We need more basic facility sites

Capacity of CLs against cc sites is not really a strong argument if you consider the legal capacity of each

The problem with expressing a view about anything on CT is that it is not left at that, instead it becomes a debate or even an argument.

...but folk don't buy 14 jumpers all at once...😉

a member taking a fortnights holiday at a £30 a night club site is shelling out £420! That's a huge amount for a stay on a campsite.

it's these type of numbers that will prevent the type of member Harry mentions from being able to take that holiday with CAMC.

And yes, as some so rightly keep telling us, it's very simple....if you can't afford it, bad luck go somewhere else.

...but I'm sure that wasn't the ethos the club was built on all those years ago.

things change, times are tough....for customers and the club, but it isn't rocket science for the club to come up with an offering that keeps customers on pitches but takes the increasing sting out of those ever rising electricity increases.

it doesn't affect some (who keep telling us) as they are financially able to continue, but others being pushed away by prices have been members a long, long time and see the Club as the only way to tour...

being left with the option of cough up of give up...now that will be a hard decision.

I can afford club sites, but I've taken the above 'very simple' recommendation: I have chosen not to use them.

We will be going elsewhere, at £10-£12 a night in the uk and €0-€20 overseas.

I wish the OP and others in that position the best.

DSB said...

"Just trying to book a serviced pitch at Devizes C&CC site for dates in September.... nothing available for my dates.... the nearest serviced pitch I can find is at Stonehenge (Private site), which is just around half an hour from Devizes - I'm still looking."

are you really saying that, if you want to actually go to Devizes, you'd stay at Stonehenge just because they have a tap on the pitch?...and then drive to Devizes?

surely I've misunderstood?

if there isn't a service pitch at Devizes, won't you just shrug your shoulders and book a different pitch....at Devizes, where you actually want to be?

I think David (DSB) makes a valid point about usings sites or losing them and I wonder if that is the major concern of the Club that sites like High Onn are generally "under used" If that is the case it's hardly an endorsement for creating more of them even if you could overcome all the obstacles mentioned. If it were possible the Club would probably want these sites to have serviced pitches as a way to encourage more use and to that end it would mean higher site fees, maybe not as high as a full facility site, but certainly higher than £17 a night.

Ever since we have had a caravan/motorhome with full facilities, circa 1998, we have always used our own on board facilities, mainly from a personal convenience point of view. Site toilet blocks get very minimal use from us. Under the current system on non metered electricity I am not sure there is room for a discount for not using the facilities as using your own does incur some additional cost to the Club and any saving for not using a toilet block would probably be fairly minimal?

David

That is no reason not to post a view point even if on occasions you need a thick skin or have to bite your lip. At least Steve posts on here and is willing to complete surveys, many won't even do that.  I think  I have read somewhere only 12 pecent of members bother to complete suirveys and a similar amount are active members of Club Centres. Much of the feedback to the Executive comes from the Centres and Regions. Surveys are a recent introduction, perhaps in an effort to get wider feedback.

peedee

I can only agree with your post BB ,our situation is not a wealthy one Property rich? cash poor? and with OHs condition if we can keep using sites into next year ,it must have a dedicated disabled facility, no LV in our price range has facilities large enough , for us to do as those who do tour in cheaper sites and other venues

so it is a case of in the future do what we can and hope the cost of living starts to come down to a more manageable level 

And we are not alone some friends of ours (retired site staff) and two couples on this site now have said the same next year is going to be it seems many in our position can carry on using our LVs

Is there no spirit of adventure any more, especially among the young? Or is it that CT is largely populated by us old fogeys and the young are off having fun and haven’t time to contribute.

I remember, in the good old days, using CLs with our caravan. As I remember many had electricity, but all were grass. Our van didn’t have a shower, did have a loo and washbasin, so we must have just washed. Our son probably didn’t miss baths and showers! But he did have plenty of room to run around. And we did have fun.

I get it that as people get older they want more comfort and I do see serviced pitches as advantageous to many. Many CLs provide water to each pitch by running overland pipes which can be turned off in winter. I am sure the Club could do more in this respect.

I get it that some families want holiday park type facilities, but many don’t.

our last caravan (2 berth, single axle) had a splendid end washroom. Even on the odd occasion we stayed at facility sites we would use our own. So much more convenient. And without a serviced pitch.

When we moved to motorhomes one of our “must haves” was a useable shower. Which we have, even in our PVC. Yes I miss the caravan washroom, but still never use site showers.

We only rarely use club sites, don’t consider them VFM. I Like the non facility sites like Thetford. I don’t think the club is really interested in what I want from it. “Just use CLs” is a cop out. If they intend to run down all their no facility sites they should say so, and we would all know where we stand. If not, why not market them more effectively, and not just on price.

Seems to me it is a self fulfilling prophesy, market high end sites to those that want high end sites, ignore the rest, and surprise surprise high end sites are fuller and no facility sites are seen as failing.

I am glad to see that some others agree with me that if a site is underused and/or not viable then they should close. To do otherwise is just to drive up prices even more for other sites in my view. As EuroT said the club will see what really sells and what doesn't, SP especially. 

It appears that people want to stay on club sites, or run under the club banner yet don't want to pay club prices, yes I feel the same way about products but sadly that is not how life works, don't want to afford, then don't buy.  Find something cheaper at the same quailty which of course is what it may be all about?

And perhaps why is under the club banner so important? Some form of quality mark, an assurance? Well that comes with a cost.

But again so many times we're told that there are plenty of other sites out there of better or comparable quality, cheaper too, yet everyone wants to use a club site?

I understand fully what the Club are doing. 

If you don’t provide something, let’s say non hook up pitches, or on a larger scale, non facility Sites, then you don’t give people a choice. The statistics will say, no one uses them (pure statistics, not those that qualifying the true picture, they aren’t there to use😡) so the Club could say that usage doesn’t warrant further development of such pitches/sites. (Marazion was heaving last year, we couldn’t extend our stay, so the market is there)

Neglect, underfund, close, that’s the cycle for these lovely little affordable gems. As ex hard working staff have evidenced for us, and not just High Onn, JK has revived his Site by the sound of it.