Are CAMC finally getting the message (3 Viewers)

[Kups]

You dont have to watch them.

I don't it's what they represent I do not like.

 

[poppycamper]

Clean air zones have nothing to do with climate, but all to do with revenue generation. And still the councils manage to bankrupt themselves.

Merry Christmas

Yes as I said above..
Merry Xmas to youse too..

 

[Jo May]

My wife invoices me £74.50 / week for parking our PVC on our driveway. Including electric. (There's a 50p / week discount for no pets)
I pay up or she refuses to cook. If I had to feed myself, I would probably be dead within a month.

Money in the 'have it away day' pot allows us some nice 'free?' jaunts come spring.
See! It doesn't all have to be a complicated mess.

Bonus: because we were 'cash rich' last cruising season I barely noticed pain of paying for the revolting state on one of two toilet blocks.

Merry Christmas

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[Jeff one]

When the Ramfords where in Morocco during the Earth quake ,and more concerned about how many people were worried about them ,, I suggested there donate there time and utube fee the the fund,,, and it was very very quickly removed

 

[scotzsue]

Oops wrong date, Cancelled on the 1st November.

 

[poppycamper]

[/QUOTE]
Tt

Money in the 'have it away day' pot allows us some nice 'free?' jaunts come spring.

Merry Christmas

You may want to rephrase that first line.... ooo err Matron

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[sgl5gjr]

and now...... they have an "Experience Freedom" membership for those who do Glamping etc.....and have no unit......ugh!.... they still don't get it that "Dynamic" pricing has broken their business model

 

[Funnymunny]

and now...... they have an "Experience Freedom" membership for those who do Glamping etc.....and have no unit......ugh!.... they still don't get it that "Dynamic" pricing has broken their business model

Thats another nail in their coffin as far as im concerned, they are taking away far too many camping spaces creating a shortage and forcing prices up. Glamping pods to my mind are not camping as we know it

 

[starquake]

Thats another nail in their coffin as far as im concerned, they are taking away far too many camping spaces creating a shortage and forcing prices up. Glamping pods to my mind are not camping as we know it

Most i've seen is at a CACC site with 4 pods. The issue is they take same space as 8 units based on my eyeballing of the footprints.

I agree completely though I don't mind it as much on CACC club sites as CAMC -> as CAMC was always a caravan/motorhome org, where CACC actually does represent proper camping, and pods DO fit in the camping mindset I think, but less so at a club where 99% of people own a unit, and many of their sites proudly have a "no campers" sign at the front door. I've also so far yet to see a CAMC pod in actual use last summer. I know I may seen negative about CAMC but we did spend several weekends on CAMC sites last summer and where we did see the CACC ones used, we did not for CAMC. Could simply be locations I guess.

I also completely agree its the dynamic pricing making CAMC so much more expensive than CACC (especially at short notice). My point on motorhomers wanting to book in the week ahead once weather known not the year ahead seems relevant here.

A great example is this weekend -> it's now looking to be above by quite a margin Sunday, and brisk on Saturday ... as such we are looking to stay away Fri/Sat night this weekend. We made that decision today once the weather was "known" and have the van heating now ahead of that.

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[jockaneezer]

I'm surprised CaMHC have installed pods, they might attract the "wrong types" dontchaknow ?

 

[Otter Spotter]

Have lost all patience with them, they auto renewed after being asked not to, so they refunded and cancelled this was this year, although Ihad asked them not to renew again next year, October 2024.Cancelled rowntree on 1st december got phone call on day we were meant to arrive, asking where we were! Explained we had cancelled and had proof, had taken a dated screenshot fortunately. After several emails and eventually a phone call they sent me a voucher for a club i am no longer a member of. Have been told it can take up to 30 days for it to be looked at. Am so angry as had they not cancelled the membership i would have been meeting up with a fellow funster in February.
Felt wording of their email was a mixture of aggressive and patronising.

Your last sentence just shows true to firm !

 

[VXman]

My Facebook memories remind me that for many years, I have been at Bristol’s Baltic Wharf site at this time of year, having had to book many months in advance.

Out of interest, I had a look at availability. Apart from 30th and 31st December, there are no nights that are fully booked in the next 6 months.

Not really surprising seeing that for 2 adults it’s an eye-watering £53.40 until it drops to a £38.60 a night until mid-March when it goes back up to between £45 and £52 a night. Bonkers prices!

To me Bristol is one of the campsites that I am happy to pay £53 for. You are right at the centre of everything in a really nice spot. You couldn't get a hotel room anywhere in Bristol for that price and somewhere central like that would be more than double.

I really really do not understand this.
Bristol, London and any other Clean Air Zone City's. With campsites in there zone.
Do they not want tourism? And all the financial benefits it brings.
Surely, they can introduce an exception for motorhomes or cars towing vans into their pollution zone.
No they just want to grab as much as they can

Most motorhomes after 2015 are compliant. I would have said the majority of Motorhomes I have seen on these sites are less than 8 years old.

It would be quite interesting to know what proportion of motorhomes are compliant to most clean air zones.

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[poppycamper]

Most motorhomes after 2015 are compliant. I would have said the majority of Motorhomes I have seen on these sites are less than 8 years old.

Ah .. that's ok then.. So some should be penalised because they have an older moho..
Still plenty of older vans on the road and the reason the majority of Motorhome you have seen on "these Sites" are less than 8 yrs old is maybe.... just maybe because us with non compliant vans are not prepared to fork out and pay these ridicules money grabing fees... and therefore go else where and spend our money where we are welcome.. .

 

[seasideBill]

To me Bristol is one of the campsites that I am happy to pay £53 for. You are right at the centre of everything in a really nice spot. You couldn't get a hotel room anywhere in Bristol for that price and somewhere central like that would be more

Really? try these tomorrow night via Laterooms…

★★★ The Clifton Hotel Bristol, Bristol, UK

With a stylish cellar bar and café with a terrace, The Clifton Hotel offers en-suite rooms with fresh fruit .

book.laterooms.com

★★★ Arnos Manor Hotel, Bristol, UK

Set in landscaped gardens, this hotel combines award-winning food, good value rooms and friendly staff.

book.laterooms.com

These are proper hotels with electricity, not glamping pods.
CAMC must be laughing all the way to the bank, they’re squeezing the pips out of members in inflated membership and site fees and members lap it up and keep coming back for more!

 

[VXman]

Really? try these tomorrow night via Laterooms…

★★★ The Clifton Hotel Bristol, Bristol, UK

With a stylish cellar bar and café with a terrace, The Clifton Hotel offers en-suite rooms with fresh fruit .

book.laterooms.com

★★★ Arnos Manor Hotel, Bristol, UK

Set in landscaped gardens, this hotel combines award-winning food, good value rooms and friendly staff.

book.laterooms.com

These are proper hotels with electricity, not glamping pods.
CAMC must be laughing all the way to the bank, they’re squeezing the pips out of members in inflated membership and site fees and members lap it up and keep coming back for more!

I don't do 3* hotels (my motorhome is more comfy than that) and Clifton is not quite town centre.

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[VXman]

Ah .. that's ok then.. So some should be penalised because they have an older moho..
Still plenty of older vans on the road and the reason the majority of Motorhome you have seen on "these Sites" are less than 8 yrs old is maybe.... just maybe because us with non compliant vans are not prepared to fork out and pay these ridicules money grabing fees... and therefore go else where and spend our money where we are welcome.. .

I wasn't referring to Bristol or similar in particular. Bristol is the only campsite I have ever been to that is in a pay zone. I don't imagine there are many to be honest. One in London. Any others?

What I was was observing was that a lot visitors to CAMC and CCC do tend to be in newer vans. This is purely an observation - no precise data.

To be honest, I am not a member of any club any more. I prefer free park ups, Aires or small independents. I may have a newish van but I'm still tight!

 

[seasideBill]

I don't do 3* hotels (my motorhome is more comfy than that) and Clifton is not quite town centre.

By that measure, neither is Baltic Wharf and Clifton Hotel has probably got better reviews!

 

[starquake]

To me Bristol is one of the campsites that I am happy to pay £53 for. You are right at the centre of everything in a really nice spot. You couldn't get a hotel room anywhere in Bristol for that price and somewhere central like that would be more than double.

Thats the point, for a pitch I'm not even with the good location...

I (used) to stay at hotels a lot for work, as in about half the working year in the years 2017-2020, and on I agree a hotel in a city (even London) would be £100 ish a night on a corporate rate in a similar location. (Forget public pricing as I'd expect a club membership to equate to a corporate rate). But effectively over half the hotel rate when all they are providing is less space than a hotel room, less electric (given how effecient at heating our motorhomes are), no cleaning, no breakfast (work rates always had breakfast), and ultimately a power connection and a bit of hardcore to park on. I look at the loos/showers being same, but worse at CAMC (than a hotel) as they are shared facilities not dedicated per-pitch.

£53 for a pitch is literally insane in my book any time of year, and the fact these dynamic pricing makes bank holiday weekends £70 (per night), also nuts. Completely lost plot for what the services they are providing are in my book. Premier inns booked in advance in city centres with similar dynamic pricing booked in advance work out cheaper than pitches, I've paid £29, or £39 for rooms booked on many occasions.... which illustrates the point, and you can book FAMILY rooms for 6 for less than 2 people on a CAMC pitch. Yes you have to book in advance for those rates, but thats the exact behaviour they want from us now?

However at £30-40 for 2, it's expensive but acceptable for Bristol in my book, and a saving over a hotel -> I do agree club sites should cost more potentially as they do have more staff looking after the facilities typically. The problem is it IS that £30-40 as a headline fee if it's just a single person, but it's not with 2. I don't get (with both clubs) is why charge per person, charge per pitch as many CS/THS do.

And thats before we get into insanity of per-dog fees (which thankfully neither club do).

CAMC in my book need to also get away from sites with toilets, and do more sites like Thetford forest where they simply provide elsan, mhsp, rubbish bins, and thats it -> and only accept self-suffient units. Thetford was in the £30/ni region for 2 when we stayed a weekend in peak summer, and for that money it was totally acceptable (and it was £18/ni for a club site for 1) -> it's one of the sites we liked in their system.

I also agree vans are newer on CAMC sites, maybe people don't know about the cheap aires like the £4 one I mentioned earlier (in Bury St Edmunds, which is a good place to go for resturaurants).

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[VXman]

Neither is Baltic Wharf

Depends what you mean by town centre. Certainly not near the shopping centre but who wants that. It's near lots of pubs, bars, the cathedral, college green, park Street, the university, the SS great Britain, the industrial museum, the hippodrome, 'colston' hall and the Dick's are a pleasant and interesting spot to be.

 

[scotzsue]

Just looked at my post, I cancelled on the 1st NOVEMBER not december.

 

[stevewagner]

Comparing motorhomes to hotels is like comparing apples to oranges. We don’t use a motorhome because we can’t afford a hotel. We do it because we love it and the freedom it brings.

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[starquake]

Comparing motorhomes to hotels is like comparing apples to oranges. We don’t use a motorhome because we can’t afford a hotel. We do it because we love it and the freedom it brings.

No indeed, I agree, but central city sites are more to us like aires. Campsites are what we like, and many inner city sites are more of a parking site with EHU than a campsite. I'm not all super negative on both clubs, we do like some CAMC sites, thetford being one. If we use Bristol we would use it similarly to a hotel in the city I expect...

Our dog loves the mh and hates strange hotels though, so staying in the motorhome is better than a hotel. He loves it so much we open the front door he bounds to the door of the mh now and barks to go in as he knows it takes him to walks.

 

[Dave and Jan]

At the NEC and thought I’d pop into the CAMC stand. Spoke to two ladies and asked ‘ what feedback are you getting from members’
‘Oh very positive’ came the reply
‘ That surprises me as people I have spoken to and threads I’ve followed suggests a lot of members are unhappy with the clubs pricing strategy’ I said
‘Well if you’re not happy it’s your choice whether to remain a member or not’ was the response.
I don’t think they’re getting any message.

 

[Dolmen]

I've sent them a message alright, I am using them more than ever, I like them. I do agree with the CAMC stand at the NEC, if I was unhappy I would not renew. just like I make the same decision about Netflix, Now TV and Prime every year, if they lose value they go. Of course I would love it if they were all cheaper, unfortunately supply and demand usually dictates pricing.

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[DT]

I always put a limit of £40 per night. If everyone adopted that as a maximum for one night it may stop the £50 plus charges they push out. If you pay £50 and accept that as a fair price very soon it will be £55 or £60.

 

[Dave and Jan]

I've sent them a message alright, I am using them more than ever, I like them. I do agree with the CAMC stand at the NEC, if I was unhappy I would not renew. just like I make the same decision about Netflix, Now TV and Prime every year, if they lose value they go. Of course I would love it if they were all cheaper, unfortunately supply and demand usually dictates pricing.

Good for you Dolmen. They’ve obviously spoken to more members like you who are very positive about the club and their pricing and that is probably why they are taking that stance. As you say supply and demand does have influence. If you look at the drop in the number of nights booked last year the supply was there maybe not quite the demand.

 

[seasideBill]

Good for you Dolmen. They’ve obviously spoken to more members like you who are very positive about the club and their pricing and that is probably why they are taking that stance. As you say supply and demand does have influence. If you look at the drop in the number of nights booked last year the supply was there maybe not quite the demand.

They’re taking that stance because they’re deluded. Communicating is something they’re particularly bad at. At the moment they’re just trading on the goodwill of some loyal members who for reasons best known to them stick with their mediocre sites and ridiculous prices.

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[Blofeld]

It would be nice if it happened to every thing pre covid. But it’s not going to happen

I think the very high inflation levels weren’t entirely down to Covid but to inept government. I doubt that club profiteering is anywhere in the price rises. But I wonder if either of the big clubs can survive for another decade

 

[roadwarrior]

can i just ask, everybody seems to be having a go at camc but the other lot, camping and caravanning club seems to get out unscathed ? am i missing something ?

 

[Kups]

can i just ask, everybody seems to be having a go at camc but the other lot, camping and caravanning club seems to get out unscathed ? am i missing something ?

No, we're not renewing that sub this year but will stick with CAMC.

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