Serviced pitches on Club Sites
Comments
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I only have my own opinion. I believe that the trial was brought abought from comments on CT and maybe questionnaires but that the trial was a lip service appeasement and nothing more.
Not aware of a great increase in posts wanting ability to book hardstands
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I only have my own opinion. I believe that the trial was brought abought from comments on CT and maybe questionnaires but that the trial was a lip service appeasement and nothing more
And why was that?
Guys the business model is changing the opinion of some 50 or so QAP's is not going to influence the business model. For sure the club is grateful for the revenue OAP's contribute during the low seasons but my guess is the industry is in for a big shake up and this is already now well underway with a record number of LV's being sold this year, and many of them MH's.
I have spoken to families who are sharing the purchase of a caravan, there intention is to holiday mainly in groups some in the caravan, tents and glamping pods, these are working familes who will holiday mainly during the summer months and they dont give a stuff whether the pitch is grass or hard standing or svcd, but they will be looking for swimming pool or very close to beach, lots of open space for kids to tear around on, possibly close to something like a Splash Park so they can have a day out.
Woodovis, where i will be for a month starting next week, just in case anybody wasnt already aware of this, and call it what you will, touring park/holiday park, during the high season, provide childrens entertainers during the day, story tellers in the evenings, swimming pool, plenty of space for kids to let off steam, small tent field, glamping pods, mobile food vans selling good food made from mainly local produce, yes it may be part of the Hoseasons group but it is run like a family business so it does not have that corporate feel, and people flock there, despite it being considerably more expensive than a CAMC pitch
I am fairly new to this game but i can remember when pitches were £10 per night, mainly grass with EHU if you wanted it, and we started out because we saw it as a relatively cost effective way of touring Scotland which is what we wanted to do with the occasional dash down south, Rooksbury park, for a family soirée, but sorry chaps, times are a changing, hopefully not so fast that we will be cast into the wilderness, but hang on to your hats, I dont think you have seen anything yet. Anybody been to the Brighton site over xmas/new year, check it out, this could be coming to your favourite place any time soon.
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Guys the business model is changing the opinion of some 50 or so QAP's is not going to influence the business model. For sure the club is grateful for the revenue OAP's contribute during the low seasons but my guess is the industry is in for a big shake up and this is already now well underway with a record number of LV's being sold this year, and many of them MH's.
There are many reasons why change is on the way. For one, owning an LV is not cheap and the days of the wealthy pensioner are numbered. The next generation of pensioner is going to be considerably less well off. In the meantime, like you say, ownership of LVs, especially motorhomes is growing, driving forward demands for more simple stopovers nearer to attractions. Facebook group pages about stopovers are thriving and drawing thousands of members to them who want a different experience to what campsites currently offer.
peedee
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ownership of LVs, especially motorhomes is growing, driving forward demands for more simple stopovers nearer to attractions
and this brings with it other issues, is our current road infrastructure geared up for all these motorhomes touring around the country, or even finding a parking place whilst not in use. I have seen an upsurge of MH's parked in back streets in our area, simply because people are unable to park on their own drive for whatever reason, or even to park outside their own frontdoor due to traffic restrictions etc.
Not been to Cornwall or the more busy parts of Devon for some time, but people tell me the roads are now becoming dangerously overcrowded with MH's, sorry this is now going off piste, but i think we should not lose track of the fact that we are an island of some 65m people in an area of only half the size of some other countries who have a thriving MH population, so no matter how many hard standing stop overs we create these vehicles still have to transit between them.
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From the few people i have spoke to who have bought a caravans or MH because of COVID19, only one family said they will carry on with it, when things get back to normal
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It is normally the same ones and with the few who post on here it seems is still not a top priority in the clubs agender,
One way to cater for the need? of hardstands is to convert more to serviced pitches then it will cater for both of the "needs?" of some and give add revenues to the club as well
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Any company that changes it business model based on unusual circumstance is likely to get well, and truly burnt
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I suspect that may well be the case and that many who have invested this year expecting a "cheap" style of holiday, turning up at sites on a whim may well have been disappointed. Sure to be lots of bargains to be had next year - might even think about a return to the (caravan) fold ourselves!
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Interesting, especially as LV's are not exactly cheap to buy and if this were to be true then the market could be flooded with second hand vechicles so every chance you could loose a considerable amount of money if you wanted to sell, but it is always a possibility if countries like Spain drop their prices dramatically when all this is over just so they can grab a piece of the action, and airlines offer cut price tickets, therefore making holidaying abroad attractive again.
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The only thing unusual is owners are opting for staycations rather than risk crossing the Channel. When/if it gets back to normal there will still be many more LVs on the road than before. I find it hard to believe it is all being driven by Covid.
peedee
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well I would expect any good business to be able to change quickly to make the most of these times, why not? But then change again once they are over, maximising profits.
Anyway, what (apart from Covid measures) has the club done differently in it's business model? It is fuller now perhaps with those who normally go abroad but it was successful before as well.
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I think the businesses which are going to come out of this successfully are those which make changes that will still help them when the covid situation is long forgotten, In the case of the club it needs to take a long hard look at the arrival process to cut down on the queues that you get on some site when you arrive at the correct time. Things like changing the payment system etc.
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Maybe 1% is not COVID 19 driven
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I don't understand that, the club has changed 1%? how? So you're saying it is 99% unchanged? in which case under your earlier post all will be well.
I do not personally see any differences.
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For small businesses that easier, for large businesses like the club no so easy
The club would be daft to base any plans on a virus which will probably become as treatable as the Flu, once a vaccine or treatment is developed0 -
Going back to the OP - we are getting older & pleased not to be lugging water containers around now we have a motor home.
We dont use a lot of Club sites - as we use our own facilities we tend to find them costing more than we want to pay. Also they are often a bit too crowded for us, and there are too many dogs. (Sorry, dog lovers)
However, having some sort of serviced pitch on a CL would make that site more preferential than another. Lots of CLs are happy for you, or ask you, to direct grey water to the hedge, tree etc - so one less job to do. If the pitch has its own tap - or is shared between two, then a hose into our on board tank, without moving the van, is great - and you could fill up an aquaroll in the same way. So the OP might want to look at some CLs.
One problem is obviously finding a CL with such facilities - you cant search for such, and in fact not all CLs tell you about e.g. taps on each pitch - often this is only obvious via reviews. So if a serviced pitch is a real priority quite a lot of work is needed to find such sites.
Why do we use any sort of serviced pitch in a motorhome? It is just a bit easier not to have to manouver to a tap or drain. We would do it when leaving or returning - rarely a special task. We need to fill & empty every 2/3 days - we use all our own facilities - so shower, cook and wash up in the van.
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Two points there, the club has decided on its own way to deal with the safety of members and its staff, it has to decide and it has to ensure safety. If that has led to longer queues so be it.
It is a temporary measure, although a long one, but still a temporary one. Some reported longer queues before all this, it is just a fact of club life due to its own popularity. One still has to get booked in.
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But again, what changes do you think the club has made during this time or is planning to make? I see none, apart from the virus measures.
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I suggest you go and talk to Caravan, and MH dealers,
From my discussions with them, every one i have talked to this is probably going to be one, if not their best year ever
Used Caravans having been selling for 20 % more then they did last year, and dealerships cannot get enough used stock
As soon as there is vaccine, or treatment with out doubt there will be a glut of units on the market
Any one that buys at present ,and sells after an effective treatment is developed ,be prepared for a good financial lose0 -
As the club pre COVID19 already had more members then it could cope with, in the main holiday periods ,and weekends ,there has been no need to change, beside take COVID19 precautions ,as demand in the popular period already exceeded supply
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Can you explain, please, how dealers having a bumper year correlates to the club changing by 1%? I can’t for the life of me see the relationship. 🤷🏻♂️
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Staycations have been on the increase for several years ,covid 19 has just accelerated the trend ,
also it is the same for any new "trend" there will always be those who move on to a new "trend/fad but it seems many this time are realising that is what they have been missiing,
The covid 19 getting rid of , if? it improves will be the
"a dog is for life not just covid19"
Unless they also have got an LV that means no kennels when away
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My reply was in response to the amount of increased sales, over normal, are not COVID19 related.
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Exactly where did you got that information from ?
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