CL Closures

Yes, I think you are right with that reason as well Brue, and of course some CL owners have passed away and family don't want to take the CL on. One of our favourites closed a couple of years ago due to the smashing elderly owner finally passing away in his 90's. A lovely basic CL, and a nice gent. We don't have miss it, was one of our regular stays!

Most ex Cls have become commercial.Its very easy to get the planning requirement once you have been a CL. Ironically you can show that overcrowding ( ie more than 5 vans) has been Ok in the past and a sure way to get more pitches through planning. Its the only way to justify the capital expense of EHU, hard standing etc.

If you look under the CL section in UK holidays all the details and regulations about setting up a CL are there (the main advantage is no planning or licence needed for just 5 vans.) I would imagine we lose quite a few CLs when they change hands, buyers of a property may not want to run a CL. I haven't got the December CC magazine but are the reasons for closure still given? I think, in an abbreviated form, they used to be.

No they don't, brue,  and they haven't done so for well over a year now. I think that the majority that have closed innthe last couple of years are the oes with the very basic of facilities. I'll hava a check through my site directory and should be able to come up with a reasonable picture of those that have left in the last 12 mths or so, as I alway mark off those that are no longer available, as indicated in the Club's magazine..

I've just gone thro' my 2015/16 Site Directory, where I mark off all closures as printed in the Club's magazine. From a total of 2410 CLs listed at publication, up to Dec 2015 I find that there has been 95 closures of which 60 were of sites with EHU. There has also been 65 new CLs introduced into the network. This difference is a lot closer than many seemed to imagine, including myself.

Very interesting figures, nth. The number of CLs with EHU seems to be 1852, out of 2357 (around ¾). As a slightly larger ratio of EHU sites have dropped out, that might support the notion that some have moved on to ‘greater things’ rather than ceased operation altogether. Conversely, if more were dropping out because of a drift away from the use of non-EHU sites, you’d expect a larger proportion of non-EHU CLs to be leaving, but they’re not. We can only make assumptions if the Club does not provide otherwise.

It’s comforting to note that the decline in CL numbers is less than a drip, and not a flood.

Very interesting figures, nth. The number of CLs with EHU seems to be 1852, out of 2357 (around ¾). As a slightly larger ratio of EHU sites have dropped out, that might support the notion that some have moved on to ‘greater things’ rather than ceased operation altogether. Conversely, if more were dropping out because of a drift away from the use of non-EHU sites, you’d expect a larger proportion of non-EHU CLs to be leaving, but they’re not. We can only make assumptions if the Club does not provide otherwise.

It’s comforting to note that the decline in CL numbers is less than a drip, and not a flood.

That's the same conclusion I came to rogher. It would be interesting to see the reasons for those leaving the network, as they used to do.

Agree Nellie, we were always interested in what happened to CLs no longer available. 

does anybody know how many CL close each year and how many new one's join up, the thought I had was if I left CC   (if I ran a CL that is) how much would I save by not going under the CC umbrella and going alone.

The Caravan Club use to publish this information in the club magazine and at one time the abreviated reason for a CL closing, for some period I recall more CL's closing that new one starting.

There are many reasons a CL might close as you will know.

But also in the last few years CL's now have to produce electrical safety certificates and public liability insurance certificates also if you have a water bore hole this has to have proof of being tested. These certificates have to be sent to the caravan club and if not the caravan club will not produce a new certificate, they will send you a reminder and chase you up on the phone and give you a short and fair period to produce the certificate and if they do not receive them you will be removed right away from the online caravan club cl area after a warning. 

Perhaps the Club needs to be more acommadating  with CL owners, without them, the Club would be a hollow shell. And hardly worth the membership fees.