Pricing in the directory and online

I was just looking in the handbook last night and was very surprised at the prices on some of the sites in Scotland.

Dunnett Bay which is pretty remote and all grass pitches, and non awning according to the App, is from £14.40, and that only applies before Easter as far as I can make out.  Easter through till it closes in November is a bit more, and all the same price.

Banchory Silverbank, which is much less remote, very popular, and all hard standing with awning is under £9 at its least expensive.  Even Bunree is less expensive low season than Dunnett Bay.

Other, what I would call remote, sites also seem on the expensive side, this may well discourage visitors even more and lead to these sites closing down.

Has the website pricing changed to make it look cheaper? 

I have just booked Baltic Wharf for late January just 30  mins ago and the same thing has come to light. The handbook price (2017) said £21 for outfit + 2 The price per night for January 2019 has cost me £23.20 and yet the web page says from £15.50. Up popped 'Live Chat' so I asked why. The answer was that sites are  now priced as outfit + 1. (edit) this is obviously a way of making the site look cheaper

Seems a bit underhanded as the majority of members using sites must average  2 per unit. Unfortunately website prices are now set for 2019 so I can't comment on what they were this year.

Yes it is underhanded, Harry, unless the club have explained it somewhere that I haven't yet found. To change the way you promote your price structure without such an explanation is poor.

The only mitigating factor is that technically the club should be quoting the very cheapest price that can be found, which they now appear to be doing. Be nice if they could keep their members advised though. Apologies to them if they have.

What they seem to be doing is take advantage of all those that are doing the North Coast 500, as the price of Kinlochewe has gone through the roof too.

It's gone up £5.50 since the present handbook. It also now has two price bands with a difference between each of 20p per pitch and 10p per adult. 

Whoever sat round the table and thought that one up. The lower price is for 2 weeks at the beginning of the season, I wouldn't have bothered.

Yes, noticed that one too.

Well, we have been round the north coast twice already, and been to Kinlochewe, so we won’t be paying those prices!

Morvich and Maragowan are pricey too.

In 2018 we were away for 85 nights, roughly one third of those were on caravan club sites, mainly in the winter months, the rest were spent on cheaper alternatives, CL's CS's CC&C or private sites. If the comments so far are anything to go by, in 2019 it looks like we will be avoiding the expensive club sites even more. I have nothing against club sites, but they often do not suit our limited income.

I guess the price difference come about due to the lead time to ready the guide for print. It matters not to me, I prefer to use the App or the web site for information.

peedee

The cheapest price at Hillhead is quoted, correctly, at £9.90 but this is for three nights next November. (One person plus midweek discount.) I suppose it's good news for someone on their own who want three nights but it looks incredibly cheap when it really isn't for most other times. The same pitch in the summer would be £29.20.

That's advertising for you. 

I must admit to not using the site directory much these days. Although it's sometimes easier to compare sites close to each other rather than using the website. In terms of pricing I tend to have already made up my mind which sites I am using and the first time I am aware of the cost is when I get my booking confirmation. I think it would be more informative if the Club used prices that reflect the most  regular use of sites, so pitch plus two. 

David