Secure you summer holiday for just £5 deposit
Comments
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Recently there was an offer over high season if you stayed a week, which we tend to. However it had to be booked by 30 June and you had to be more than 21 days ahead of arriving.
Most holiday firms limit the time of their offers. Although you might not be tempted to book early, many will. Even without any offers our stay at York was some £7 a night less because we booked early. No you can’t guarantee the weather and we are just back from 6 weeks around Scotland where it was far from ideal. However, we still enjoyed our time away and the scenery more than made up for it.
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Agree with previous posters citing the 21 day rule. The size of the deposit is not the real issue. With work commitments, family caring responsibilities and our own health appointments etc, the 21 day rule is a lucrative trap set by the club that discourages us from making bookings.....
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Booking ahead no matter the cost of the deposit or time limits just does not suit our type of touring. At present we are staying with or moving towards the good weather. There is no plan no booking and no preset location. A quick check that there is space where we are aiming for and we are off.
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I don’t think the Club decision makers have yet grasped the way that motorhomers tour and travel in the way LLM has described. There may be a few others who are still living out caravan routines - booking a site well ahead and staying for at least a week - but that’s not how many of them operate. They come, they go. They don’t live within a 21 day cancellation frame..
Down here in Cornwall they pull in by a beach if it’s fine, or they go to the Eden project if isn’t- and from Eden its just a few minutes to the Britannia Inn to park up overnight. - free of charge, no booking required, no deposits, no cancellation if they don’t go - then buy breakfast in the pub - and then decide where to go next.
The latest proposal from the Club requiring booking 21 days in advance won’t draw them in.
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Exactly what we do. We’ed consider more CAMC sites if they were cheaper, and it’s actually not hard just to roll into most now on the day, as there’s usually some sort of pitch.
What we won’t do is pay upwards of £20 per night to roll in around 8pm, and then be up and off next morning at 9pm. Not value for money. Not attractive to those who tour around an area rather than staying put on site.2 -
I don’t think the Club decision makers have yet grasped the way that motorhomers tour and travel in the way LLM has described.
I think you mean some motorhomers tour and travel. From looking at MH on club sites and club data on MH ownership I think the club decision makers have got it exactly right.
The latest proposal from the Club requiring booking 21 days in advance won’t draw them in
Latest proposal? What latest proposal? The 21 day rule is now a few years old, all that has changed is the deposit.
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Not attractive to those who tour around an area rather than staying put on site.
We stay on a lot of CAMC sites TTDA and you couldn’t be further from the truth. They are very popular with both members like us who leave the van on site for two or three days and walk or use public transport before moving on and those who take them out for the day. On our recent tour we used 10 CAMC sites booked well in advance, as well as others. Motorhomes were a minimum of 60% of the population and very few had set up to stay long.
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"the Britannia Inn to park up overnight"
That's very true and they'll get traffic noise, people coming and going to the retail park and lack of peace and quiet all free of charge 👍🏻
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I don’t think it was me who said they aren’t popular places with MH owners Steve😁 I know they are, and as you say made up of those who stay a few days, and those who move on. It’s the price per night for an 11 hour stopover we won’t pay. A personal value for money thing. We tend to use them for events, and yes YRP, which is still the cheapest way of seeing York for most folks with an outfit. But we are only 45 minutes from York. It would be cheaper to commute daily, but not as nice in A1/A64 traffic.
We linear tour in the main, hopping from site to site in an area, maybe having three nights to get in some cycling or walking at a site. But we used to linear tour with caravan as well, much like Nellie does. Our mindset is that set up, pack up should never be more than 30 mins, even with a caravan. It’s 10 mins with MH.
I still feel Club Sites are in the main, more suited to caravans that stay a long time, going out each day in the car, able to afford the prices. Many like your good selves are fit enough, organised enough to make good use of your legs, cycle wheels, public transport, and have happily made perhaps an acceptable compromise. It is more difficult I think for those who have changed to an MH because they are an easier set up/drive than towing a caravan and who like Club Sites. As an earlier poster says, only a handful are based not far away from amenities, so if you don’t take your MH out, don’t/can’t walk or cycle far, then it’s got to have a good public transport link very close by. I ‘m not keen on public transport, loathe buses, and train services can be very hit and miss. We do fine with our bikes, but we don’t rely on them.
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From my experience on club sites they are suited to any outfit, either short stay or long stay.
There are caravans that leave after one day, there are MHs that stay two weeks. There are caravaners that stay on site and use whatever other transport they wish, there are MHs that go out every day. There is no fixed pattern that I can discern. Age or fitness levels don't appear different either.. But as already noted by myself and Steve, and others MHs now usually outnumber caravans on site and usually MH now outnumber caravans on service pitches as well.
So I must think the club is doing right in attracting them in such large numbers.
As for being suited to caravaners who can afford the prices, I just don't get that either? MHs pay the same as caravaners. In any case I don't think it's question of being able to afford anything, it's if one is prepared to pay the prices.
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The club have backed down to a few whinging moaners, losing £5 deposit won’t put people off making speculative bookings because they will save that in fuel,
Anywhere else in the holiday industry you have to pay a deposit usually a lot higher and pay the balance several weeks in advance and people can manage that,
what is it about that certain caravanners seem to struggle with paying a simple deposit, watch the number of cancellations start to rise and other people struggle to get a 7day or longer stay
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There’s a comma in there Corners, I didn’t mean only caravan users who can afford the prices, but anyone, in any outfit, that can afford Club Site prices.
There’s a whole world of difference between being prepared to pay an asking price, (that’s choice), and being able to afford to pay an asking price (that’s economic circumstances). I don’t think the two are the same.
That’s why I think pricing may be contributing to the Club trying to offer incentives, the drop off in pitch nights sold is clearly a factor (otherwise why inundate Members with “special offers”) in terms of take up. Going back to a very small deposit (it has been done before) is another sprat to catch a passing mackerel, but it doesn’t alter the underlying issue that for many who like and love Club Sites, many are now making an informed choice due to economic circumstances and perhaps not taking as many Club Site nights, or choosing an alternative provider. I know we are, and many of our friends.
If you factor in that many folks who work, have health issues, caring responsibilities, simply cannot book very far ahead, it doesn’t matter how much the deposit is, if you cannot commit inside 21 days. Admittedly, losing £5 is better than losing more, or a big % of a deposit, but then the Club have made it easy for folks to simply book, but then walk away, losing a mere £5. Which sort of makes a mockery of having a deposit scheme🤷♀️
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Deposits haven’t totally cured this. Some sites are still busy at weekends, but more than half empty in the week, so it was a sledgehammer that tried to crack a nut, but hasn’t fully achieved it. We have been on two Club Sites this year, quiet in the week, full Friday/Sat. So no full weeks there.🤷♀️
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The club have backed down to a few whinging moaners, losing £5 deposit
I think the whinging moaners as you call them had their say when the changes were made, this deposit change has probably been brought in to try and reverse the decline in bookings so don't be a whinging moaner embrace it and make a booking.
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Has anyone else seen the latest email from Nick Lomas about the introduction (or reintroduction) of the £5 deposit? It seems to me that the Club have a problem and they seem a little uncertain how to overcome it having tried several promotions, which whilst welcomed by members, don't seem to have solved the problem the Club have which basically seems to be income associated. He does explain the reason why it has been put in place only until a certain date is because they want to monitor what impact it has on late cancellations. So they seem to be aware of the potential issues which have been mentioned here but seem to be hoping that change will encourage people to book in advance.
David
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Yes just read it. At least it is honest enough to confirm the difficult position at the moment, and that they are trying to react in different ways.
It’s not just the camping holiday industry, some cottage owners are feeling the pinch now. One we know well was telling us her four cottages aren’t doing great, and folks are booking later to snap up much lower prices close to sell by dates.
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Just received it today...and have taken advantage of the £5 deposit by making a booking, albeit I would have booked the site in any case as on orders from OH..who incidentally says the £5 deposit could well see a return to speculative bookings.
In his opening paragraph Nick Lomas says "Last year I wrote to you personally highlighting the challenges we have faced as an organisation, and the pressures the increased cost of living has had on our members and their holiday plans.". I believe he has a valid point, and not just here in the UK.... We have just returned from Spain and France..staying at our favourite sites and meeting up with friends old and new....Sadly at all the sites the owners say that bookings are down from this time last year...Even the Eurocamp rep said as much. Only the French school holidays are as normal.
In addition to this, Brittany Ferries appear to be suffering, apart from the many email offers.. on our return Ferry from St Malo I could count just one lane of caravans and half a lane of MH's. Last year at the same time four lanes were full..so are we, as others have commented, moving away from 'camping'... I do think the cost of living, energy prices, staffing cost etc has had a major impact on our hobby...and will be a challenge for the club going forward.
But Mr Lomas, the OH is not happy at the price increase of her favourite site from a stay in March 2024 to six months later...by an increase of £25.76 / £3.68 pn for the same pitch type/duration
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I would say it’s a number of factors, people are returning to overseas holidays site fees are getting to expensive,in the latest magazine gave details of overseas sites prices on reading it they are a lot cheaper and I’ve found easier to book .as for paying a deposit that’s a good idea dropping it to £5 not so people will just block book like they used to. People who bought caravans and motorhomes about the time of Covid have had a while to now realise it’s not for them.
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Sorry you may have meant it differently but you wrote:
I still feel Club Sites are in the main, more suited to caravans that stay a long time, going out each day in the car, able to afford the prices.
It was all one sentence and the three parts with commas are relate to to club sites and caravans as I read it.
I never agree about not being able to afford club site prices. If someone has the money to have an outfit in the first place which could be cheap, but then tax it, then service it, then MOT it, then perhaps pay for storage, then certainly insure, then pay for fuel then they can certainly afford the extra £10-20 for a club site. Perhaps as I said they might not wish to but that's their choice.
I don't think that club occuanay is down, not from where I see it on club sites year round and indeed those who also use club sites a lot. Sorry to say but this view comes from people who state they don't use club sites or at non-peak times when even in my day sites were never full anyway. In fact it may have even gone up, certainly membership has and MH owners has too.
If someone can't commit to 21 days (now at a possible loss of £5) then that's it. Join another club or go elsewhere where one doesn't have to. The club is not a charity for such people, very harsh I know and there might come a point where I'm in that position and then I won't complain but find alternative providers. After we're told that there are cheaper and better sites out there many a time - but complain about not using club sites?
Post edit: I've read the NL email, as far as I read it, the problem is not falling numbers but costs have risen too much and to keep these from being passed on then the way forward is to entice more people to choose club sites. It does mention trying to help embers, now that might be marketing speak but how many times in the past has post/threads been about the club doing more to try to help members?
Either way, long terms users of club sites win.
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The club is a club that you join quite voluntary, even have to pay for the privilege but agin your choice, it is not some organisation that must serve all, it only has to serve its members who pay to join.
It has certain procedures and rules, T&C about bookings. You must want to tour in the way the club sets out otherwise it's not for you. It is in fact one and not the other and I cannot understand those that join and then complain it does not serve their needs when using club sites?
This thread is about using club sites. If one feels that this way doesn't serve your likes then don't join, don't rejoin, and/or don't use club sites. If. you want a more flexible way of booking and touring different to what is offered then the club is not for you, or just use it to use CLs but there have posts about deposits not being returned there as well and booking conditions there as well.
If you join just because of CL then you're happy, club site users are happy, win win?
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I don't think they have said that but as this is the second time they have reduced the percentage of the deposit taken, it does suggest that they think that the higher level of deposit is causing an issue? We won't know until maybe at the AGM, whether a lower level deposit has increased bookings. Personally I find the 10% deposit perfectly reasonable and can't quite get my mind around the need for something lower. I suppose time will tell?
David
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The honeypot sites will always be attractive and with a large membership there will always be people willing to pay the price, but what is happening on other less popular sites? I believe occupancy is down at many sites compared to previous years. The ones I have used have not been full in fact some nowhere near. One had only 10 percent of the pitches occupied and availability across the network is easy to find right now. There is even 4 available consecutive days in August and plenty in September and beyond at Rowntree. This was unheard of in previous years.
peedee
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As I mentioned upthread, Baltic Wharf also has plenty of availability, where as in the past it wouldn’t have. However, when we were there earlier in the year it was full and I suspect this will happen for our next stay, which currently doesn’t show as low availability. Folk just have not been booking as early due to deposits. This of course may change now it is a flat £5.
On our recent tour a couple of the 10 sites visited did seem particularly empty, the rest 70% or more full. The two low ones were Chester and Altnaharra. Chester was mid week in May, Altnaharra early June. We’ve not been to Chester before so I’ve nothing to judge it buy, but Altnaharra was much quieter than our last visit. I’ve a reasonably good memory but I am struggling to think back to occupancy levels pre covid and of course comparing now with the high levels just post is nonsensical. The low turnout at Altnaharra could partially be the result of the change in pricing strategy from fixed to per person, which makes it expensive for more than 2 adults.
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I still believe that charging deposits and so changing the club USP disturbed people’s booking habits so more people looked at alternatives, be that CLs, independent sites or like us the CCC. So possibly some members instead of only staying at club sites are now spreading their time over a greater variety of sites.There have been several CL reviews where reviewers have commented on it being their first CL.
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Sorry but again that is your interpretation and not a fact. My thoughts are that the club introduced deposits to reduce the number of nights cancelled and the fact that cancellations reduced by 70% showed that it was successful. This trail of 5% deposits is the club trying to encourage members to stay more nights. Deposits will stay and the club is trying to get the percentage right for the club and right for the members.
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