CL charges - they have to be kidding. (2 Viewers)

[cornish boy]

We own some land in Cornwall which is currently farmed by a friend. I often think about a CL/CS but to be honest, it doesn't matter which way I work the investment figures, it just don't stack up.

A CL gives 5 pitches, if you charged the hugely excessive fee of £10 per pitch/night (!), thats only £50/night, £350/week at full capacity.

There is significantly more money to be made putting up stables and letting it as horse paddocks.

Shame I don't like horses!

 

[GWAYGWAY]

you are sucked in by the adverts as well then, £29 / night yeah right

Sunday night in some black hole maybe, supply and demand applies, we use PI and have paid nearly £100, typically double the £29 they lead with

Yes a bit like some unpopular field in the back of beyond really. better they are the more they charge.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Begs the question - why do landowners set up a CL/CS if it's not really very profitable, or other options could be more so?

 

[GWAYGWAY]

so no electric welding then

I was looking at the EHU posts at my friends CL and the circuit breakers were 32Amp!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF is he allowing to be fitted there my welding plant/compressor/ plasma cutter, takes that,

 

[gus-lopez]

At the right time you can get a Premier Inn room for less that the price of a site.
How do you justify charging a lot for an empty field on a CL site?

£19 Gatwick January 16th

Our neighbours in Spain (I know it's not the UK) have installed all the above and offer free WIFI also for the price of €7 + €3 for leccy. They don't know whether raising their rate will lose them business so it's a dilemma for them. The rate has been the same since 2011 and some people still complain. I expect they pay far more in their home countries for a similar service.

The trouble with the UK is all the prices, expenses , taxes ,etc; have got completely out of hand.

As a matter of interest, is it a 16amp EHU?

I have only 12A in my house. & yes I weld along with everything else running.

How about I come and stay on your driveway, I will need somewhere to empty my liquid and solid waist, I will need fresh water and electricity, I presume that your drive is in and area of outstanding beauty and you have to let the authorities know and paid any extra taxes etc.
I don't mind paying for my stay, I'll give you a tenner for your trouble....

Excellent . how many nights ? Current exchange rate, with funster discount, is £1=1,50€

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[MattR]

My preference is for a quiet flat pitch. Water would be nice. Maybe blackwaste drainage but not essential. How much for that per night?

 

[SteveB123]

This afternoon I was browsing a friend's C&MC sites book and noticed one particular CL charging £10 or £12 plus an additional charge for an awning!

That can't be normal, surely?

I thought CSs and CLs were supposed to be basic low cost - spare bit of land on a farm.

I think I'm going to regret taking my 2017 trip in the UK instead of my usual French bimble.
I was half thinking of using CLs and CSs but maybe not.

£10 is low cost

 

[buttons]

£19 Gatwick January 16th

The trouble with the UK is all the prices, expenses , taxes ,etc; have got completely out of hand.

I have only 12A in my house. & yes I weld along with everything else running.

Excellent . how many nights ? Current exchange rate, with funster discount, is £1=1,50€

Here I am attempting to keep him in the UK and you come up with this

 

[Landy lover]

We have a few friends who have CL's

Costs they have to incur before opening
Grass cutting - must be kept to an acceptable level and done with a grass collecting mower. so take into account labour, fuel, maintenance, repairs etc.
Insurance - public liability at least
EHU - cost of provision, maintenance, repairs, certification and of course the electricity and many will make sure that everything that can be is run on EHU.
Septic Tank - cost of provision, maintenance, emptying etc.
Water - most commercial properties are metered
Many provide a toilet and possibly a shower.

Take that lot into account and you need a profit on your investment. Then think you are open and on duty for up to 365 days per year if you can overage one occupancy for each of those days you will be lucky , more likely you will average 20% occupancy for about 12 weeks

I often wonder why some CL's invest. I know a near neighbour of mine had one. Was sensibly priced and had a reasonable amount of interest. One couple came on for a fortnights holiday with the family large tent had a lovely time for a week then the husband had a heart problem - my neighbour being a good soul ran him to A&E arranged for someone to look after the kids. Took the wife to see him every day. Eventually they were there for about 6 weeks. Inspector came round due to a 'complaint' and revoked his licence. He shut the site on the spot and has never bothered since.

We looked at opening a 5 CL as we have a spare 3/4 acre - no way would it be worth while

 

[Madcaravanner]

Obviously length of stay is a factor but the cost of crossing the channel pays for a fair few nights on sites.

Errr not really we will be paying absolutely NOTHING for our Chunnel crossing thanks to careful buying from the big T

and as long as people pay the higher prices some places charge then those of us who have been around for years and think they are over priced may grumble but nothing will change as long as the proprietors get their money just don't mention Glamping where thy charge a fortune to sleep in a garden shed

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[cookie]

We occasionly stay on a cl. 6 quid a night wirh water and waste. Owner makes a good profit.

It is possible if the owner isn't greedy

 

[Reallyretired]

Used to stay on CLs many years ago and they were good value then. Unfortunately many started putting in ehu and put up their charges.
The whole point as I saw it was that they were not sites and so didn't attract the undesirables that so commonly appear on sites these days.( which to grumpy me basically means anyone with children with bikes). Once they started putting in facilities they were competing with sites and so with only 5 pitches it was difficult to show a profit.

 

[Ivory55]

I guess it depends on what returns they expect on their money. Some people have high expectations, but as wages have dropped, interest rates are low , what % returns

 

[Charlie]

Nothing to do with being grumpy.

CL and CS operators are running businesses not some sort of free public service. It's entirely up to them how much they charge, not up to their customers to dictate to them.

The fact that they have their pricing set at a particular level suggests that enough people are happy with the cost to make the business viable. Whether or not other people think it's too expensive doesn't matter one little bit.

Have to agree....

It amazes me how many who own expensive vehicles complain about what are after all small charges... Or use Aires because it saves a few quid.

 

[crabman]

i did mostly wild camping, the Aires I did stay in were expensive and not the best I would expect for my money, I wanted dancing girls some topless, full breakfast served with a nice bit of totty dressed in a French maids outfit with a short dress and garters, and pay no more the 20 Euro's, if anyone knows of such a place let me know quick I leave the dragon at home

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[Ivory55]

As I have said before a lot of people might have a motor home that costs a few bob but might not have a lot of spending money. It could of been paid for with redundancy, lump sum pension, equity release. This would pay for it , but their spending power is still the same.

 

[Ex-caravantugger]

What's the difference between a farmer's field and a CL ?
About fifteen quid a night. Boom......boom.

 

[MattR]

Have to agree....

It amazes me how many who own expensive vehicles complain about what are after all small charges... Or use Aires because it saves a few quid.

Not always expensive vans and not always small charges. It kind of defeats the object of my kind of motorhoming to have all of the facilities on-board and then pay again for using or, in our case, not using site facilities. We can survive very happily for 2-3 days without any external services ... so just want a flat quiet pitch. No ehu required. Fortunately, there are still a few places near us where we can do that.

 

[Mi58ck]

I know of one that has drinking water and Elsan point ..............£5 a night

 

[rod_vw]

Have you looked how much it costs to install a septic tank, run armoured cable for the hookups etc etc? Not to mention the cost of electric..

Why have either on a CL? Adding these make it into a campsite.

Keep these places basic like an Aire after all we see plenty of folks wanting British Aires and I guess willing to pay a fiver or so for the privilege.

OR as above boycott Britain's grabbing site owners and go to France etc.

Rod

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[Langtoftlad]

Errr not really we will be paying absolutely NOTHING for our Chunnel crossing thanks to careful buying from the big T

That's just kidology accounting - of course you paid for your tunnel crossing .
You've paid by shopping at Tesco, those loyalty points ain't free you know .
Had you not 'spent' them on the Chunnel fare you could have spent them on all manner of other "freebies".
In any case not everyone has the " opportunity" to shop at Tesco, or spend enough there to get sufficent points.

 

[Larrynwin]

Why have either on a CL? Adding these make it into a campsite.

Keep these places basic like an Aire after all we see plenty of folks wanting British Aires and I guess willing to pay a fiver or so for the privilege.

OR as above boycott Britain's grabbing site owners and go to France etc.

Rod

Some like to dump their waste and at £10/12 a night not expensive.

 

[Lenny HB]

As I have said before a lot of people might have a motor home that costs a few bob but might not have a lot of spending money. It could of been paid for with redundancy, lump sum pension, equity release. This would pay for it , but their spending power is still the same.

Yep, our van is paid for out of our capital which is effectively our life savings. Use of the van is funded by our pensions .
Changed to Motorhome from tugging in 2008 within the first year we stopped bothering with the UK too expensive. Don't like the current trend with CL's CS's of charging 15 quid a night with EHU and no reduction if you don't want EHU.

 

[sedge]

A lot more CLs these days, you only pay for the electricity you actually use - as you should do really. Personally I have absolutely no objection to that whatsoever - handy to have in case you want to use it BUT I do object to them charging X £ a night, for something that we may only use £1's worth of, over a weekend. If we were to use £50 worth then of course it's the opposite - but we don't - most likely can't - do that at home even, so we'd be hard pressed to do it in the Moho.

Have to say, I did object to someone going out in their car all day whilst staying at Minehead CC site one winter - and leaving a radiant elec heater on in their caravan awning - so I complained to the site warden. B ridiculous and taking the hiss frankly. It was exceedingly cold and yes, you'd definitely want the van to be warm when you got back, but .....

Anyway he agreed it must be a fire hazard, so in order to check it's safety, he felt free to go into their awning - and deciding it must be an accident - turned it off for them! Sadly the DG in the moho side windows prevented us hearing what he said to them that evening when he called to have a chat LOL

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Meanwhile,back at the ranch. CL in Norfolk,booking 2-3 years in advance,was £15 p/night when we stayed 3 years ago. EHU/Toilet empty point,one shower,and.......Sea View to die for,peace and quiet,two minute flat walk across a field and down a quiet small town road into the High street ? NO,make that, High Lane,that runs from the harbour up to the top of the town.
Just back home from 3 Free nights "Wild camping" (Wild? YES,we played.....Snap!) at Praia de Mira (Local to us) Four of us there two nights,last night eleven,you could get 25 units in easy.While there,we talked about really nice sites to stay on in England,the above was in the top three .
Supply and demand,the only CL with the above in the area, there is a Private site nearby,(Arm and a leg dearer) that is making the big touring area smaller and increasing statics (As is happening in parts of France). There are other CL's.CS's within ten miles from where the sea is a 15 minute hike through fields and no views,and they cost £12 p/night,with no shower.
Yes,we do have a shower in the unit and a Loo that we use,i don't care if we are never able to sell it on due to useing the shower and the loo. As regards the shower,sometimes we are on holiday when my annual shower falls due and as for the loo,when you have got to go,you have got to go.
Some people shop at Waitroses others at B&M Bargains,its just the way things are valued by different folk.
Tea Bag.
PS. Next time we Wild camp i am going for it and taking........Scrabble!!

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[sdc77]

As were sort of between houses our van has been on a CL since November. £10 a night with 16amp electric .. water and waste ...
It's a good deal... but it's not a hard standing and we're the highest point for miles so we get all the weather..
There is one closer to work with a hard standing.. 13 quid a night and no electric..
Our choice ..

 

[lorger]

To be fair, you started with the grumpiness ...
What everyone forgets (or ignores the inconvenience) is that England is a small crowded island in comparison to France or Spain. Land prices are notably higher which equates to higher site prices.
Obviously length of stay is a factor but the cost of crossing the channel pays for a fair few nights on sites.
Each to his/her own - beauty of Motorhoming, so much choice of where to go, where to stop and how much you want to pay.

You learn something new everyday, never realised England was an island .

 

[Gromett]

Why have either on a CL? Adding these make it into a campsite.
Rod

Because there is demand for such facilities. I won't stop at a CL that doesn't have water, waste and hookup.
Not bothered about a shower block as I use the facilities in my own van. Remember not having EHU means you are cutting off more than half your market as pretty much all caravanners want a hookup and I would say more than half of all motorhomers do..

 

[peterc10]

Have to agree....

It amazes me how many who own expensive vehicles complain about what are after all small charges... Or use Aires because it saves a few quid.

I do not use Aires because they save a few quid. I use them because they are closer to what we want to visit, or because they are nice and quiet. I have nothing against campsites, but see little point in using them when I am not going to use the facilities.

 

[chaser]

This afternoon I was browsing a friend's C&MC sites book and noticed one particular CL charging £10 or £12 plus an additional charge for an awning!

That can't be normal, surely?

I thought CSs and CLs were supposed to be basic low cost - spare bit of land on a farm.

I think I'm going to regret taking my 2017 trip in the UK instead of my usual French bimble.
I was half thinking of using CLs and CSs but maybe not.

Afraid I havnt read all this thread so this might have been mentioned but if you get the ccc magazine and look at the blue and orange edged pages at the back , you will find meets and temporary holiday sites that any member can use and they are mostly less than a tenner a night.

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