10% OFF Autumn Getaways

My sympathies, Rowena. You post what you are told to post and you always word it well

But why anyone would book 14 days in advance for the autumn when the weather might be awful just to save ten percent is beyond me.  The Club’s big problem is here and now. For the peak week commencing  28July  - every one of the 20 Club sites in Devon and Cornwall has availability every singe day of the week - that’s peak holiday season in prime holiday area, but the Club can’t fill its pitches.

Perhaps it is due to the Olympics being on, but Devon and Cornwall are not areas which are exactly short of camping and caravan parks and I doubt if, even at the height of the season, everywhere is booked up.

Two weeks ago I returned from an 11 night break, consisting of 2 nights at Warwick, 2 nights at Cheltenham, 3 nights at Winchester, 2 nights at Rookesbury Park in Hampshire, back to Winchester for a night and 1 night at Tewkesbury (the latter being as Cirencester was fully booked). All of the sites were busy and I managed to book the last pitch that was available at Tewkesbury, so it appears that a lot of CMHC sites are doing OK at the moment.

I got this week’s fantastic saving offer email from Club yesterday. Number crunchers have analysed that we go to Clumber Park in September (we do, but it’s always for an event) and are we tempted to go again, saving £15 per night? Oh thinks me, this sound’s more our kind of offer. The £15 saving relates to being Members, so no, for us there won’t be a £15 per night saving🤷‍♀️ It’s akin to the offers you get from BB suppliers, a great deal, but only if you don’t already use the services. 

Eurotraveller commented further up the thread that all the sites in Devon and Cornwall had free spaces. Just out of interest I have had a look at the country as a whole.

In the first week of the peak season I could have booked a whole week starting Saturday at 123 sites and if I were prepared to wait until Sunday add a further 17. So out of the 157 club sites they have a peak week free on 140 sites. When could you last do that?

I think the Club has serious problems. It will be interesting to see the financials in their next AGM.

I would have done something similar LTC, but I cannot access the booking system to look!🤣 

It doesn’t surprise me though. But on the helpful front, Club are reacting………….by closing at least 5 sites this year. 

I am waiting to see which site offers the first £100 a night stay for a family of four or five. Might involve a super pitch or a service pitch, and be dynamically priced. But it’s what Members want………………apparently.🤷‍♀️

Edit….Crikey, just had a look. For a family of 5 on a super pitch, I have found at least one night dynamically priced already at £85.20 per night🫣 I thought it might take a few years, but not sure now.

Is £82 per night for a family of five expensive? I've looked at Seacroft and for five it comes in at £80.80 but that site has a heated (30C) outdoor pool, bar, restaurant and close to the beach. A room in a Premier Inn comes in at £300 per night for two rooms (3 +2). Traveling on a package holiday the cheapest I've quickly found is £150 per night but the average appears about £400.

And of course this family of five already has a suitable outfit. I would question why five is the 'average' number of people on club sites to base prices on?

So is £82 expensive for a family of five? And is this what members want apparently? Well Seacroft at that price is full for 16 days in August and low for the rest. So yes apparently it is what these members want!

I don’t find the fact that there is a fair bit of availability at many of the sites, despite price cuts. We are living through difficult times for many financially. Even the likes of Ryan Air are finding things difficult, despite attracting 10% more customers with a 15% price cut, their second quarter year on year profits dived by 46%. In our experience the more popular, and generally expensive,  CAMC sites don’t seem to be having a problem. Hopefully there will be enough uptake at the others that the years figures are not too dire.

I've just booked 4 nights in mid August with on site bars, food outlets and inclusive entertainment for £20.50p.n..

peedee

If they can make enough from the ancillaries to make a price like that sustainable, then it’s a good business model. If not, then they might not be here next year. It does depend on what each of us want from a site. Personally we would prefer a quieter site without all the extras, even if the cost is higher.

Care to share with others, PD?