Surprising Late Availability
I have just looked at the late availability section for this weekend and was shocked to see the amount of choice. Over the whole network it is showing only seven sites without space on the Fri and Sat. The big player sites at York, Chatsworth etc all have vacancies and one of the busiest areas, The Cotswolds is showing availability on every site, even Broadway. The seaside sites all have space on what must be one of the busiest times of the season, the school holidays. Funnily enough the second weekend shows the same number of sites albeit different ones.
I can’t think of any reason for this when at other less busy times of the year there there seems a lot less vacancies. Maybe it’s cost, I don’t know, but it must be a worry for the club to see this.
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We just got back from a tour and we noticed the same, several usually busy sites had many empty pitches and we had no trouble staying longer when we wanted to, and VERY few children even though the School holidays had started. We came home because the high season prices....are well....too high.
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Over priced now, such a shame especially for the families who have to pay commercial school holiday hikes on top of paying £51 membership the recent price increases have been very disappointing .
This only my opinion and no doubt I will be told you don’t have to use club sites.
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According to JK and Corners it is not HD and at least one commercial site I have looked at is fully booked until mid Sept and they are not cheap either. Probably if people have the money, it is quality and kids facilities they are going for.
peedee
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Thanks for that PD
I've jut come home after a short spell in hospital and obviously missed those to posts.
I have now read the gist of those posts (not all of them).It's still food for thought when you tie the three topics together. It all seems worrying.
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The site where we have our static van, just outside one of the prime Cornish tourist hotshots has touring vacancies this month for the first time in four years, as do the 4 nearby sites in the same village - they are all more expensIve in August than the nearest club site. No idea what the reason for that is - the beaches are still packed so folk must be staying somewhere!
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I have just had a look and it seems inconsistant across the network for next weekend ,sites that are normally "difficult "to get pitches on show a few vacancies, but some others that normally nearly always "available"are busy one that stood out is Southlands on the IOW is busy even with the ferry crossing price on top (so the deal seams to be working,
PD posted that he had been on a CL on his own a couple of weeks ago
What is very noticeable where we are is the amount of LVs with other countries registrations that are here, maybe taking advantage of low pound
At the moment L.A. shows 70+ pitches here next weekend but that as usual when weather is checked will maybe get less , it seems a lot but the site has 211 pitches ,and at the moment there are quite a few children on site
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I tend to think June and September are the busier months for Club Sites, particularly places like YRP, Chatsworth and Cotswolds.
We came down here via Cotswolds, lots of obviously foreign tourists, but not overly busy. After the swarms that descended on Cornwall last year (queuing to get to Porthcurno) perhaps folks are a tad more wary this year, especially as the weather is more unpredictable after last year’s heatwave.
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PD posted that he had been on a CL on his own a couple of weeks ago
I was indeed but the reason I was on that CL was because the one I normally prefer was full. Nevertheless it would be interesting to read what CL owners experiences are for comparison.
peedee
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Club sites are designed for pensioners with dogs, not for thirty something parents with kids. They have looked at Club sites and looked away, and have deserted in numbers,and have gone to places where having fun is allowed. Three of my own children plus grandchildren are with me now, and none of them would ever go to a Clib site. Ever.
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Club sites are designed for pensioners with dogs, not for thirty something parents with kids.
And to think that I thought they were designed for folk who did not want to sit around site, bars etc, didn't see a camp site as a destination and actually wanted to get out and about. Maybe we are both wrong.
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But HarryB's opening post spells out the facts.
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True - but as I pointed out above there are also several commercial sites having vacancies this month. It's impossible to speculate on the reasons for such vacancies or single out club sites unless one can show that a club site is doing less well than a comparable commercial site in the same area.
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Well if you compare a good CL's facilities with the Club's there really isn't a lot of difference and you are paying much much less especially as a family because CLs charge for the pitch and facilities only. Much quieter and neighbourly as well.
peedee
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Have you a penny for them PD?
I don't have sufficient info myself as to how full various sites are in August over previous couple of years nor do I know how well sites of a similar standard to CC sites are doing. I have no idea how full typical sites presently are or how much the caravan public is spending at present. Some folks, particularly those with families to feed, may well be keeping some funds available for when the No Deal Brexit axe might fall in October and possible financial woes. I know that I probably would be counting the pennies in the present uncertain period if I had young family and not a high level of capital.
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I think when looking at any retail business they are all feeling the lack of spending ,car sales are also down again this month so "holidays"are sure to be lower down the priority list just now, the low cost airlines are shedding planes and staff
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