Easter 2023

mbee1
mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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edited April 2022 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Logged into the site at 7.15am as I was working from home and had it running in the background.  65th in the queue and booked a service pitch for two weeks at Easter next week.  Did baulk a little at the price of £750 for two of us and may amend it nearer the time.  Cheaper to have a hotel in Spain I would imagine! 

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  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,639 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #2

    surprised

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #3

    Without the actual site it's difficult to make a comment but it must be one of the most expensive sites on the network, is it a Seacroft or Hillhead type site? The price is what it is I suppose.

    But more surprising is that you can still book club sites to the end of April 2023 without a deposit? I thought they were supposed to be here by now. At this rate it now looks likes May 2023?

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #4

    Also 65th in the queue at 7.15 am? That must say something? 

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited April 2022 #5

    £53 per night for a club site!

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #7

    if you look around a lot of popular sites are just under £50 in peak season and not much less off peak. I am regretting not crossing the water this year for my dose of sunshine.

    peedee

     
  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2022 #8

    As I have mentioned before many of us pensioners are it seems in denial when it comes to prices and costs of today 

    When at FM last year some higher motor caravaners who were non members were very surprised to find how very reasonable it was to stay at the site

    And 65 in  the queue to make a booking for next year at 07.15surprised

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #9

    Perhaps that is the difference between members and non members is that member like my self feel that £31 a night (I think it goes up more next week?) for Ferry Meadows is expensive given that it hasn't got a proper motorhome waste point and you can't even buy a pint of milk!!!

    David

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #10

    You're not taking about club sites PD I assume? Because i can't match your figures?

    I've had a quick look at the popular ones and a lot come in about £38 in peak for a couple on a standard pitch. Even York RP comes in at £42 and that must be one of the most popular sites on the network. 

    To get close to your figure you have to go for something like Seacroft (£45.40) or Hillhead (£52.10) - sites with many extras over a 'standard' club site.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #11

    Baltic Wharf, Rowntree Chatsworth etc. If you have a couple of children it is over the £50 mark.

    peedee

     
  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited April 2022 #12

    Blimey £750 for a fortnight that is a lot of money, wonder what site that is. We remain at home during Bank Holidays since retiring 20 years ago by choice, I think it would be by financial restraint now. I do feel so sorry for young families it must really pull on the purse strings. cry

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited April 2022 #13

    I won’t pay those prices, outrageous. It may not be a very productive exercise in July & August, but a bit of research now will generally secure you a better price from a not too distant C&CC or independent site. For somebody ‘enjoying’ membership rates that’s quite shocking. In May & June I’ll be paying about £20 a night on sites with comparable facilities. If ‘over there’ can do it, why not here?

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #14

    Slightly off topic, but an indication of the trend in prices for UK accommodation - 2 years ago we booked a cottage in Lancashire for a week at a touch over £500. Then coronavirus and the lockdown came and we were unable to go but postponed it, at no extra cost, to the same week last year.  Just about a month before we were due to go we got an email saying it had been taken off the holiday market (change of ownership) and we got a refund.

    Last week I had a quick look to see what was happening and it's now back on the holiday market, and pretty fully booked, for £1750 a week ("mid" season)! surprised

    (The alternative we booked and are going to in a fortnight comes in at about £80 a night, including the dogs and all power/heating etc.) smile

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #15

    You obviously don't understand, just under , over and popular.

    peedee

     
  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #16

    We are fortunate enough to be able to book something very very late, so hoping to hoover up a bargain or two in terms of cottages. I have no qualms at asking for a reduced price, or a discount for a big cottage if only two of us use it. Many owners are fine with this, happy to have someone in rather than have it empty for a week. It’s best to book direct if you can, rather than via an agency.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #17

    PD if your just under £50 is £44.10 then I suppose I don't. But I think I do on the others.

  • RobSanP
    RobSanP Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited April 2022 #18

    Just checked my Bookings and Brecon Beacons in August this year is now over £40/night for two adults.

  • mbee1
    mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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    edited April 2022 #19

    Saturday 01 April 2023 - Sunday 16 April 2023
    Pitch fees for 15 night(s) @ £22.20 per night
    £333.00
    2 adult for 15 night(s) @ £13.90 per adult per night
    £417.00
    TOTAL
    £750.00

     

    Chatsworth on a super pitch.  I suspect it will change before then to no more than a week or even less than that.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #20

    Mbee has booked a serviced pitch, super pitch even, hence the very high price.

     

    DD and family are away in our van at present, serviced hardstanding, shop on site, small clubhouse, heated indoor pool, great play areas for the children........£30 per night

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #21

    You keep saying this JVB, but I can tell you that even our (well paid) children are now amazed at the prices on most Club sites whenever there is a school holiday on the horizon, and are not surprised that we are avoiding them!

    The prices in between the school holidays are pretty high too on many sites, only some of the colder months seem to be more reasonable, but that may well soon not be the case with the rising cost of electricity.  

    IMO,  most  Club sites are no longer offering value for money.

    We are still buying food and other consumables, despite being pensioners, and are not finding the cost of  them so bad.

     

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,601 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #22

    I can't get access to page 2 so apologies if I'm replicating any info.

    Looking at the site that MikeyA put up on the Small Private Site thread on UK touring section, namely Hunter Farm, a service pitch for this Easter for 2 weeks with an awning for 2 adults would cost just under £400. This is in an area that is popular with tourists so not an out of the way location. I don't know if the OP has mentioned which site he/she have booked or whether said site is an all singing all dancing one but the difference in price is staggering. So look outside of the club if you are unhappy paying that amount.

    Some people will still pay it as it's a known quantity but like all known quantities there is a line that cannot be crossed with regard to taking your client base for granted.

     Edit - just got access at last so now know it's Chatsworth, so basically just a standard club site in a popular pitch up place.

    Whilst the prices quoted above are for this Easter you can add 5%. I included an awning at £2 per night so take £28 off.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #24

    What I'm most amazed at is the fact that someone wants to stop on one site for 2 weeks surprised

    I can't think of anytime in the last 30 + years we've ever stayed that long, not even abroad.

    £750 for 2 weeks, we won't be paying that for 6 weeks in France on full facility sites, with pools, restaurants and a shop. 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #25

    The Club has a very big captive market at the moment. Lots of folks able and mostly willing to pay whatever price the Club puts onto its Sites. It won’t bother them if individuals cannot stay as long, someone else will come along and snap up the remaining days, so it’s a win, win for the Club. Higher fees, fuller Sites. Market forces prevail.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #26

    "I have no idea why you keep perpetuating this line JVB. 

    I can assure you that the majority of pensioners that I know, including yours truly, know exactly what the prices and costs of today are. We only have to see the virtually non existent returns on savings and the extra amount going out for energy, fuel, council tax, etc. etc. to know that our purchasing power is diminishing. Believe me there is no denial going on just astonishment at how high some of the increases are."

     

    Yes, agree with that 100%! I guess, compared to many pensioners, most on here, us included, are reasonably comfortable and could, if we wished, afford the prices mentioned. But, although there are obvious plusses to being pitched up next door to one of the most beautiful estates and houses in the country, those fees seem to be milking things. But folk will pay them because of the situation and many of the alternatives in the area cost at least that much - just try to find a cottage in Baslow at Easter! surprised

    TG, I can fully understand why some folk want to spend 2 weeks or more in the same spot, especially with the cost of petrol/diesel these days,  but not at this particular site especially as I seem to remember the OP telling us in the past that they spend several weekends there too!

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2022 #27

    Evening

    Off topic but there are many many people that stay on club sites for 21 nights TG. Moreso, the seasonal pitch allocation on our sites this year have been swallowed up with many sites having a waiting list (closed now).  It's not all those newbies either, on our site we even have a couple of motorhomes here for the season.

    Obviously I can't get involved in the discussion on pricing, sorry for going offthreadundecided

    For us Easter isn't as busy as the Jubilee weekend

    JK

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #28

    I can perfectly understand why stay in one place for a good length of time. I've often even seen motorhomes do it. 

    On our long distance travels in the summer holidays in the past it would be about 17 days in one place, it would be our home from home and gave us plenty of time to completely explore the area and spend time relaxing as well.  Same for holiday cottages which is usually two weeks for us. 

    PS am I the only one who thought we'd have deposits by now?

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #29

    I can understand seasonal pitches and I guess in certain parts of the country like Cornwall. I'd even agree when it's summer holidays and all families want is to be by a beach but 2 weeks at Chatsworth would bore me to tears, still as they say each to there own. 

    Prices are just out of control and I for one will not be getting in the game of paying £30+ for a patch of gravel, certainly not in this country its just silly and not VFM

  • mbee1
    mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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    edited April 2022 #30

    Chatsworth is just 20 miles away from us.  Until last year my wife had elderly parents so, if they needed, her she was able to go over and could be with them in half an hour or so. Sadly they both died last year.  We also have twin daughters, both who are teachers, and they often use the van so, even though it is booked in for a fortnight, even if I don't reduce the number of nights there, they may well use it.

    We all work full time but don't necessarily want to trek miles for a few days away.  It's a popular but expensive site but we like it.  Sometimes we don't do anything except chill, read and walk the dog in the park.  It's a sort of escapism, if a somewhat expensive one!

    And why wouldn't someone want to stop on a site for two weeks?  We almost always do in the summer.  We don't want to be somewhere for two or three days, putting the awning up, taking it down.  Our holidays are for relaxing with a little bit of exploration, a few good pubs in the area, so we invariably don't move.

    We've been to Chatsworth at Easter for the last few years, apart from 2020 due to Covid.  I'm off there on Monday for a week but my wife has to work and won't be out until Friday. I'll even have to pop home on Thursday as I have a dentist appointment which I didn't want to cancel as it would be months before I could get another one.  

    We all caravan in different ways.  I baulk at the price of Club sites but they suit us.  We don't want a big, brash, commercial site with pool, bar and entertainment - frankly that would be our worst nightmare but we like sites with facilities - just in case!

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2022 #31

    Morning

    I've heard nothing regarding deposits CS. I'm sort of glad as before we know it the summer season will be here. Implementing and learning a big thing when the sites are full, that'll be funundecided Who knows?

    We're down to 10 spaces now for Easter, all of a sudden bookings are flying!

    JK