Cost of sites has gone mad

It’s the right of the child. How responsible the parents are, how caring, how stimulating an environment they create, how much time and effort is put in🤔Sadly that’s where the lottery lies for far too many, hence why part of my teacher training involved looking for signs of neglect, and worse.

We are digressing I agree, but it’s linked in with pricing. Club Site prices are creeping beyond the means of some families at the moment, that’s bourn out by the OP.🙂

TDA, while I agree with some bits of your post I have to disagree with other parts. 

We all know that it's a difficult time for the majority of folk but not all families are suffering.

When on sites at weekends and school holidays you only have to look at the mega big outfits that some families have and all at the high end.

We were recently at a caravan show where I have to say the prices were eye-watering and beyond anything we would be willing to pay. Yet the dealers were doing  excellent business with families. Speaking to a couple of dealers locally to us it's now the young families that are buying and the elderly that are selling.

We have a young couple living next door who take their 2 young children out at least once a month camping in the wild, not on sites but teaching them how to have fun with nature in a respectable way, last weekend they were watching beavers in the wild maintain their lodge. 

Not all camping fun needs to be on expensive campsites. 

I think you are right about this particular site, a quick check shows £27.40 for a family of five at peak times. I can't find the costs for children easily except that under fives go free. So although I think costs are very high on some sites these "value" sites still offer a holiday at a reasonable cost. The drawback with this particular site is that it involves a lot of travel and fuel to visit other places but it's a very pleasant place to stay.

I suppose I think of holidays as a time for children to explore, take part in doing things away from the home and school environment, spending quality time with their parents, developing their personalities, likes, dislikes, etc…. The term “basic human right” is yours, not mine, I merely said “right”, so did not categorise it in terms of a list of fundamental survival and growth requirements. 

I’m also acutely aware that some children will enjoy an enriched “we can afford to do this” background, and bless their luck. Others won’t be quite as fortunate, and it might be something a little more basic in terms of holidays, something without all the bells and whistles, but still rich in love and attention. Sadly there will be others who won’t get anything like this, either through a tight financial situation, or wilful can’t be bothered. If you don’t live in an affluent town, and have family who have been headhunted to turn around failing schools, then it’s something you see, hear about on a much more frequent basis.

If a family can afford an outfit, then CAMC might provide an outlet for that quality time together, for those who can afford it, it might well be on a Club Site. For others, it might be on a CL, or via a different holiday site provider. 

Club Sites are always predominantly made up of big expensive outfits, I suppose that’s how we get back to the pricing issue. I don’t begrudge anyone that big expensive outfit, or the income that  might be required to pay for a family with children during peak season. The Club has gone the way of tiered pricing, but does operate extensive “peak” times, beyond that of the other Club, and many commercial providers, so it’s actively seeking to capitalise on getting income in. The basic no facility sites were excellent value for families in the past, as it was an all in price. These have largely gone, but are still as JK says, a value for money nod to those who might want to pay a bit less.

I had the sort of holidays you mention, out enjoying nature, getting dirty and tired out, learning about animals, woodlands etc……. They are the ones I remember the most, and I suppose it’s stuck with us (OH was same). We know you don’t need to pay a lot to have great fun😁 

Richharry193 -- firstly, and in good humour, I do see the irony in complaining about price increases given your user name!

We, like you, have children to take away. In a time when many of us are feeling the 'pinch' I find the price increases infuriating:

First increase: Last year pitch prices increase by a few pounds to account for electricity increases. Perfectly understandable.

Second increase: Children were £1/child last year and this year are £4.10!

Third 'The Stealthy' increase: 1 adult is now only included in the pitch price, which means spouses now cost a further £10.70!

I'm now paying £3 more per pitch, £9.30 more for my three children and £10.70 more for the excellent company of my wife! In total £23 more per night than last year. That increase is getting close to doubling the cost of a holiday break with the CAMC. It would have been fairer to simply increase the pitch cost inline with inflation.

Historically we've always paid for pitches which included 2 adults in the price. I'd imagine the majority of CAMC is couples/friends travelling together -- with or without children. It's simply a hidden price hike! Incidentally, making it cheaper for single travellers only incentivises workers and traders using sites, which I'm told is what the CAMC are trying to prevent. Personally, I find this new pricing too much, can't stand the new booking app and feel the club has lost it's way with how/and how much, its charging. The new pricing feels deceitful somehow as they market only a small increase in pitch pricing (to reflect electric costs) without being transparent on the new pricing structure....

I think the above will reduce the bookings CAMC receives this year as members look for more competitive deals elsewhere. A real shame as I've had excellent experiences caravanning with CAMC over the past years. 

The pitch price is just that, the price of the pitch. Every adult, every child is priced individually and has been for a very long time. A single tourer pays pitch price, plus one adult.👍

Historically we've always paid for pitches which included 2 adults in the price.

With other organisations / sites perhaps. However, not with the CAMC, it’s always been pitch plus a charge for each occupant. Except on a very few sites that had a fixed price for the whole season,