CL Price Rises

We also rarely use club sites now, and if we do it's usually the no facility sites. I am still working but we like to have quite a few weekends away as well as our main holidays, and we wouldn't be able to get away any where near as much if we used club sites at their prices or even using some CL'S which have increased their prices enormously.

We regularly use a CL with metered EHU and so we know how much electricity we use, even on our last visit it averaged out at under £2 per day without using the heating. For a CL to charge an extra £5 per night to cover the cost of electricity in the summer is a bit excessive in my opinion 🤔 

We have just had 9 nights away, first CL was non ehu at £12 pn but it was in the Cotswold's, second site in Somerset, huge almost level grass pitch with EHU, masses of space, fabulous view, water tap, good CDP, nice pub just down the road all for £14pn. 🙂  So there are still some excellent sites at reasonable prices out there.

Space, and peace and quiet is top of our list, after location, don't need HS, toilets, showers or even electric now we have fixed the fridge so it works on gas! 🤣

We have just had 9 nights away, first CL was non ehu at £12 pn but it was in the Cotswold's, second site in Somerset, huge almost level grass pitch with EHU, masses of space, fabulous view, water tap, good CDP, nice pub just down the road all for £14pn. 🙂 So there are still some excellent sites at reasonable prices out there.

We are on a CL at the moment, hard standing, EHU,  at £12 per night, and it also has a farm shop which well their own icecream!!😀 There are certainly still bargain sites out there. 

BTW which CL did use use in Somerset, Helen?

It’s very interesting to read the comments on CLs, the pricing and what facilities different members prefer.

In our early days of caravaning most small sites just had CDP and if you were very lucky one toilet. As caravans developed, out went the gas mantles, toilet buckets, and cooler boxes and in came more electrical appliances. This resulted in the demand for sites to provide EHU, with some sites taking it further and providing a shower as well as a toilet. Obviously the cost of providing and maintaining these facilities must be covered by the pitch prices.

What really amuses me is that we have reached the point where units are so well equipped that some owners now just want a field with CDP.   Back to the future.

What really amuses me is that we have reached the point where units are so well equipped that some owners now just want a field with CDP

I think that has always been the case with those that have well equipped vans and are prepared to use them.

peedee

Agree Nevers, back when we started you were ruddy glad to have a tap rather than a foot pump, and then the revelation of a working shower, inside your van! I can remember our friends coming round to use our onboard shower, and making sure next van they got had the same. EHU was the price changer, once the bollards went in, then vans became miniature houses with all mod cons, TV’s, fridges, hot plates, microwaves, etc….. no longer simple, cheap camping.

Things for many are going full circle, but a whole lot easier to do nowadays. 😁

A lot of discussion has taken place since I first posted 2 weeks ago.

Just to add another massive hike in a cl price.

2019 a new cl with ehu and water hook plus drain opened not to many miles from me and it took my interest because it was near to friends. It started life at £18 per night and we said we would book on sometime. Obviously 2020 took a hit because of Covid and in late 2020 after lockdown we decided to try to book on. Looking at their entry on the club website there was a bold headline stating, "This cl is not taking any bookings until further notice". I have checked back periodically only to find the same notice.

Just tonight I have checked again and it has reopened on the 15th June this year so we would go to book on. The new price is now £25 per night. So we haven't.

The cl only opened 3 years ago and had been closed for at least half of that time so I find it unexplainable as to the reason for such a massive 39% increase. All facilities are the same.

Harry, I can see a scenario where they had a certain period in which to recoup their outlay before starting to make a small profit, say 3 - 5 years.

Obviously Covid put paid to Plan A and maybe now they are under pressure to repay any money they borrowed to start the project so Plan B is to charge more and hope customers turn up.

It would have to be special to get away with that price tag particularly if it has competition at a lower price but there may be a genuine reason for the hike, in their view at least. Best let the market decide if it's reasonable or not.

While I agree it is an increase (and 39% sounds large but in money terms it's just an extra £7 per night) but why does it need explaining? It's an independent business and that's the price the owner wants to balance the books and/or make a profit according to some (I assume) business plan and it either attracts people or not. 

It would appear that CL prices are going up as club prices are, if more and more people want to use them then prices will go up? 

Yep, supply and demand.

As the demand for CLs increases, so the prices will rise.

It is there staring us in the face-we are in an unprecedented time of rising costs. No one is immune from these rises & business owners are facing rises as are we. I’m thinking that they have it worse & an easy way to lose the added burden(if it becomes a loss) is to drop it/close it. Then there are less of them which creates TW’s supply & demand-less supply=more demand that creates even higher charges. If we want these CL’s to be there then we pay a decent rate. It’s sad to see them pressured to deliver more for less. It’s a mutual benefit that deserves support.