Price drop on over 1.5 million pitches

Some have been wondering why the club should have suddenly decided that wholesale action (price reductions) was needed for 2024.

the piece of narrative below was included in the 'sites to inspire' thread where Black Knowl was the award winner. The comment is by the Regional Manager.

"The Site Staff have worked tirelessly as a team in not only delivering a high (in the 90s) % occupancy that is significantly ahead of the Club trend (May-Jul 2.4% YoY decline vs. Club 14.8% decline), presenting the site in pristine condition at all times and delivering a constant high NPS score (74.6 YTD); they still find the time and motivation to undertake extracurricular activities whilst still delivering every aspect of the 'day job'. Extra focuses have been on sustainability, cost control and members first."

Mark Houghton, Regional Manager

now, i may have read this incorrectly, or indeed don't understand 'managerspeak' but this looks to me that BK did 'well' by only losing 2.4% of its 'summer quarter' occupancy figure compared to last year, while the overall CAMC figure was 14.8% down across the network?

Figures like these aren't usually bandied about but it seems the posts we get re quiet sites are accurate.

it looks like the Club has taken sensible action in reducing prices to try and halt the documented slide in occupancy.

the change in deposits and T/C, along with high prices, seems to have had a significant effect on customer take up...perhaps the hardcore membership really didn't like the changes?

however, lower prices should benefit customers and help the club get its numbers back.

But YT, they have only lowered prices at 60 sites, what about the other 95? (There are about 155 sites)The fact that not all site prices have been lowered makes this statement from the Club farcical.

We recognise that higher costs of living are challenging many members - that’s why we’re doing everything we can to make booking a trip at one of our sites as accessible as possible, including lowering our site fees.

What they really mean is it is for the benefit of the bottom line not the members.

peedee

It was a warden that told me just to pay for one adult and add any extras when you got there and that's what I've done since. Never had a problem and at all the sites we've been too they're very happy for me to go and pitch then go back to the office to sort everything else out.  

YT

I was somewhat surprised to see that information, once it had taken me a minute to work out the TLA's! I almost wonder if that information was intended for publication? A 15% decrease in occupancy is massive.  Not being mean in saying this but I am not convinced, however brilliant the site staff are, I somehow doubt they have the amount of influence on occupancy as suggested? I am sure that had the new system been introduced a couple of years before covid it would have all settled down by now but we seem to have had so much happen within a short space of time, especially with the cost of living the change has come as a bigger shock than it would normally have been. All the emphasis is on encouraging people to book a long way ahead in the hope because the have paid a deposit they won't cancel on a whim. The trouble for the Club is that the new system seems to make people consider leaving booking to much nearer the time and in the meantime another event could get in the way so they lose bookings that way. I am sure price is part of that but I wonder if it is as big a part as we might think. As I mentioned earlier Seacroft was full for the week we stayed there and its not cheap. The same is probably true for sites in a similar situation location wise but the trouble for the Club is they don't have enough sites with the ease of access that Seacroft has?

David

If you arrived just after 1pm, along with most of that days arrivals queuing behind you, then to be honest, that would seem sensible to me. Go in, choose a pitch, get set up, then walk back to reception after any queue has dissipated a bit later. Easier for staff at their busiest time, a whole lot better for any others arriving, and you can take your time. I was well after 1pm arriving, staff on duty were very helpful, despite their system working very slowly. It was no issue whatsoever, for either staff or us.😁

We only booked the site three days prior to arriving, and I knew it wouldn’t be busy.  It wasn’t, the price hadn’t been DPed. 

That kind of price increase, on a single occupant nightly fee just shows how much Members are being subjected to very sharp business practice😡 The Club are very slowly killing the trust and goodwill of more and more folks. Newbies don’t know any better, those who can afford whatever the Club algorithm dictates, or don’t want to try anything different, will simply soak it up.  

Don't forget that, before these price reductuions, there was no increase in prices for 2024 over 2023 anyway. So with inflation still high in real terms, these reductions should become more attractive. I guess that occupancy on the sites with no reduction was deemed to be OK and so lower prices were not needed.

 And where Dynamic pricing is applied it only goes upwards as dates fill so the idea is that early bookers always get the best price.. 

+ 1

I've posted the same up-thread somewhere agreeing with the points you make.

And it makes no business sense at all to discount sites that are performing very well. What's the point of offering discounts at full sites, that's just losing money.

You mean quieter sites and not quiet sites? Did you notice it was quiet at Chatsworth? 

As for high prices, again higher prices not high, high is perhaps your interpretation.

Like others such as DK who actually use club sites I've not noticed sites this year being quieter and remember that the annual review said that levels were in line with pre-covid figures.  

im just quoting the figures. overall occupancy seems to have dipped by just shy of 15%.📉

Prices were 50% higher at Sandringham CAMC over the same stay at C&CC next door.....I'd say that's 'considerably higher'.

the extra day we stayed at Chatworth was over £46....I'd say that was 'high'.

we've just stayed at Broadway on the small commercial for £30, the CAMC site was £43, again 'considerably higher'.

yes, these are my interpretations, I'm sure you'll have a different view...

at the end of the day members will vote with their wheels and it looks like a fair proportion have🚎