Non-electric pitches
I've been a member for 32 years caravaner family grown up and widowed I bought a small campervan last year it's been fun and I've been out a lot this year and I've tried to book sites without electricity can manage easily with a solar panel the club doesn't provide many sites without hook up what's your opinion please.
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You are right - there are only 18 Club sites offering economy pitches without paying for electricity. You might like to branch out to CLs and independent sites to find more of that sort.
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You might find this thread useful, M&M.
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What sort of opinion are you after M&M?
For better or worse depending on your viewpoint the club only offers a few sites with a non EHU option.
Some will voice a valid opinion that there should be more and other will voice an equally valid opinion that there should be less or stay the same, and the club may look at occupancy rates and see which is more popular with members?
I don't think there's going to be any significant increase, if at all, on non EHU option club sites anytime soon so as ET says if that is what you want then you may have to use non club sites.
Or (as an opinion/suggestion) don't plug in your EHU lead and use club sites
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CLs may well be the way to go. A pity the new Club web site doesnt allow you to search for Off grid sites!
This web site: CL Booking <info@clbooking.co.uk> which is run & organised by a number of CLs does allow you to search for off grid.
When browsing a few CLs the other day I noticed several were introducing some form of electricity metering. My guess is that as electricity prices rises this will become more common. And of course Club sites will become more expensive.
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hja, here is a link to the list of non-EHU CL, which can be found in the CL section of these discussions.
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Thanks all for your replies I've used CL the CCC CLUB do a lot more non electric and an app Park 4 NIGHT just think CMC CLUB could do more I do prefer the security of club sites.
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One of the easiest ways to enjoy cheaper non ehu vanning whilst having the safety of a site is to join in with CAMC rallies or C&Cc THS. These operate all year round and vary in size and location. You don't have to join a centre to participate and they're worth a try.
PS you can be as sociable or as quiet as you like in these places but you'll always get a friendly welcome and some provide more things to do eg walks, visits out and get togethers, there is no pressure to join in!
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Cheers brue it's a thought never been to a rally in all the years being a member.i do have ehu in the van just like the independence and value now the colder weather arriving I will use ehu.
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I have long held the view that what should be done is some pitches (preferably all) with electric meters should be available at each site. That gives you the choice to use as little or as much as you like. The Club is supposed to looking into metering of pitches but as usual they don't inform the membership how its going or what they have found. A fith of my nights away this year have been off grid, almost as many nights as I spent on Club sites. I might have used more Club nights if there was more choice over EHU
peedee
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If I recall correctly (last AGM Q&A was it?) I think the club said while meters would be fairer the cost of installing meters would be prohibitively expensive and that it would continue to monitor the situation?
Do you think that it's going to be any cheaper now PD? I really can't see how and as said it is money that cannot be recouped any other way?
Also have you considered that perhaps many who use club sites actually like the way it is done now? It could be said that you appear to be asking the club to change, spend a prohibitive amount of our money just to accommodate your own touring wishes? I personally would let everyone choose their own preference, just have you have done, rather than make everyone follow a set pattern?
I recall that you used a number of CCC sites as well, did you use EHU there?
Post edit - found the actual wording:
The fairest way to charge for electricity usage would be based on consumption, and this would also likely influence usage levels from a sustainability perspective. Unfortunately, the cost of infrastructure and subsequent monitoring and payment mechanisms are significantly cost prohibitive at this time. Having said this, the Club is constantly reviewing the technology and opportunities in this space in order to identify cost effective ways of being able to deliver this type of arrangement in the future.
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As PD would tell you from his recent visit to club sites MHs on some sites and are now more numerous than caravans. I've noticed this myself and have even been 'outnumbered' on service pitches.
Also the club has stated that the number of motorhomes members and site usage has increased significantly in recent years. So the evidence would suggest they are encompassing MH? But those MH who want what club sites offer of course, if they want something else or want non EHU then they go elsewhere. No good having all the same type of site?
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Cornersteady posted from the last AGM Q&A :-
The fairest way to charge for electricity usage would be based on consumption, and this would also likely influence usage levels from a sustainability perspective. Unfortunately, the cost of infrastructure and subsequent monitoring and payment mechanisms are significantly cost prohibitive at this time. Having said this, the Club is constantly reviewing the technology and opportunities in this space in order to identify cost effective ways of being able to deliver this type of arrangement in the future.
Perhaps worth taking into account that the statement above was made before the massive rise in energy costs that we all know the reasons for. Now does that change the situation viz a viz meters? I have not yet looked at pitch prices for next year but it would seem that the Club would have no choice but to pass these massive increases on to members. The more energy prices go up the more incentive there is for the Club to bite the bullet and introduce meters. It will be interesting to see if the Club are changing their stance on this at the AGM in October?
David
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M&M, another option you might want to look at is Britstops. This is a camper/MH scheme set up to take advantage of legal overnight stays on all sorts of places such as pubs, vineyards, private dwellings, etc…. Huge variety, a lot don’t provide hook ups, but some do. Some are free (the idea is to use the pub for a meal, or buy from a shop that provides)
We have just found a lovely cycle shop/ cafe to overnight free, so we shall sleep over, buy breakfast from the cafe and have a browse in the shop. Another that provided all facilities was a community swimming pool, complete with hook ups, drive over waste, black waste, drinking tap and showers or a swim. All for £10 per night. Lots of nice friendly folks staying, we were a tad wary at first, but happy to do it now.
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The OP has a caravan so is looking for places which take caravans. At present most of the stop overs are designed for motorhomers. However on the THS and rally sites there are always a good mix of vans, these venues are for weekends or longer and the THS are often very flexible, just a phone call to see if there's space available.
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Perhaps and we'll see then.
Of course the club will pass on these increases but that is just life as we know it at this time.
I expect and accept (as in there's nothing I can do about it) these increases at home, expect and accept them on things I wish to buy elsewhere so I just accept these (massive?) energy prices on club sites as well. So I personally don't see rising price as an incentive for the club to do anything regarding meters, which if they were prohibitively expensive last year I would think perhaps even more significantly expensive than last year.
Certainly it should look at other means but I would count installing meters as a 'waste' of our money and that money would have to come from somewhere, as you yourself have said David I recall and it cannot be recovered apart from higher site prices?
I suppose in the end if people continue to use club sites even with the higher massive increases why would the club consider installing them anyway? On;y a drop in site usage might pich them that way.
And another point for debate, the club does not compete in isolation, if other providers do not go the same way with meters, why would people use club sites?
Post edit: massive rises? I booked our July 2023 site a few days ago, same site, same number of people (3), same length as last year 10 nights on a SP and it has gone up £4 per night , this year's price was £45.87 per night, next year £49.86 , so is that massive? Maybe but I don't care it's where and when want to be, yes it may go up before then but again it's where and when I want to be.
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Sorry brue, I thought opening post mentioned a campervan. Realise some folks call a caravan a camper. Sorry for any confusion.
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We have just been informed that a small commercial site we're using next year has reduced the pitch price by a couple of £s per night but have introduced a (pre?)-pay card to access the electricity. Presumably this is something like the pay as you go energy keys, not sure what will happen with any credit you're left with. A fair way would be to only charge you for what you have used. As a small site I doubt he was able to invest heavily in the change so it seems it can be done for a small modification to the hook up post I guess.
Not sure of the details yet or how it will work but will find out soon enough. Doesn't trouble me as it will make us more economical with electric usage which is a good thing all round.
Might be the future if people want the benefit of decent pitches but want to consume as little as possible in way of utilities. I doubt C&MC will go that way though, 1 - the cost to change the whole network, 2 - would put a dent in their costings for pitch revenue. Who knows, everyone has their limits and energy costs only going one way might force the issue.
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You were right, TDA. The OP does now have a campervan although her avatar still shows caravanner. 👍🏻
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As mentioned before the reason the club changed to encompass motor caravans was because of the growth in motor caravan owners no other reasonan
As the camping club changed its name to the caravan and camping club because caravan owners were becoming more prevalent
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No problem brue, I usually notice the avatar first🙂
Forestry Scotland allows caravan stop overs in some of its car parks, we shared with a caravan back in May. No all though, you need to check. More to do with space and access I think for such long combo’s.
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Did the club change? Has there ever been a time when the club did not accept motor caravans or motorhomes or campervans or Dormobiles or whatever description you wish to give motorised caravans? Were they not accepted from the moment they existed?
I do not know the answer to be honest.
But I do remember, as I think I have said before in this place, ringing the club in 1987 to check that motor caravans (as most called them in those days) were allowed on sites, because it was not obvious at that time. The response was - of course they are allowed!
The name change is an entirely different matter. Motorhomes were "encompassed" well before then and the alteration in nomenclature was 30 years too late in my view; by that time, it was entirely unnecessary! Moreover, I still prefer the former graphic design.
Returning to the original theme, I would never go without electric; but that is my personal modus operandi and I know that some want the option; I wonder, honestly though, how many, as a proportion, especially among those who favour club sites.
If the club paid for metering (I'd love to know the cost; with 20,000 pitches, it surely is several million, perhaps well into eight digits [pure guess]), the difficulty is recovering that cost; this is especially so if you do them all (as Peedee suggests), but then some people don't use them. You'd have to put the pitch fee up to recover the fixed cost and that will make pitches even more expensive for those who don't want electric. I reckon it is a very thorny problem for the club.
I cannot see that a higher electric cost changes the incentive to install meters though, as DK suggests. The club must know the average electric usage and this must be costed into pitch prices. How much of that price is attributable to the electric usage doesn't really change anything. The driver for meters is a greener planet and satisfying those who think the current system is unfair. When you realise that, you realise what a huge decision it is for the club. It should be done, but I don't envy them having to make the decision.
Too many people think it's simple. It isn't!
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I agree motor caravans although a rare commodity when I first joined the caravan club were seen on sites
And looking at any V5 documents it will probably class the vehicle as a motor caravan the legal description the word motorhome is just marketing speak
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We joined Caravan Club in 1983 with a camper van. It was obvious to us at the time that they were allowed, just as we were aware some sites allowed tent camping.
We would use eco/metered pitches on Club Sites if they gave enough of a discount, but they don’t. So we use CLs and alternatives. Our next two tour nights will be hook up free. One night is actually free, the other is £8 going to charity.
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In your fifth paragraph you wonder what proportion of club site users don’t want ehu. There is the rub. If people don’t want it, and don’t want to pay the increasing cost, then the camp elsewhere. To really encompass motor homers surely the club should be looking to provide more options.
I entirely agree with your penultimate paragraph.
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Asking for non electric pitches on cc sites is where they have problem as the vocal minority who would use them are far outweighed by those who must have EHUs
I agree some sort of metering may give the few who a non electric pitch is "vital?" the choices but to as posted several times by members it is not as simple and certainly not a cheap installation to covert sites as many are not owned by this or the ccc so the very large investment would need serious thought by either club
it would also increase costs as not like domestic meters they would all be required to be calibrated annually?
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What evidence do you have that the club isn't encompassing motorhomers? In a recent post JK posted:
...stated that what many motorhomers want isn't available with the CAMC. Interesting that there's around 200,000 motorhome owners in this club so they must be providing something that suits that many
But yes I agree the club offers what it does to MHers, if certain MHers don't want that then they will have to go elsewhere and what is wrong with that?
Club sites this year, on the sites I've been on have had good occupancy rates and it's better than previous years in my view, some sites are full at peak times and as I've said often MHs outnumber caravans, Why spend club money that cannot be recouped unless site fees are higher on something that appears to be not needed?
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The ccc have some non electric pitches but from a conversation I had with a site manager in a ccc site we were on earlier this year the non electric pitches are normally those that are difficult to get a supply to and are as from when tents were the majority and many did not want EHU
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