Club prices getting silly

richardandros replied on 25/10/2021 14:18

richardandros

Posted on 25/10/2021 14:18

I'm not one who normally complains about site fees. It's quite simple - you either accept them, or you don't! We are both fortunate in that we are retired with good pensions and don't have to count the 'pennies' too much. However, I have just attempted to book two nights at Broadway as a stop-over on our way to Devon, next June. For two people on a normal hardstanding pitch on 5 June (not a peak holiday period), we are being asked to pay £39.40 and for the following night, £35.10 - that's over £74 for two nights. Compare that with 14 nights at the C&CC site at Dartmouth - which is lovely and just as good, if not better than most CAMC sites - for £311.

I think this is ridiculous and will be looking elsewhere.

That said, I am not averse to paying premium prices if it seems justified - we will be paying something like £37pn at Sandringham, this Christmas - but I would expect that at that time of year due to increased demand - but not in what I see as a 'low/mid season' period.

I don't use Club sites very often and if this is the way things are going, together with the threat of introducing deposits I can't see me using them at all in the future.

Rant over - but I think this is a step too far.

27 people like this

293 replies

Cornersteady replied on 04/02/2023 22:28

Member

Cornersteady

Caravanner

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:20 by KjellNN

I have been retired 16 years now, probably things have moved on as regards pensions. These days they are index linked, but this only came in from somewhere in the 90s.

I joined my employer in 1975 and was with them for 32 years, earning maximum final salary pension under their scheme. Never though I should pay money into an additional scheme.

Only part of my pension comes under the index linking rules. The part earned before that gets minimal if any increase.

I thought a final salary pension would be sufficient for our needs, OH has no pension of her own due to disability, but this unexpected inflation is of course not good. Our fuel bills are huge.

However, what I get is much more than the basic state pension, so we are still fortunate in that respect.

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:28

K you may know this and/or it may not be possible but your OH can transfer some of her tax free personal allowance to you.

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KjellNN replied on 04/02/2023 22:28

Member

KjellNN

Caravanner

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:28

Not an option I had Rocky

Tinwheeler replied on 04/02/2023 22:34

Tinwheeler

Campervanner

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:28 by KjellNN

Not an option I had Rocky

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:34

Nor me but every single one of us had the option to transferring to a private scheme. For a lot of us, it would not have been a good move but may well have been for you.

Anyway, that's personal finance and not directly relevant to CAMC site fees.

KjellNN replied on 04/02/2023 22:35

Member

KjellNN

Caravanner

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:28 by Cornersteady

K you may know this and/or it may not be possible but your OH can transfer some of her tax free personal allowance to you.

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:35

Yes, we already do that, plus most of our savings are in her name to use up her personal allowance, especially now interest rates are increasing.

OH is pretty good when it comes to those sort of things, her parents were in business, and her mum was an accountant.

KjellNN replied on 04/02/2023 22:36

Member

KjellNN

Caravanner

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:34 by Tinwheeler

Nor me but every single one of us had the option to transferring to a private scheme. For a lot of us, it would not have been a good move but may well have been for you.

Anyway, that's personal finance and not directly relevant to CAMC site fees.

Posted on 04/02/2023 22:36

No, I think staying with my final salary scheme was the best plan.

Justus2 replied on 05/02/2023 08:08

Member

Justus2

Motorhomer

Posted on 05/02/2023 08:08

Last year we were away for around 90 nights, less than 20 of those were on camc sites. Years ago we used to consider camc sites our first choice. Now it is our last choice " only if nothing cheaper is available " option. In the summer months we choose camping club THS sites first at around £10 to £15 pounds or CS / CLs maybe up to £20 or camping club or private sites maybe £25 per night.

So far this year we have booked up until June with only 3 nights on camc sites and those 3 nights are likely to be the sum total with camc for the rest of this year due to the high prices which we are just not prepared to pay. We have voted with our wheels.

5 people like this

brue replied on 05/02/2023 08:20

Member

brue

Motorhomer

Posted on 04/02/2023 19:42 by Cornersteady

Are taxes going up? Is that confirmed?

Maybe but 'lower income groups' don't usually have an outfit to tour in? And even if they do I'm sure that taxes and them is really beyond this thread.

As I said if finding somewhere 'cheaper' is all people have to worry about then all isn't that hard for them in my view.

Posted on 05/02/2023 08:20

You have misunderstood what I said, basic tax allowances won't increase this year so that extra income from pensions etc will be affected. When I say lower income groups I include many who are not receiving higher pensions and incomes in general but those with middle of the road incomes who have opted to buy leisure vehicles for their holidays.

This is basically about price increases and luckily there are less expensive options out there for LV holidays. If main club sites become expensive there are still good alternatives.

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replied on 05/02/2023 08:40

Posted on 04/02/2023 21:23 by Cornersteady

Well of course, you used club sites quite a bit before and when you had to stay in the UK you chose all club sites for your longer stays, so of course there is no change in wanting to use them more?

Posted on 05/02/2023 08:40

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Tinwheeler replied on 05/02/2023 09:10

Tinwheeler

Campervanner

Posted on 05/02/2023 08:40 by

It was during the VAT handout when it was the best we could do. However even at those prices they were overpriced but we did like 3 out of the 4 locations. The 4th North Devon I would have to go alone if I wanted to repeat, wifes verdict "if that had been her first caravan holiday there wouldn't be a second "

Never mind we have moved on and hope for better things .

Posted on 05/02/2023 09:10

Didn't the North Devon dislike spring from having to drive on the congested lanes and meeting crowds of people rather than being due to the camc club site? In which case it would have been the same whatever site you used.

It's a shame you didn't ask the advice of local folk before going as, due to the travel restrictions, that was a particularly busy year with crowds of visitors in popular Westcountry resorts. It was hell at times and not a time to be on the roads of N Devon.🙁

2 people like this

replied on 05/02/2023 09:31

Posted on 05/02/2023 09:10 by Tinwheeler

Didn't the North Devon dislike spring from having to drive on the congested lanes and meeting crowds of people rather than being due to the camc club site? In which case it would have been the same whatever site you used.

It's a shame you didn't ask the advice of local folk before going as, due to the travel restrictions, that was a particularly busy year with crowds of visitors in popular Westcountry resorts. It was hell at times and not a time to be on the roads of N Devon.🙁

Posted on 05/02/2023 09:31

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