Hi
is it me or have the prices of pitches on the C&MC gone up massively (rediculously) high.
Am looking at next year and most places for 13 nights in July / August > £680.00 for 3 people
What do we get for our £59.00 membership fee, (not much looking at these prices), upto £60.00+ / night for three, thought it was bad paying £43.00 / night this year.
If you’re not CAMC members, and you want or have to stay at a Club site, you pay £10 pn more. (I haven’t checked if it’s increased recently.) So you get your membership back if you stay 6 nights (it used to be 4 nights to make it worth joining).
We choose our sites by location, and in some parts of Scotland there are only independent sites (I’m excluding CLs as there’s no independent comparison) & they’re as good or better than club sites & usually cheaper. But if you want to stay at Melrose, the only site in the area is CAMC.
No it's not just you, CAMC have lost the plot on being a members club for the benefit of members! I now liken them to Costco Wholesale whereby you pay a membership fee for the privilege of trading with them, not being a 'Club' in the traditional sense at all where members are valued, listened to, and reap benefit.
They are not even competitive with independent sites in many areas! Even some CLs are getting ridiculous on pitch fees, adopting the accumulative pricing structure which drives costs into silly areas (dog, awning and metered EHU at extra cost over already far from cheap basic pitch fees!), and costing more than nearby main club sites with their inclusive pricing!
CAMC seem to be losing members hand over fist on pricing if comments in various forums are to be believed, friends are also baulking at the worth of membership, not so much shooting themselves in the foot as machine gunning their feet off, such is their indifference to members! The number of 'discount' and 'reduced costs' they have introduced or reintroduced after initially dropping for this season may well be indicative of them having difficulty selling pitches! Seem to recall some announcement of them trying to reduce pitch costs for next season - we'll see!
The save £10/night as a member is really only a marketing con! Yes you can save the membership fee on a stay of only a few days, but the members price is hardly at a discount, it's a competitive market rate at best in most cases!
Comments have been made on their special members price discounts on a number of products being far in excess of what can be found on the open market if members make the effort to look and not fall for the marketing BS! - Try tyres, hard pressed to pay as MUCH as the 'members price' on the open market! Read the small print, the discount is ONLY on the basic tyre, the fitting, balancing, old tyre disposal charge etc. is at standard commercial rates, the real overall discount is only something like half the headline rate, and with one of the more expensive tyre suppliers - some favour for members!
For me, my membership is hanging on by the skin of it's teeth, mostly because I use one of their storage sites which is the most convenient for me, good insurance cover and some of the CLs that are still reasonable, plus one regular for me main site in the Lake District that is impossible to beat for it's location for my needs, and surprisingly does remain not extortionately expensive compared to other independents in the area.
They have developed a well deserved reputation for not listening to members, IMHO, they are at risk of membership 'churn' whereby they have no old long established members, only new ones who only stick for a year or two until they realise there is not a lot of real benefit to the club - then they really will not be listening to members!
As a 40 year member I have to say that I have no idea what club site prices are! I can't remember the last time I used one - most probably when they stopped giving free night vouchers for spending on their credit card! We use CL sites or independent sites; usually on farms/small-holdings. The main purpose of our membership has been Insurance initially car and van (no longer for the car) and Red Pennant for European travel.
The massive increase in price is the reason that I stopped my membership this year, independent sites can be just as good and can be half the price. They really are talking the P**S our of their members.
Take my advice and give them the message by voting with your feet and leaving, they will soon go back to looking after their members. We have been members since 1998, but no longer.
Quote: Originally posted by TrigGLX on 27/9/2023
Hi
is it me or have the prices of pitches on the C&MC gone up massively (rediculously) high.
Am looking at next year and most places for 13 nights in July / August > £680.00 for 3 people
What do we get for our £59.00 membership fee, (not much looking at these prices), upto £60.00+ / night for three, thought it was bad paying £43.00 / night this year.
need at look at cheaper options.
This is why we have given up our membership.....no real benefits to being a member, I could get mugged on any street corner!
We have been members for over 20 years and have used both main sites and CLs. Our biggest benefit has been Red Pennant, which has rescued us twice and helped us out with advice on a few other occasions. For us the "decline" is in the number of hard standing pitches (hate getting out onto gravel!) and the emphasis on motorhomes, glamping and so on, to the detriment of old-style caravanners.
We have now sold our UK based caravan (we have one stored in France) and are not renewing our membership.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
We gave up using club sites many years ago and saved a fortune. We now mainly use CLs and for longer breaks of 2 - 3 weeks we will use a commercial site even if it has a bar and restaurant on site.
We carefully choose the latter and have never had any issues plus far more facilities and a fully serviced pitch with water and waste water hookup the cost per night as been lower!
Quote: Originally posted by JoannaLesley on 28/9/2023
For us the "decline" is in … the emphasis on motorhomes, glamping and so on, to the detriment of old-style caravanners.
That’s a wee bit unfair. Not all of us can or want to tow something!
But it’s a reminder that CAMC sites usually don’t accept tents (which we used for 20 years before the MH), or may require people in tents to arrive on foot or bicycle, to a site where everyone else has a vehicle. That’s why we were CCC members first off & came late to CAMC.
Indeeed considering not renewing our membership for next year and trying commercial sites, which we have not done before but if the cost outways the diff, then will neeed to look at it.
Will be looking at area around Longleat, warminster, bath etc as was looking a going to longleat C & MC, but way over priced, just need somewhere nice, friendly etc where we can pitch the van for a reasonable price. p.s. not considering CL's etc. any offerings of sites very welcome.
Just paid £22.50 per night at New England Bay CAMC, nearest CL same price.
Laggan CL off A9 £24 per night plus metered electric no loo or shower - Culloden CAMC £26.20.
Our experience is Club sites aren't always more expensive than independent or CL sites. Of course depends on dates but always worth checking all three.
Quote: Originally posted by Dot P on 28/9/2023
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Our experience is Club sites aren't always more expensive than independent or CL sites. Of course depends on dates but always worth checking all three.
That is most certainly true of late, seem to have found a fair few CL's that are now MORE expensive than nearby all inclusive main club sites with better facilities! Doesn't mean the main sites are reasonably priced, just means some CL's are taking the P!
I like CL sites with their minimal set up, and generally prefer them, but not when they are trying to rob me!!!!!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Caravan and Motorhome Club
via mobile 27/9/2023 at 1:06pm
