What is going on?

Yes I was quite surprised how cheap it was when we booked. 

Re-reading the OP when it said both sites I assumed it meant both pitching areas on the club's but I see there is another non club site there? 

We thought it reasonably priced when there in 2019, but it seems rather expensive now for where it is and what it offers.

Looking at the cost of 9 nights there in late July for 2 adults, one 5 year old and a 2 year old on an ordinary HS pitch, it works out £6 more expensive than the fully serviced pitch DD has booked on a very nice holiday park near Aberdeen, where there are far more facilities for the children, very nice toilet block, and plenty to see and do within a short distance.

And no Club membership fee to pay!

I would also agree with Ina that £35 ( it is actually a little more than that in peak) does not bring the word "only" to mind.

We were at Garlieston for 2 nights a couple of years ago on our way up to Scotland's north west coast. We thought it was expensive then for what and where it is. It was as I recall the only Camc site of that trip.

Since then we have drifted towards the cheaper options of CLs CSs and C&CC temporary holiday sites. Talking to people on those sites many now say they actively avoid club sites (of both clubs) in the summer months due to price, which are more than they are prepared to pay.

One of note last month was at Kendal in the lake district. Easy walk down in to town, shops and pubs, frequent buses available to explore. Yes we needed to use our own facilities and our solar panel, but it was ONLY £9 per night ! There were, I would estimate,  200 units on the site with 'vanners of the same mind.

It is probaby all down to rising prices and the reduction of disposable income brought about by inflation and mortgage and rent rises. In these circumstances I think it is only natural for van owners to cut back on non essential travel to make savings to pay the essential bills.

As far as I am concerned, I don't like paying for facilities I do not need, Club sites are nothing special so why pay over the odds for such sites when a CL or similar will do just as well.

peedee

Ina

In the context that people seem to be complaining that peak site fees costing between £40 and £50 a night, £35 a night seems good value to me. We were there last year in May and it cost £27.30 a night, a little below our average nightly spend for last year. I don't know what the peak fees were last year but clearly they have not gone up much. Garlieston is a nice place with an interesting history and we were only there for three nights. Port William does look a nice place and perhaps chalk that up for a future visit but I don't think the decision will be based on site costs. 

David

David, I'm sure most folk won't omit a specific place of interest based on one site's price, although 'how much?' may well be uttered during the booking process.

whats more likely is that a lengthy tour of, say, three or four weeks won't be booked exclusively on CAMC sites as might have been the default choice for members in the past.

one or two 'expensive' sites might find their way into the tour for specific reasons but accommodating upto 10 or so at similar levels might have folk looking at the overall bill, especially as a stack of deposits is also now applicable.

We have (at the moment) three options for an Autumn tour, one in the UK. so much depends on the overall look of the weather in mid September onwards that committing to a range of sites with deposits and tricky term (Club AND commercial) adds a degree of risk. I'll guess many CLs would be included.

this in itself might push us towards one of the other two (overseas) options.

im sure other members will be weighing up all the elements (literally) in their next tour following the club's change of terms etc...

You've said "I'm sure" twice. Are you sure?

JK

Maybe this would be of interest to somebody to keep their costs down, looks like a free tour

There is nothing in the area that has changed,(other than more motorcaravans fly camping) but I have never seen the site with so many obvious empty pitches at 4 pm on a friday in july.Which is why I asked the question.