What Would a UK Club Type Aire Look Like

The club can only be inclusive to its members, not to all different types of touring.

These members join voluntary and then decide to go to club sites again by choice. What is offered is clearly laid out, times to book in, times to leave. Really if anyone joins (and re-joins) and then decides by choice not to use part of the site, or part of the day, it's their choice. If one's touring type or style rather doesn't fit in then why pay to join and use club sites? 

At present no one member's outfit is excluded in anyway, everyone is offered the same and that is inclusion. 

When we joined the CAMC back in the early 1980’s, the Club had a network of smaller basic, no frills sites, that catered excellently for those who had and used their own facilities, regardless of what kind of outfit you had. They were safe, pretty, quiet, easy to use, and most operated on a basic one price for all basis. Not always busy granted, but they did get more busy with the introduction of hook ups in some areas, around the late 1990’s. Back then users were primarily caravans, so needing public transport, location wasn’t much of an issue. Two decades on, and these have all but disappeared, and are now subject to the same dynamic pricing. Few of them ever had any kind of upgrade money allocated to them, and Club members fell out of love with them for various reasons.

There simply won’t be enough Members who tour like this in the Club any more. That’s why Club Sites offer the facilities that they do, the set up is geared around the Club’s biggest market share, and the prices reflect this. Nothing wrong with that if it keeps the Club solvent. But they are very unlikely to move away from provision that is popular and keeps the money rolling in. I asked about the demise of these small sites a few years ago, at AGM. The answer was, use CLs.

All CCP sites supply 6 amp electricity and most have wifi included in the price.  We have never found a site with metered electricity.  As a business model it works really well for the company, the site owners and is very popular with camping-car users.  

LLM,  Thanks for putting that right - no wonder the CCP model is popular. 

The ultimate model (in my view) would be to follow the CCP method of operation but being realistic, I doubt the Club are likely to adopt that approach.

As a halfway measure, I would like to see the current ANPR entry and exit trial adopted across the network so that reception blocks and associated staffing can then be eliminated. 

I would also suggest that when sites are redeveloped, more all weather pitches are put in with less spacing so that a larger number of MHs and campervans can be accommodated.  This would be particularly useful for adding capacity to locations which frequently get fully booked.

Another change I would like to see is to have the option of using any pitch - apart from maybe fully serviced pitches - without EHU, not just economy pitches.

These changes would be a start and would go some of the way to reflect how modern MHs are being used for touring. 

ANPR, yes please as it will speed up booking in and ingress and exit for outfits, however not getting rid of staff in the office. How many posts have there been about staff not being on reception duties due to cleaning.

with less spacing so that a larger number of MHs and campervans can be accommodated.

So your approach is to increase the risk of fire spreading? You're happy with that? Have you seen the horrific photographs of fires on club sites with the current 6m spacing and what happens to neighbouring outfits? The 6m rule/guideline is there for a reason, given by fire services and/or local rules and I think is a condition of insurance for sites. 

Well the metering solution might become the norm but not in the foreseeable future. 

So keep costs down by getting rid of staff or wardens, the one aspect that numerous review praise? Perhaps the one aspect that draws in people to club sites?

Also again not very inclusive to all members. 

But again why change club sites to suit what you (I assume) want to the detriment of others, including by the way, current MH users who use club sites in vast numbers?

Why not find such sites as you describe and use them? Why does it have to be a club site? 

I'm all for using the CCP model it works brilliantly, but that requires top notch IT and CAMC have proven time and again that that is not exactly their strong point; plus CCP operate 24/7.  Their system is superbly customer focused and proactive.  I can't imagine CAMC becoming anywhere near that.  

I'm not keen on ANPR, expensive and quite unnecessary if you have a RFID membership card.  

CCP and Club sites are two different things of course. As far as I can see many of the CCP sites have taken over redundant campsites, usually previous municipal sites. Club sites are still well used and with the majority there would be no incentive to change things. I accept in time this could change but currently I don't see that happening. If you introduced sites without staff I think that would alienate a large proportion of current site users. People often use Club sites because they have a sense of security. 

As an aside I have just been watching a video on East West Rail. When they build these large infrastructure projects they always build temporary compounds to house offices and catering for the workmen. These compounds are often near villages and it wouldn't take a lot of imagination to convert these into motorhome aires once the work is complete? You might have to accept trains running nearby.

David

GE, with CAMC closing a few sites at the end of this season, you might want to suggest the club turns them into your model aire sites instead.

I suppose those sites aren’t where you want them…….

Latest announcement from Club……..four more sites are closing for good. RIP Nunnykirk and Bromyard Downs, I don’t know the other two, but suspect they are similar. Another two at least of the basic sites I mentioned previously. They will have been too remote for a lot of folks, but for many a great overnight stop location as well as beautiful locations.