hi, all,
just received an email from C&MC, about the new refurbishments on 3 club sites, namely, (Scarborough, Clumber Park, and Winchester) stating , brick built barbecue stands on some pitches with paved paths to them across the grass and to the water point, bike wash and dog wash points, bike maintenance sheds, plus other upgrades.
im sure some will welcome the upgrades, but does anyone else think this is a step too far, and how much has it all cost,
could the cost have been better used, by lowering the pitch prices? which is my view.
we cannot afford many club sites anymore, but remain members just for the CLs
Just a thought. The upgrades you mention sound like they are designed to last years. So the cost over all those years shared across all the pitches would only be pennies per pitch per day.
We stay in the Club for CL's, rallies and caravan insurance!
Site fees have got ridiculous and no longer offer value for money. The facilities you describe are, in my opinion, completely unnecessary and a complete waste of time and money!
Quote: Originally posted by Wendyhouse on 04/10/2022
Just a thought. The upgrades you mention sound like they are designed to last years. So the cost over all those years shared across all the pitches would only be pennies per pitch per day.
just done a test booking for next week at Scarborough, and the difference for one of the pitches with the upgrades, is £9 extra per night.
i know you dont have to use them if you dont want, but it must have cost the club (and us) a fortune to install them
I like the idea of the BBQ stands and both bike washes and dog washes get thumbs up from me.
We are beginning to see reduced prices too at some sites - just booked Culloden for £23 - following a night at a CL with no toilets or showers for £22. It does seem prices are being reduced albeit at a few sites in off peak times.
We recently return from Morn HIll, the Winchester site. They now have Premium Pitches which is a step up from a normal serviced pitch. They are larger and will eventually have some privacy when the hedges grow up. In addition to the usual hardstanding pitch they have a BBQ stand (as mentioned) and a picnic table. I think they cost something like another fiver on top of the usual service pitch. There were only two of this type of pitch on this site so the Club seem to be testing the water. For much of our stay they were empty but then at the weekend a camper van (VW style) plus a large awning used one of the pitches. Although I do sometimes use a service pitch I am not sure the extra fee is worthwhile as we don't BBQ.
A bike wash isn’t expensive to provide (just a hose & gully) & is welcome at sites where the local mountain biking routes are widely promoted (eg Lidalia (affiliated) site at Newcastleton, one of the “7 Stanes” network across S Scotland). But I’m not sure our dog would be impressed being hosed down with cold water as it doubles up as a dog wash. Nor is it particularly needed on every site.
I also know of several independent sites with BBQs provided but they’re not dedicated to specific pitches. One had them had several BBQs at an area of hardcore so it was a social communal area. And picnic tables are common in tent areas, usually you can move a table over to your pitch if you want it. But again, not necessarily expensive unless it’s fixed to a base.
What I’m saying is: some improvements are at little cost & others don’t need to be elitist ie only on the most expensive pitches that families may not be able to afford in current circumstances.
We like fully serviced pitches and prefer to use our own BBQ as it is smaller and would use less charcoal than a big BBQ. In addition I think they are a waste of space as most people will probably have their own BBQ.
I lived in sunny South Africa for awhile and BBQ stands next to pitches were hardly ever used unless it was a group of people using just the one.
Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 05/10/2022
We like fully serviced pitches and prefer to use our own BBQ as it is smaller and would use less charcoal than a big BBQ. In addition I think they are a waste of space as most people will probably have their own BBQ.
I lived in sunny South Africa for awhile and BBQ stands next to pitches were hardly ever used unless it was a group of people using just the one.
As a caravaner who favours the most basic of sites, CLs without showers/toilets suit me just fine, and modest and affordable pitch fees, I'm not at all sure I like the changing face of the CAMC. My van has every luxury and facility I need, it was carefully chosen for that, and I paid for those features so that I could be independent. In general, finding CAMC drifting towards 'Glamping' with 'Pods', 'Cabins', ready erected Yurts etc. on many sites, with the accompanying high prices, which also seem to be elevating ordinary pitch prices AND diminishing ordinary pitch numbers. They even have an offshoot company 'Experience Freedom' which runs these facilities. This is a very different customer base to campers as I'm sure many of us consider ourselves - In business there is a term for this, 'Mission Drift'! If they want to operate in that market, perhaps they should acquire separate sites to do so, and leave the 'caravan' sites alone!
I've got a dog, so potentially I 'could' use a dog wash, but just as likely to use a bucket of at least warm water (for both MY and the dog's comfort) back at my van to clean her up if necessary. I've even got an external shower on van if I really need it, but it's never been used in anger! Not interested in washing bikes, and probably couldn't be bothered with a communal charcoal BBQ, if I had the need/desire to BBQ, it'd be a gas one back at the van. Not sure I fancy a probably rowdy crowd (inevitably when people congregate they get loud!) gathering around a communal BBQ and disturbing the general peace of the site.
Of course that's my personal view point, but being a fairly sociable sort and often engaging with those around me on site, I don't find my views differing too far from a great many of my fellow campers, maybe the CAMC are not listening to 'us'!
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 05/10/2022
Of course that's my personal view point, but being a fairly sociable sort and often engaging with those around me on site, I don't find my views differing too far from a great many of my fellow campers, maybe the CAMC are not listening to 'us'!
Have the CMC ever listen to the opinions of their members before embarking on a change?
C&CC is going the same way: more ready-up tents (taking touring pitches), statics (quite cross at that one: Scone specifically is often fully booked for tourers but they put statics onto previous touring pitches & they’ve all been empty on our visits). And converting grass tent pitches to hardstand for caravans or MHs.
But in fairness, at least we can still camp on club sites. We can all name independent campsites that have gone over totally to statics or lodges.
hi , Monty, yes i agree with all that,
just a point though, the brick built barbecue stands, i mentioned are on your own pitch ,and not communal ones, as i understand it
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Topic: C&MC, updates a step too far ?
via mobile 04/10/2022 at 6:26pm
