Club Sites vs Independent sites , are we missing out ?

[pelican]

West Sussex Campsite | 5 Star Luxury Caravan Site Chichester

Caravan, camping & safari lodges with hotel standard facilities in South Downs National Park. 5 star campsite in West Sussex near Chichester & Wittering

www.conciergecamping.co.uk

So is there a concierge. Seems strange to take you own unit and then use onsite tents and huts.
Now't as queer as folk. Just aswell stay at home!

 

[Bill-H]

I’m always surprised by people thinking you can run a campsite and only charge £20 a night in the uk, if you can, go for it but don’t expect to make any money!

There's a group on Faceache for 'UK sites under £10' and it has many sites listed which fit the criteria. Very basic sites indeed, but there for the finding.
Quite often a field is all I need.

 

[chaser]

We are members of both clubs, we use their main sites mostly in off season, Melrose, Ayr, Moffat, Stonehaven etc, all in towns with great restaurants and easy bus travel.

In peak season we are likely to be abroad using a mix of municipal and Camping Car Park aires, totally different proposition to the uk.

We also use Cl/Cs sites, Crieff is great for visiting Perth etc and pubstopovers, our favourite being the Fat Lamb in Yorkshire.

For us it’s horses for courses, we will pay ( within reason) what we need to , to be where we want to be. We are looking at Swiss sites for next year which are eye watering!

I’m always surprised by people thinking you can run a campsite and only charge £20 a night in the uk, if you can, go for it but don’t expect to make any money!

As I have already explained but perhaps you missed it.
I have land , I rent it out to a young guy trying to get into farming for grazing sheep, now I charge him £50an acre for the year.
Ok so I make £50 a year.
Now if I wanted to let it out to campervans at just £10 a night and 5 turned up the first night , that's it I have made as much in one night as I do for a year now.
One night and I can shut up shop and go back to grazing again, this is at a tenner.
Now if I charged£50 a night I would only need I van for one night and I can close down.
Same for every farm.
If you had 10 vans at £50 a night that's 500 quid, I could retire for the year

 

[scotjimland]

For us it's all about location, location, location..

no matter whether it's a commercial , CMC site, or farm CL .. if it's where we want to be that 's where we go.. within reason .. but I think £60 is OTT .. my ceiling is £45

Not fussed about having EHU and facilities, can do without, but nice to have.

This year we are having 14 nights in Bala , Glanllyn Caravan Park, a lake side commercial site , 16A EHU , Toilets, Showers etc .. hard standing

Chose this as it is on the lakeside, with a sandy beach , so great for swimming, canoeing and has safe cycle path into Bala .

Two adults and one dog.. £37 per night ... £518 in total

so to answer the question.. no, not missing out , there is no right or wrong.. go where it suits you ..

 

[Coolcats]

I’ve booked 4 weeks on concierge all August, it’s £65 a night for under 8m August, you skinflints can camp in the gutter where you belong, we’ll be hobnobbing with the toffs, I’ve heard it’s great can’t wait.
31 nights at £65 a night is £2015, it’s only brass as we say in Yorkshire, tha cant tek it wi thi

Nice one, still a lot cheaper than an air B&B don’t understand why folks complain about paying to stay on a site but guess we are all different

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[Langtoftlad]

As I have already explained but perhaps you missed it.
I have land , I rent it out to a young guy trying to get into farming for grazing sheep, now I charge him £50an acre for the year.

Too simplistic
How much is your time worth, making reservations, being around for arrivals
What about provision and maintenance of a fresh water supply
Are you providing an elsan, does that have to be licenced
Public liability insurance
Marketing & affiliation costs
Tax on these mega earnings.

 

[chaser]

Too simplistic
How much is your time worth, making reservations, being around for arrivals
What about provision and maintenance of a fresh water supply
Are you providing an elsan, does that have to be licenced
Public liability insurance
Marketing & affiliation costs
Tax on these mega earnings.

If I had to pay 50% tax on it I would have to open two nights

 

[carolyn]

Stayed 3 nights at Cofton park in Dawlish the other week, £52 total (including electricity) with ACSI, £88 without. Very good value for a really nice site!

We stayed there a few weeks ago. Couldn’t believe it was still in the ACSI book. Fantastic walks, on the bus route. Walking distance to the ferry across to Exmouth. Would imagine it’s very noisy in the school holidays with all those facilities but great in term time.

 

[Ernesto]

As I have already explained but perhaps you missed it.
I have land , I rent it out to a young guy trying to get into farming for grazing sheep, now I charge him £50an acre for the year.
Ok so I make £50 a year.
Now if I wanted to let it out to campervans at just £10 a night and 5 turned up the first night , that's it I have made as much in one night as I do for a year now.
One night and I can shut up shop and go back to grazing again, this is at a tenner.
Now if I charged£50 a night I would only need I van for one night and I can close down.
Same for every farm.
If you had 10 vans at £50 a night that's 500 quid, I could retire for the year

I guess the issue is - if it's that simple and that valuable, why aren't there thousands of 5 vehicle campsites charging £10 a night ? How could such an easy source of money be so overlooked?

 

[chaser]

I guess the issue is - if it's that simple and that valuable, why aren't there thousands of 5 vehicle campsites charging £10 a night ? How could such an easy source of money be so overlooked?

No idea mate, in my case I am unsociable,they tell me and don't want folks traipsing about. And I want to keep my place as it always has been.
But for people who have already gone down that road you would think they could be a bit reasonable.

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[manners]

I don’t think so. We’ve just paid £1523 for 3 nights in August in the Cotswolds, admittedly a 3 bed house, but I was shocked at the prices

That's not really renting, its more like hiring short term. We rent out a couple of properties one being a three bedroom house, which we get £26.30 per day gross. Makes me wish we bought a field and put a tap and elsan in it.

We've also just booked a small independent on a farm near Carsington Water £12.50 per night.

 

[starquake]

That's not really renting, its more like hiring short term. We rent out a couple of properties one being a three bedroom house, which we get £26.30 per day gross. Makes me wish we bought a field and put a tap and elsan in it.

Someone locally done the 1acre + tap + elsan route, it's £10 a night. I've never seen it empty, not a single night.
He also runs a coffee stall on the site by a layby on same field and has regular trade on that too. He doesn't offer electricity at all as the site doesn't even have a socket.

Based on it's use he's making > £60 a day on the field alone.

Shows that some of these sites could be a lot cheaper if they didn't have the electricity.

 

[EuroTrotters]

It's in the photo you posted, about £170, so a near £50 discount which is close enough the membership paid for.
(the member price is listed as well as the non member). In general you are better being a member on a single 1-2 week stay.

I have no idea on non UK residents joining it (as am resident), but you need to be a member of CACC to use their excellent value THS and Rally sites, of which there are hundreds most weekends, and these are priced per unit not per person, and don't even appear on their website (you use an app which requires the login to display the THS list). The THS sites are £15 per unit per night to £20 range. ie, no per person. yes, it's just a field with water, waste and elsan, but thats all we need, and you are usually allowed to camp so setup chairs, awnings, tends etc.

I mentioned this post to my wife.

She said when we stayed at the Milau site August 2023, we did not have ACSI camping card. However, they let us stay for €14 a night.

But the Bakewell (Youlgrave) site . With no toilets or showers still stand at almost twice the cost of the Millau site I quoted with fully serviced pitches, bar pool etc

 

[starquake]

I mentioned this post to my wife.

She said when we stayed at the Milau site August 2023, we did not have ACSI camping card. However, they let us stay for €14 a night.

Yeah thats the thing with the club sites, you not a member they add I think it is 10 to 15 quid a night on for the pleasure of not being members.

We are off to France on Friday and ahem we don't have a ACSI card. I don't think we'll bother with that given many sites don't offer discounts in the period we in France.

 

[Frogbad]

We belong to both of the clubs, but still use independent sites. If it's a nice campsite in a nice location then it doesn't matter to us who owns it. The price of belonging to both clubs just gives us more flexibility and choice when we are planning our road trips especially with CLs. We also benefit from the various discounts at shops and services.

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[Lenny HB]

We are off to France on Friday and ahem we don't have a ACSI card. I don't think we'll bother with that given many sites don't offer discounts in the period we in France.

If you need one you can download the digital version and it's valid for a year from then.

 

[Coolcats]

Someone locally done the 1acre + tap + elsan route, it's £10 a night. I've never seen it empty, not a single night.
He also runs a coffee stall on the site by a layby on same field and has regular trade on that too. He doesn't offer electricity at all as the site doesn't even have a socket.

Based on it's use he's making > £60 a day on the field alone.

Shows that some of these sites could be a lot cheaper if they didn't have the electricity.

They probably take less than the state pension.

 

[L' Hobo]

They probably take less than the state pension.

That's okay isn't it, as long as they don't exceed their personal allowance.

 

[Coolcats]

That's okay isn't it, as long as they don't exceed their personal allowance.

Think people want to live on more less than half the living wage

 

[L' Hobo]

Think people want to live on more less than half the living wage

I agree but, a number of years ago, I knew a couple where the housewife had only worked briefly, because of the age difference,( he was much older and a retired Accountant,) combined, they could still run a small business.
Don't ask me how but they were never short of cash?

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[Pausim]

I agree but, a number of years ago, I knew a couple where the housewife had only worked briefly, because of the age difference,( he was much older and a retired Accountant,) combined, they could still run a small business.
Don't ask me how but they were never short of cash?

Brinks Mat?

 

[Wendo55]

This is a screenshot from an email link I got a couple of weeks ago.
The offer is for 2 nights!
BUT it is for the last week of the season in October.
£3 a night with ehu!

 

[Wendo55]

Sorry, pic went on twice.

 

[chaser]

View attachment 1073626View attachment 1073626
This is a screenshot from an email link I got a couple of weeks ago.
The offer is for 2 nights!
BUT it is for the last week of the season in October.
£3 a night with ehu!

Haven and parkdean , cracking value in low season, shows what can be done.

 

[hja]

View attachment 1073626View attachment 1073626
This is a screenshot from an email link I got a couple of weeks ago.
The offer is for 2 nights!
BUT it is for the last week of the season in October.
£3 a night with ehu!

Yes, but grass in October?

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[Coolcats]

I agree but, a number of years ago, I knew a couple where the housewife had only worked briefly, because of the age difference,( he was much older and a retired Accountant,) combined, they could still run a small business.
Don't ask me how but they were never short of cash?

Lottery winners is my guess

 

[starquake]

Think people want to live on more less than half the living wage

If the field was their only business yes. But the reality is they are on there anyway during day (small cafe on a road) so taking the payments for campers is effectively free, and they may sell some coffee and breakfasts to the campers (they apparently do quite well out of this).

They have also got a pumpkin patch on a adjacent field and a fishing course, both of which the same hut takes payment for.

I mean I'm not one to judge, but it does seem more than a minimum wage endeavour considering they are hiring people for all the above as well as the campsite.

I think anyone thinking a single campsite works is right, probably won't pay, but when you combined with the other elements of the business such as fishing it probably does pay more than passing the farm few acres onto a neighbouring farm to farm at £40 a year.

And I agree with you entirely btw that if they had to pay someone to come take payments daily that would be a cost they would have to bear. However the uniqueness of having the cafe before the camping makes it work quite well I think.

 

[starquake]

Yes, but grass in October?

They have been known to put you on hardstanding when the Grass is unviable. At no extra cost. Not guaranteed of course, but ahem it's happened to us.

 

[VXman]

Yes, I am not a member any more. Only CAMC.

However, what is the price with membership please ?.

Is it easy or are non UK residents allowed to join C&CC?.

Not sure where you got £231 from? Is that 7 nights? One night in 'Bakewell' C&CC for 2 people in August is £37.25 member £29.80 non member. Membership is £53. Don't see why someone from out of the UK couldn't join.

We are touring the Balkans at the min and some of the pn charges are eye watering without the use of ACSI. A number of sites in Croatia currently are €60, with ACSI €30. Peak season over €120, no discount. Nice site with pool, restaurant etc but still a bit much.

Arrived in Bosnia yesterday and stayed at a nice riverside site which has ACSI advertised. It was €36 inc tax. The owner explained they had an agreement with ACSI that they did not have to offer discounts. The reason being it’s so much cheaper on his site than anywhere in Spain and France, something being from the UK we would understand!!

Personally I can’t wait to get back to France with all their expensive sites!!!

Yes Croatia is expensive nowadays - and not just the campsites. Bosnia however - we never paid more than 10 euros in 2023. I'm sure it hasn't changed that much. Didn't use ACSI sites though - just small independents.

 

[Tonks]

I use independent sites as well as CL/CS and Club sites. I also use pop up sites, event spots and free sites.
Last year my most expensive night was on an indie site at £30pn (This year the same site was £43pn, so quite a steep increase, but it was very handy for the event I was attending and still much cheaper than other accommodation nearby.)
The cheapest night I paid for was a C&CC site at £18.40pn, followed by a 'pop up site' at £19pn.
My 2024 average cost per night was £12.61 which I think was pretty good value!

This year to date my average cost per night is £10.55, with my most expensive night being £43pn, and my cheapest 'paid for' night £7.75pn. Both indie sites. So far this year I've stayed only on indie sites, events or free stops. Currently, my first Club site booking of the year isn't until September. Which does make me wonder whether to renew my membership next year. But overall, it's good to have options.

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