Brits are ditching staycations: campsites too expensive

[PhilG]

2021 - 8 weeks France and Spain,
2022 - 8 weeks Germany, Dolomites, Italy all the way down to Sicily, 3 weeks in Ireland
2023 - 4 weeks Scotland 8 weeks Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia,
2024 - Lets not talk about that!
2025 - 6 weeks Northern Spain, Portugal (you can't find a nice campsite in the middle of San Sebastian or Santiago de Compostela)

No planning but all superb trips staying in cheap or free stops, many with fabulous views - mountains, sea, lakes monasteries, beaches, cliff tops, medieval walled villages etc etc

These were brilliant trips with loads of enthusiasm, enjoyment, awe, excitement. Planning and money couldn't have made them better. It was the spontaneity, changing of plans to suit what we came across that make trips like this. It's finding that glorious spot that few others know of. To me that's what having a motorhome is for. My planned trips tend to be in Planes, Cars, Trains, Hotels.

In addition we do music festivals and motor racing events which can be quite rough and ready!

Thats impressive.

As someone who still has all the joys of full time employment, the most we manage away is 2 weeks, and that is normally tied in with races in mainland europe, where we freestyle our way between them , but its not something i would ever do in the UK, because i just need to know that i can rock up and get on somewhere, i wont stay roadside because my cargo is far too valuable.

When my weeks (and weekends) are finally mine to schedule, i will look at longer trips, but nowhere really lights my fire to go visit , just for the sake of going, which is something i need to deal with.

 

[Dolmen]

Seems to me that you are all trying to justify yourselves, can’t you just do what you want to do, and how you want to do it.

 

[LesW]

Seems to me that you are all trying to justify yourselves, can’t you just do what you want to do, and how you want to do it.

I don't think anyone's trying to justify themselves, the discussion is why British tourism is on the decline, people are merely giving thier opinions as to why they think this is so.

 

[BikerGraham]

I think the clue is the metered electric.

The cost of electricity has increased considerably in the last 2 years.
The amount of electricity that motorhomes and caravans now use has also increased considerably.

Any campsite that is not metering electricity (or not planning to fit it very soon) is asking for trouble fairly soon.

Many caravan tow cars are already EV's, and 4 years from now you will not be able to buy a new petrol/diesel car, so a decade from now about 30% of cars will be EV's rising to about 80% over the next 25 years.
It will be probably close to 100% by 2050, when the kids born in the 1980's retire.

Did you actually read my post ? Obviously not as you wouldn’t have needed it mention the price of electricity.

Both the CS’ have metered electric. So the cost and in the case 25% increase is totally independent of electricity prices .

 

[Minxy]

And that's the issue innit, one does not know when one is going to clock out.
It's ok if you have loads of money as kids are going to pay some anyway, it's that balance/calculation.
Bring on assisted.

I'm free!!!

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[bobnick]

 

[Gellyneck]

I'm free!!!

Yeh, I was confused as well.

I thought she was cheap, not free!

 

[EuroTrotters]

We can spend a month or three in Europe for what we get charged in the UK for a month.

It’s a shame the ferries cost so much these days. But, deals can still be had.

We are hoping to move to Spain or part time Spain/Motorhome soon. So let’s see

 

[EuroTrotters]

We rent our house in Spain all-year.

You could book a villa, like ours or one of the thousands at great winter prices.

Or get your Motorhome on a pitch and fly in and out, making best use of your Schengen days.

 

[wildcampers69]

Just for info 2yrs ago we ran a site that considered metered electric after some research of sites which have meters they noted overall use had dropped by 30% on average and winter use by 50% so perhaps the problem lies in the way caravan and motorhomers see electric as "free" on sites without meters, high prices are due to high running costs (in most cases). Massive electric price hikes caused prices to jump although some sites do seem to charge with location and popularity as you can expect from all industries. We just paid £17.20 for a wine and a pint of cider in Bakewell which may be the problem with uk holidays the cost of everything not really site fees to blame solely for staycations. I would go as far as to say that campsites make uk holidays affordable perhaps. Or i could just be talking rubbish

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[EuroTrotters]

We are at a Parkdean resort in the UK with our family, it was a gift from them to us.

I went to the bar and bought two Pints of beer, ……. The young barmaid said….

“That’s just £13.10 please”

SIX POUNDS FIFTY FIVE A PINT !

I turned to my son-in-law and said, I have just booked a flight for just over a quid more !

That and beachfront in javea I can get a pint for £2

 

[Coolcats]

The cost of the van is ilrelavant most people buy there vans out of life savings. Using it comes out of disposable income, which is not a lot when you are a pensioner.

There are many high net worth pensioners out there along with good pensions. But also agree there are some poor pensioners as well.

 

[jumar]

There are many high net worth pensioners out there along with good pensions. But also agree there are some poor pensioners as well.

That's us...Contentment costs nothing...but it's nice to not have any money worries....
If you don't get it right by retirement age, you never will....

 

[David and Sally]

We certainly try to avoid the prices charged by some clubs and sites. We prefer sites and will have to check out CLs more often.

 

[MichaelT]

That's us...

Which one?

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[DandJ]

Plus many of these so called seaside paradises are a shadow of their former self. They are run down, decrepit and dirty, with lots of unemployment.
Until seaside places tidy their acts up, people won’t go.

This has been highlighted as an issue for many many years. Without investment and jobs, there's not a lot a seaside town can do about it...probably made worse by the fact that a large county may well use more of its money elsewhere, where they feel it is needed.

There are many high net worth pensioners out there along with good pensions. But also agree there are some poor pensioners as well.

Isn't that the wrong way round.....lots of poor pensions and some with high net worth (if you actually look at national figures)

 

[jumar]

Which one?

That would be telling...not rich but not poor either..

 

[dunnah01]

Seems a lot of Brits have voted with their feet. They only did staycations when the had to and now they can get away in a plane they are off.

 

[Rollingwheels]

That would be telling...not rich but not poor either..

You only need a shilling more than you can spend

 

[Coolcats]

Isn't that the wrong way round.....lots of poor pensions and some with high net worth (if you actually look at national figures)

Fair comment, my guess is it will get worse for the younger generation who will have to wait longer for pensionable age no final salery pensions etc.

But….within the select MoHo group there is a bigger proportion of the higher net worth pensioners who do have some lovely MoHo’s

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[DandJ]

Fair comment, my guess is it will get worse for the younger generation who will have to wait longer for pensionable age no final salery pensions etc.

But….within the select MoHo group there is a bigger proportion of the higher net worth pensioners who do have some lovely MoHo’s

Absolutely...

 

[Ian_H]

We arrived on a CS a few years ago small motorhome two people. There were two caravans with awnings cars kids and dogs on site. The farmer turned up for his money looking at the van he said don't mention it to anyone else but I've put the price up to £10. The price on the website was £5 to £7 like an idiot I paid I can understand not saying anything if he was charging us less but not more? The following year we looked at going again checked the c&cc website and price was still £5 to £7, we went elsewhere.

After one similar surprise on a CS/CL we always ring and check the price beforehand. I'm fairly sure both clubs advise you to do this?

 

[Minxy]

Yeh, I was confused as well.

I thought she was cheap, not free!

Correct, however some things are worth doing for free for the pleasure they bring!

 

[EuroTrotters]

Don't go to UK anymore with our Hymer, far too expensive to get there and stay there....better option for us. Fly, Drive and stay with Relatives...

See my post. Booked a flight from Alicante - Manchester £14.50, Easyjet

Booked a flight for a friend to come to stay, 43 with a cabin bag Jet2.com

 

[Gellyneck]

Correct, however some things are worth doing for free for the pleasure they bring!

Just in case you're not aware the queue outside your front door has now reached Pontefract!

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[Minxy]

Just in case you're not aware the queue outside your front door has now reached Pontefract!

Ooo goody! Means I can pick which 'hits' to do and which aren't worth it ... Some funsters are therefore safe and others probably need to worry a bit!

 

[Gellyneck]

Ooo goody! Means I can pick which 'hits' to do .......

Guess ShiftZZ falls into that category!

 

[NR]

So...as a newbie what I can take from the previous 83 posts is:
The Uk is far too expensive on sites
Some sites are cheap
If I can't afford it, I need to move on
If I can afford it, I should move on anyway...or stay
I need to use all the facilities to make it worthwhile
I need to plug in
I need to avoid plugging in
I can have a brill time parking up and not paying
I can't have as good a time parking up and not paying
There aren't many CLs
There are loads of CLs
A tap in a field is just fine
I need an all singing all dancing shower block
I don't need solar or lots of my own power as I can plug in, unless I don't plug in
........what have I missed ?

That about sums it up, actually everyone is right but not right for everyone else, this forum is ferociously opinionated (mostly in a nice way). My one and only piece of advice is, do exactly what suits you, affording due consideration to the fraternity. I do…

 

[NR]

I'm really rich. I could easily afford to spend £200 a night in a campsite. Fact is I don't want to because all though I am wealthy I have that wealth due to being intelligent with my income and spending for 40 years. Why would I want to be taken for a mug at this stage in life. Personally I'd rather park up at the side of the road.

It's not about cost it's about value for money, not being ripped off and taken for a fool. When there are cheaper options then why pander to these people.

P.S Some aspects of this are said with my tongue in my cheek but I hope you get my point.

You must have Yorkshireman in your bloodline, you sound like me or vice versa.

 

[jumar]

That about sums it up, actually everyone is right but not right for everyone else, this forum is ferociously opinionated (mostly in a nice way). My one and only piece of advice is, do exactly what suits you, affording due consideration to the fraternity. I do…

Opinionated, what on earth do you want from a forum... Accurate information, backed by experience...
Now that wouldn't be much FUN would it now..

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