019 #50
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  • Dave Nicholson
    Dave Nicholson Forum Participant Posts: 408
    edited August 2019 #51

    In relative terms the Club’s site fees are probably no more expensive than they were 10 years ago. It’s called inflation. On our way to Italy in Easter week this year we stayed at the Thirsk CC site for £7.40 for the night. OK it was a race day but that added to the enjoyment. The maximum we paid for the following 6 nights through Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy was 20 Euros per night on some excellent sites. 

    When we return to Italy next week we’ll pay about 50 Euros per night when we’re in out permanent caravan there but the prices will drop dramatically at the end of August. Market forces will dictate the prices and with full sites in August they’re unlikely to stop rising with inflation.

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited August 2019 #52

    We have always used the C&MC Bridlington site in October and February when it is the schools half terms, however this year for 9 nights in October CMC are charging £241 whereas C&CC for Scarborough are just under £180.

    Both sites offering same facilities.

    I have checked and there are no events in Brid to draw the crowds to warrent the £60 price difference.

    We are not visiting Bridlington this October.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #53

    Mine only came to just under £5 spread over a 42 night stay but if you added in fuel cost of getting to Spain then it increases to £19p.n. but I would much rather spend 42 days in better weather on the Continent than chancing the weather in the UK.

    peedee

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #54

    on our long term spring tour of around 90 days, the ferry was £144 each way, £288 total....our travel insurance is an annual policy which we use for other cruises, packages etc, so we'd have it anyway.

    so our £288 extra spread over those 90 nights is just over £3 a night...

    our sites were much cheaper than £3 less than a typical club (or commercial uk) site....so, as I've said before, we actuall make money by going abroad compared to using equivalent uk sites.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #55

    that's true Alan, but popularity in retail is a fickle thing and we are (despite dismissive comments) getting more and more threads where members are really upset/annoyed at how 'their' club is pricing them out.

    many of these 'core members' are older, on flat(ish) incomes and are having to look harder at the cost of their vanning time away.

    as these choose to tour less or elsewhere, the question raised is who will take their place?

    despite pleasing you, and many others of our generation, does the club have the sort of offering that will attract and keep the younger families who tend to want their 'extras' on their doorstep...?

    continuing increases without a change in offering may not cut it...

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #56

    As much as we moan about CC sites I have always found C&CC sites to be even more expensive.

    We've always found the opposite Francis, that's why we are using them more and more, we tend to only us C&MC sites in the low season or non facilities if high season, since we have gone back to a caravan we have used more CL's as well.

    The other thing we like about C&CC is that their ' peak holiday' periods seem to be shorter and they have different holiday dates for England/Wales  to Scotland so we sometimes nip over the border when Scottish schools are on holiday but English schools are still in wink

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,429 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #57

    I've been hearing this attracting new younger members rant for as long as CT has been going. I heard it 10  and more years ago in the club  magazine and over publications yet sites are still full now.

    But the truth of the matter is that the club does this very well.

    I look round the site I'm on and it is full of families. The children are anywhere from very young to about mid teens. Almost every single outfit has children. 

    Now the parents are mostly late twenties and early thirties.  So some how the club has managed to attract them! Perhaps its the high standards offered compared to other? These parents weren't parents a few years ago , yet here they are. How? They are certainly not the older set described.

    Like I said the club has been getting bigger all the time I've been a member and it has no trouble at all getting new and younger members. All it had to do is keep the high standards, pure and simple.

     

    I saw an amusing sight just earlier when a toddler made a break for it and tried to follow her dad who was pulling the wastemaster - she didn't get further than the pitch boundary before mum got her but she didn't half scream when she was taken back into the awning.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #58

    I'm a bit perplexed about what relevance  ferry costs for 42/90 day tours has to the price of club sites. Surely the "typical" club site user (if there is such a thing) is looking for a 14, maybe 21 day stay on one site. It's two completely different styles of travel,  each perfectly fine in their own right but absolutely non comparable. undecided

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2019 #59

    But then there is site rates are they the same for "normal stays "i.e. two weeks in the summer as has most seem to be posting on this threadundecided

  • JayOutdoors
    JayOutdoors Forum Participant Posts: 572
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    edited August 2019 #60

    Thanks for the info.  

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2019 #61

    We are now at Cirencester for ten nights £302(horrible journey over an hour longer than normal) site very busy with families and numerouse foreign reg LVs mostly dutch caravans, all families and big queue at wood burner pizza van this evening £9.00 each 10inch and I was the only person just buying one to share ,one person  had six 😲,