Caravan Club 2011 Rates

[James 1]

Anyone had a look at next year's site fees in this month's club magazine? Some sites appear more expensive than comparable, i.e. top grade, private sites. Am I out of touch or is this club failing it's members?

[Klyne]

Interesting you ask that as next year we have decided not to go to Europe in September as we normally do as we have a cruise booked for October. I thought that we could spend some time in Scotland from late August to the end of September, about 36 nights. Caravan Club sites would be my first port of call. When I did the calculation it will cost on average £19 a night, far more than we would normally pay in France using one of the discount schemes. Mind you we don't have to have any additional insurance so that tends to even it out.

 

David

[Mel B]

David

 

You don't actually HAVE to use the 'proper' caravan club sites - the CLs allow softies like you to use them too!!!

[william1]

Just compared the rates for Low Manesty - no facilities, two service points for a spread out site - 2010 peak 2adults £16.90 2011 - £18.70 - that according to my calculations is something like a 10% hike. If you write to complain/ comment you get a load of waffle back. I have had three letters this year trying to sell me CC motorhome insurance - I have been insured through them for six years !! E-mailed them on each occasion to point this out and what a costly exercise if this applies to all MH owners insured through the club and again waffle back. - Yes you may say come out of the club, but it is ran for the members and your 'voice should be heard and acted upon if your comment is valid and not just through Centre Committees etc. which is the stock answer you get from the 'die hards'.

[Corky 8]

Klyne - 2010-11-28 2:04 PM Interesting you ask that as next year we have decided not to go to Europe in September as we normally do as we have a cruise booked for October. I thought that we could spend some time in Scotland from late August to the end of September, about 36 nights. Caravan Club sites would be my first port of call. When I did the calculation it will cost on average £19 a night, far more than we would normally pay in France using one of the discount schemes. Mind you we don't have to have any additional insurance so that tends to even it out. David

Hi David , you might want to have a look at Aberdeen council run sites ,some are excellent some mediocre but value for money, if your in that area,

http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/caravanparks/index.asp

[mirage]

I was at Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site in October and noticed all the

Wi-Fi booster masts, then there`s the bio-diversity surveys on some sites,

"gardening" equipment the Royal Parks would probably die for, New Forest Centinary Site with so much Health & Safety expenditure. Not forgetting high end toilet blocks with underfloor heating, constant up-grading of sites, a large head office with a large office staff, a sophisticated web site, computerised booking system, and sites where the office is manned by smart green uniformed people, it all has to be paid for by YOU.

I like the Caravan Club believe it or not, you can pretty much rely on clean facilities but do wonder whether they are starting to go just over the top a little from the original concept of a field and toilet block. No doubt they will reach a point where some campers think it is just too expensive.

Some of the increase is VAT, the alternative Club has I believe frozen its prices with only the extra VAT to pay.

[Tomo3090]

Has anyone read the accounts of both clubs for the last year? They gave literally hundreds of millions in surplus, not the "value" of them, their surpluses. Surely some of this profit should be ploughed back into lower prices for the membership? I did write suggesting this but got nowhere apart from a vague reply about protecting the future.

 

How do ordinary members influence these clubs?

[Klyne]

Corky 8 - 2010-11-28 8:10 PM

Klyne - 2010-11-28 2:04 PM Interesting you ask that as next year we have decided not to go to Europe in September as we normally do as we have a cruise booked for October. I thought that we could spend some time in Scotland from late August to the end of September, about 36 nights. Caravan Club sites would be my first port of call. When I did the calculation it will cost on average £19 a night, far more than we would normally pay in France using one of the discount schemes. Mind you we don't have to have any additional insurance so that tends to even it out. David

Hi David , you might want to have a look at Aberdeen council run sites ,some are excellent some mediocre but value for money, if your in that area,

http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/caravanparks/index.asp

Thanks Corky, I will investigate.David

[Wirralian]

I came out of the Caravan Club this year as I was steering clear of the club sites as they were over the top for my requirements, both in fees and facilities. The 5 van sites network is what kept me in the Club but on a recent visit to Scotland I found that the Camping and Caravanning Club 5 van network served me just as well.

 

John

[Big Momma]

It may appear a little radical I know but if everyone who is a member of this forum and a member of the CC (and I am guessing that there are quite a few) voted with their wheels and stayed away from the CC sites then they would have to re-consider. They are not likely to close up shop as they have already invested in these locations so they may be forced to reduce their fees.

 

I remember many years ago a similar thing happening with 'Nescafe' coffee. The brand was very popular and thewy hiked up their prices. The public changed their choice of brand in huge numbers that they had to reduce their prices.

 

It's okay doing armchair moaning, and I acknowledge the fact that some people have actually tried to do something by registering their disapproval directly with the CC. However, if you want to make change happen then People Power does work but it has to be 'one in all in' or their would be little impact.

 

So, who is for not renewing membership and for using alternative sites (including C&CC) >:-)

[Guest pelmetman]

Like any big business the directors often see the business's they manage as their own personal thiefdom :D

 

I get the feeling the CC club directors are more focused on making a profit than providing a service to its members *-)

 

[Colin Leake]

Some private sites do look less expensive at first glance but by the time you have added all the extra charges for awnings, dogs etc they are usually more expensive like for like. We looked at one in Wells on Sea which is an area we like and at first glance it looked good value then we discovered the price quoted was for Motorhomes below 3M! For longer ones there was a charge for every extra meter! Then an extra charge for a hard standing and yet another for an electrical hook up etc. When we added it all up to say it was expensive would be an understatement.

 

We are spending one week on Sandy Balls as a result of winning an MMM competition and it is a site with excellent facilities and a very good reputation but looking at the prices on the net they are way above the most expensive CC sites.

[tazdog6007]

The c.c is a club in name only.it is a business.its aim is to control as much of the camping business as it can by buying as much of the most desirable land for its use as it can.Its influence with councils must be enormous,with royalty as its patron. Lately i have found the attitude of site staff bordering on arrogance giving me verbal list of rules on arrival,almost with distain. But for £35 quid a year i can take it or leave it. We stay members so to use the vast network they control.A serious drop in membership is the only way to cut fees.But this wont happen for the above reasons.

[Rayjsj]

Tomo3090 - 2010-11-28 10:58 PM

 

Has anyone read the accounts of both clubs for the last year? They gave literally hundreds of millions in surplus, not the "value" of them, their surpluses. Surely some of this profit should be ploughed back into lower prices for the membership? I did write suggesting this but got nowhere apart from a vague reply about protecting the future.

 

How do ordinary members influence these clubs?

 

I agree, however of the two, Caravan Club seems to bit spending far more on upgrading facilities and inward investment than 'the other one' and IT SHOWS. Ray

[MOTH]

tazdog6007 - 2010-11-29 5:29 PM

 

The c.c is a club in name only.it is a business.its aim is to control as much of the camping business as it can by buying as much of the most desirable land for its use as it can.Its influence with councils must be enormous,with royalty as its patron. Lately i have found the attitude of site staff bordering on arrogance giving me verbal list of rules on arrival,almost with distain. But for £35 quid a year i can take it or leave it. We stay members so to use the vast network they control.A serious drop in membership is the only way to cut fees.But this wont happen for the above reasons.

£40 next year!

 

[Mel B]

Depends where you buy it from ....

 

http://www.waudbys.co.uk/products/details/78.html

[MOTH]

I'm afraid that it is simple supply and demand.

If the CC can pretty much fill all of their pitches each year with hundreds if not thousands chasing the more sought after sites, then they will increase the prices.

That said, I shall remain a member as we do enjoy the high standard set by the CC.

That said, the only thing that could tempt me to move to C&CC is if the CC become more dog intolerant. I was reprimanded this autumn because my dog peed against a bit of heather in front of a warden! ( we had just been around the dog walk but "Rowan" my Cairn terrier cocks her leg at everything ) I did tell the wardens that they had gone one step too far in the upkeep of "their" site. >:-(

[Tony Jones]

mirage - 2010-11-28 8:56 PM

No doubt they will reach a point where some campers think it is just too expensive.

Ah, but that's the point - they don't WANT "campers" (ie people with tents), they're not allowed. But nor do they want people who use their caravans or motorhomes the way "campers" do: freedom-loving, minimum rules, spur-of-the moment, short stays, moving on next morning, etc. They want beautifully-manicured little "garden cities," with everything perfect, including the vehicles people stay in, and everything booked and planned well in advance.

For some caravanners (and motorhomers), that's exactly what they want too - good for them, that's their choice. As long as there are enough of them to keep the Club solvent, so be it. The CCC isn't much better, except that it does allow tents.

It's no use those of us with a different "vision" complaining about it. My solution is to remain a member of a club (CCC in my case) purely for access to the CS network. If the cost starts to outweight THAT particular benefit, I'm off.

[LordThornber]

Tony Jones - 2010-11-30 10:04 AM

They want beautifully-manicured little "garden cities," with everything perfect, including the vehicles people stay in, and everything booked and planned well in advance.

For some caravanners (and motorhomers), that's exactly what they want too - good for them, that's their choice. As long as there are enough of them. QUOTE]

 

I agree Tony, I'm one of them. But you say, "as long as there enough of them"

 

So what's puzzling me is the sheer weight of numbers using the CC sites. Surely all these folk new to camping aren't of the "garden cities" persuasion though? There must be an element of tenters/cl users/commercial etc.

 

My point is, where the heck have all these campers come from? Economic situation aside, it staggers me to see even some of the less popular sites chock a block nigh on every weekend.

 

Without getting into debate about how to get on at a particular site, it's a fact that using the internet alone as a guide, it is now extremely difficult to get on a site, even if you're prepared (and can), book well in advance.

 

No probs at present of course, all the fair weather campers are cancelling like mad, there's even space at Southport near to us, and you can NEVER get on there at a weekend

 

Martyn

[Usinmyknaus]

I'm staggered at the growth in numbers of out of season visitors to CC sites Martyn. This year has been markedly worse in the South than any year I can remember. I try to go away somewhere within an hour or so of home every 2 weeks but I have found I am spending longer than previous years on the net and 'phone to make each booking and I often have to reserve a more expensive site. Even if I book several weeks in advance, when I turn up at 1300 on the Friday I find very little choice of pitch and often no hard-standings available.

 

With the population in the South seemingly growing exponentially, I expect it can only get worse.

 

As to possible explanations, in addition to population growth and more people taking up our hobby, my perception is that there are more seasonal pitches occupied by long-term resident caravans which may explain some of the shortage of touring spaces. I would also say there are more full-timers on CC sites this winter which has increased occupancy levels. I wonder if these customers may be refugees from the recent disparity between the £ and Euro and whether any prolonged weakness of the Euro in future may tempt them to favour the mainland once more.

 

TUI recently claimed that people were returning to overseas hols by air for 2011 so perhaps that will help a little.

 

Bob

[Big Momma]

MOTH - 2010-11-29 9:08 PM

 

tazdog6007 - 2010-11-29 5:29 PM

 

The c.c is a club in name only.it is a business.its aim is to control as much of the camping business as it can by buying as much of the most desirable land for its use as it can.Its influence with councils must be enormous,with royalty as its patron. Lately i have found the attitude of site staff bordering on arrogance giving me verbal list of rules on arrival,almost with distain. But for £35 quid a year i can take it or leave it. We stay members so to use the vast network they control.A serious drop in membership is the only way to cut fees.But this wont happen for the above reasons.

£40 next year!

 

77 pence a week doesn't sound so bad to me :-D

[Big Momma]

Tony Jones - 2010-11-30 10:04 AM

 

everything booked and planned well in advance.

For some caravanners (and motorhomers), that's exactly what they want too - good for them, that's their choice.

 

Tony, not necessarily our choice, OH is a teacher so our holidays are dictated by the school calendar, which as you know are also the 'Peak periods'. So if we want to ensure that we get a pitch in an area or site that we want to spend our holidays on then we have no choice other than to book well in advance. However, we also use our Motorhome at weekends throughout the year and generally leave our decision as to where to go pretty late, so far not had any problems getting on a site. We do not always use CC or C&CC sites, sometimes we just do a search on many of the Internet sites by region and find something suitable.

 

The good old days of hitching up your van on a Friday night and heading off always finding a space on a site to rest your weary head are all but gone, sadly, but that is the way it is I'm afraid, at least in the UK.

[pepe63xnotuse]

We've "found ourselves" being in both clubs,we joined the CC when we bought our first MH and the C&CC membership was won at last years' NEC show..but to be honest,we are now finding that between them there is only really 2-3 sites that we now use on any regular basis(..and if the CC had a site in Oxford ,we'd let the C&CC go..)...

And as has been said,at around £18-£20+ a night they're no cheaper than many commercial sites...

 

We now tend to get the majority of our sites through here:

 

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/

 

 

[stantheman]

mirage - 2010-11-28 8:56 PM

 

I was at Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site in October...

 

How can you afford to stay inside the 'pollution zone' with a motorhome these days?

[Colin Leake]

Tony Jones - 2010-11-30 10:04 AM

 

mirage - 2010-11-28 8:56 PM

No doubt they will reach a point where some campers think it is just too expensive.

Ah, but that's the point - they don't WANT "campers" (ie people with tents), they're not allowed. But nor do they want people who use their caravans or motorhomes the way "campers" do: freedom-loving, minimum rules, spur-of-the moment, short stays, moving on next morning, etc. They want beautifully-manicured little "garden cities," with everything perfect, including the vehicles people stay in, and everything booked and planned well in advance.

For some caravanners (and motorhomers), that's exactly what they want too - good for them, that's their choice. As long as there are enough of them to keep the Club solvent, so be it. The CCC isn't much better, except that it does allow tents.

It's no use those of us with a different "vision" complaining about it. My solution is to remain a member of a club (CCC in my case) purely for access to the CS network. If the cost starts to outweight THAT particular benefit, I'm off.

 

This is not quite correct as many of the CC sites we stay on have areas set aside for campers. It's true they may be areas they can't get permission of motorhomes on as is the case at Seacroft near Cromer or areas that are not suitable for motorhomes or caravans but they are very definitely there and available. Strangely enough they are not normally very well used maybe because campers prefer lower prices and expect less facilities.