A letter to clubs about site prices (1 Viewer)

[Jim]

A number of people who frequented the tea tent at the Newbury Show were commenting on the rise in pitch fees. I don't stop on many sites so can't really comment.

If this is the case I thought I'd write to the two big clubs and try and get some reasoning for this. I know we have some wages inflation as well as higher electricity costs, but I suspect, like a lot of industries there might be a bit of "Greedflation" in their prices.

To give my letter some legitimacy it would be nice to know what proportion of our membership are their members, so please choose an option above.

Also can you let us know about some of the increases you have seen. Thanks

 

[PaddyM]

We are off here for the Bank Holiday weekend so can’t grumble at CMC prices .

Motor Home Park

Stay in one of our 23 pitches in the village

portmeirion.wales

I always predicted a financial reckoning would have to be paid for the pandemic and we have it in all its glory everywhere .

 

[Langtoftlad]

Was a CAMC member until this year
Pitch inflation was one of three reasons I didn't renew

Castleton
April 2019 = £11.70/nt
Jan 2023 = £23/nt

Nearly 100% in less than 4 years

 

[WillH]

I'm staying at Moffat C&CC site next weekend, £40/night. I checked the same dates for Camping Sandaya, Maisons Laffitte, Paris, an all singing and dancing campsite I use in the summer. Only €35/night.

 

[Lenny HB]

We are off here for the Bank Holiday weekend so can’t grumble at CMC prices .

Motor Home Park

Stay in one of our 23 pitches in the village

portmeirion.wales

I always predicted a financial reckoning would have to be paid for the pandemic and we have it in all its glory everywhere .

They were just finishing it off when we visited, rediculas price it's not much more than a car park and most of the pitches are on a steep slope.

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[TheMachMan]

Bristol‘s Baltic Wharf has dramatically increased to the point we won’t pay, even though it’s where our son lives. Most baffling is that it’s closing down, apart from day to day costs there is no investment on the site that benefits the customer and therefore would be a justification.
Also they ask us not to use the EHU if we are self sufficient but offer no incentive.
Lastly if energy is such a big factor surely there is considerably less consumption in the summer, so how do they explain the price rises and what proportion is made up of anticipated energy consumption?

 

[PaddyM]

They were just finishing it off when we visited, rediculas price it's not much more than a car park and most of the pitches are on a steep slope.

Actual review to follow,

 

[Hils and Glenns]

I haven't renewed our CAMC membership this year. Probably won't renew CACC either when it comes up for renewal. I can't see any benefit from joining either these days.

 

[LesW]

We're members of CCC, we haven't found any particular rise in prices, being over 60 we get the ACR (age concession rate), so from a purely personal perspective the prices are ok.

Recently spent two nights at their Folkestone Club site for £17.50 a night (no EHU needed), so can't complain at that.

Someone mentions £40 a night? I just wouldn't pay that.

 

[Gizmouk]

My theory based upon my thoughts and without scientific input is...
Energy costs are an overhead and must be covered. However, they will soon start to fall.
Wages - I don't know many full time employees who have had decent pay rises. And given that most campsites only have a small number of staff, even a couple of pounds an hour extra won't account for the huge increases in site fees.
Covid / lockdown - Businesses across the board have put prices up to try to recoup losses incurred during covid. An extremely dangerous game to play, as you'll get away with it short term, but suffer later.
Campsites had it good during covid. Slam the prices up to accommodate increased demand from the "covid campers". However, more are now returning to the Med and further afield.

We are now in back in both "clubs". She (the CFO) rejoined the CMC earlier this year. However, on principle I'll be canceling at least one of them - not paying around £100 to be in the clubs

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[Sasbo]

Haven't renewed CAMC membership due to the ever increasing site fees and their woeful new website booking system.

 

[Gizmouk]

We are off here for the Bank Holiday weekend so can’t grumble at CMC prices .

Motor Home Park

Stay in one of our 23 pitches in the village

portmeirion.wales

I always predicted a financial reckoning would have to be paid for the pandemic and we have it in all its glory everywhere .

wow, those are crazy prices !
And they don't allow dogs.

 

[Steve and Denise]

We are members of CCC but mainly use their THS

 

[Mikey RV]

I am at a CL at the moment for three nights. £20 per night + electric coin meter.( pay for what you use).
What about private site prices in the U.K., I am sure they would have put all there prices up also because of the price of electric etc. I priced up two in Devon where I lived and know the sites and in peak time both were about £55-£65 per night for two adults.

 

[steve69]

there is considerably less consumption in the summer, so how do they explain the price rises and what proportion is made up of anticipated energy consumption?

No electric heated hot water for you then?

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[Emmit]

Kicked CMC into touch.
Still with CCC but only for THS'S.

 

[Mikey RV]

wow, those are crazy prices !
And they don't allow dogs.

That includes your admission to the village which is £18 per adult.

 

[TheMachMan]

No electric heated hot water for you then?

Hardly anything a 10 litre tank, which will already be warmer due to ambient temperature Will use very little energy to heat up compared to running the heating.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I have used C&CC a fair bit. Just trying to do a bit of a comparison, on summer dates between last year and this year. Where prices have risen, and it's a fair jump, is if you have electric. OK so I get a singleton discount on pricing:

Bellingham, Northumberland - electric hardstanding July about 11% increase
Woodhall Spa, Lincs - electric hardstanding, August about 14% increase
But:
Graffham, Sussex - grass no electric about 1% decrease

Given the way we know energy costs have gone for any business use, it seems to me that C&CC have been working quite hard to keep their pricing in limits. Indeed some of the C&CC sites, if you go grass without electric, as a singleton, will be cheaper than many CS/CLs, and yet you get the amenities blocks on the C&CC sites. I was at Boroughbridge, Yorks in April this year for £11 a night which seems quite reasonable.

Never tried to be a member of the CAMC. Could never work out even a few years ago how much I might pay for a site, and even then it always seemed a lot more expensive than C&CC. Reading various posts over the years on MHF I have always thought it to be the CAMC that were acting as if they were a premium priced brand.

 

[Larrynwin]

I am a member of both clubs for convenience of area choice but mainly use CLs although still find some private sites for as little as £25 incl hook up and other facilities.
Main club sites are becoming a no no because of price.

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[Whitebirdyman]

I am currently in both but likely to leave the CAMC, prices are too high, rarely an option for non-electric, same price for awning and non-awning pitch, installing more full-service pitches at even higher cost.

I am likely to retain the C&CC, I like THSs, good options for non-electric when grass available, it would be nice if they had non-eclectric HS in the winter. I noticed that currently the difference between electric pitches and non-electric is coming out around £6pn, which is a lot more than I would use even accounting for the non-domestic tarrif.

 

[Norma D]

I have used C&CC a fair bit. Just trying to do a bit of a comparison, on summer dates between last year and this year. Where prices have risen, and it's a fair jump, is if you have electric. OK so I get a singleton discount on pricing:

Bellingham, Northumberland - electric hardstanding July about 11% increase
Woodhall Spa, Lincs - electric hardstanding, August about 14% increase
But:
Graffham, Sussex - grass no electric about 1% decrease

Given the way we know energy costs have gone for any business use, it seems to me that C&CC have been working quite hard to keep their pricing in limits. Indeed some of the C&CC sites, if you go grass without electric, as a singleton, will be cheaper than many CS/CLs, and yet you get the amenities blocks on the C&CC sites. I was at Boroughbridge, Yorks in April this year for £11 a night which seems quite reasonable.

Never tried to be a member of the CAMC. Could never work out even a few years ago how much I might pay for a site, and even then it always seemed a lot more expensive than C&CC. Reading various posts over the years on MHF I have always thought it to be the CAMC that were acting as if they were a premium priced brand.

We wanted to go to York in early June but it was going to cost £44 a night so we are going to Oxford instead and will find a B&B for York. Can't remember which club it was sorry.

 

[G1969]

Member of both for the last 20y. Still use them but looking to use less and more cls etc, just priced knaresbrough for a weekend in July and looking at £51 per night!!! Wow

 

[whingyraindrop]

A number of people who frequented the tea tent at the Newbury Show were commenting on the rise in pitch fees. I don't stop on many sites so can't really comment.

If this is the case I thought I'd write to the two big clubs and try and get some reasoning for this. I know we have some wages inflation as well as higher electricity costs, but I suspect, like a lot of industries there might be a bit of "Greedflation" in their prices.

To give my letter some legitimacy it would be nice to know what proportion of our membership are their members, so please choose an option above.

Also can you let us know about some of the increases you have seen. Thanks

 

[Tombola]

Member of both and probably won't renew next time.
I feel other options should be explored like optional leccy, more a way for them to "save money" instead of raising prices.... Especially as more and more people nowadays have lithium and solar set ups to cope themselves.
Even when I pull on sites these days I hardly ever plug in.

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[vanVhome]

Joined CAMC this year and found that main sites are really expensive. So far this year we have stayed on private sites, pubs, wild and one CL. CAMC website was down late last night when we tried to look for something.

 

[Thornebt]

There are some minor perks like the 20% discount in Mountain Warehouse for CAMC members. So if you spent about £275 in there your discount would cover your CAMC annual membership. Probably unlikely thata many members would spend that much but it's a way of getting some of your fee back if you buy a coat, walking boots etc. I think you can get a supermarket discount card as well but we already have one of those through my wife's trade union

 

[Harrogate motorhomer]

Been a member of CAMC for 23 years but only use a small number of sites. If they didn’t have Rowntree park open in the winter probably wouldn’t bother as can find alternatives for others cheaper. In the last few years it’s become more take than give & the introduction of metered electric will be the final straw for many winter campers.

 

[donkey]

I use a couple of the CMC minimum facility sites, as they are more reasonable. But the main sites are just too expensive. I have no use for washrooms, toilets, club rooms, children's facilities etc.
Even CLs and CSs are getting very pricy and mostly offer very little in the way of facilities.

Geoff

 

[pj650]

I am currently in both but likely to leave the CAMC, prices are too high, rarely an option for non-electric, same price for awning and non-awning pitch, installing more full-service pitches at even higher cost.

I am likely to retain the C&CC, I like THSs, good options for non-electric when grass available, it would be nice if they had non-eclectric HS in the winter. I noticed that currently the difference between electric pitches and non-electric is coming out around £6pn, which is a lot more than I would use even accounting for the non-domestic tarrif.

We will not be renewing CAMC membership when it’s due this year either.
Ridiculous prices !!

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