Cost of sites has gone mad
Comments
-
It is Oneputt, but prices are made up of individual pricing aspects on Club Sites, and there’s long been a small minority on here who think charging for dogs will give Club Site nirvana. A fallacy of course, but the point has to be politely refuted every now and then😁
2 -
+1, I would pay-£2/£5 or even £10 P/N, my Dogs are family not an inconvenience👍🏻
0 -
Often on here we talk about the site prices for couples as a basis for remarks about costs but for families, as quoted by the OP, it is even more expensive. We see fewer families around unfortunately sometimes we see grandparents with grandchildren but the squeeze is on for many working folk and their children. Thankfully CLs are still a good option and often much safer for outdoor enjoyment.
2 -
Very much our view as well. What price do you put on convenience? As with everything in life there is always a cheaper alternative but where do you draw the line. I think I would prefer to go away for less nights but be on sites which whilst they might be more expensive at least I have the comfort of knowing that things are a relatively short walk away or where I can hop on a bus (for free in England) to go further afield. To stay on a CL miles from nowhere is not my idea of fun even if it is half the price. Even when we had a caravan we tended to use sites near to things so we didn't have to rely on taking the car out everyday.
David
0 -
You need to define close. I would agree in the case of Malvern, in fact we prefer the C&CC one and would definitely consider it better value for money. However at Barnard Castle, although fairly close the C&CC one is a fair bit further walk into BC and we would not consider it value for money.
0 -
I thought we were comparing costs of Club sites with comparable alternatives. In my book a CL or non facility site is not comparable. By shopping around you could always find value for money sites with facilities just the same as the Club's and sometimes even better. It is just lately the choice seems to have widened.
peedee
1 -
You are super sensitive whenever I mention children and dogs AD.🙂
Having a child for most people is a choice, hopefully carefully considered. Owning a dog (or other pet) is for most people a choice, again hopefully carefully considered. Both will have an impact upon how life progresses, what might and might not be done, enjoyed, etc… at any given point. Neither is good or bad as far as I am concerned, merely a choice. I cannot recall saying at any point that I think dogs should go free while children have to pay. Some places charge for both, some places let both in free.
I happen to think parents get a rough deal when it comes to things like holidays, and think adventurous holidays should be the right of every child, as much a part of growing up and learning as anything taught in a classroom. Likewise, I think owning and caring for another living creature can likewise enrich a child and adults.
Finally, a definition of choice…. Collins English version.
Definition of 'lifestyle'
lifestyle(laɪfstaɪl IPA Pronunciation Guide )
VARIABLE NOUN B2
The lifestyle of a particular person or group of people is the living conditions, behaviour, and habits that are typical of them or are chosen by them. [...]1 -
+1, I am staying in a Cottage in Settle this Summer with mine 🐕👍🏻
0 -
Using the same disregard-I truly love Europe but in the total comfort of a Hotel with AirCon & waiting service. We have 1 thing in common👍🏻
2 -
Sorry this is off topic but I have to disagree with your statement that an adventurous holiday is the right of every child. If you follow your own logic in paragraph two it is the responsibility of the parents to provide this when they make their choice to have a child.
Holidays becoming a basic human right, really.
0 -
I have to agree with the OP, prices have gone mad.
We rarely use CAMC sites now and those we do use are inevitably non facility sites.
I don't mind a site/CL in the middle of nowhere, if it's the right price or if we are only staying for one night or want to chill for a couple of days.
I refuse to pay £30+ just to park up for a night. In those circumstances a nice quiet site is preferable to a busy site that is convenient for public transport or a nearby pub.
Busy school holidays and weekends we can avoid, if we want to avoid families (we do) dogs on the other hand are not so easy to avoid.
I think like a few others that while I like dogs and have had dogs myself. I don't necessarily want to be surrounded by them. Depending on the site you can quite easily be outnumbered by outfits with dogs.
A well behaved dog is not the problem, the problem only arises if you have an inconsiderate owner who does not notice or care if their dog/dogs are disturbing other campers.
While there are a growing number of Adult only sites, for those who wish to avoid busy family times, I think I'm correct in saying there are few sites that are dog free.
5 -
It’s the right of the child. How responsible the parents are, how caring, how stimulating an environment they create, how much time and effort is put in🤔Sadly that’s where the lottery lies for far too many, hence why part of my teacher training involved looking for signs of neglect, and worse.
We are digressing I agree, but it’s linked in with pricing. Club Site prices are creeping beyond the means of some families at the moment, that’s bourn out by the OP.🙂
1 -
TDA, while I agree with some bits of your post I have to disagree with other parts.
We all know that it's a difficult time for the majority of folk but not all families are suffering.
When on sites at weekends and school holidays you only have to look at the mega big outfits that some families have and all at the high end.
We were recently at a caravan show where I have to say the prices were eye-watering and beyond anything we would be willing to pay. Yet the dealers were doing excellent business with families. Speaking to a couple of dealers locally to us it's now the young families that are buying and the elderly that are selling.
We have a young couple living next door who take their 2 young children out at least once a month camping in the wild, not on sites but teaching them how to have fun with nature in a respectable way, last weekend they were watching beavers in the wild maintain their lodge.
Not all camping fun needs to be on expensive campsites.
2 -
I think you are right about this particular site, a quick check shows £27.40 for a family of five at peak times. I can't find the costs for children easily except that under fives go free. So although I think costs are very high on some sites these "value" sites still offer a holiday at a reasonable cost. The drawback with this particular site is that it involves a lot of travel and fuel to visit other places but it's a very pleasant place to stay.
1 -
I suppose I think of holidays as a time for children to explore, take part in doing things away from the home and school environment, spending quality time with their parents, developing their personalities, likes, dislikes, etc…. The term “basic human right” is yours, not mine, I merely said “right”, so did not categorise it in terms of a list of fundamental survival and growth requirements.
I’m also acutely aware that some children will enjoy an enriched “we can afford to do this” background, and bless their luck. Others won’t be quite as fortunate, and it might be something a little more basic in terms of holidays, something without all the bells and whistles, but still rich in love and attention. Sadly there will be others who won’t get anything like this, either through a tight financial situation, or wilful can’t be bothered. If you don’t live in an affluent town, and have family who have been headhunted to turn around failing schools, then it’s something you see, hear about on a much more frequent basis.
If a family can afford an outfit, then CAMC might provide an outlet for that quality time together, for those who can afford it, it might well be on a Club Site. For others, it might be on a CL, or via a different holiday site provider.
1 -
Club Sites are always predominantly made up of big expensive outfits, I suppose that’s how we get back to the pricing issue. I don’t begrudge anyone that big expensive outfit, or the income that might be required to pay for a family with children during peak season. The Club has gone the way of tiered pricing, but does operate extensive “peak” times, beyond that of the other Club, and many commercial providers, so it’s actively seeking to capitalise on getting income in. The basic no facility sites were excellent value for families in the past, as it was an all in price. These have largely gone, but are still as JK says, a value for money nod to those who might want to pay a bit less.
I had the sort of holidays you mention, out enjoying nature, getting dirty and tired out, learning about animals, woodlands etc……. They are the ones I remember the most, and I suppose it’s stuck with us (OH was same). We know you don’t need to pay a lot to have great fun😁
1 -
Richharry193 -- firstly, and in good humour, I do see the irony in complaining about price increases given your user name!
We, like you, have children to take away. In a time when many of us are feeling the 'pinch' I find the price increases infuriating:
First increase: Last year pitch prices increase by a few pounds to account for electricity increases. Perfectly understandable.
Second increase: Children were £1/child last year and this year are £4.10!
Third 'The Stealthy' increase: 1 adult is now only included in the pitch price, which means spouses now cost a further £10.70!
I'm now paying £3 more per pitch, £9.30 more for my three children and £10.70 more for the excellent company of my wife! In total £23 more per night than last year. That increase is getting close to doubling the cost of a holiday break with the CAMC. It would have been fairer to simply increase the pitch cost inline with inflation.
Historically we've always paid for pitches which included 2 adults in the price. I'd imagine the majority of CAMC is couples/friends travelling together -- with or without children. It's simply a hidden price hike! Incidentally, making it cheaper for single travellers only incentivises workers and traders using sites, which I'm told is what the CAMC are trying to prevent. Personally, I find this new pricing too much, can't stand the new booking app and feel the club has lost it's way with how/and how much, its charging. The new pricing feels deceitful somehow as they market only a small increase in pitch pricing (to reflect electric costs) without being transparent on the new pricing structure....
I think the above will reduce the bookings CAMC receives this year as members look for more competitive deals elsewhere. A real shame as I've had excellent experiences caravanning with CAMC over the past years.
3 -
The pitch price is just that, the price of the pitch. Every adult, every child is priced individually and has been for a very long time. A single tourer pays pitch price, plus one adult.👍
1 -
Historically we've always paid for pitches which included 2 adults in the price.
With other organisations / sites perhaps. However, not with the CAMC, it’s always been pitch plus a charge for each occupant. Except on a very few sites that had a fixed price for the whole season,
3 -
It’s as TDA and Steve have posted.
However, the headline 'from' price used to be for the the pitch plus 2 adults but that changed to pitch plus 1 adult several years ago. Certainly the 'from' price did not include 2 adults last year.
2 -
That's what has frustrated many when trying to find the pitch prices, booking for one now includes the pitch and the person, you van only discover the actual pitch prices by adding another person and then deducting both from the total. Everything has shifted away from clear cut pricing.
5 -
Second increase: Children were £1/child last year and this year are £4.10!
This is slightly misleading and incorrect. It was kids for a pound but only on a small number of 'family' sites. it wasn't on every single club site. Also it's not £4.10 at every site, (I don't know which site you've based that on, but on the next three sites I'm going to it ranges from £3.50 to £3.80.
But at least kids are kids till their 18th birthday (which I was really happy about when mine were still in education - aka we paid for them) unlike other non club sites where it's often 16 or 14 and as low as 12. Some charge the full adult rate.
Post edit, there is also a family saver rate at 11 sites but it is very limited when you can go unless you want to go in term time but can used at weekends.
0 -
I can't recall many posts from those who are frustrated about not knowing the pitch price? And I certainly wouldn't want to know what it is and can't see the point of knowing as there will always be at least one person that comes with the outfit, it's the final price that is relevant to me anyway.
1 -
Perhaps folk want to know the pitch price so they can work out any deduction if there’s an offer along the lines of 50% off the pitch fee.🤷🏻♂️
Having said that, I agree with your final words in that it’s the eventual total price which matters.
2 -
Yes could well be for some who like that level of detail or want to check it's been applied correctly? the spring, summer 'sales' and family saver are a percentage off everything while the MWD is just pitch fee.
1
