Plans for the Sandringham site

All this discussion is doing is making me annoyed that the Club have lost, ditched, whatever, most of the really nice, simple, one basic price no facility sites. Where these are still limping along, the pricing has  changed drastically. We spent ,any happy years fully utilising sites such as this, with our basic caravan, and our less than high tech MH. For two persons, these are now dearer than lots of CLs. So it’s a valuable, basic resource gone.

I can never remember using one Ttda that wasn't at least 75% full and often 100% at weekends. 

Agree with the comparison on CLs nowadays.

We've stayed at the site at Sandringham on at least 4 occasions that I can recall but mainly due to a lack of CLs being conveniently situated for our needs.

I do tend to agree with having Glamping pods there.

With regard to the position argued that some members aren't getting what they particularly want I think that rather shortsighted. There are many things I don't use that my membership fee or pitch fee go towards. I don't have a dog or children or grandchildren or need a toilet block or a restaurant or even a Glamping pod (at the moment) but I accept it as part of a "club" ethos. I daresay I pay for some of those wherever I pitch be it a CL or Independent site etc.

I have just seen a post on a Facebook Group by Cameron Burns (don't know if he has any connection to the Club but I am sure he writes in the Magazine now and again and he runs a website called Not Another White Box, which is about vintage caravans.

He posted, in response to some negative post about the subject of this discussion:-

To correct a lot of misinformation/prejudice that’s circulating on this group at the moment about the Glamping experiences being offered on some CAMC sites, here are the facts:
- The Glamping packages are offered to Experience Freedom members. Experience Freedom is a new membership package developed by the Club, to entice more people to try staycation experiences in the UK and perhaps inspire younger people to invest in a leisure vehicle. You can book as a non-member, but it’s more cost effective to be a member.
- As an Experience Freedom member, you are bound to the same rules as everyone else in the Club. It is an identical membership offering as the main membership, just under a different name to suit people who don’t yet own a leisure vehicle.
- There are 159 CAMC sites in the UK, just EIGHT of them have Glamping accommodation available, so it remains a very niche offering from the Club.
- The sites chosen have areas that are undeveloped and unsuitable for leisure vehicles, so these areas have been used to install the Glamping Pods and Cabins. NO pitches have been sacrificed, and in most cases, the sites have situated the Glamping accommodation in completely separate areas to the touring pitches.
- The accommodation offered sleeps on average 2-4 people, so no large groups. Just TWO sites have cabins that can sleep up to six people.
- The thought behind the project was that it will allow members to holiday with family members and friends who don’t own a leisure vehicle. It will also hopefully attract younger members to the Club and hopefully immerse them in the world of the CAMC and encourage them to make the investment in a leisure vehicle of their own.
I get that people don’t like change, but you should probably be reminded that the Club didn’t allow motorhomes to join until 1967, and even then there was a very large contingent of members who didn’t want to allow motorhome owners to join… times change, things evolve. You can still form your opinion about the Experience Freedom package, but at least consider all the facts beforehand.

I think he was trying to give a bit of balance. 

David

Motorhomes use SP in far greater numbers now that caravans

Maybe in your opinion, CS, on the sites you have used, but it certainly isn't always the case as on the last one we were on there were no M/Hs on the serviced pitches while some were occupied by caravans.

Not an opinion at all but an observation which I've always made clear in previous posts as always. I've used 11 eight separate sites in the past year or so and some repart sites as well and in all cases MH outnumbered caravans on SP, on two occasions it was 90%+, and others who actually use club sites regularly have posted in a similar fashion so I would say this confirm a general trend. What was Seacroft over Christmas, 80% MHs?

Not sure where you went or indeed when, if it was part in the recent free night voucher in January (which if the only time you've posted recently about using a club site and I can't recall any more before that as you usually use CLs ) then it isn't really a fair test.

But at the end of the day, or season, whatever I or anyone thinks about SPs, glamping pods and how members use them makes no difference. If they sell well, and they certainly do, then more will follow. The club will how much more profitable they are compared to other pitch types, and how much they are in demand and act accordingly. If there had been no take up in the past of glamping pods the club wouldn't be going forward with them

Luckily as we're often told, there are cheaper and better sites out there so no great loss. Those that want basic sites, use CLs (harsh but reality) which again are often quoted as just as good if not better.

Why is not a real test, any time on club sites are "real", and.although  we very rarely stay on club sites I do have a look around quite a few and do not recognise the sort of figures you quote. Our latest visit was in January this year but why should that be any different from other times of the year. Looking at the numbers touring about at this time of the year MHs outnumber caravans out on the road so surely this greater percentage should be reflected in numbers on site and therefore on serviced pitches surely.

Nellie

I think it might depend where the sites are. Not sure if I am typical but I suspect motorhomers  like to stay on sites with easy access to a town or public transport. CS mentions Seacroft which of course is ideally located from that point of view. We tend to go every October and as CS observes there are a lot of motorhomers using the service pitches, including ourselves. OK the service pitches at Seacroft are the best on the site which could of course also influence their choice? We don't automatically use serviced pitches as it depends on the layout of the site. If I can be on a decent hardstanding not too far from a service point I am happy not to bother with a serviced pitch. I suppose we all develop our own methods?

David

We do stay on quite a few sites per year, as we only stay for a few nights at each. My observations, bearing in mind we do use some service pitches, is that in recent years MH’s at least equal caravans and often exceed them. Most of our stays take place in May / June and September October. I dare say in the peak summer holidays when more families holiday the picture may be different at coastal sites. Although at Hawes in August, when we took our granddaughter away, the number occupying service pitches during our 4 day stay was generally equal.

It is not a real as reference to fair and complete. You described only one visit to prove your point and so does not disprove my own experiences and/or proves yours.

In my view of course a visit in January is far different to any other time of year! Sites have always generally been less popular in January than other months in my view, although bookings for sites like York, Melrose and others, still show good occupancy during the winter months while full(er) in the warmer months.

I do have a look around quite a few and do not recognise the sort of figures you quote

I don't understand this often posted idea. Unless you're looking round at late evening perhaps those MHs just might be off site and so proves nothing unless you're checking MH on this pitch notices as well? Also I do hope you're checking in as a visitor as anyone should.

Looking at the numbers touring about at this time of the year... again during the day they will off site and not too many sites open at this time of year?

I'm trying to get a SP at Melrose and I can't get any full weeks till June, only one full week (the last week) in February but we're away. They are certainly popular and the trend is increasing.

Post edit, just read the other replies and others appear to have the same observations.

Our experiences mirror Nellies Corners. I’d expect sites close to towns, YRP, Melrose, BBW to be fairly busy, but others further out in sticks have been a good bit quieter. We stayed at Clumber in September and it wasn’t busy, Cayton Bay had the site half shut and a mere dozen outfits on the open side back in November, and Castleton pre Christmas (previously really had to book in advance) wasn’t busy at all. I’ve just booked two nights at a weekend at Bolton Abbey and at Burrs CP without any problems. Looked at Knaresborough this coming weekend, pitches available. We were inundated with emails last Summer telling us that we should book a coastal resort site, so there’s obviously spare pitches.