CL Sites

Location, location, location. Views and peace. Not worried about a bit of long grass (it soon flattens out) or whether it's been picked up, we carry a small lightweight plastic rake. Not that keen on manicured lawns & potted plants. Only during the winter months would we be looking for a hard standing & EHU. Best wishes. 

• We are caravaning on a shoestring so I'm afraid price is our first concern.
• Don't need any facilities.
• EHU
• Grass cuttings collected..
• How kind of you to ask what we like.

Looking good Pardon Hill Farm! Our kind of CL, you have some lovely reviews already. Wishing you all the best, you will be on our list for the future!

I would add that "security" is very important to us. A site needs to be too intimidating for the drive/ cycle past theft to "look in", so a remote site right by a road is now a "no-no", we know what has happened using such a site.

Far better set away from the road with access only past ideally the owners dwelling or place of activity. Bridleways and other public rights of way directly through the site is another worry.

It is nice to go out for the day when a site has low occupancy confident the van will not be broken into by an opportunity seeking thief.

Will let you know in November. We're booked in there for a week at the beginning of the month. Hope that it lives up to it's reviews.

Looks just what we look for in a CL.

Thanks for the enquiry.

Area first. Are you open all year. Arrival times. Hard standing and EHU essential. Nothing else really matters. Price of course as we see  some very unreasonable pricing now. Trust you are in the new CL section by now as booklet will be years appearing.

Fisherman - although this has been debated before, can you enlighten me by what you mean 'unreasonable'?  If I recall correctly, you look for EHU and H/S and a WC? 

I'm not aware of many CL's charging more than £20 for a pitch and I feel that if a CL is providing EHU or WC or H/S and charging less than £10 they are very likely making a loss and will eventually decide to close. 

In my opinion, a well-run CL in a reasonable location with level h/s, a clean WC and EHU should be charging at least £20 (in the Season) in order to cover their costs.  This is still less than many commercial or Club sites.

I now have some fairly robust data that might enlighten you (and others) on the real costs of running a CL.  This data is taken from at least half a dozen CL's across the country who have been good enough to share their costs with me.

Taking just one example, if you (like most) CL visitors expect the grass on a CL to be kept mown nicely, then the cost of running a decent ride-on mower (taking into account fuel, servicing and 10-year depreciation on a £5K investment) is around £800-£1000 per year.  And that's not counting the time taken by the owner to actually mow the CL. 

Here at Cholsey Grange, I am just considering adding Hardstandings, but the cost @ circa  £10,000 to provide decent-sized level H/S with an access road suitable for motorhomers (I have had to pull two off this week during my 'work time') will take a fair few years to pay back. The quotes may come in at less than £10K, but I'd be surprised if they are less than £6K.

If CL's are to remain a viable part of the CAMC Network, and be run to the expectations that most CT contributors expect (ie, a warm welcome, clean & tidy, good signage, local information, honest descriptions, photos on the CAMC pages etc. etc.) they must surely want to cover their costs, their time and make a few bob to make it worthwhile.  

Do join me at the AGM in Birmingham this Saturday to meet myself and some other CL owners. Alternatively, come and stay here at Cholsey Grange and I'll happily discuss this further over a pint! You can book online for next year!

In my opinion, a well-run CL in a reasonable location with level h/s, a clean WC and EHU should be charging at least £20 (in the Season) in order to cover their costs.

How is it then that an award winning CL, in an area of natural beauty that has H/S, a drinking water tap at each pitch & EHU, are able to charge this year just £11 pn, and next year, when there will also be drains at each pitch too intend to charge £12? Surely this is the sort of standard that other CL's should be aiming for.

I'm with Cholsey.  Sites that provide everything and charge nothing are either doing it because they enjoy it and money is secondary, or they will find out in a year or two that they aren't making any money.

Having said which, I'm always surprised by the amount that CMC main sites charge and get away with !