What's happening with Britstops?

Puddleduck

Puddleduck

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I just got an email saying they were going all digital. I tried to email them back using the email they provided and it bounced.

I've cancelled my subscription as I found the book to be the best thing to carry in the van, especially when I couldn't get a wifi or mobile signal.
 
Puddleduck said:
I just got an email saying they were going all digital. I tried to email them back using the email they provided and it bounced.

I've cancelled my subscription as I found the book to be the best thing to carry in the van, especially when I couldn't get a wifi or mobile signal.
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I like the book it travels well with an atlas
 
Probably a huge savings in publicising the book and concentrating on the mobile version.

Think Steve and Tracy are moving with the times
 
Can’t see many people paying £44 for access to an app! Many dissatisfied comments on their Facebook page & lots not rejoining.

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The book is no more, apparently.
 
Solwaybuggier said:
I’m personally delighted it’s going all digital- saves updating the book, and in previous discussions a number on here complained about the book going out of date as soon as printed.
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At the increased price of £44?

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Mother Ship said:
Can’t see many people paying £44 for access to an app! Many dissatisfied comments on their Facebook page & lots not rejoining.
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If that’s the cost it’s not what I would pay to be honest.

I’d say £15 to £20 would sit about right.
But what do I know 🤔😊
 
Apps are the way to go for accuracy, especially if you can download offline versions.
Books are ok but quickly came outdated.

Same reason why 99% of people use sat navs and not A to Z maps now.

as for the cost??? not sre, all depends what its worth to the customer but it will reach far more than the book ever did
 
Solwaybuggier said:
It has - Steve & Mandy have retired, but their son Tom is heading things up now.
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Tom stayed on as employee of American Company Harvest Hosts who bought Britstops. The app apparently is same format as Harvest Hosts platform.
 
The company has answered some questions via facebook statting that the App is costing more per customer than the book used to cost. That is very likely when compared to one year's print run of the books even if the App is based on an existing american one, but I would presume in year 2 and afterwards, the annual data refresh will be significantly cheaper. They might also move to a rolling 12 month subscription option to get away from the existing disincentive to join in the late summer / autumn .

I haven't seen any response to the question of will the app work offline or not (if it doesn't then I feel that is a very bad thing!) but presumably there will be continuous updates for sites joining / leaving which will remove the need for customers to manually update the book.
 
Please don't shoot me down for commenting as I have never subscribed to Britstops but I am a user of Searchforsites (S4S) which is available in an off-line format. S4S costs £5.99 per annum when using the app and for me works very well.

To those who have used both of the above, is Britstops very much more useful than S4S which is of course updatable in real time of used on-line.

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I didn’t like the fact they tried to justify the cost with “existing customers pay £39 for the book and £4:95 for p&p”. As a continuous payment payer via PayPal I didn’t pay p&p, so for me gone up £5:00. I don’t think it’s worth it now, so cancelled continuous payment and they’ve lost another customer.
I will have a look at the new website when it goes live in Jan, but sadly i dont think I’ll be a 2024 customer.
 
rod_vw said:
Please don't shoot me down for commenting as I have never subscribed to Britstops but I am a user of Searchforsites (S4S) which is available in an off-line format. S4S costs £5.99 per annum when using the app and for me works very well.

To those who have used both of the above, is Britstops very much more useful than S4S which is of course updatable in real time of used on-line.
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Have used both but gave up Britstops after using for a couple of years as every year increase in sub didn’t warrant what got and found S4S extremely useful & all types of stops including loads of pubs. And so useful can use offline as travelling. Very good value at £5.99 so comprehensive.
 
rod_vw said:
Please don't shoot me down for commenting as I have never subscribed to Britstops but I am a user of Searchforsites (S4S) which is available in an off-line format. S4S costs £5.99 per annum when using the app and for me works very well.

To those who have used both of the above, is Britstops very much more useful than S4S which is of course updatable in real time of used on-line.
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I have in the past been a Britstops member, then I realised it was nowhere near as good as S4S in terms of accuracy and value. I cannot see any advantage whatsoever with Britstops. I. E. I have never been turned away by a place that is a Britstop because I wasn’t a member.

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I stopped subscribing years ago. If we see a pub with a big car park call in and ask to park for the price of a meal and a drink or two and we’ve never been refused.
 
Steve & Mandy have retired and sold their business to Harvest Hosts, their son has been retained as an employee to smooth transition.

I was an avid Britstopper because the format suited me, yes in theory one could do without it but I liked to browse/plan.

It is disingenuous at best, if not a lie to say no price increase - I've just checked [to make sure my Paypal continuous payment is cancelled] - and I paid £32 last year, delivered.
£44 is a 37.5% increase.
 
I emailed them a couple of weeks ago and they said once purchased the app can be used on more than one device, if that means even only one more device I can see it been open to abuse, giving a friend etc the log on details..I personally after 4 yrs of membership won't be renewing, loads of free information/stop overs available from other sources.
 
Only used it once at a pub in Devon..Mediocre meal of pie and chips..£40 with a drink...Would have been better off on a CL. BUSBY.

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Steve was a lovely man who let me eat his sweets, even after I stopped buying his book. It was good to be able to have contact phone numbers and know what to expect on arrival, however as said by many in the past, you really did not need the book to find a pub etc. I think Steve could see the writing on the wall.
When the mighty North Americans try to buy up UK stuff, it does not always go well. MHF and Dometic being further examples. I wonder how well Hymer will do?
 
rosalan said:
When the mighty North Americans try to buy up UK stuff, it does not always go well. MHF and Dometic being further examples. I wonder how well Hymer will do?
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MHF ?
 
JockandRita said:
Motorhomefacts, and thankfully, not Motorhomefun.co.uk. ;)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
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ha, thanks I did wonder. Never heard of motorhome facts TBH

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