What is the obsession with attracting the yoof

I would suggest that a great many of us were actually introduce to this wonderful pastime of ours by our parents. I was and my chilfdren were. If fact my daughter now has a PVC and my son and his family are right now planning a holiday in a hired motorhome. The future is with the next generations.

Just as a point we were all the next generation at one point as is still the case with our sprogs ,but all the leisure companies that are also into the touring industry, should be doing much more to attract the "silver! or going silver generations  who have the time and at the moment and at least the forseable future the finances to fill the sites all year, not just when the sites struggle at peak times to have enough pitches for every one

This club already attracts the silver generation. I'm on a fairly full site at the moment and I'd say I was the only one below retirement age. More families at the weekend but the silvers still outnumbered them. 

I don't disagree with measures to attract the retired members but the club has decided that is not the route they want to follow. The difficulty is always striking a balance between attracting new blood whilst not alienating existing members. 

Does anyone think this club has the experience and sensitivity to manage this?  Bearing in mind the fact that I class myself as alienated despite being their target market I have my doubts 

This club already attracts the silver generation. I'm on a fairly full site at the moment and I'd say I was the only one below retirement age. More families at the weekend but the silvers still outnumbered them

agree entirely, same experience as me a few weeks ago. I'm trying to book a few day for June at the moment as it look pretty well getting to full. Can't be kids (all those £50 fines). Most of te blues have 5 spaces or less but I'm not that is true, even so!

And its off peak which is where all the clubs and comercial companies core buisiness come from  at these time" us oldies"

I'd disagree with you there, JV. I consider peak times to be the core business when the club, and other operators, fill sites with families at top dollar prices. That's when income/profit will be generated.

Us oldies who use sites at off peak times do so at lower cost (often much lower) and simply help keep things ticking over probably at break even level on costs.

I did say core at these times not the few other peak weeks

Of course, but it appears that some, and maybe a large proportion of club site (some expensive) are doing very well anyway outside of school holidays. Yes I have no objection at all to the club trying its best to get even those last few pitches filled but not at the expense of putting up prices at 'peak' (ie school holidays) times like some commercials do. If the young are not 'exposed' to club sites and caravanning/MHing they won't think of doing later, or perhaps will believe the silly stories about life on site, or believe that COTY is a true reflection and not bother.

Also when is off peak? I don't think the term applies any more, there are just different prices at different times.

The chap next to us who hasn't left the site but has overloaded the bollard twice won't show much profit for the club. (He keeps forgetting his heating is on full apparently)

You'd think he'd know better with his 30 year sticker proudly displayed. 

In contrast the trailer tenting family without EHU paid quite a bit more and cost the club much less. 

Without access to the full figures it's not safe to assume anything about where the core business is. Certainly at the moment both groups are needed. 

Very true, on a non kids for a £1 site, having two children on a pitch in peak will boost income for that pitch alone by nearly 20%. Multiply that across the network for each two children pitch and it makes a big difference. maybe the club should look at attracting more families?