Secure you summer holiday for just £5 deposit

I would say it’s a number of factors, people are returning to overseas holidays site fees are getting to expensive,in the latest magazine gave details of overseas sites prices on reading it they are a lot cheaper and I’ve found easier to book .as for paying a deposit that’s a good idea dropping it to £5 not so people will just block book like they used to. People who bought caravans and motorhomes about the time of Covid have had a while to now realise it’s not for them.

Sorry you may have meant it differently but you wrote:

I still feel Club Sites are in the main, more suited to caravans that stay a long time, going out each day in the car, able to afford the prices.

It was all one sentence and the three parts with commas are relate to to club sites and caravans as I read it.

I never agree about not being able to afford club site prices. If someone has the money to have an outfit in the first place which could be cheap, but then tax it, then service it, then MOT it, then perhaps pay for storage, then certainly insure, then pay for fuel then they can certainly afford the extra £10-20 for a club site. Perhaps as I said they might not wish to but that's their choice.

I don't think that club occuanay is down, not from where I see it on club sites year round and indeed those who also use club sites a lot. Sorry to say but this view comes from people who state they don't use club sites or at non-peak times when even in my day sites were never full anyway. In fact it may have even gone up, certainly membership has and MH owners has too.

If someone can't commit to 21 days (now at a possible loss of £5) then that's it. Join another club or go elsewhere where one doesn't have to. The club is not a charity for such people, very harsh I know and there might come a point where I'm in that position and then I won't complain but find alternative providers. After we're told that there are cheaper and better sites out there many a time - but complain about not using club sites?    

Post edit: I've read the NL email, as far as I read it, the problem is not falling numbers but costs have risen too much and to keep these from being passed on then the way forward is to entice more people to choose club sites. It does mention trying to help embers, now that might be marketing speak but how many times in the past has post/threads been about the club doing more to try to help members?

Either way, long terms users of club sites win.

When has the club said that they made a mistake in introducing deposits. People's interpretations shouldn't be stated as facts.

Excellent, and long may you be able to do so.  It's not a case of one or the other; both likes should be served equally.  

The club is a club that you join quite voluntary, even have to pay for the privilege but agin your choice, it is not some organisation that must serve all, it only has to serve its members who pay to join.

It has certain procedures and rules, T&C about bookings. You must want to tour in the way the club sets out otherwise it's not for you. It is in fact one and not the other and I cannot understand those that join and then complain it does not serve their needs when using club sites?

This thread is about using club sites. If one feels that this way doesn't serve your likes then don't join, don't rejoin, and/or don't use club sites. If. you want a more flexible way of booking and touring different to what is offered then the club is not for you, or just use it to use CLs but there have posts about deposits not being returned there as well and booking conditions there as well.

If you join just because of CL then you're happy, club site users are happy, win win?   

I don't think they have said that but as this is the second time they have reduced the percentage of the deposit taken, it does suggest that they think that the higher level of deposit is causing an issue? We won't know until  maybe at the AGM, whether a lower level deposit has increased bookings. Personally I find the 10% deposit perfectly reasonable and can't quite get my mind around the need for something lower. I suppose time will tell? 

David

The honeypot sites will always be attractive and with a large membership there will always be people willing to pay the price, but what is happening on other less popular sites? I believe occupancy is down at many sites compared to previous years. The ones I have used have not been full in fact some nowhere near. One had only 10 percent of the pitches occupied and availability across the network is easy to find right now. There is even 4 available consecutive days in August and plenty in September and beyond at Rowntree. This was unheard of in previous years.

peedee

As I mentioned upthread, Baltic Wharf also has plenty of availability, where as in the past it wouldn’t have. However, when we were there earlier in the year it was full and I suspect this will happen for our next stay, which currently doesn’t show as low availability. Folk just have not been booking as early due to deposits. This of course may change now it is a flat £5.

On our recent tour a couple of the 10 sites visited did seem particularly empty, the rest 70% or more full. The two low ones were Chester and Altnaharra. Chester was mid week in May, Altnaharra early June. We’ve not been to Chester before so I’ve nothing to judge it buy, but Altnaharra was much quieter than our last visit. I’ve a reasonably good memory but I am struggling to think back to occupancy levels pre covid and of course comparing now with the high levels just post is nonsensical. The low turnout at Altnaharra could partially be the result of the change in pricing strategy from fixed to per person, which makes it expensive for more than 2 adults.

I still believe that charging deposits and so changing the club USP disturbed people’s booking habits so more people looked at alternatives, be that CLs, independent sites or like us the CCC. So possibly some members instead of only staying at club sites are now spreading their time over a greater variety of sites.There have been several CL reviews where reviewers have commented on it being their first CL.

Sorry but again that is your interpretation and not a fact. My thoughts are that the club introduced deposits to reduce the number of nights cancelled and the fact that cancellations reduced by 70% showed that it was successful. This trail of 5% deposits is the club trying to encourage members to stay more nights. Deposits will stay and the club is trying to get the percentage right for the club and right for the members.