Campsites closing at the end of the 2024 season

RowenaBCAMC replied on 11/07/2024 11:22

Posted on 11/07/2024 11:22

In recent years the Club has acquired some fantastic new campsites for members including Dornafield in Devon, Carnon Downs in Cornwall, Bridport in Dorset and Cayton on the Yorkshire coast. Collectively these campsites provide over 160,000 additional pitch nights per year for members. This year the Club is also busy improving Edinburgh, Godrevy in Cornwall, Tredegar House near Newport, Blackpool South, Steamer Quay in Devon and Old Hartley in Tyne & Wear, with new hardstanding pitches, additional serviced and premium pitches, new playgrounds, multi-use games areas, shower blocks, inclusive bathrooms and road resurfacing. 


Sadly, a handful of our Club campsites have underperformed for a number of years, with the amount of members staying at these campsites reducing annually. Operating these campsites has become unsustainable and puts more pressure on other Club campsites to return a positive revenue contribution back to the Club to enable investment in the existing campsite network and the purchase of additional campsites to enhance the network. 


As such, we have taken the difficult decision to close Bromyard Downs, Broomfield Farm, Dockray Meadow, Gwern-y-Bwlch and Nunnykirk Club Campsites at the end of the 2024 season. Combined, these campsites provide around 250 pitches to members, which is less than 1% of our UK Club campsite network pitch availability.


While closing campsites will be disappointing for some members, our UK Club campsite network provides approximately 180,000 more available pitch nights than in 2018 across fantastic locations that are popular with the wider membership.


Thank you to those of you who have supported these campsites over the years. We hope you will enjoy exploring our UK campsite network and finding a new favourite location and Club campsite.

Oneputt replied on 11/07/2024 12:02

Posted on 11/07/2024 12:02

Gwern-y-Bwlch Is a lovely non facilities site. Such a pity the club feel the need to trash it

Takethedogalong replied on 11/07/2024 12:06

Posted on 11/07/2024 12:06

So are Nunnykirk and Bromyard. So sad. Give me Nunnykirk over Cayton Bay anyday. 

DavidKlyne replied on 11/07/2024 12:18

Posted on 11/07/2024 12:18

As sad as this announcement is the Club will have the figures to support the argument for closure? Keeping sites open that can't pay their way will only increase costs elsewhere if the view is that some sites should be subsidised? Maybe Cayton is not everyone's idea of heaven but it is more inline with what the majority of the membership wants.

David

peedee replied on 11/07/2024 13:02

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:02

Disappointing to read this, was unmanning of these sites considered? Surely that has to be the way forward with small sites with no storage facilities.

peedee

Cornersteady replied on 11/07/2024 13:31

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:02 by peedee

Disappointing to read this, was unmanning of these sites considered? Surely that has to be the way forward with small sites with no storage facilities.

peedee

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:31

Did you use of the those sites PD, or any similar sites?

That's the issue isn't it? Perhaps not you personally, but the fact that they were simply not attracting enough club members.

Even if un-manned they will cost money to run, installation of barriers and ANPR will cost money, insurance, maintenance costs, lighting... If not enough people want to use these non facility sites then it will still make a loss?

After all why should them being un-manned make them more attractive?  

Takethedogalong replied on 11/07/2024 13:42

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:02 by peedee

Disappointing to read this, was unmanning of these sites considered? Surely that has to be the way forward with small sites with no storage facilities.

peedee

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:42

You never know PD, Marazion has re opened, and is offering pitches at £22 per night with hook up, so someone might take on these closed sites. Club’s overheads are huge, but something smaller might just work. Nunnykirk and Bromyard could work ok unstaffed, with a bit of investment put in.

Cornersteady replied on 11/07/2024 13:49

Posted on 11/07/2024 13:49

This is the main point from Ro's post:

with the amount of members staying at these campsites reducing annually

If numbers remained stable then that's one thing, however there was clearly a downward trend, club members do not want to stay at such sites, and more and more are not wanting to stay at such sites each year.

Reasons? Could be location,  but I view it as being down to no facilities, lack of HS and people just wanting more from their stay.

However plenty of CLs that people can use, or does it have to be club site?

 

Fozzie replied on 11/07/2024 14:01

Posted on 11/07/2024 14:01

I think Ro sums up the Club's future direction the Club is going  with the following statement,

with new hardstanding pitches, additional serviced and premium pitches, new playgrounds, multi-use games areas, shower blocks, inclusive bathrooms and road resurfacing

all the future closing sites are minimum facilities with lower site fees to suit.The biggest disappointment for me  is the Broomfield Farm site,this has been (to me) well occupied when visited in the past.

Plenty of members require full fat sites,and that is their choice,but it would nice to have our minimum facilities sites left for those who do not require them.

PS Any idea why is my font so small!!

 

Oneputt replied on 11/07/2024 14:06

Posted on 11/07/2024 14:06

I stayed at Gwern-y-Bwlch both last year and earlier this year.  Last year numbers were down but this year numbers have shot up, so that makes me sceptical about the reason for closure 

RedKite replied on 11/07/2024 14:09

Posted on 11/07/2024 14:09

Nunnykirk has been under the threat of closure for about 4years or more now as it not owned by the club and is prone to flooding at certain times of the year such a shame and the other sites all non facility sites as well possibly staff shortages as well. It seems the club want bigger and more facilities and alternative accommodations on sites rather than smaller sites.

We possibly will not be staying any club sites in the future and look to stay at different regions around us here in the Lot.

near Malvern Hills Club Campsite Member photo by Andrew Cole

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