2023 site fees
Comments
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Is it a fact that the majority of club members are senior? Maybe members but that's not the point, it's the ages of those that use club sites which is.
For those who use club sites off peak I would think their view is skewed as all they see is the 'senior set', however if one goes in peak especially around the school holidays it all young families and one might think no other age group uses club sites. In my view as someone who does both it looks like to me that younger families outnumber all others. I think you can't just go by what ones sees.
Even though I would benefit I'm not keen on 'younger' members subsidising me.
But as it's often posted, there are better and cheaper sites out there so why does it have to be a club site?
And I can't understand, as I've said many times, why pay membership fees if club sites are not giving you VFM?
Yes there might be other benefits but we're talking about using club sites on this thread and their prices and paying a membership fee to use them, so if club prices are not to your liking then why join and pay it, or keep rejoining, just for using club sites - it doesn't make sense to me?
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The trouble with using emotive terms like "being ripped off" is that it is just a statement designed to shock. There is no back up evidence to support that view. Whichever way you wish to view the Caravan and Motorhome Club be it a Club or a business any surplus income over costs is put back into Club facilities. There have been several years in living memory where the Club Site balance sheet account has been in deficit. That can't go on for very long and one way to address it is to put up prices. There is no doubt that prices are as high as many of us remember. But you can't ignore the background. Only a couple of years ago we had the advantage of a VAT reduction on site fees which made them artificially cheaper. Once that ended we have had two increases in years where the inflation rate has been higher than at any time within the past 20 years so sites will appear to be disproportionately more expensive. There is a danger in giving one off examples but we recently stayed at Swiss Farm in Henley and we paid a couple of pounds a night more than the next door Club site but we did have a serviced pitch. Had the Club site had serviced pitches it would have cost more. On the other hand if I had also been a dog owner it would have cost nothing extra at the Club site but it would have been an additional charge, albeit quite modest, at Swiss Farm. So swings and roundabouts really. There are always cheaper options out there if people want them. If I couldn't afford site fees I would do one of two things. Look for a cheaper alternative or give up the camping life.
David
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You’ve hit the nail on the head in your last para as far as I’m concerned, Corners. I really enjoyed being a CAMC member but, unfortunately, the reasons to continue became fewer and fewer so in the end, paying a membership fee to save a small amount of money was no longer reason to continue. I’m sure everyone will face that decision one day.
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+1👍🏻
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I would like to know why we have to pay more per night for two people. it used to be the motorhome plus two people, now it’s a motorhome with one so you have to pay for your wife to join you?
in some areas you can get sites that are cheaper than the C & MC. This sort of defeats the reason for joining the club.
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There has never been an inclusive price while we have been members (since 2005). You have always paid for pitch plus number of occupants. However, the nightly price was displayed as pitch plus 2 until a couple of years ago, when they changed to pitch plus 1. I suspect this is what you are referring to. The object I assume was to make the sites look more attractive at first glance but it’s all smoke and mirrors.
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As Steve said, the price has always been a charge for the pitch plus a fee per person. It’s only the format of the headline from price which has altered but that, in itself, means nothing.
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I was hoping you’d have one of your legendary pics to post, Corners 👍🏻😀
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Sorry my bat. That’s exactly what I was referring to ( pitch plus two ). Thank you. However, is it just me or have the site prices become really expensive or is just my imagination?
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33 pages of this thread suggest it’s not your imagination but, as I pointed out earlier, everything in life has become more expensive.
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Book earlier for the best prices we were told,and then the club comes up with 20% off, offers. As I quoted earlier in this post,it is not automatically applied. If you have booked a pitch within the offer period previously,to get the discount,you must cancel your booking and then rebook! This is not loyalty towards the membership,it only means bookings are not up to expectations.
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To me it seems unrealistic to expect the discount to be applied automatically. It works both ways, on our early bookings prices have increased by up to 16%. We will pay the price as booked. As the sites are fairly popular (several of our bookings have fully booked days) there has been no need to offer a 20% reduction. By booking early we have secured the days we want and a lower price. To me it’s fairly simple, you either book early to secure your dates and risk loosing out to an offer, or wait and risk it. To some extent what to do will depend on the site, some I know are not popular and likely to be discounted, others are unlikely to be and early booking will secure the best price.
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Looking at the summer discount lists the sites on it are quite mixed including Hillhead and Culloden so the reductions are probably pitch fillers rather than due to unpopularity. Hillhead has been particularly expensive so a 20% reduction is of benefit to some?
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We usually go away for new year and have done Hillhead a couple of times... just had a check....and while the price is usually pretty high, this screenshot of December prices struck me.
I can see that the leap from £33.90 to £60.20 might seem 'justified' to CAMC for the 'premium' Christmas week...however, what's the 40% increase to £45 doing for the 'insignificant' week commencing 15th December??
no way is this a peak period.....perhaps it's a way of easing customers from £33 to £60 in 'steps'??
either way, these prices are so far off the scale we won't be heading there, or any other CAMC sites I reckon.
will keep membership for CLs but site prices have gone barmy.
good luck CAMC.
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8 nights in June , booked January £343, rebooked last week £280! A saving of £64! Unrealistic? I don't take kindly to being mugged, what is my membership meant to give me? You pay your original inflated prices and I will use my savings for fuel
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+1, those of us who did think that CAMC was not for us took action & in proof we no longer offer negative views re prices. It is obvious the majority of members are not moved to leave👍🏻
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David, I do agree with your statement and I do feel that there are many members (not just on CT but in 'real life') talking to others about steep CAMC prices when they meet on site.
there is a long thread running on MH Fun where many of those members are deeply upset by the way CAMC prices are spiralling away. So much so that the 'leader' of the forum is putting together an open letter to try and get some perspective from the Club.
I realise that these are motorhomers and not caravanners but they are members of the club who feel things have gone too far and are voting with their wheels and want to know why it has come to this.
these comments are being put together to try and garner some sort of response from the club. They may have more luck than some CT users do in getting the club to engage.
I've seen many a comment on CT stating that they won't (or can't afford to) use club sites and this sort of view seems to be on the increase.
I've raised this subject many a time but, as AD says, the answer is always the same...go elsewhere. well, we do but the real point is that there are also very many others who are doing the same.
when a real groundswell from a large group of likeminded individuals offer up a collective opinion about a club they are members of, then there might be something wrong..
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Most of the opinions I've seen reflect what you say...some will and some won't renew membership...
however, what's clear from responses is that there are many who stay members but who will no longer use Club sites, retaining membership for CLs and any other benefits they see fit.
we are talking here about the level of club site prices and this is the one thing which is causing members to rethink their use of these.
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I had a look at it, BB, and the thread was only started on Monday. 11 pages since then isn't an unduly hefty response as the same happens with topical issues here.🤷🏻♂️
However, it seems to me that the moans aren’t just about CAMC as folk aren’t happy with site prices in general. Consequently, the letter has been sent to C&CC as well as CAMC. This club is not singled out.
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Thanks for the background and context TW.
I assume the club (and other businesses) will pay rather more attention to bookings, especially now with talking deposits, and occupancy so far rather than posts on social media to give them an idea of how really popular their prices are.
From my own point of view on the club sites I've actually been on this year so far, and only those of course, occupancy is as good as in previous years.
I'll be off on Wednesday for a two site trip two sites and for both it's a mixture of full (lows till mid August on standard HS pitches (in fact full more than half the month in June on one) and even fuller on SPs.
If I was running the club that's what I would taking note of.
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Yes, the letter will go to both clubs but there, as here on CT, most feel the CAMC prices are generally higher than C&CC.
it matters not, the club(s) won't respond...it will be, as ever, for members to do what they say they'll do....boycott club sites.
however, the fact that it came to this must surely grab the clubs' attention. They can't be that arrogant not to, can they?
..and talking about occupancy, Black Knowl (a jewel in the crown) hasn't one single 'full' day on HS with awning from 30th July, through the whole of August and upto 8th September.
a couple of years ago you'd be lucky to get a pitch at all from May to October.
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Cheers, Corners. I felt a little additional info would help.
It’ll be interesting to see at the end of the year whether pitch sales are up, down or on a par with other years.
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Same here Using less and less Club Sites has been a gradual process for the last decade or so for us, we have always used CLs, but we started trying some small private sites and found them lovely, much more to our taste, with prices that suit us better. Having a motorhome means we have the option of overnight stop networks as well, so Club Sites very rarely feature when we are looking at either long stays or putting together a tour.
It’s removed all the current angst around prices for us, we simply won’t pay Club Site prices because they don’t give us what we want, so we are happy doing our own thing. If we find a Club Site bargain, probably a no facility site, we would consider it.
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Hillhead (another jewel) has only two 'full' days on HS with awning from now till the end of the year....
yes, I'd certainly be looking at occupancy...and when I see these numbers I'd be looking at letters to the club telling mgt why those figures read the way they do.
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