Posted on 08/09/2016 21:02
I've just read in the New CLs list in the club magazine, as they laughingly call the junk mail self advertising masquerading as a magazine, that there is a new CL at a garden centre in Northwich, Cheshire. The price is an eye watering £20 a night. Approaching club site price for a CL. Hope no one gives, pricing like this will destroy the whole ethos of the wonderful CL network.
Posted on 01/10/2016 18:45
I agree with TDA that the option of not taking an EHU would be great for those of us who have invested in solar and Safefill etc. We found this option available on many sites in Southern Ireland. However for CLs having invested in installing EHUs I suspect they will want to charge whether or not you want electricity in order to recoup the cost of installing electricity.
Write your comments here...We have no problem with those who do not want EHU we drop the fees by £2 per night.
Write your comments here... Well done Wildemere I hope more follow your example. You certainly deserve support from those of us embracing solar etc.
Posted on 02/10/2016 15:17
The issue of electricity usage by members on CL's was covered extensively in a former post. Unfortunately the unsophisticated 'Search' function of CT doesn't allow me to find the thread. Suffice to say that I have it on good authority that the Club would have installed meters on it's own sites - but retro-fitting them would be a massive investment. For now it just swallows the cost of electricity, however it's a major cost in the running of club sites.
For CL owners, I think it's sensible for any new owner to consider a metered system. Whether they then choose to charge per kWh @ cost or include a certain amount of elecgtric per night in the Pitch Fee is up to them. We include 10 kWh per night in our fee and charge 15p/kWh thereafter which is the cost price including VAT.
Through the summer months this amount is rarely exceeded, however in the early Spring & Autumn some visitors might be charged a little extra on departure to cover the costs. We feel that this is a fair and reasonable system and the vast majority of our visitors agree.
In fact only yesterday a visitor said 'I expect to be using a fair bit of electric as I'll be having a fan heater on in my awning when my grand-children (very young) come to visit & I'm happy to pay'..
Having been ripped off by unscruplous site owners regarding meter electric we avoid metered sites like the plague.
For example we stayed on a site that had metered electric. When we went onto the site there was about £1's credit and we added another £10 for the 2 night stay. The fridge, heating etc was all on gas. The Tv would have consumed electric, plus lights and also the laptop.
I monitored the electric and we were using well under 1kw an hour. I stopped checking at about 10pm in the evening and there was over £7 left on the meter. We made breakfast using the gas hob and while the wife was vacuuming the caravan when the electric went off. She had only just started. Somehow between 10pm and 10am we had managed to use over £7 of electric! Considering everything was on gas and electric consumption minimal we found this rather strange.
The biggest problem witrh metering any pitch is that the meter belongs to the owner and if the owner does not get it certified at least once a year, the metering can give incorrect figures resulting in people being over charged.
CG's method above is something we would accept as it seems to be fair and covers the CL for winter use when selfish people use fan heaters in their awnings to heat up the atmosphere.
Posted on 02/10/2016 20:49
I mainly use CLs and chose them based on location and facilities. Having said that the most we have paid this year was £16.
Getting back to the OP, maybe the site owners think that charging more money will ensure that they attract the more “upmarket” members, whoever they are.
Posted on 02/10/2016 21:29
I mainly use CLs and chose them based on location and facilities. Having said that the most we have paid this year was £16.
Getting back to the OP, maybe the site owners think that charging more money will ensure that they attract the more “upmarket” members, whoever they are.
Can't want my business then!
Posted on 03/10/2016 08:21
I think it's great CL's are available at £16 plus but concerned the average price is creeping up.
Great alternatives are available for under a tenner these days and not all require the use of your own facilities.
Not used a CL since April because of these alternatives. That is a change to our normal habits.
Read a report that the disposable income many of us enjoy today is not going to be repeated with the next generation.
CL's will need to do some thinking regarding the prices they are asking if they wish to continue. I suspect many that have invested too much in facilities will have to go commercial in order to survive.
A basic low cost CL that the owner has minimal investment in may well be the ones that are able to continue if disposable incomes do fall
Posted on 03/10/2016 09:02
Agree with Fysh. We have used Cls less this year mainly becasue of pricing, poor information,different prices to those quoted even on web sites. Better options out thrre. N/T,Haven etc who are competitors. Its up to the suppliers to up their game not the buyers.Have also noticed a marked increase in "Wilding" here in Wales. Often find 3/4 vans on the side of Clywedog lake. Likewise the large lay by on top of Tal y LLyn pass is busy.
henrypartridge