Marazion

Me too, had it been open then we would have booked it for our forthcoming trip, instead we are booked into a CL close by.

How short sighted of the club.

Mrs WN doesn't usually thumb her way through the Site Directory but recently did so and commented on how many "Affiliated"Sites there were compared with years ago. She asked if they had replaced those non facility sites at Mildenhall and Much Wenlock, amongst others, to which I pointed her to the flying pig in the sky! If they are counting the pennies here then there is no chance they'll ever open up a new non facility site again.

I agree with Brue's comments about grass. Both of the grass CLs that we have stayed on this holiday have been full and continue to be so for a while.

I think it's incumbent on the club to offer the members as much variety as possible. Even if this means not making a large profit from some sites.

I'm going to write to them about it. Hope others will as well. We need a groundswell of indignant members getting at them.😠😠😤😤

I would be surprised if the Club opened any more no facility sites unless that was the only option open to them. The next site we have booked has no facilities but does have hardstandings. I am reluctant to go to sites with only grass pitches unless there is no other choice. 

Back to whether the Club should open more such sites with or without hardstandings. Whilst I would like that but I suspect the Club view it from the maximum revenue point of view and if there was a choice between the two they would be more likely to opt for the full facility site as it would maximise revenue because it could have a longer season. It would also mean that going forward there would be more money to plough back into upgrading existing sites. The Club obviously know how much money and the level of occupancy the no facility sites have, but we of course don't! Perhaps a good question to ask at the AGM if we get the chance this year?

David

David, why should a no facility site with hard standing, and EHU, not have as long a season as one with facilities, many of which close early anyway? With modern well insulated vans all year round caravanning is no struggle, caravanners such as ourselves have been doing it for well over 20 yrs.

As far as I can ascertain ump to a few years ago the shortfall in the amount needed to maintain non facility site open was absorbed by the other sites in the area "subsidies "then it was it seems the money crunchers at EGH. in their misguided ? ideas that all sites were to stand on there own , as near as possible  so I take it that those still on the network must be near financing themselves , where as those now gone were not close enough,, or needed to much spent on them ,even if run,by  expenses only volunteers

Notgrove site has a later closing at the end of October it used to be First weekend? It may open a bit later than in the past ,?

Nellie

No reason at all but that is not what the Club seem to do. I have just checked Hebden Bridge which closes on 1st November. Likewise Thetford and Stamford. . They all have hardstandings and even half a dozen serviced pitches at Hebden. I don't know but I imagine the reason they don't open over winter is that the Club don't feel there is sufficient demand to justify the staff wages and maintenance? 

David

No facility sites with serviced hardstandings  and a few ordinary grass pitches could be popular.

We are looking much more to use CLs, especially those with serviced pitches, and the CLs we have been on this year were all pretty full every night.

With the potential cost saving, we would certainly  choose a site with serviced pitches and no toilet block over a full facility site.  Serviced pitches are also great when the weather is bad.

That  will of course depend on caravan/MH layout and ease of using onboard shower, but where there is a separate shower it is a very good option.  On our 5 week tour in June/July, we did not use any site showering  facilities at all, and only used the toilets a few times as they were there, not out of necessity.

No facilities block to clean would reduce staffing requirements and therefore costs.

Sites with hardstandings and EHU  but no facilities block would be close to being a motorhome Aire.

It seems to me, there has been an increase in use of this type of site and similar CLs this year. If this is down to the increased numbers of motorhomes/campervans on the road rather than COVID  then it may well continue?

Some pitches at the Marazion site are on quite firm ground.

peedee

The length of season is, surely, dependent on a durable pitch surface rather than the availability of a toilet/shower block?