We need more basic facility sites

harryb replied on 29/08/2022 21:08

Posted on 29/08/2022 21:08

With the mention of the closure of High Onn and given that the club seem fully intent on pressing forward with the expansion to full facility sites by upgrading with serviced pitches, and different forms of self catering in glamping, yurts, pods and even airstream caravans etc it seems that those members who are on a more limited budget or even those who just prefer basics, are getting left behind. You might say we can use the cl system and that’s exactly what is happening. This is showing there is a demand by the number of fully booked cl’s. So why can’t the club come down to the more basic forms of caravanning and find and expand this type of site within the network. There are big gaps in the geographical area of the UK that could be opened up by developing this type of site. No doubt there would be an initial outlay but nowhere near the scale of that of a large scale flagship type site. The basic sites in the network now are priced at £17 (£18 from next year) and this comes in on a par with basic cl’s. There are thousands of members who would jump at the chance of this type of site being run under the club banner. The following counties are lacking in club sites, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, amongst others, would benefit from this type of site

This is how caravan sites started off please don’t allow them to die.

 

Moderator comment: Locked pending review

SteveL replied on 01/09/2022 12:27

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:11 by eurortraveller

There’s a CL In the New Forest offering a whole week for £70. Cheap sites abound.

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:27

It is all about location though for us. A £70 a week CL would be no more attractive to us than the New Forest Centenary Site, if it’s as remote as that is. So would need to know where it is located.  BK and the camping in the forest site are OK in that respect.

young thomas replied on 01/09/2022 12:32

Posted on 01/09/2022 10:59 by Rocky 2 buckets

Why wait for the price to be lowered BB, why not start a movement based on a civic attitude & even better a save the planet attitude. You have rightly vaunted the use of own generated power now go the extra step by actually showing how committed to this non grid way you are👍🏻🙅🏼‍♂️🎊🎉🪄

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:32

I've had 13 nights on non EHU, non facs sites in August...plus 3 months in Spain in the spring using the sun to keep our batteries charged.

im not waiting for the Clubs prices to go down, that's not going to happen. I've made my move...i won't be using club sites going forward. no desire for a 'movement' of any sort.

The thread is about how different type of club sites (no facs and/or no EHU) might help stop prices spirally away from some members.

happy to carry on posting my views on what our club is doing, or not.

young thomas replied on 01/09/2022 12:45

Posted on 01/09/2022 11:24 by Muddywheels

Sorry for the long winded post but the OP caught my attention and I thought I might share my experiences

I bought my first caravan in 1984 - it was very basic with a foot pump for water and gas lights - we used farmers fields back then and had no need for EHU - we weren’t member of any clubs

Mid 90s we joined CC and C&CC and used CLs with our first deluxe all singing and dancing twin axle. We had 3 kids and EHU was essential. We all loved CLs even the kids. When the kids flew the nest the 2 of us continued to enjoy CLs until 2015 in various caravans.

2019 we bought our 1st motorhome and for the first time ever tried club sites for the convenience of walking instead of driving into locations. After many years staying on farms we found them not to our liking I’m afraid - too much like static caravan sites or holiday parks - and the prices!

In all our years vanning we never needed facilities bar the EHU, tap and CP but in recent years CLs with EHU are becoming very expensive and difficult to find space due to increased popularity so I’ve now added an inverter, gas tank and additional solar so we can take advantage of off grid CLs which are not as busy

We recently did 11 nights off grid using solar and £11 of gas (mainly for the fridge) despite the hot weather and paid £5 per night for pitches. We still showered, watched tv, used coffee machine and microwave so definitely not slumming it.

I was sceptical spending the money on off grid equipment but now convinced it will pay back in droves and we have as much space around us as we want

If we still had a caravan we would want fully serviced pitches where possible but now with a fully equipped Moho all we want is somewhere to park with a tap and CP when necessary 

I think everyone has different needs and many like shower blocks and serviced hard standings but for me especially with the increased glamping expansion it’s moving away from the club I joined years ago - more Haven than CC now

I’m increasingly looking for alternative places to stay not connected to CAMC and considering lapsing my membership

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:45

Try the C&CC network of Temporary Holiday Sites...usually close to towns (easy walk) open for upto a month at a time, cheap as chips, from £10 a night.

we've just done two this past month, 9 days at Weymouth and 4 days at 
Lymington...both walkable to the towns, 'proper sites' nowhere near as close and three times the price or more in August.

young thomas replied on 01/09/2022 12:50

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:27 by SteveL

It is all about location though for us. A £70 a week CL would be no more attractive to us than the New Forest Centenary Site, if it’s as remote as that is. So would need to know where it is located.  BK and the camping in the forest site are OK in that respect.

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:50

We've used several CLs in the NF this year, all within easy cycling of the attractions (Lymington, Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu, Burley etc) and one even walking distance from Highcliffe...

having used the Centenary Site once, we would never go back there...for caravans possibly but found it too remote for us, the cycling wasn't safe like the CLs and THS sites we've used this year.

Tinwheeler replied on 01/09/2022 13:08

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:08 by JVB66

I am sure racecourse sites are run by this club for the racecourse as most of the facilities are not for exclusive club use as is Warwick, Cheltenham ,Thirsk

Posted on 01/09/2022 13:08

I can assure you the facilities at Warwick are for the exclusive use of campers as they also are at Uttoxeter where the club leases the site for x number of months per year. Racegoers are not permitted onto the pitching areas at those two sites.

However, use of facilities on racecourse sites has nothing to do with the perceived need for more basic sites.

GEandGJE replied on 01/09/2022 13:29

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:11 by eurortraveller

There’s a CL In the New Forest offering a whole week for £70. Cheap sites abound.

Posted on 01/09/2022 13:29

The New Forest is a big place. Whereabouts is this CL and is its location comparable to Black Knowl.

harryb replied on 01/09/2022 13:33

Posted on 01/09/2022 09:06 by Tinwheeler

What a shame that Harry's thread has now degenerated into a silly game of likes which are meaningless in the context they are being used.

His is a serious post which I sympathise with, although I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell of more non-fac sites appearing other than if fac blocks on other sites are closed due to unsustainability.

Posted on 01/09/2022 13:33

Thanks for the comment. I have taken no further part for some pages now.

MikeyA replied on 01/09/2022 13:35

Posted on 01/09/2022 11:15 by JVB66

With the security of onsite staff?

Posted on 01/09/2022 13:35

Do you mean the ones who don't work beyond 8.00pm. 

Why do you need this so called security, as long as you have a mobile phone signal you can contact 999 in a real emergency.

Muddywheels replied on 01/09/2022 14:00

Posted on 01/09/2022 12:45 by young thomas

Try the C&CC network of Temporary Holiday Sites...usually close to towns (easy walk) open for upto a month at a time, cheap as chips, from £10 a night.

we've just done two this past month, 9 days at Weymouth and 4 days at 
Lymington...both walkable to the towns, 'proper sites' nowhere near as close and three times the price or more in August.

Posted on 01/09/2022 14:00

Thanks for this 👍

We were members of both but dropped C&CC in favour of CAMC some years ago - might be time for a rethink 

We have recently booked with freedom camping club too which hasn’t charged us a membership fee

young thomas replied on 01/09/2022 14:26

Posted on 01/09/2022 14:26

With the C&CC magazine is a supplement Outandabout which I think you need to opt in to receive. This gives a diary by geographic venue along with contact details and directions etc. usually, no need to book, come and go as you please, pay on exit (sometimes by agreement) and head to the next one. People often build a summer tour using this type of site, hosted at rugby and cricket grounds, school playing fields etc hence the proximity to urban areas.

there is also an app Outandaboutlive, not sure if you need to be a member to see the details...might be worth downloading and trying it.

here's a screenshot from the app, this is one THS that we used.

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