Club prices getting silly
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CLs as most should know were in the past and some still .are very good value, as posted by others on here , but the trend as on most sites either both clubs and more commercial sites it seems is members want a lot more facilities but no fee increases,
I think both of my posts you refer to are not just me as others have also commented on this website about the fall in the quality of over the channel build quality,LVs
The same with site costs as you say ,some say this clubs site costs are high? It seems mostly from older members ,who it seems have yet to realise the costs of most things in this country are going up faster than pensions,
Yet the younger it seems families are still filling up sites at peak times and weekends
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CCC Salisbury (on Hudson Field) is a regular haunt for us, our pals like it....but the site itself isn't in the top league by any means....the pitches (apart from a few at the very top end) are on the prevailing slope, lots on grass, showers not the most up to date...
however, as Steve says, it's a flat east walk to town, it's on the local cycle route, Old Sarum is on the doorstep, local pub across the way, and it's cheap with various pitching options and oldie discount
....AND there is a huge car park next door so that any keen arrivals can stop there mid morning and visit the town, and then move to the site later...
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I think I mentioned that....
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The classic was "Alicante South" nearly 50 miles away from Alicante.
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You keep repeating the bit about pensioners JVB, do you really think pensioners are not aware that prices are rising faster than pensions?
Do members really want a lot more facilities? The Club does not promote its sites as "holiday parks" , if that is what people want, would they not book such a site to start with?
If by a lot more facilities you mean more hard standings and more serviced pitches, then that is a reasonable request. However, serviced pitches are already more expensive, and if we are finally to be able to book pitch surface, I fully expect that there will be a price differential between grass and HS, and it is only fair that the same should apply to awning and non-awning.
It is unrealistic to expect enhanced facilities without paying a bit extra, but many sites have not changed significantly over the years, yet fees are rising well beyond inflation.
Does the calculation of the UK inflation rate not take the minimum wage into account, as well as a lot of other factors? I don't know!
Yes, we find site fees very high these days, but we did realise that my pension, possibly unlike some, would never keep up with inflation generally, we are not stupid. We have savings, and use them when required, but this does not mean we cannot have an opinion on site fees, and express it.
Much of what we have saved by not being able to go away as much, or at all, recently, due to covid, will no doubt be swallowed up by increased fuel costs and higher prices and taxes all round. The rest we are spending on some upgrades to the house to make it more suitable for our future needs.
We do have a "holiday budget" in our overall budget. This is however being eroded much faster than expected due to extended peak periods and higher site fees, so something has to give.
Those still working may well have the possibility to make a bit extra by doing overtime, or getting a promotion, pensioners would need to go back to work to increase their income. The only other choices are to cut back on other things, use less expensive sites, or go away less often.
We are choosing to vote with our wheels and use less expensive sites.
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Our last ten day trip, six sites, up to the NE and back from the SW, two of us on club sites (one C&CC site) averaged £24 per night. This took in part of half term too. Although we've paid less using CLs in the summer etc I feel we were able to put this rather hurried holiday together with relative ease and except for a sudden site closure we felt it was reasonable. We're off for a 3 day break in a holiday cottage soon, that works out around £130 per night!
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We have spent 35 nights away this year so far and our average price per night is £22. All but two of those nights were on main Club sites including July/August peak times. The average price was lower because we stayed 7 nights at a no facility site and of course the VAT reduction which we won't have next year. Our first decision point is the location we want to be at, price is secondary. OK if there is a choice of site we might opt for the cheaper one providing what it provides is the same. Especially during the last two years going away in the motorhome has been our only type of holiday so the £800 we have spent on sites is hardly a lot of money. We have been eyeing up the possibility of a two week cruise in 2023 which is likely to be six or seven times what we have spent this year on campsites!!!
David
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Pretty much the same as our average, though actual prices paid have ranged from £15 per night to £30..serviced Club site, too late to book an alternative in July!
The VAT reduction certainly made a good difference this year, but next year the costs will be considerably higher. We have enjoyed using more CLs and smaller, no facility commercials this year, as caravanners their possible remoteness does not matter, and they have all been serviced, so we feel this is the way we will go in the future.
Like you, we mainly use our on board facilities, so see little point in paying for facilities we do not need.
Cottages are not under consideration at present, OH finds it very difficult to sleep well in a "strange" bed, which is why we returned to caravanning in 1998. And having spent over 40 years working on ships, a cruise does not really appeal to me!
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Apart from one long stay on a club site in Cornwall in June this year all our sites have been at no facility Club sites or CLs. Next year we have decided it will be just (mainly) CLs, We don’t use site facilities so why pay for them! I know we will use a few club sites but it will only be for a day or two whilst in transit. We have already booked 3 CLs next year for May, June and September - still working on anything else. We are finding sites expensive as others have said. Our son and daughter-in-law always laugh when we complain about £35+ a night stays but they are both lucky enough to be in well paid jobs!
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Supply and demand, like any business the club will increase costs until demand plateaus, if demand drops we might see a different approach. It's been a freak year so who can guess what happens next. Will all the newcomers who don't see the price's as a problem when compared to other UK accommodation continue with LVs or migrate back to their original holidaying modes?
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Yes, so are our 2 children, though our daughter is on maternity leave at present so has had to keep spending down as she is the higher earner.
They have used our caravan for 2 x 6 night breaks this year, I think they were about £35 per night for serviced pitches on sites which had good play areas for the little ones, and near a beach. They were pleased with the cost and had a great time. Of course, not having to buy, service and insure a caravan helped, as did getting us to tow the van there and back!!!
They also had 4 nights in hotels, which cost about the same in total as both the caravan stays, and were much more hassle as they had to fit everything into her car and eat out all the time.
She is quite keen to get their own van in the future, but now that the towing licence rules are changing, she might shelve that idea for a while. We have now put both her and SIL on our insurance, so MIGHT agree to lend them the whole outfit next time. They will need some training first though.
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Looking around the internet at both Club and commercial site prices the rise in pitch prices (ignoreing the VAT reduction) next year seems to be about 14 percent. Many sites are going to be over £30 per night in off peak, some a lot more which I definitely won't be using! I think good CLs are going to see a boom in bookings if that has not happened already this year.
peedee
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With fuel prices being so volatile it will be very "Interesting " for some time to come, as to how much all forms of hospitality can absorb the costs ,,and that includes all those companies who service this industry,
You just have to note the fuel companies that have already gone to the wall leaving their customers to pick up the bill
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Fuel companies, do you mean energy companies JV?🤔
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Peedee
I have been looking at a site near Newquay (not a Club site) expecting it to be around £30 a night, as it was the last time I looked. When I checked a couple of days ago in May (not bank holiday) it has increased to £47 a night! Obviously even more expensive towards the main summer holidays. Whilst one would expect some increase because of inflation, energy costs and staffing costs that amount of increase can only be due to the site trying to squeeze everything they can out of the staycation boom which they obviously feel is going to continue into 2022? It is in a prime location so perhaps they will get away with it?
David
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Ok, which fuel companies have gone bust JV?
PS-just done some research JV-no fuel companies have gone bust but quite a few energy companies have. So I realise it was energy companies you meant to type👍🏻
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I agree AD, I haven't planed to go across the Channel next year but I could easily change my mind at the last minute if sites become overly expensive here.
I also got the last place on a package booked a couple of weeks ago. Decide I could not face a long winter at home like last year.
peedee
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I have just got back from an 8 day 835 mile round trip to the Scotish border and back. I used 4 sites and deliberately avoided the Club sites on the way back because of silly prices (I have alerted he Club to this fact) Outward I stayed at a good commercial site £6 per night cheaper than the on route Club site I used for a couple of nights, A CL both outward and homeward and a C&CC homeward at less than half the price per night of the Club sites I considered. None of these sites were any better or worse than the Club sites.
If the Club wants to attract motorhomes for short stays they have got to find a way of making it cheaper.
peedee
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As long as pitches are selling, I don’t think the club cares if it’s motorhomes or caravans, short stays or long stays.🤷🏻♂️
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Yes, I've been on here a long time now and every year these 'club prices are getting too high' appear (inflation busting price rises was my favourite phrase) along with predictions of empty pitches coming soon, this has yet to happen but who knows maybe this coming year?
Perhaps those people do stop using them (and quite rightly too of course - it's their money) and others come along to pay those silly prices, or maybe they are are not that silly?
I'm not saying either way, everyone has to decide for themselves is my view
PS Sprouts were 1p a bag cheaper in Sainburys than ASDA this morning - I'm going to write to ASDA after this.
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