April 8 is Caravan Club peak season.....why?

[mel wood]

pepe63 - 2011-04-01 4:46 PM

 

kelly58 - 2011-03-31 8:02 PM

 

Although I do not have a dog.....but I bet there would be a hell of a to-do if the dog was taken into the shower for a wash and brush up when in fact it has been charged for that facility.

 

We don't have a dog either...so maybe we should go and take a d*mp on the "dog walk" next time,just to get our moneys worth? (lol)

(sorry for shortening your post)

 

 

What crass comments!

 

What was the point? I am sure that I was not alone in not seing anything of value (or amusement) in either.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

I think there is a wider argument, this hiking of prices in school holidays is pretty much unique to the leisure industry, the running cost's are the same for the CC, at any time of the year, and one would think one of the benefits of being in a "club" is this would not be the case. It is "rip off" Britain in my view.

 

I too am beginning to rethink the costs and benefits to M/home ownership, I am pretty certain that if confined only to the UK for my wanderings, it would be on Ebay tomorrow.

 

It's also the fact that some of us have not splashed out upwards of 50K for our vans, so we do have a slightly different perspective to those that have. Mind you I do have a pal who's van probably cost 80k and he still looks for a quiet lay-bye :-|

[francisgraham]

1footinthegrave - 2011-04-04 9:03 AM

 

I think there is a wider argument, this hiking of prices in school holidays is pretty much unique to the leisure industry, the running cost's are the same for the CC, at any time of the year, and one would think one of the benefits of being in a "club" is this would not be the case. It is "rip off" Britain in my view.

 

I too am beginning to rethink the costs and benefits to M/home ownership, I am pretty certain that if confined only to the UK for my wanderings, it would be on Ebay tomorrow.

 

It's also the fact that some of us have not splashed out upwards of 50K for our vans, so we do have a slightly different perspective to those that have. Mind you I do have a pal who's van probably cost 80k and he still looks for a quiet lay-bye :-|

 

Rip-off Britain? So despite what you claim you've obviously never been to France, Spain, Italy or any other country? Do you think that they have the same prices in summer as in winter? I've been looking up sites for my first trip abroad (I'm a newish motorhomer) and the pricing policies in European countries are no different from Britain but you never hear about 'rip-off France' for instance!

 

As for 'hiking' prices at peak periods, has it ever occurred to you that it's just the opposite, and what they are actually doing is lowering prices in the off-season in order to drum up business at a quiet time?

[pepe63xnotuse]

mel wood - 2011-04-03 1:30 PM

 

pepe63 - 2011-04-01 4:46 PM

 

kelly58 - 2011-03-31 8:02 PM

 

Although I do not have a dog.....but I bet there would be a hell of a to-do if the dog was taken into the shower for a wash and brush up when in fact it has been charged for that facility.

 

We don't have a dog either...so maybe we should go and take a d*mp on the "dog walk" next time,just to get our moneys worth? (lol)

(sorry for shortening your post)

 

 

What crass comments!

 

What was the point? I am sure that I was not alone in not seing anything of value (or amusement) in either.

 

Well,mine was meant as a lighthearted,response to Kelly58's post.. :$

..and I for one,will apologise that it did not meet your exacting standards *-)

(..if/when this forum starts filtering out EVERY "pointless" post,then it'd be a very quiet place indeed! (lol) )

Having said all of that,there doesn't seem to be anything in your post which is in anyway related to site fees,costings etc either?..so..What was the point?.. ;-)

 

Right,back on topic(ish)..

We're planning to use more CLs this year but as we're both still working and the majority of our trips are just long weekends,we don't won't to risk landing on a CL which is,shall we say "less than ideal"..

As on a few occasions,we've arrived at some CLs and thought,"what have we done!?"

(...you know the sites I mean,the muddy corner of a farmer's field,where you're required to pitch next to the remains of a rusty Land Rover/Tractor (lol) )

 

And before anybody snaps back at me,I'm not saying that all CLs/CSs are muddy messes(..we do "google earth" sites before hand but the images are sometimes way out of date..),I'm just saying that if you're touring around for 2-3 weeks at a time,you're obviously going to have a greater chance of "stubbling" upon a gem,than if you're only away for a night or two...

 

 

[laimeduck]

francisgraham - 2011-04-04 10:43 AM

1footinthegrave - 2011-04-04 9:03 AM I think there is a wider argument, this hiking of prices in school holidays is pretty much unique to the leisure industry, the running cost's are the same for the CC, at any time of the year, and one would think one of the benefits of being in a "club" is this would not be the case. It is "rip off" Britain in my view. I too am beginning to rethink the costs and benefits to M/home ownership, I am pretty certain that if confined only to the UK for my wanderings, it would be on Ebay tomorrow. It's also the fact that some of us have not splashed out upwards of 50K for our vans, so we do have a slightly different perspective to those that have. Mind you I do have a pal who's van probably cost 80k and he still looks for a quiet lay-bye :-|

Rip-off Britain? So despite what you claim you've obviously never been to France, Spain, Italy or any other country? Do you think that they have the same prices in summer as in winter? I've been looking up sites for my first trip abroad (I'm a newish motorhomer) and the pricing policies in European countries are no different from Britain but you never hear about 'rip-off France' for instance! As for 'hiking' prices at peak periods, has it ever occurred to you that it's just the opposite, and what they are actually doing is lowering prices in the off-season in order to drum up business at a quiet time?

OOooh La La!

Us Freaunch rip les peoples oueff?

Mais non mon brave.

Hoo else wud scharge 12 Euro for a bouttle of planc zat wun ken bye fur 1 Euro in ze Hypermarkit.? Same label?

Vee Freaunch taut you Eeenglisch all vee know - tu connais!

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

The poster two above this said.

 

"As for 'hiking' prices at peak periods, has it ever occurred to you that it's just the opposite, and what they are actually doing is lowering prices in the off-season in order to drum up business at a quiet time?"

 

My reply...

 

If you believe that you are rather naive, people with school age children have little choice but to go in these "peak" periods, all providers know this and do put their pricing up at these times. I was involved in the tourism business, our rental rates went UP by at least 35% for no other reason that people wanting to go in these weeks had no other choice other than pay, or stay at home.

My feeling is that as a "club" that we pay a membership fee to belong to, these price hikes are not fully justified, especially at this time of year.

 

As for Europe I can still find free, or for just a few euros Aires at any time of the year, unlike the UK.

:-)

[francisgraham]

1footinthegrave - 2011-04-04 1:44 PM

 

The poster two above this said.

 

"As for 'hiking' prices at peak periods, has it ever occurred to you that it's just the opposite, and what they are actually doing is lowering prices in the off-season in order to drum up business at a quiet time?"

 

My reply...

 

If you believe that you are rather naive, people with school age children have little choice but to go in these "peak" periods, all providers know this and do put their pricing up at these times. I was involved in the tourism business, our rental rates went UP by at least 35% for no other reason that people wanting to go in these weeks had no other choice other than pay, or stay at home.

My feeling is that as a "club" that we pay a membership fee to belong to, these price hikes are not fully justified, especially at this time of year.

 

As for Europe I can still find free, or for just a few euros Aires at any time of the year, unlike the UK.

:-)

 

As for who is naive about prices varying according to season, we'll have to agree to disagree but your comment about Europe is pointless.

 

You said that because the UK charges less in the off-season and more in season that this signifies 'rip-off' Britain.

 

I pointed out that every other country does the same so how can Britain be accused of ripping off its customers but in France this is presumably OK?

 

The fact that you can stay on aires is totally irrelevant! In Britain you can stay on CLs but that's irrelevant as well!

 

The simple point is, that in all of Europe, sites charge a certain fee in the main season but discount their prices in the quieter period so as to attract custom.

 

This is the same in many other businesses, it's called supply and demand!

 

 

 

 

 

[mikemoss]

My original post was about two things: 1) the relative value for money (not affordability) of a standard pitch on a CC site costing £43 per night for four adults and 2) bemoaning the fact that a club which is ostensibly run for the benefit of its members should hike its prices on the very day that sees the first opportunity for families with children to take a break.

 

I guess that I would have less of a problem with commercial sites upping their prices at supposedly peak times (early April, peak??), but when I checked around all the commercial sites in the Looe area I found that even the most expensive was less than half the price the Caravan so-called club wanted.

 

As a rule of thumb, everything has its price and to me £43 a night is too much to pay for a night on what is, to be frank, not much more than a posh car park. We'll probably end up on a CL or CS instead and be very happy to do so.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

francisgraham - 2011-04-04 2:08 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2011-04-04 1:44 PM

 

The poster two above this said.

 

"As for 'hiking' prices at peak periods, has it ever occurred to you that it's just the opposite, and what they are actually doing is lowering prices in the off-season in order to drum up business at a quiet time?"

 

My reply...

 

If you believe that you are rather naive, people with school age children have little choice but to go in these "peak" periods, all providers know this and do put their pricing up at these times. I was involved in the tourism business, our rental rates went UP by at least 35% for no other reason that people wanting to go in these weeks had no other choice other than pay, or stay at home.

My feeling is that as a "club" that we pay a membership fee to belong to, these price hikes are not fully justified, especially at this time of year.

 

As for Europe I can still find free, or for just a few euros Aires at any time of the year, unlike the UK.

:-)

 

As for who is naive about prices varying according to season, we'll have to agree to disagree but your comment about Europe is pointless.

 

You said that because the UK charges less in the off-season and more in season that this signifies 'rip-off' Britain.

 

I pointed out that every other country does the same so how can Britain be accused of ripping off its customers but in France this is presumably OK?

 

The fact that you can stay on aires is totally irrelevant! In Britain you can stay on CLs but that's irrelevant as well!

 

The simple point is, that in all of Europe, sites charge a certain fee in the main season but discount their prices in the quieter period so as to attract custom.

 

This is the same in many other businesses, it's called supply and demand!

 

 

 

 

I'm guessing you operate a site, or work for the CC, otherwise it's hard to see why you want to defend the indefensible, as for relevance or not of Aires my point ( obviously missed by you ) is that at least in France you are not obliged to stop on sites that hike up their prices. CL's in many cases do, plus I don't know of any free CLs.

 

You say it's the same in many other businesses, does that make it right ?

 

Perhaps the C.C could set a lead and give something back to it's members, like a flat rate pricing system.

[pepe63xnotuse]

mikemoss - 2011-04-04 4:04 PM

We'll probably end up on a CL or CS instead and be very happy to do so.

 

Mike

Looking at the photo that Barry999 posted on page 1,I think I'd be taking a look at Polborder! ;-)

[Barryd999]

pepe63 - 2011-04-04 4:44 PM

 

mikemoss - 2011-04-04 4:04 PM

We'll probably end up on a CL or CS instead and be very happy to do so.

 

Mike

Looking at the photo that Barry999 posted on page 1,I think I'd be taking a look at Polborder! ;-)

 

Just to avoid any confusion the photo is on the Isle of Arran where we are going at Easter. The CL at Polborder is fine though. Quiet, not far from Looe and the owners were very accomdating when we were there. They did everything to try and keep the taps working even though it was freezing and when it snowed they towed us off when we got stuck.

[Mel B]

Lets get one thing clear ... IMV the Caravan Club is a club in name only. The cost of their sites, as others have said, is getting rediculous. There was a time when the discount made them cheaper than other sites, but not now, you actually are only paying to get a discount on the high fee that someone who doesn't pay a subscription to them pays, it doesn't mean that we get it cheaper than other non-CC sites can provide it for.

 

There is nothing new about this, the cost of 'membership' has been going up and up for years and I believe they are getting the point where they are pricing some of their so called 'members' out of using their sites even with the supposed 'discount', this is not what the club was originally set up to do I believe.

 

Perhaps they need to have a rethink about what real benefit their 'members' get nowadays. We haven't renewed our subscription and probably won't bother, and there must be others who haven't renewed too so if their policy is actually stopping existing members from renewing that isn't a good thing at all. From business point of view, it is usually much more advantageous (cheaper, less adversing, admin etc) to keep an existing member than to try to get a new one .... :-S

[pepe63xnotuse]

Barryd999 - 2011-04-04 5:18 PM

 

Just to avoid any confusion the photo is on the Isle of Arran where we are going at Easter. The CL at Polborder is fine though. Quiet, not far from Looe and the owners were very accomdating when we were there.

 

Oops! sorry Barry... :$

(..in any case,there's bl**dy great rock spoiling the view in that photo! ;-) )

 

Good post Mel..

Personally,I'd rather a "club" which concentrated on providing plentiful,cheap(er) pitches(on it's main sites!)rather than an organisation which dabbles in various insurances,discounted ferry crossings,book offers etc etc..

 

I know others certainly won't agree with the above (..but as our CC insurance quotes have always been a good couple of hundred quid dearer than any other quote we've had,I don't really see the point?!) *-)

So,will we remain members? Yes probably,due to the fact there are several sites that we visit on regular(ish) basis...But are their site pitches as cheap as they should be(seeing as they're a "club")or cheaper than a comparable "commercial" site? No...

[mikemoss]

Funnily enough we've used the Polborder CL before when we were caravanners. It's fine, and my main memory is of our border collie being chased by a wild turkey!

 

To be honest, when I saw Barry's photo I thought it looked like the Bay View Farm site near Looe, which is another possibility.

[747]

I have just been looking at CS sites in the Lake District. There are no prices given in the Big Sites Book (C & CC). As I have just lapsed with the CC, I thought I would leaf through their CL's.

 

There is very little difference between a CC CL price and what we have paid on a C&CC Club site (off season) as we get the old fogeys discount (over 55, I think).

 

This just assures me that I have made the right decision not to renew.

 

The curious thing is that some CC CL's want a deposit up front. 8-) . Surely that goes against the CC policy of NOT taking deposits.

[maggyd]

Ive just booked two nights at the new Teesdale site at Barnard Castle, I didnt think the high season was until Easter weekend but the cost is £49 odd (cant remember off hand! but I think thats a bit steep! it will probably be the only time we use a site as well as we go over to France for 6 weeks and the CCC site at Moffet will be the next site when we come home, taking into consideration were paying £47 membership :-S were definately not getting our money,s worth, I think we will probably drop the C.C next year and get the benefit of the recycled teenagers rate on the CCC sites.

[LordThornber]

Mel B - 2011-04-04 5:48 PM

 

Lets get one thing clear ... IMV the Caravan Club is a club in name only. The cost of their sites, as others have said, is getting rediculous. There was a time when the discount made them cheaper than other sites, but not now, you actually are only paying to get a discount on the high fee that someone who doesn't pay a subscription to them pays, it doesn't mean that we get it cheaper than other non-CC sites can provide it for.

 

There is nothing new about this, the cost of 'membership' has been going up and up for years and I believe they are getting the point where they are pricing some of their so called 'members' out of using their sites even with the supposed 'discount', this is not what the club was originally set up to do I believe.

 

Perhaps they need to have a rethink about what real benefit their 'members' get nowadays. We haven't renewed our subscription and probably won't bother, and there must be others who haven't renewed too so if their policy is actually stopping existing members from renewing that isn't a good thing at all. From business point of view, it is usually much more advantageous (cheaper, less adversing, admin etc) to keep an existing member than to try to get a new one .... :-S

 

What an excellent post Mel, I couldn't have put it better.

 

Martyn

[MandyAndy]

In the Big Sites book the prices are on a code system which is on the piece of card that you can use as a book mark.

 

I think if memory serves me it goes from A to M, A being the cheapest around £3 - £4

 

Mandy

[John J Thompson]

747 - 2011-04-04 7:08 PM

 

The curious thing is that some CC CL's want a deposit up front. 8-) . Surely that goes against the CC policy of NOT taking deposits.

 

This has come about because of NO SHOWS.

 

A friend has a CL in Cornwall and had to introduce a deposit on booking because he was getting to many people booking and not turning up thus preventing other members from using his site. He had turned booking away but finished up with empty pitches.

[747]

Mandy&Andy - 2011-04-06 7:03 AM

 

In the Big Sites book the prices are on a code system which is on the piece of card that you can use as a book mark.

 

I think if memory serves me it goes from A to M, A being the cheapest around £3 - £4

 

Mandy

 

Thanks for that info Mandy. I have never bothered looking at the other side of the card. :$

 

You are correct about the lettering. Not many A's or B's about these days. :D

[Barryd999]

John J Thompson - 2011-04-06 2:25 PM

 

747 - 2011-04-04 7:08 PM

 

The curious thing is that some CC CL's want a deposit up front. 8-) . Surely that goes against the CC policy of NOT taking deposits.

 

This has come about because of NO SHOWS.

 

A friend has a CL in Cornwall and had to introduce a deposit on booking because he was getting to many people booking and not turning up thus preventing other members from using his site. He had turned booking away but finished up with empty pitches.

 

Thats pretty bad form! So far I have never been asked for a deposit as I either book just a day or few days in advance or sometimes when I'm already in the region. I would be pretty hacked off if I had a CL and people just didnt turn up. Mind you the attitude the CC have regarding deposits for their sites doesnt really help much in educating people how to behave when booking stuff.

 

Anyway regarding the earlier post about the new Barnard Castle (Teesdale) CC site. I pass it all the time when working and it was empty and closed the entire winter. Whats that all about? It hadnt been open five minutes and it was shut for months. I bet it would have been busy over the winter had they bothered to keep it open.