Caravan and Motorhome Club price hikes.

I am a member of a Facebook CL group for site owners and wanabee guests. It is interesting how many sites have availability in August. Lots of posts form site owners offering late availability due to late cancellations. Not sure why, or what this is indicative of but an interesting observation.
 
Jim said:
In the US there are not enough pitches to go around. The rise of van living and the general rise in RV ownership compound the problem. One thing that has come about from this is more sites every week are jumping on to the 10-year-rule. This means, your van must be under ten years old or you can't book a pitch! This keeps out what they see as riff-raff and makes their sites more attractive. What a shitty rule! Let's hope our two big clubs don't look across the pond for inspiration. 😲
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When we did our trip two years ago we never once got asked about the age of the van. I think if you look decent folk it’s okay. Our van was 24 years old. (see avatar). Probably enforced if they don’t like the look of you.
Phil
 
Otter Spotter said:
Search4sites app lists them all CL and CS sites, along with Independent sites, some of which can offer same or better facilities than club sites for less money. I am currently stopping at Mount View Caravan Park at Abington, close to the M74 and Biggar, the site is far better than most CAMC sites I have visited and the facilities are spotless. £25 per night hard standing including EHU, and no extra charge for Showers etc.

Just realised you were asking about the MHF sites I think they are listed on CAMpRA Aires map.
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Mount views a dump and it’s next to the main railway line from South to North
I’ve stopped there on a rally it’s noisy with frequent trains passing by night and day
The hardstanding pitches are small and most are not big enough for an awning unless you want to peg it onto grass
When it rains it’s a miserable place , nothing near at hand apart from a small shop and the hotel which wasn’t open when we were there.

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Neil S said:
Mount views a dump and it’s next to the main railway line from South to North
I’ve stopped there on a rally it’s noisy with frequent trains passing by night and day
The hardstanding pitches are small and most are not big enough for an awning unless you want to peg it onto grass
When it rains it’s a miserable place , nothing near at hand apart from a small shop and the hotel which was T even open when we were there
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Confused, how do you peg your awning into anything but grass? The Hardstanding I used was fine not small.
So your not a train spotter then ? 🤪, and seriously any site is going to be miserable if it’s raining.
The site is a good stop off on the way north or south, it’s not one you would stay for a week.
 
Otter Spotter said:
Confused, how do you peg your awning into anything but grass? The Hardstanding I used was fine not small.
So your not a train spotter then ? 🤪, and seriously any site is going to be miserable if it’s raining.
The site is a good stop off on the way north or south, it’s not one you would stay for a week.
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I always peg my awning onto full size hardstanding pitches
CAMC pitches are usually large enough to accommodate car caravan and awning
As for a stop off site
Moffat C&CC is streets ahead of Mountview in location , facilities
 
Neil S said:
I always peg my awning onto full size hardstanding pitches
CAMC pitches are usually large enough to accommodate car caravan and awning
As for a stop off site
Moffat C&CC is streets ahead of Mountview in location , facilities
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Agreed Moffat is better but FULL for our date, oh, and probably dearer.
 
Just went to book Hillhead for 3 nights from 31st March and price per night is £55.30 (weekday prices are £32.50 for the same time). It's not school holidays so a total of £165.90 for 3 nights seems excessive. Looking at other sites can get the 3 nights with the same or better facilities for between £80 and £120. A pity because we have always liked Hillhead but not at those prices

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We found the same last Summer. Ended up at Wall Park in Brixham, which actually is better located for the Coast Paths and much cheaper.
 
Google maps and search campsites in area is bringing up some great independents getting ehu on the pitch for on average £13.00 a night along with s4s and britstops budget camping is out there
But depends on what you want
Stayed at
The Old Pound Inn Langport
Cost £13.00
That was not for EHU or parking but for the tasty pork and apple pie with veg and chips and 1/2 a cider

Please leave room for me I will be there again
 
Sent in our resignation from both clubs yesterday. We had booked 3 nights at Brighton CAMC this weekend but cancelled. Alternative spot worked out ok.
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Unfortunately I can see the 2 clubs changing their pricing structure when the only people who can afford to stay on their sites are singletons.

For us solo travellers, they offer great value whereas commercial sites are priced assuming 2 people staying.
 
Incase anybody interested 👍

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nev robinson said:
Like everything else in the UK prices are getting stupid,but when no one goes to the greedy sites they will wonder why.
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Recent post on the CMC forum… member confronted a CMC committee member at the NEC to complain about high prices. Apparently the response was it’s all about electricity costs, in particular wasteful practices like heating the awning! Shame their response to that is more full service points rather than extension of non-EHU option, but at least they’ve finally got around to trialling metering. Prices are certainly affecting my behaviour. I regularly stopover in Bristol for visits north, but it was Parsonage Farm CL at Long Ashton for me this week at £20, rather than Baltic Wharf at £42. I think metering is probably the only game in town for CMC (and CCC) sites going forward, but they need to establish a reasonable base rate before metered charges are applied. I would expect at least a 25% discount for no electricity, but maybe not if justified by installation cost recovery?

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Harrietliberty said:
Just went to book Hillhead for 3 nights from 31st March and price per night is £55.30 (weekday prices are £32.50 for the same time). It's not school holidays so a total of £165.90 for 3 nights seems excessive. Looking at other sites can get the 3 nights with the same or better facilities for between £80 and £120. A pity because we have always liked Hillhead but not at those prices
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Agree price is very high, but for parts of the country first two weeks of April are school holidays.
 
seasideBill said:
Recent post on the CMC forum… member confronted a CMC committee member at the NEC to complain about high prices. Apparently the response was it’s all about electricity costs, in particular wasteful practices like heating the awning! Shame their response to that is more full service points rather than extension of non-EHU option, but at least they’ve finally got around to trialling metering. Prices are certainly affecting my behaviour. I regularly stopover in Bristol for visits north, but it was Parsonage Farm CL at Long Ashton for me this week at £20, rather than Baltic Wharf at £42. I think metering is probably the only game in town for CMC (and CCC) sites going forward, but they need to establish a reasonable base rate before metered charges are applied.
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Agree about Baltic Wharf, we won’t be going back despite extension. But if it‘s all about energy costs, why do the prices still increase in the warmer months when heating usage drops substantially? They have seen the growth in motorhomes since Covid and have decided to exploit this opportunity. On one hand as a business who wouldn’t, but it feels exploitative to us long term members.
 
nev robinson said:
Like everything else in the UK prices are getting stupid,but when no one goes to the greedy sites they will wonder why.
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There's been a rapid expansion of MH ownership since lockdown that hasn't been matched by an increase in overall pitches on sites. I expect that also applies to the C&MC. The level at which there is enough price sensitivity to reduce UK pitch occupancy in high season may still be a long way off.

In 2023 most of my nights away will be in France, where electricity tariffs have had much lower increases than in the UK thanks to their large number of nuclear power stations, even though some have been offline for repairs.
 
SpeedyDux said:
There's been a rapid expansion of MH ownership since lockdown that hasn't been matched by an increase in overall pitches on sites. I expect that also applies to the C&MC. The level at which there is enough price sensitivity to reduce UK pitch occupancy in high season may still be a long way off.
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Yes, the recent surge in new owners have only known prices at current levels so I guess what you haven’t had you can’t miss?
 

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