Club prices getting silly
I'm not one who normally complains about site fees. It's quite simple - you either accept them, or you don't! We are both fortunate in that we are retired with good pensions and don't have to count the 'pennies' too much. However, I have just attempted to book two nights at Broadway as a stop-over on our way to Devon, next June. For two people on a normal hardstanding pitch on 5 June (not a peak holiday period), we are being asked to pay £39.40 and for the following night, £35.10 - that's over £74 for two nights. Compare that with 14 nights at the C&CC site at Dartmouth - which is lovely and just as good, if not better than most CAMC sites - for £311.
I think this is ridiculous and will be looking elsewhere.
That said, I am not averse to paying premium prices if it seems justified - we will be paying something like £37pn at Sandringham, this Christmas - but I would expect that at that time of year due to increased demand - but not in what I see as a 'low/mid season' period.
I don't use Club sites very often and if this is the way things are going, together with the threat of introducing deposits I can't see me using them at all in the future.
Rant over - but I think this is a step too far.
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I agree we have noticed over the last 12 months the prices are getting ridiculous
Even this year with the reduced VAT the costs have been higher than last year.
Next year I think we will definatley be looking at private sites or CL's to try and reduce the costs
Such a shame as we love the club sites and due to me still working weekends are our time to get away
Have found the other club far more reasonable with pricing and general COVID measures this year
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If it had been Hillhead on those dates it would be £49.60 and £33.60...total £83.20.....
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Richardandros, Bredon Vale site is nearby and close to your route and has glowing reviews - hard standing pitch with electricity, and dog free - priced at £24 a night. Grass pitches less than that.
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Not making any excuses for club prices, but I think 5 June is part of the platinum jubilee celebrations next year, isn't it? So very much a bank holiday weekend.
But if it's just for a stop over, I can recommend a CL just off J6 (I think) of the M5 called Woodlands Farm, or the private site at Hawford Bridge (called Mill House).
Edit - or the C&CC site at Wolverley though I'm not so sure if that would fit with your route.
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The businesses that have survived the covid shutdowns are likely to try to recoup some of their losses through raised prices, and can do so because many others have closed and there is little competition at present. As a result, prices for everything are perceived to be high - not helped by many of the population having been protected from witnessing creeping price increases.
Economics would say that this will stabilise as others enter the market, and I expect it will, but I do suspect that we will end up with prices for almost everything at a higher level than if they had increased naturally over the past 18 months.
I wonder when pension payments will catch up . . . . ?
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Eurotraveller - thank you so much for that info - looks ideal in terms of location and facilities and I will be enquiring re vacancies, shortly! I was a bit concerned when you said "dog free", thinking Meg wouldn't be allowed - but I guess you meant, no charges for dogs!!
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Free meaning no charge.
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All my stops this year have been CLs, one commercial, and a number of C&CC. The prices I have investigated have been, IMV, excessive. It's no wonder that my request for a proper printed price list went unheeded. They probably don't want us to easily find out how much they are charging.
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I accept all of that argument Navigateur, but how does that stack up with C&CC charging £22 p.n. at Dartmouth, which actually has much more going for it in terms of location and facilities than Broadway, imo.
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But at Dartmouth, there are many more equally good alternatives so the competition kicks in. Broadway, although a great site which we used often, does not have the same level of competition, especially for being within walking distance of the town.
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Might be this the reason for a spike in prices around 5th June? https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend
David
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Except for the night I am talking about, the 'Bank Holiday" is actually over. It goes from the Thursday to the Sunday - so how is an increase justified on that basis for the night of the 5th?
Doesn't really make that much difference, though. I've voted with my feet!
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If the £22 is a result of the age related discount, that would explain a fair bit of the difference. When we stopped at a C&CC site in August (so no age related discount) it was slightly more expensive than a comparable CAMC site. That said if the C&CC keep giving it, we will certainly be using more of their sites when deposits are introduced. One of the reasons we are prepared to accept CAMC prices is the ease of booking and amendment. If that goes they loose their edge.
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The club usually makes the period around BH as peaks periods, but again you've done the right thing for you. But as I've said this many times, and last week in fact, until people stop paying club prices they won't be going down?
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Would it be cynical to suggest that all Club prices would be inflated over that weekend in order to make the Emaciated National Rally look a slightly better deal?
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Thanks for the suggestion Eurortraveller - Bredon Vale now booked!
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JV, for the folk who get minimum wage I doubt they’re big holidaymakers☹️. The cost of diesel/petrol is at its highest ever, energy prices alone will wipe out the increase without the pressure of food increases that have only just begun to filter down. I personally think it’ll adversely affect the leisure industry & they’ll be caught between a rock & a hard place☹️🤷🏻♂️
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Surely the rise was always going to happen and would have been factored in to 2022 prices. I would be more concerned about energy costs, which are rising faster than I think anyone would have predicted. I very much doubt there is sufficient factoring in for those and a surcharge or interim price rise may be required.
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As a proportion of the price we pay for a pitch, the staff cost element will be very little. The increase in legal minimum wage will add a small percentage to a small percentage. No doubt it will be used as an excuse to pump prices up though.
Example: £30 pitch fee includes say 5% staff cost, and staff cost increases by 10%. This adds 15pence to the £30.
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JV, If it was a reduction in hours would there then be sufficient time for the staff to do the job properly ? and if the answer is yes then surely then the staff have spare capacity now. Again I am not sure about that, all the staff I have seen are very busy all the time.
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Most sites I think are calor gas so they will likely have some fixed tariff but I am not sure if the wholesale price of gas affects LPG, we are on 2 year fixed deal at home with Calor. Electric costs will surely rise, but again they will have some fixed deal with supplier but once this runs out then the costs will rise. More reason to start offering the choice of EHU or not on all pitches so we can have a choice, if you want EHU you pay if not then you don't, should increase the clubs green credentials a bit anyway as well as fall in line with other providers.
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We all knew covid would have to be paid for one way or another and prices are rising across the board. Add this to the issues caused by leaving the EU and the financial effect is going to be felt by us all.
Inevitably site fees will rise in response to massively increased costs with minimum wage levels being a small part of it. I'd not be surprised to see a drop off in site occupancy in future as folk find themselves stretched financially.
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