The future
Comments
-
"Recent years"? I think you must have slipped back in time, JV.😆
I'm in my 48th year of membership with C&CC and I can assure you they accepted caravans well before I joined.
While the base membership, as you call it, was originally tenters, these days tents are far outnumbered by caravans and MHs.
0 -
Going back to the original post re attracting other groups in particular families, I have written on here and to the club re the increase in prices during the now elongated school holidays not being in the ethics of a club. I am in my 70s now and first joined the club when my now 45 year old children were babies, in those days there were rallies, have they disappeared, I can remember as a family some great week ends on rallies which were not only cheap but great fun for all the family.
I do believe we have left the original club ethics in search of financial gain and lost sight of the needs of the membership as a whole.
2 -
This is an historic thing. When our children were young we moved from tent camping to caravanning. The club, has always been like described in my opinion. However, it was never really the sites or club I questioned, standards and expectations were and still are excellent I believe. For us the attractions was where the sites were located and the other products membership allowed us access to. We only ever used the site as a safe, secure place to return too having enjoyed the localities attractions.
The issue for me is cultural and the club merely mirrors this. I do believe 'things' ought to change mind but that's about our collective attitude to diversity as a nation and our individual willingness to embrace such change. Whether those who currently don't see themselves as caravaners can embrace this wonderful hobby of ours is then up to them.
2 -
I think in terms of a family holiday, it simply depends on what the family is interested in. Club Sites in the main are simply somewhere to pitch up and sleep, although most have lots of off site attractions close by, if family wants to take part. If it’s somewhere more Centre Parc’s that is required, lots of things to do on the site itself, then other providers possibly do this better.
Maybe the OP is talking more about families not feeling welcome, Sites not being places children can run free without supervision, climb trees, ride bikes, scooters, roller skates, kick a ball about, we just don’t know. There are Club Sites with the space to allow this, away from vans, but you have to look for them.
We don’t use Club Sites during school holidays, I will be honest and say that being around noisy family groups isn’t our thing, but mainly because my working life was around children’s sports and activities, so I needed the break. Older now, but still enjoy peace and quiet more. That said, it was fun watching what youngsters got up to at Hexham last month, they were no bother at all.
0 -
If back in the late 70's you told me radio 2 would play The Clash, Buzcocks and the Sex Pistols I would have laughed but they do. The club will have to change to suit the bulk of it's demographic.
1 -
We too have been a member for 3>4 years and I don’t use the sites very often, until the virus came we spent the winter 6 months in Spain and Portugal. we mainly use the club for friends and family visits when local parking is not available. But we are thinking of dropping out.
When we were stuck in Portugal because the Spanish had closed the boarders I tried to use the club to get info and help but I got nothing!
0 -
I don't know if you have read this Story which was poster recently of someone seemingly in a similar situation? The poster said this :-
"In every crisis the first casualty is always communications. Information is hard to come by and what information you do get is often wrong. The staff at CAMC were wonderful they did everything they could to help us get home and I can’t emphasise enough how very important that was to us."
I obviously don't know the real details of either but it does seem strange there is such a gap between the two?
David
0 -
This rubbish about the club not providing for ethnic groups is just that - rubbish. There is provision on site for all groups. It is simply the case that on any UK site you choose it is rare to find such people. It is not down to the club that most campers are white. I encounter young families but less so at the times I choose to tour except for weekenders where sites are closer to areas of high levels of population.
Some want more facilities on a campsite such as pool, bar, restaurant etc. etc.
When I had a family we spent little time on site. We spent time as a family. We occasionally used sites with bells and whistles but most of what we wanted to enjoy was offsite.
3 -
Like TDA I have memories of holidays on Club Sites from the mid sixties.Not sure when the Club began accepting MH units on their sites.Mum and Dad had : a Sprite Alpine,a Sprite Musketeer and then three VW Devons,two Awards and then a Burstner T610 MH .I can remember using the VWs on Club sites in the late sixties but not precise years-perhaps someone may be able to confirm the time of MH acceptance?
I was 14 in 1968 I can dimly remember using Club sites with the VW on one Summer holiday.
You do not log dates when the Future seems limitless unlike now when the light at the end of this particular tunnel might be an oncoming train?
2 -
Looking at it from a slightly different perspective, I think "those at the top" of the organisation are possibly there almost by default. Putting aside any financial aspect of caravanning, (in its broad sense of the word) it is those "at the top" that probably have, not only the time to be able to do the job but also, and importantly, the commitment. I'll probably be shot down in flames for saying this but the younger age groups don't appear to have the long term commitment of the older generation. This is probably partly because of family pressures to do other things and for those even younger they are starting out on a career.
It's no secret that I'm involved with scouting and whilst we have very many dedicated younger leaders it is also a fact that many younger leaders don't stay the course, giving up after only a very few years. At one time leaders had to retire at 65 but this requirement had to be removed as it was realised that the older leaders not only had a lot of experience to offer but they also didn't get fed up after a short time. Whenever there are policy meetings taking place it is always the older members that turn up for it. We would dearly love younger people to take a more committed part but they seem to be few and far between. On this basis I assume, perhaps wrongly, that it is the same in many organisations.
5 -
Very true with what your post says ,
It is or was before covid very noticeable the age range of most who were willing to "get involved" and stay the distance,
Plenty of younger folk would "have their say" if there were any "problems?" but would not put themselves forward to be "on the committee" usual excuse was "did not have the time" (more likely commitment) as we older members agreed
The local councilors even tried diferent times and weekends for their surgeries to get residents to attend and combine with our neighborhood watch meetings we had free tea/coffee from pub landlord and snacks/cakes donated by our local Co op and still none of younger residents were interested
i think at least two scout/youth groups have folded because they were unable to fill the leaders positions
Ps those who post on here who rally ,is it the same trying to keep centres going?
0 -
The club is a multi million pound business and I perfectly understand what the OP means. I was on a site at half term but there were very few children. I wondered why then realised how much I'd paid. It's a wonder families can't afford some sites in school holidays.
Similarly there is always a plethora of "older" people there. Now I'm getting on a bit (60) but some members would sooner look away than say "good morning" to you and they're nearly always the older members.
Rather than have the "club week" that was recently advertised, perhaps during school holidays the club should encourage families by making the fees more attractive by having, perhaps, some childrens activities for a couple of hours a day. This won't appeal to many but it might encourage more younger members with children to go. I'm not saying it should be at every site but, perhaps could be at targeted sites, leaving room for the "blue rinse and pearls brigade" (no offence intended) to go elsewhere.
Whilst I haven't specifically looked, does the club advertise for BAME staff as they are under represented and do they mention this when it comes to members being on the Board. Should there be a minimum numbers of places allocated to BAME and members under a certain age?
Should the Club look at its sites and consider allowing tents at more of them? More younger people tent camp possibly due to the capital outlay of a caravan or MH.
I'm afraid the CCC isn't called "The Friendly Club" for nothing.
2 -
The club's Equality and Diversity Policy can be viewed via this link.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/about-us/work-for-us/head-office/vacancies/0 -
Rather than have the "club week" that was recently advertised, perhaps during school holidays the club should encourage families by making the fees more attractive by having, perhaps, some childrens activities for a couple of hours a day. This won't appeal to many but it might encourage more younger members with children to go. I'm not saying it should be at every site but, perhaps could be at targeted sites, leaving room for the "blue rinse and pearls brigade" (no offence intended) to go elsewhere
Great idea, and a commercial site i visited recently did provide 2 hours entertainment in the evening e.g. 1800 - 2000, nothing OTT, they had story readers/tellers, kiddies magician, etc parents loved it as it kept the children occupied for a couple of hours and then it was off for shower and bed. There was also a small mobile bar so parents could have an evening drink do a bit of socialising and keep their eyes on the children at the same time, all outdoors under a canopy. The site was family owned and i have found, from when we took the Gkids, that family run sites did seem to have a better understanding of what their campers wanted/needed, some of these sites are more expensive than club sites some on a par or cheaper so swings and roundabouts.
3 -
It's a club and you need an interest in the club's activities and facilities to want to pay up and join. Same for cycling clubs, automobile clubs boxing clubs etc The obvious ticket for most of us is owning a leisure unit.
Now one way of encouraging a broad spectrum of membership is to offer an insight into the club for non members. I guess that is what the club is doing with www.experiencefreedom.co.uk
Having attended martial arts, photography, gym, swimming and motor clubs and of course CMC and CCC I observe a huge difference in the diversity of the membership of each.
0 -
Because that's what they are - The Friendly Club.
We often go the the club site at Incleboro Fields which, if you've been, you will know is next door the CCC site at West Runton. We love Incleboro Fields but it' an ideal site to have tents on as out of 250 pitches only six are hardstanding.
Last year and quite by coincidence, I was walking around the CCC site with the dog and bumped into someone I knew. Needless to say I spent an hour or so chatting to them (my wife thought I'd got lost) but the whole atmosphere of being on that site was so very different.
No one was bothered that a couple of children were playing with a ball a few metres away. No one was bothered that children were running around playing or that a baby was crying. Of course, lots of tent campers so far more barbecue cooking, so more people outside, so a more genial atmosphere.
This is why the CAMC has got a stuffy image because it actually has;
Far too may rules
Run by older white men
Really not young family friendly
2 -
The difference between the two clubs has been noticeable during the pandemic. When the sites were open the C&CC reduced the number of pitches available which left room for children to play and easier access to facilities. CAMC pursued a different policy, packed sites and band systems for busy facilities.
I think the future for the club remains to be seen regarding their attractiveness for families.
2 -
I notice on a C&CC site you'll get a smile and "good morning" from people you meet whilst usually on a CAMC site folk try to avoid eye contact or maybe you'll just get a grunt. Of course there are exceptions but, in the main, people are much more casual on C&CC sites and far less stand offish. That's my opinion gained over nearly 50 years of membership of C&CC.
4 -
Thats just how I and OH tend to find most people on my 52 years of cc membership usually quite congenial,in their attitude
Two years ago we gave the ccc a try and apart from the "age concession" did not notice any diference with the members , some of the Management at the Sandringham site did need a bit of training in public relations,
We have not bothered to renew ,as their sites did not seem so well organised as the cc ,but then maybe thats why they keep pushing"the friendly club" as staff seem to turn a blind eye to so much
1
