Posted on 18/11/2021 11:11
Users of CLs may be interested to know that a number of questions relevant to the CL network were posed at the AGM and answered by the club.
They can be found here.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/about-us/agm/2021-agm-questions-and-answers/
Posted on 22/11/2021 12:12
Devon and Cornwall lanes can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t know the area, other places as well. We have always found the effort more than worth it though. We actually prefer a caravan if staying in SW, then we can use Jeep for truly exploring (even if we have to pull wing mirrors in, as we did on Dartmoor😁). The best beaches, often almost deserted, are to be found at the end of lanes like this. We had to dismiss visiting some of our favourite spots this year down there, as we took MH. Didn't fancy being in the local news for getting stuck.
Our road at home, wall to wall, is only 3 metres wide. It’s a spectator sport if you are in the house watching folks trying to get back out, as it’s a cul de sac as well. Long, narrow and nowhere to turn. Residents soon hone their reversing skills. Walls are sent flying on a monthly basis.
Posted on 22/11/2021 11:57 by brueThere is nothing shocking about narrow lanes David, it's a way of life for many and there are a lot of van users who discover, at the end of the narrow lane, is a place well worth visiting. Obviously, if anything is stressful it may not suit an individual. Some large sites are stressful, too busy, noisy and crowded which is why many prefer CLs.
Posted on 22/11/2021 12:12 by TakethedogalongDevon and Cornwall lanes can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t know the area, other places as well. We have always found the effort more than worth it though. We actually prefer a caravan if staying in SW, then we can use Jeep for truly exploring (even if we have to pull wing mirrors in, as we did on Dartmoor😁). The best beaches, often almost deserted, are to be found at the end of lanes like this. We had to dismiss visiting some of our favourite spots this year down there, as we took MH. Didn't fancy being in the local news for getting stuck.
Our road at home, wall to wall, is only 3 metres wide. It’s a spectator sport if you are in the house watching folks trying to get back out, as it’s a cul de sac as well. Long, narrow and nowhere to turn. Residents soon hone their reversing skills. Walls are sent flying on a monthly basis.
Posted on 22/11/2021 09:33 by CholseyGrangeYou have hit the nail on the head 'hardly anyone goes there'..
If the CL Owner is seeking any form of income (or even to cover his or her costs) then occupancy (at whatever price point) is the key criteria in any tourism business.
Every night that my CL has an empty pitch in the season is £20 of lost income. To ensure I have high occupancy I have;
- Adapted my 'product' from a simple field with a tap, to a site with fully-serviced hardstanding pitches & WiFi.
- Listened to my customers and adapted according to the majority view.. we doubtless lost a few members along the way who liked a steeply sloping field at £10/night..
- Adapted my site to provide me with easier management / less stress (level hardstanding being the key issue). Implemented deposits to reduce no-shows.
- Ensured that customers can easily book (online booking) and pay with a Credit Card
- Marketed my site extensively, the result being that we are now booked up well ahead.
The net result is that the CL provides a good steady income for the farm in these times of uncertainty and we have well-satisfied visitors who return again and again.
Posted on 22/11/2021 12:27
An interesting post. What you're saying is that to attract custom you have to offer fully service HS pitches and wifi. It's interesting because there are posters on here who appear to want the opposite (and let me say there is nothing wrong with that) and club sites offer too much - full fat as it's called. Yet you are saying you get more custom and return custom by offering more.
Posted on 22/11/2021 13:11 by brueIt's really about marketing and providing a service that some but not all want and it keeps this particular business afloat. Others may differ and one of the the best customer approaches of all is choice.
Posted on 22/11/2021 12:27 by CornersteadyAn interesting post. What you're saying is that to attract custom you have to offer fully service HS pitches and wifi. It's interesting because there are posters on here who appear to want the opposite (and let me say there is nothing wrong with that) and club sites offer too much - full fat as it's called. Yet you are saying you get more custom and return custom by offering more.
Posted on 22/11/2021 16:28
Ted knows his market, and caters for it beautifully. As do many other similar CLs. But the real beauty of the CL network is simply that it does offer choice. There is still (at the moment) a huge variety of provision. But the trend is towards the mini Club Site model.
The Club, which charges a joining fee, also caters for the prime demographic and likes of its market. However, there is isn’t the same kind of choice across the Club network as there used to be, as the Club is haemorrhaging its small, simple basic sites at an increasing rate. Ask a question about choice with regards to the Club Site network, and the Club’s reply is “use rallies and CLs”. 🤨
1 person likes this
Posted on 22/11/2021 16:36
We've stayed on Ted's site, before the recent upgrades. The Chilterns are beautiful and there is a lot of land to explore on the CL, roaming through the woods is a bonus. Not all CLs have so much space to enjoy. We like CLs because they're all so different. I wouldn't call these upgraded CLs mini club sites, they're really quite unique in themselves.
CholseyGrange