pitch prices

[craigmurray]

is it me or have site fees got expensive for family holidays? the last time we could afford to go away for 2 weeks was a couple of years ago, i then got made redundant. we then paid £250 for 2 adults, 3 kids and 2 dogs with electric hook up awning and annexe. The site we used had a pool, play area, club house, nightly entertainment. Now we are in a position to go away this year we are amazed that family sites offer what looks like a good deal but when you look into it the following apply, fee is for only a van, car and 2 adults extras we have seen are for electric, awnings, annexes, groundsheets, kids and dogs. Perhaps im being to picky but caravanning was always a cheaper way of going on holiday and more enjoyable than going abroad and helping british tourism? Is it because how popular it has become that sites have put their prices up and are cashing in? Its not as if we are getting anything extra for more money.

We use an adults only site when the kids are at grandma's for the weekend and this particular site charges you for the pitch and thats it. you can have awning up if you want , dogs are free and its for upto 4 adults. Its a pity more family parks dont do this?

right im climbing off my soap box now but would like other peoples views?

craig

 

[RogerL]

Site fees seem to vary from

 

[craigmurray]

we have only been caravanning for 5 years now so i dont know how cheap it used to be? i do understand that they have a business to run and profits to make but at what expense?

 

[Thorpedo]

Craig

I agree and it's simply greed and opportunism.

I'm not in a position of redundancy like yourself; my pay has not kept pace with inflation for 12 years. Wife has a part time job working short hrs and term only, we made the decision that we would take responsibility for the children we brought into the world. This has the effect that financially we have not kept up with the rat race or the general pattern of 2 full time incomes which fuels price increases.

Despite the above we have risen to the challenge, surprised ourselves in the way we manage money even bought a new caravan, but we avoid high season at rip off prices at expensive sites. There are plenty around at reasonable prices and we enjoy the less equipped sites just as much as the flash ones.

I'd like to see honest up front pricing at 'pitch price' as you suggest.

People will comment that sites are acting in their best business interest, although I call it short term greed.

A site in Cornwall I would love to visit even out of season charges exorbitant fees when most of the facilities are not open. I simply go elsewhere and don't recommend them.

A near empty site last May the owner insisted on charging a Day fee the day I left. It was chucking down with rain, but the forecast was to clear PM (which it did). I wanted to pack with the Awning dry. I paid his day charge and packed dry, but I won't go back and I won't recommend him. His brilliant business acumen and lack of consideration will have cost him a great deal in the long term.

Another site I use doesn't over charge, they wave the day fee as a good will gesture, storage prices have gone down, this site doing good business will keep it's customers even if times become harder.

Should the economy take the downturn the pundits predict, some sites may rue their greedy short outlook.

Vote with your feet I say and find smaller reasonably priced sites.

I'll sleep well tonight having got that off my chest

 

[RogerL]

Thorpedo - how do you separate "greed and opportunism" from "market economy" and "supply and demand". It's not difficult to understand that consumers determine the high prices because enough customers are prepared to pay them.

Sites in Cornwall have a very short peak season, easily ruined by bad weather but their costs are the same for the year, come rain or shine.

I agree that all caravanners should use sites where they're comfortable with the pricing.

 

[Thorpedo]

" how do you separate "greed and opportunism" from "market economy" and "supply and demand"."

Maket economy and supply and demand are words used in recent years to justify greed an oportunism. Good businesses surely don't neccessarily charge the highest price they can get for a product, they provide good customer service and look in the long term to ensure customer loyalty which should provide a stable market for themselves.

There are plenty of sites in Cornwall and other places who do charge reasonable rates and I suspect that it will be these who will find it easier to maintain steady business should the economy catch a cold.

 

[ingieschick]

We've only been caravanning for just over 2yrs and have noticed a vast difference in pitch prices. Some sites seem to charge for so many "add ons". Some charge for the pitch only and then so much for each person, awning, electric and so on. Also, most caravanners are probably either couples like ourselves or families so why can't sites introduce a standard pricing policy which would include pitch, up to 4 people, car and awning.

Most pitches are the same size regardless of your caravan's dimensions unless you have a very large unit. We object to extortionate prices to erect our awning when we've paid for the space anyway. We also use an environmentally friendly groundsheet.

We don't object to paying for an electric hook up or a small nominal fee for our 2 dogs but prices vary greatly even for dogs - sometimes as much as

 

[AnnM1]

If you want all the 'extras': pool, clubhouse, etc., then it stands to reason that you will be charged premium prices. All the extra facilities have to be tended and the money has to come from somewhere.

If you want a much cheaper holiday you could try a CL.

 

[RogerL]

Some pricing is meant to be discriminatory - for example, some sites ban dogs, some charge a lot to discourage owners with dogs but others make no charge and welcome them.

Healthy competition is good, because all caravanners are different and want different things.

 

[LizCornwall]

Some sites charge on your requirements I.e Full service pitch,,Standard pitch,Grass pitch,

Normally price includes 2adults and hookup, Also prices could reflect whether in Low season or High Season.

Prices do vary on awnings,dogs,and children, but I found prices were quite reasonable,

Also some sites do a over 50's deal for low season, or longer stays.

If sites were to price for 4 adults and hookup, those people where only 2 adults they would suffer.

Of course these sites were without swimming pools, restaurants,

bars etc.

 

[LMH]

We used a site in Cornwall for two years on the trot. It was a small site with 25 pitches, it had three toilets and two showers, hook up.

Along with the pitch fee, hook up and awning cost -

The first year, it was 25p/night per dog

Awning annexes were free

The second year it was

 

[Chrisbee]

I wouldn'd mind paying for my dog if the site provided dog walking areas or "dog bins". What really winds me up is paying up to

 

[AnnM1]

Chris - Vote with your feet. Don't go there!

Ann

 

[Marc1]

I have to agree with Anne, we now avoid sites that charge excessive prices for extras. Over the last few years we have noticed a rise in sites charging per head instead of per pitch. I accept that costs rise and so most prices but we must not drive away future caravaning families because they think it costs too much.

 

[trucker]

If you do your research before going to an area there wouldnt be a problem.

We wanted to stay further west than Truro last week (around St Ives) the only site we liked the look of, open All year (few and far between ) was

 

[illy]

We are booked on for Widend Touring Park in Devon bang in the middle of summer. Very reasonably priced and have stayed many times there as a camper of which some of our in-laws very rarely go anywhere else. Lovely heated pool (actually, a bit too warm!), bar with a little dance floor where every couple of nights they put something on for the kids (disco, magician etc), small games room etc etc. We are really looking forward to going back, especially as this year some friends are coming down with us. Enjoy yourself, wherever you end up!

 

[ValA.]

Try the Camping Cheques website (www.campingcheque.co.uk) - offers low season prices of

 

[waffler]

You get waht you pay for, but all sites seem to have gone up in the last two years. The cheapest around are the camping and caravanning club temporary holiday sites. A tap and a place to mpty the loo. Price from