Plans for the Sandringham site

"There are plenty of alternatives for folk who want basic camping"

...the 'traditional' club response to anyone who wishes to debate change...

while glamping maybe 'coming up on the rails', surely the camper revolution has also driven a faster, fewer requirements turnaround when it comes to touring.

Despite the name change being with us for a while now, the club doesn't seem to have even acknowledged the premise that MH owners don't need to pay £40 for a bit of chippings not to need full blown services on their pitch.

perhaps there is a section of the membership who've moved from a caravan to a MH and just 'do what they did' before and like a serviced pitch, but there is also a vast number of owners (old and new) who don't want to be shelling out nearly £300 a week for a parking spot, hence the massive interest in CAMPRA, Britstops and other 'pub' type overnights, where mutual benefit is enjoyed by the provider and the customer.

How about every club site having a cheap quick turnaround pitch for every pod being built, then the club could truly be catering for all parts of its customer base.

in fact, that last statement is probably wrong and those looking for short term cheaper pitches won't be using the club they'll be 'going elsewhere' as above.

I just wish to see more of MY money being spent on club facilities that benefit me. Very little of the currents club’s refurbishment programme helps enhance my uk touring.

i would like to see more sites without facilities blocks, every pitch with optional hook up, less emphasis on pristine grass edges etc. Even sites like Thetford, which used to be reasonably cheap, have been put onto this overly elaborate fees schedule.

A few sites with timed entry and fees per 24 hours would be a useful experiment.

There are usually comments about MHs not needing whatever but it's not about need, it's about what certain MH owners want. 

There can be no doubt from those who use club sites, and there have been numerous posts confirming this, that SP and club sites with all the bell and whistles, full fat...are very popular with MHs. SP are often more popular with MH than caravans. Certain owners don't want to use club sites as they are and that's fine just choose what you like and let others choose what they like.

The club I'm sure will have data showing this and what pays well and what doesn't and in this way it is giving its members exactly what they want. 

As for glamping pods and the like, it's a small parentage of all pitches and on a small number of sites. It's simple future proofing and will bring in money from maybe people who wouldn't use club sites and all that income helps out somewhere. 

If one isn't happy about the club using 'your money' in this way then don't 'invest' with your membership fee and/or use club sites. Why is anyone paying for something they don't want?

If one isn't happy about the club using 'your money' in this way then don't 'invest' with your membership fee and/or use club sites. Why is anyone paying for something they don't want?

Totally agree CS. We are happy to use the two clubs sites when touring in this country, in a similar manner (except for booking) to minimal facility offerings over there. We do this because we like using them, even service pitches on occasion. This seems to apply to many of the MH’s on site, although some are used as we did with our caravan, just a 1 / 3 night stop is equally common.

However they improve the site, it will not make much difference to me because when I do go  to Sandringham I use the site next door.

peedee

Nothing to worry about with new pitches for pods and similar tents.  Just uncouple the water and drain, unplug the electric and lift it away with a fork-lift to creat a normal fully serviced touring pitch.

Much more concerning when they start to do the same process in reverse.

So it is wrong to expect money that I pay to the club to be invested in facilities that support my type of camping. The “advice” is not to invest, not to use club sites, go elsewhere. That is obviously a really inclusive approach. We are not the only motorhomer or caravanner who do t want holiday park facilities on sites that we pay for. For information we very rarely use club sites because we don’t wish to pay for facilities we don’t need and don’t want. We do use some of the ccc sites because we can opt out of ehu and a consequent price reduction. We do use CLs but normally those not trying to imitate a club site. We also use Aires where available. So what does the Club provide for me? The certification process for CLs and whatever support the Club gives to CL owners. For me the balance of club expenditure is all wrong, hurtling as it is to holiday park types facilities.

I'm not sure what you mean by "the 'traditional' club response to anyone who wishes to debate change". I am applauding change by voicing my opinion that provision of pods etc is a positive move and my comment about alternatives stands.

CAMC provides various types of sites and not all of them will meet the needs of all people but some will. It can’t be feasible to make Sandringham, and every other site, meet the needs of the range of campers from basic users through to high dependency users so it’s very much a case of finding the right site for the individual. Inevitably, one size will not fit all but the variations are there under the umbrella of CAMC. 

We are not the only motorhomer or caravanner who do t want holiday park facilities on sites that we pay for.

I'm sorry but, as I've posted before, I cannot really get my head around paying for something that anyone does not want.

But in reverse, so why should 'my money' be used to pay for CLs which does not support my style of camping, or the overseas booking services, or whatever?

In reality I don't care about that one bit and I'm happy for the club to use my membership as it sees fit for the benefit of all its members in the club who have different wants to myself, and that to me is what being inclusive is really about. One simply takes the parts of membership that appeals.

Everyone (I assume) joins the club with knowledge of what is available to them when joining and certainly has full knowledge when re-joining and re-joining rates are at the highest ever we're told.