Rip-Off High Season Charges

[whitetop]

I have just searched numerous web-sites looking for our Summer Holiday destination......July 2008.....including both of the CC and the C&CC.

What struck me was the amount of sites that hike their prices for high season.

One site went from £2.35 in mid season to £5.95 in high season, for a child over 2 ?????...add to that a £3 per night charge for an awning and it gets worse....(pitch referred to was a deluxe pitch on hardstanding, so why the extra cost....no wear and tear on gravel.)...dogs went from £1.50 to £4.00 a night ???

I suppose that demand allows them to get away with it, but I think it is wrong.

Still cheaper than going abroad, yes.........but for how much longer.

Club sites in particular have basic amenities, but their prices do not reflect this.

Anyway, now booked up and the saving of about £100 will go to treating my daughter....

Comments............David

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Where did you finally book David?

 

[whitetop]

The CC club site at Blackpool.........only because our daughter wnts to go to the pleasure beach.

Still searching for week 2

 

[judith1]

What about a temporary holiday site with the C&CC . There are some good sites, and cheap.

Judith

 

[RogerL]

David - what would you do if you ran a business and all the customers wanted to book the same weeks, ie school holidays?

Peak period pricing is higher, for any product, than off-peak - it's supply and demand.

 

[whitetop]

RogerL........As I said, supply and demand probably accounts for the price difference, but there is a fine line between "value for money" and "rip off explotation".

Yes, I may / probably would raise prices slightly....but

 

[Guest]

I tend to dispute the comment 'cheaper than abroad' unless you are including the ferry fares, which is not really relevant. I find the Continental sites are usually cheaper than here, even with the Euro at its current high level. Plus you usually get some more interestinmg facilities like a swimming pool thrown in.

When you add all the costs including the rip off parking fees in the UK, I can usually spend the same in the UK for 3 weeks as I do for 2 months abroad. No brainer to me, plus the weather is warmer.

 

[Ogre]

Vote with your wallet!

These sites that overcharge, are best left empty. It's the only way that their owners will ever get the message.

 

[RogerL]

Overchanging? Rip-off?

It comes down to value for money - I know of a site in Cornwall that's over

 

[MartinJ]

I agree with David - its hard to justify price increases at that level. If you have got kids of school age there is no way you can avoid holidaying during peak times - demand is so high its a choice of paying up or not going. No wonder so many people take theire kids out of school for holidays.

 

[Tram]

Quote David:

The CC club site at Blackpool.........only because our daughter wnts to go to the pleasure beach.

If you think the site is expensive you are in for a surprise when you buy your tickets for the Pleasure Beach.

 

[SteveW77]

As they used to say in pubs, "If you want to call closing time, buy your own pub". While a business is profitable, it dosn't have to justify is charges to anyone, if you dont like the prices, don't stay there.

Steve W

 

[Del_374232870]

We are fortunate that we can take our breaks during school time which tends to be low sesion and the sites tend to be quieter. On the negative side generally the weather is more changeable, so it can be a trade of. If the prices were to be lowered for the peak seasons it would mean that to get the same return for the season the site would have to raise prices dramatically for the prev low season with the effect that less people would use the site of peak and would mean many sites loosing money during low season which in return would mean a further increase in peak charges to offset, therfore very little price reduction would be possible during peak, it is the nature of business you have to generate X amount of revenue during the trading season.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi David

90% of our stays are CC sites. We have no kids and we find the CC site facilities perfect for our needs. The commercial site we use near St Ives Cornwall is lovely but costs considerably more than a CC. We like the location and sea views but hardly ever use the swimming pool, bar or restaurant or playground or games / tv room etc.

At the end of the day I guess everyones requirements are different but in general terms I do think all prices have risen from last year.

Even the chinese takeaway near us has added 40p to every rice dish because rice prices have risen so much.

If you want cheap and simple try a CL many of which are in lovely settings.

Blackpool.

Cheers

Alan

 

[RogerP]

Unless you need to get to a specific site for good reasons , vote with your wallet.

We tried 3 or 4 commercial sites for our July holiday and they wanted close on

 

[Thorpedo]

Absolutely agree with you David, Ogre and Martin J, we are being unneccessarily stitched up by shortsighted greed.

What realy saddens me is like so many things in this country many people seem to manage to justify the situation and not enough people speak out or vote with thier feet. I suppose it shows that despite a downturn in the economy there is loads of cash sloshing about out there.

If the ecomomy does take take a serious downturn there may be some sites wishing they had spent previous 'good times' keeping prices down and generating customer loyalty. You can bet the proceeds of the good times havn't been kept to cover not so lucrative periods.

Keep moaning and groaning and voting with your feet