Booking difficulty for pre covid members

Redzed32 replied on 30/08/2020 10:25

Posted on 30/08/2020 10:25

With the onslaught of the covid virus and the massive restrictions on foreign travel , it appears not only that the existing membership are filling up club sites , but I suspect also a large influx of new members are too . This is great for the campsites , as they have all faced a very difficult season this year . However , I am experiencing that finding pitches now is very difficult , and a great deal of the sites that could be booked a month in advance previously are full to the end of the season . This obviously makes me question whether membership is actually worth it now , as so far this summer after about  6 weekend breaks , I have realised that none of these were possible through the club . 

This is obviously very disheartening , but there is a much bigger concern at play here , and that is next years bookings . No one has a crystal ball regarding the impact of covid , and we cannot predict what will happen next month , far less what will happen next year . We have the possibility of much of next years sites being booked up by people who would normally holiday abroad , and taking advantage of the booking system . If this occurs , and next year we have little or no travel restrictions , we will end up with a situation again where pre covid members cannot get pitches , and the sites will have a whole load of pre-booked vacant pitches . 

Can I ask ; are other members here experiencing this as well ? And Also ; Does the club itself have concerns about the possibility of the above situation occurring , and how to address this ? 

Cornersteady replied on 04/09/2020 07:53

Posted on 03/09/2020 21:43 by SeasideBill

No idea where ‘here’ is, but to me says nothing other than lots of people pursuing limited places. Unprecedented demand from people desperate to secure pitches maintains high prices (obviously) and some are willing to pay over the odds for additional services, rather than make the effort themselves.

As a fully paid up CMC member, I wouldn’t pay £36 for a standard pitch, unless it included breakfast and room service!

Posted on 04/09/2020 07:53

I have said where I am , sorry you missed it.

This has been my frequent flyer site for over 20 years and it has always been popular and full over school holidays so your point about just happening now is incorrect.

Cornersteady replied on 04/09/2020 07:58

Posted on 04/09/2020 07:14 by peedee

As a fully paid up CMC member, I wouldn’t pay £36 for a standard pitch,

Niether would I without checking what the alternatives are out there. If you are not too fussy there are plenty of alternatives. Check out the Haven offers.. They are usually pretty good once schools have gone back.

peedee

Posted on 04/09/2020 07:58

Funnily enough there is a site just a few miles away that is more expensive, and a site under a mile which is far cheaper but looks about half empty.

JVB66 replied on 04/09/2020 08:11

Posted on 04/09/2020 07:43 by

Our record site fee was €35.20 and for that we had our own toilet, shower, dressing room and kitchen. It was a wonderful site in beautiful surroundings and we re just sorry we couldnt stay longer. Incidentally it was in Austria, not a country known for being cheap or low wage.

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:11

there is a CL in Lincolnshire with that sort of facility at £25 per night at w/ends always busy and great views 

replied on 04/09/2020 08:15

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:11 by JVB66

there is a CL in Lincolnshire with that sort of facility at £25 per night at w/ends always busy and great views 

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:15

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

JVB66 replied on 04/09/2020 08:17

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:15 by

I am not surprised it's popular. However  the views in Lincolnshire are not going to compete with the Alpscool

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:17

It is if you suffer from vertigowink

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 04/09/2020 09:00

Posted on 04/09/2020 08:15 by

I am not surprised it's popular. However  the views in Lincolnshire are not going to compete with the Alpscool

Posted on 04/09/2020 09:00

Difference being you can see the sights in Lincs, not so much the Alps👍🏻

brue replied on 04/09/2020 09:03

Posted on 04/09/2020 09:03

Maybe some haven't stayed at home in the UK at this time of the year but many sites are busy for the first weeks of September, especially at weekends.

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 04/09/2020 09:08

Posted on 04/09/2020 09:08

It’s a great time to be out, the stifling heat is gone, we usually get a 2nd summer blast before true Autumn arrives. Wonderful time of the year👍🏻😊

DavidKlyne replied on 04/09/2020 09:25

Posted on 04/09/2020 09:25

The way I have looked at prices this year is that I know that the amount of time will will spend away will be a fraction of what we spend in a normal year. With that in mind we have booked three stays of four nights each on Club sites on serviced pitches. One stay completed two to go. I am likely to spend somewhere in the region of £1400 less this year on site fees than I did last year. With the exception of a few hardy souls who are trying to catch up with their touring I imagine many will be in a similar position. I can't see it worth fretting about prices. There are always cheaper alternatives. As most Club sites seem to be pretty full since sites reopened their prices can't be that much out of line otherwise there would be a lot of spare capacity.

David

JVB66 replied on 04/09/2020 09:35

Posted on 04/09/2020 09:35

Against our "usual"200+ nights away,   this year as OH is very much in the "shielding" and we are both in our mid to late seventies we expect to be it will be even with bookings for later this year less than 50 nightsfrown

Up sides being we have had our home grown veg, and the bank balance has not taken so much of a hitlaughing

Also we are only on our second tank of diesel since January and enough to get us to our next weeks destination from Sunday ,after yet again brushing the cobwebs off the car ,  also good look round the c/van berfore we set off from the storage site

near Malvern Hills Club Campsite Member photo by Andrew Cole

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