Why are site fees so much more in uk than europe

bridgedino said:
As you asked why do UK sites charge more? Uk sites can charge more due to their captive audience. Only a couple of departure points onto the continent and they're only easily accessible for the minority of the UK. So the UK sites have a captive audience. Far more exit points spread accross the UK would open up access onto the continent and would instantly impact on the amount of people paying over the odds to use UK sites. They’d have to adjust their prices accordingly to encourage campers to chose them.
Click to expand...
But how do you know that UK sites are overpriced? What are you basing this assumption on?

There are so many factors to consider, not least of which is the cost of land which is far higher in the UK.
 
rod_vw said:
I too would like an answer to the question that MikenPauline pose. WHY are British prices soo much more than our European counterparts?

Sorry but those that have commented that they don't see British prices being too high are some of the cause. You are too content with being fleeced!

If the UK had hundreds of small communities with 2,3 or 4 van Aires that were charged at no more than £8 per night with a maximum of 48hr stays maybe the competition would bring down the price of other sites. Oops we are talking about competition and the big 'clubs' wouldn't have that would they?
European countries can do it why can't we?
Click to expand...
I quite agree. The big clubs maintain a monopoly. We need a Campsite regulator perhaps 😂 only joking
 
Just went to book at Bellingham club site for the two of us with a motorhome for our first shakedown weekend. £66:60 for the two night.

For another nearby site at Haltwistle it was £75 for two nights.

Given apart from a good shower block there is not really any other amenities it does seem to be a bit pricey.

Am working on an average of £20 (Euro equivalent) a night for our forthcoming France trip.
 
MikenPauline said:
I quite agree. The big clubs maintain a monopoly. We need a Campsite regulator perhaps 😂 only joking
Click to expand...
In what sense are they a monopoly? Last time I looked, the club sites were outnumbered many fold by private sites.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Have you seen the prices of houses in France. Bloomin' cheap in comparison to the UK too. Maybe related?

Plus I think there is a bit of a rip off culture in the UK. France could charge for these free Aires they have all over the place....but they don't.
 
MikenPauline said:
Don’t think so necessarily. With the clubs it’s the overpaid CEOs and directors taking a greater proportion of revenue I suspect. That and websites that don’t work effectively and magazines few members read and surveys they don’t act on cos it doesn’t suit their agenda
Click to expand...
From your research, how do the salaries of the CAMC and C&CC directors compare with the salaries of those running similarly sized customer facing businesses?
 
One thing the French in particular usually demand, is a non refundable/ non deductable booking fee.

There's a site we want to stay at tomorrow, which I could book online - but they want 10 Euro for the privilege!! :rolleyes:

I'm not intending to pay that for a one night stay, in addition to the camping fees, just for making a reservation. We'll take our chances and just turn up... (y)
 
mikebeaches said:
One thing the French in particular usually demand, is a non refundable/ non deductable booking fee.

There's a site we want to stay at tomorrow, which I could book online - but they want 10 Euro for the privilege!! :rolleyes:

I'm not intending to pay that for a one night stay, in addition to the camping fees, just for making a reservation. We'll take our chances and just turn up... (y)
Click to expand...
Exactly, booking is a British desease! If the site is full go to the next one or if you don't like the looks of the first go to another.
 
BikerGraham said:
Just went to book at Bellingham club site for the two of us with a motorhome for our first shakedown weekend. £66:60 for the two night.

For another nearby site at Haltwistle it was £75 for two nights.

Given apart from a good shower block there is not really any other amenities it does seem to be a bit pricey.

Am working on an average of £20 (Euro equivalent) a night for our forthcoming France trip.
Click to expand...
Is that members prices

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
rod_vw said:
Exactly, pre-booking is a British desease! If the site is full go to the next one or if you don't like the looks of the first go to another.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for you; no one seems to be able to book anything these days, everyone seems to want to pre-book stuff!😉

Ian
 
For several years I travelled in Europe visiting and inspecting campsites on behalf of the Alan Rogers Guides. Had a great time and visited quite a lot of sites in various countries. The most expensive then was without doubt Northern Italy. The sites, some of which looked really ordinary until you got inside, had amazing facilities, very good restaurants and lovely owners and managers. Compared to everywhere else they cost a fortune!
 
maison said:
French sites were only open for July and August, or until the middle of September.
Click to expand...
Hi.
I thought it was about Price,so even if they are only open then,they must get enough people in , or charge more to make a profit.
Tea Bag

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Pure supply and demand. Unfortunately we're overpopulated and under-resouced so bound to be dearer. Evidenced by the fact that we never book sites abroad, just turn up but in the UK you have to book up and most are full most of the time.
 
MikenPauline said:
I’ve been waiting for you. All this applies in Europe
Click to expand...
Ther is a possability that rates are less the uk charge extoranet rates for colmerchal propertys and high water charges dont righty know but that could be a factor
bill
 
There's probably alot more overheads for UK campsites then in France. Tax water rates electricity prices will all come into play liability insurance ect ect.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Manic said:
We walked past the Camping and caravan site in St.Neots and it was pretty for so I looked at price, for Tuesday 12th just to see and it would be £26.30 for 2 adults on a grass pitch without ehu or )31 with or £33.10 for hard standing with ehu.
Guess where I’m not going 🙂
Click to expand...
Getting into school holiday time. I stayed on grass non EHU in September 2020 for £15 a night which I thought good value considering access to a toilet block.
 
Up to now no-one has answered the original question.

Why are site fees so much more in UK than Europe? Some of you who own sites in the UK must have the answer, or are you too embarrassed to go public?
 
rod_vw said:
Up to now no-one has answered the original question.

Why are site fees so much more in UK than Europe? Some of you who own sites in the UK must have the answer, or are you too embarrassed to go public?
Click to expand...
It really doesn't take a lot of working out, the living wage is £9.50 per hour assuming 40 hours per week (but there will be call out payments etc) that's £380 not including pension plus Holliday pay etc,

Now for one person to be paid a living wage at £15 you would need to have rental for 25.3 pitches to cover one wage and for 8 staff 202.6 pitches. and that does not include staff pensions, sick pay, council tax, business tax and all the running costs (inc water rates energy costs).

whist I have never run a site I suspect it is a whole lot harder than many can imagine with costs that would make most cry. there is nothing wrong with making a profit. £30 per night isn't bad when you consider what we pay for our Motorhomes or flights or to rent a holliday let, have you seen the cost of a half decent hotel room?

You want to see what a site makes go and look up company records and you may see they are not making as much as you imagine
 
rod_vw said:
Why are site fees so much more in UK than Europe?
Click to expand...

But this thread could be full of posts showing that some of the most expensive sites you will ever stay at are on the continent.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
MikenPauline said:
We have just spent 5 weeks in France on sites. The typical cost for a pitch on a site with ehu water and drainage, swimming pool, shop, restaurant and takeaway, some entertainment, has been 18euros or just over £15. Highest price was 25euros or £21 in July. I know we (as in the british) have the cost of a ferry on top, but my point is that a French family would pay £15 for excellent site and facilities, compared to an english family on a Uk site paying £30 to £45 usually with next to no facilities. How can the two major clubs justify taking a membership fee and still charging the high prices they do? The C&MC and C&CC provide nothing apart from consistency and clean toilets, accompanied by an extensive rule book and often officious staff, and you’re lucky if you can find a pitch that isn’t besieged by yappy dogs. Why are we Brits being ripped off? Even a basic CL or CS site charges £15 plus usually with no facilities.
we prefer to use sites but surely this is a bubble that is going to burst.
Click to expand...
I suspect there is more competition in France and this keeps prices down in many locations. The downside is many campsites in France have closed. The Municipals in particular are threatened. They simply don't make enough money so they have been handing the management of them over to the CCP organisation in increasing numbers. CCP either close the site completely, apart from some hard standing at the entrance for MHs or run it as one of their "Mon village" operations where it is MHs only for 10 months of the year apart from July and August when tuggers and peggers are allowed in and the loo block is opened.

But why is the UK so expensive? My guess would be business rates. My brother in law runs a small campsite with lodges in Sussex. His rates bill is tens of thousands of pounds each year.
 
Last night we stayed on a smashing 2-star municipal campsite at Pont de l'Arche - I posted about it on another thread. We paid 14.95 Euro inc electric (£12.67 on the credit card). I don't know how they do it for the price in July?

Tonight we are 15 minutes from the Tunnel, on a 5-star site - Chateau Camping La Bien-Assise. Not been before but thought we'd check it out. It's a Les Castles site. Very manicured and attractive park-like grounds. Reminds me of a large posh C&MHC site, but with pool and good restaurant - Euro 36.40 (£30.86 on the credit card). Oh and did I mention a chateau too. :giggle:

Full of Brits, with plenty of tuggers. ;) Good few campervans and MHs too.

All very pleasant and may consider overnighting here again. But there is a Euro 10 non-deductable booking charge (seems a thing in France. :() - so we didn't bother with that and just turned up. (y)
 
Jim said:
So you know the truth about campsite profits, you know precisely what it costs to run one. Do enlighten us.
Click to expand...
No I don’t. But that’s my opinion.
If it’s all so doom and gloom running a campsite then they would all close.
Not the same but my other half ran a childminder business. She was the cheapest in the area our business decision to drop after a few years at going rate. She gave good service and was always full. With waiting lists.
When we compare that to round the corner who wanted double the hourly rate and complains about not getting customers.
Just because someone will always pay the higher price doesn’t make it the right way. Yes we had to work harder more customers more work etc when we had enough we closed
I see campsites doing the same they would rather have 1 van at £50 than 2 vans at £25 a night.
Thankfully Jim it’s not everyone that goes down the high route (y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top