New CL: fantasy price

That seems reasonable CG. 

Potential new CL owners concerned about return on investment with only 5 vans allowed might also consider not putting in EHU at all. At least at first. 

Many new Caravans are now being fitted with Solar panels and as their cost continues to fall as a retrospective purchase, many customer Caravans do not need electricity at all. If the site is not a 12 month operation then a very real case can be made for no EHU. 

There is (at least) one enterprising CL owner that has found it cost effective to loan a freestanding panel rather than install electricity. 

I certainly agree that many of us can readily cope without a EHU, by using through the main season a decent sized solar panel.[Circa 80 >100 Watts]. And I believe with the 5 van limit, for those sites in other than “honey-pot” locations itself ensuring a high occupancy, there really is not a sound financial case for EHU.

There is a counter argument that the lack of EHUs inhibits the seasons length, but this is countered again by the then massive increase in power consumed and the inability to recover this cost without high pitch charges or costly metering. I think that one goes self defeating, in that in reality high winter occupancy is rarely obtainable even with an EHU, plus more is also needed like hardstandings for winter use to be viable anyway.

Quite a lot of CL/CS owners say they are forever asked for EHUs, which tends to suggest a lot of us are only prepared to use sites with it. That in itself I doubt assures that providing EHUs becomes viable, just the occupancy if not the returns are up.

What is needed is the membership to be more aware and assured that going solar is actually viable and not what they assume it has to mean. The CC could do its membership and many 5 van sites, though probably not itself, a favour with a well presented magazine feature on going solar, rather than the briefest of article squeezed in between adverts.

That seems reasonable CG. 

Potential new CL owners concerned about return on investment with only 5 vans allowed might also consider not putting in EHU at all. At least at first. 

Many new Caravans are now being fitted with Solar panels and as their cost continues to fall as a retrospective purchase, many customer Caravans do not need electricity at all. If the site is not a 12 month operation then a very real case can be made for no EHU. 

There is (at least) one enterprising CL owner that has found it cost effective to loan a freestanding panel rather than install electricity. 

I certainly agree that many of us can readily cope without a EHU, by using through the main season a decent sized solar panel.[Circa 80 >100 Watts]. And I believe with the 5 van limit, for those sites in other than “honey-pot” locations itself ensuring a high occupancy, there really is not a sound financial case for EHU.

There is a counter argument that the lack of EHUs inhibits the seasons length, but this is countered again by the then massive increase in power consumed and the inability to recover this cost without high pitch charges or costly metering. I think that one goes self defeating, in that in reality high winter occupancy is rarely obtainable even with an EHU, plus more is also needed like hardstandings for winter use to be viable anyway.

Quite a lot of CL/CS owners say they are forever asked for EHUs, which tends to suggest a lot of us are only prepared to use sites with it. That in itself I doubt assures that providing EHUs becomes viable, just the occupancy if not the returns are up.

What is needed is the membership to be more aware and assured that going solar is actually viable and not what they assume it has to mean. The CC could do its membership and many 5 van sites, though probably not itself, a favour with a well presented magazine feature on going solar, rather than the briefest of article squeezed in between adverts.

Write your comments here...You have to weigh up the cost of having a solar panel fitted plus extra gas used compared to savings on sites without EHU.

A simple calculation of buying a SP at say £500 inc fitting etc. if a site charged £3 a nitght fo EHU thats 166 nights (4 years @40 nights per year) plus you add the extra cost of gas which for a fridge can mount up let alone heating so lets add say another £120 for gas (4 or 5 calor) each year thats another £480 over the 4 years which equates to £2,90 per night (166 nights) it sort of becomes expensive not to have EHU for some.

I know the above would not match everyones actual use or costs but its a stick in the sand.

Also refillable gas can be fitted lowering costs but its not suitable for everyone.

The CC do seem to have lost members uninterested in Hook ups to the other club that  have tapped into this market with Temp holiday sites. 

Perhaps the CC have missed the boat already. 

An alternative to a installed solar panel is a freestanding one and costs about £120 and the costs are falling rapidly. 

A lot do go this route. 

The CC do seem to have lost members uninterested in Hook ups to the other club that  have tapped into this market with Temp holiday sites. 

Perhaps the CC have missed the boat already. 

Write your comments here...Opposite for us we have just given up the other club due to the poor booking process, sites not up to the same standard, rude staff at HO and deposits.  We are not bothered if we ahve EHU or not and do not make a choice of where to stay basded on that alone its location etc. for us.

A lot of people have had enough of daft club site prices on both clubs sites and are moving to alternatves. Traditional CL's have met that need in the past but many are now expensive mini club sites  

I honestly think the CC should look at which way the market is going. Of course they won't if they keep selling pitches 

A lot of people have had enough of daft club site prices on both clubs sites and are moving to alternatves. Traditional CL's have met that need in the past but many are now expensive mini club sites  

I honestly think the CC should look at which way the market is going. Of course they won't if they keep selling pitches 

They also to an extent face a generation thing, unless those following us start buying caravans or motorhomes. One wonders if these younger people will have the where- with-all to actually do so in the numbers presently chasing pitches?

Then there is the inevitable reduction in domestic vehicle weight that for other than the well heeled younger people that can run heavier vehicles, is going to put caravanning as we know it at some risk.

If it was an option I would not invest in this business.

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'..

No doubt the pros and cons of this will have been discussed before. The issue I can see is that there is heavy demand in winter but not Spring or Summer so the cost must even itself out over the seasons and don't forget many clubss sites and cl's don't even open in the winter months so EHU charges for them must be quite lucrative after intital costs.

I do agree with your "Unsophisticated Search" facility. It never works for me

Harry, you are quite correct that not all CL's are open all year.  

A quick check shows that 63% of CL's are open all year and that only 28% of CL's are both open all year, offer EHU and Hardstanding. 

Any club site without EHU is hardly ever booked (ask the club) and any CL owner wo has converted over (like we did) from non-EHU to EHU will see the viability of their site improve dramatically.   Whether you like it or not, CL's without EHU are a rarity (less than 20%).

However, as metered EHU can only be charged at cost price, I doubt any CL owner earns a 'lucrative' amount (which implies we are charging over the odds) from supplying EHU.  

Aside from the initial costs of installing EHU (in my case near to £5,000 - hence a long pay-back) there is the annual electrical certification to arrange & pay for and ongoing maintenance.  You'd be surprised how often EHU meters get damaged.  A fellow CL owner recently had one of his ripped out of the ground by a departing guest who was still plugged in when he drove off!