New CL

Mel Nunn
Mel Nunn Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited June 10 in Certificated Locations #1

HI , The wife and I have been members for just over two years, did a small amount of touring but enjoyed it so much we decided to open our own cl ,now been open about six weeks and wondered if we can give it a plug with you guys, if not perhaps  some advice on some were similar.  regards  will.

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited June 10 #2

    Why not start a thread in the CL section telling us all about it with a link to your site's webpage?

    Hope it goes well for you.

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited June 10 #3

    Will

    No need to keep it a secretsmile I notice from a previous discussion that this is your CL which takes you to the page of the Club's website. Your CL is Weavers Cottage Camping and the direct link is here

    David

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 846 ✭✭
    500 Likes 500 Comments Name Dropper
    edited June 10 #4

    Hi Will, do you have a price for non electric hook up? Cheers 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited June 10 #5

    Your site looks nice, but your listing is confusing.

    On your CAMC page it says from 01/06/2024 the price is £20 for pitch and all occupants, then it says below that extra adults and children are charged for.

    On your own website it says the price is £22 for 2 adults.

    Extra adults are £5, children £2.50, what age range covers a child?

    Your arrival time of 3pm is also quite late.  Most sites have a departure time of 11 or 12, so if not moving on very far, 3 hours is difficult to fill, and when the outfit is a car +caravan, parking up somewhere can be difficult.

  • MikeyA
    MikeyA Forum Participant Posts: 1,072
    1000 Comments
    edited June 10 #6

    A 3pm arrival would be far too late for me. Both Clubs now operate a 1.00pm arrival for the main sites which I really find frustrating. If the site is only 50 miles away from home ( never mind if part of a tour) you are having to mess around at home rather than getting on with the day.

  • BoldonOAP
    BoldonOAP Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited June 10 #7

    As already mentioned, pricing details are inconsistent and unclear

    Arrival time of 15:00 is too late in the day, it effectively means first day is a write-off

    Looking at your location, one thing which would concern me, as a Motorhome user, would be a route to Yoxford, by bicycle, which avoided A12. 

    On the positive side, site looks good.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited June 10 #8

    Yes, we too generally prefer to be on site in time to eat lunch if not going far, and when we have daughter and grandchildren along we also need to put up our porch awning, which we would plan to do immediately after lunch.

    When they come along, they need to travel in their own car, so for 3 adults, 2 children, and their car that would appear to be a total of £37, which I feel is rather a lot.   Not so bad when just the 2 of us.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
    1,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited June 11 #9

    I, too, don't understand why you need a 4 hour window between departures and arrivals.  What has to be done in between that takes 4 hours to complete?  It would definitely put me off as would your pricing structure which although OK to two people is, quite frankly extortionate for larger groups - especially as you are not offering serviced pitches or even water at each pitch.

    I would look again at the wording of your website - it doesn't attract me and comes across as a bit 'authoritarian' and not friendly, welcoming and relaxed - which is what we look for in a CL. There are a lot of CLs out there, and I always look for the one that stands out from the rest.

    I wish you well in your new venture but I would re-visit your marketing if I were you.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited June 11 #10

    I’m sorry for the new guy who is so proud of his new CL …and gets a load of criticism. I hope it doesn’t upset him.

    But no, I wouldn’t wait around to be allowed in. I got so used to sailing overnight from Plymouth to Roscoff, buying food and wine when we got there, and pulling into a campsite at 9a.m. - unreserved of course, stay as long as we chose and pay before leaving. A completely different way of running campsites.

    But anyway, all good wishes to the couple with the new CL

     

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,030 ✭✭✭
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited June 11 #11

    I don’t think anyone is being over critical ET, just giving a few pointers so that ultimately, the new owners can maximise their pitch take up.

    There are, for regular CL users, a few obvious issues that might give pause for thought, and perhaps if it comes down to a choice, might swing that choice away from a very late arrival time, slightly confusing pricing, and mentioning a minimum 3 night stay. Three items that we would look at certainly.

    It’s early days, and two years Membership, particularly over these last three more unusual years, with COVID, staycations, huge price increases for running a business, have all made touring a bit different generally. 

    I wish the new CL owners all the best, think that there’s a few items that might need a bit more thought, and would add that if not done already, talking to the CL Owners group might be beneficial. I think that in our experiences, CLs that operate with a degree of flexibility, unless very very popular, in a tourist trap area, usually have to have a bit of flexibility around certain T&C’s.

    Last time we stayed on a CL in Suffolk, (couple of years ago) it had hard standings, hook ups, showers and toilets, landscaped gardens, a dedicated safe dog walk area, and was a cycling, walking dream of a site, close to the coast and lots of interesting places to visit. That was £19 per night.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited June 11 #12

    It is possible that the owners of this new CL have their reasons for the rules they have put in place and hopefully will come back here to clarify. Also possible, of course, that they may not be familiar with how the majority of CL's function as they are relatively new to the hobby?

    David

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,030 ✭✭✭
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited June 11 #13

    Don’t disagree with that DK, it’s hard work setting anything new up, but the different prices quoted do need sorting quickly, so those interested know exactly what they will be paying. One of the main gripes from CL users these last few years have been where a price is quoted, but then it’s different when you arrive on the site. Happily it’s never happened to,us, but we always get email confirmation of a price agreed if we can. 

    Sure these little things will get sorted, and the bookings will come along, Suffolk is very nice.

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 846 ✭✭
    500 Likes 500 Comments Name Dropper
    edited June 11 #14

    Yes we always check price and how payment is expected when we make a booking.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited June 11 #15

    Having looked at their website the requirement there saying three days minimum stay would put me off. I choose how long for myself. 

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 846 ✭✭
    500 Likes 500 Comments Name Dropper
    edited June 11 #16

    If we are on a tour rare to stay three nights. Been in Scotland about 10 days, 7 sites, nearly all one night only.