Posted on 28/09/2022 14:37
For anyone interested, but not sure where to find it on this website, here is Agenda for Club AGM 2022.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/globalassets/pdfs/content/about-us/agm-agenda-oct-2022.pdf
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Posted on 31/10/2022 07:03
I watched it and thought the Treasurers address was a bit odd. Surely it had to be some kind of joke? If it was, it was hard to grasp. My thoughts were, was he referring to motorhome owners who use laybys as overnight stops? Did FLUG refer to Free Loaders User Group? The meeting was recorded so perhaps there will be an opportunity to watch it again?
David, it is hard to see that deposits will make a difference to occupancy after all not many sites are deposit free plus those that are, are not that easy to find. I think the main reason the Club will struggle is the cost of pitches coupled with the rise in the cost of living reducing members disposable income and the ability to pay. The end of staycations will also be a contributary factor. I know I am planning a trip over there next year for the first time since 2018 and I doubt I am the only one.
What was disappointing was nothing about trying to reduce operating cost and the Chair did bang on about new developments but not a word about site closures. I see Marazion is definitely going to close. What a great shame, I for one will remember it fondly.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 07:03 by peedeeI watched it and thought the Treasurers address was a bit odd. Surely it had to be some kind of joke? If it was, it was hard to grasp. My thoughts were, was he referring to motorhome owners who use laybys as overnight stops? Did FLUG refer to Free Loaders User Group? The meeting was recorded so perhaps there will be an opportunity to watch it again?
David, it is hard to see that deposits will make a difference to occupancy after all not many sites are deposit free plus those that are, are not that easy to find. I think the main reason the Club will struggle is the cost of pitches coupled with the rise in the cost of living reducing members disposable income and the ability to pay. The end of staycations will also be a contributary factor. I know I am planning a trip over there next year for the first time since 2018 and I doubt I am the only one.
What was disappointing was nothing about trying to reduce operating cost and the Chair did bang on about new developments but not a word about site closures. I see Marazion is definitely going to close. What a great shame, I for one will remember it fondly.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 07:32
I have attended a number of AGMs in person in the past. The Treasurer loves telling a shaggy dog story and thinks he is rather good at it. Personally I'd rather he just got on with his job. On the other hand it does inject a small amount of feint humour (for those who 'get' it) into a tedious affair of back-slapping.
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Posted on 31/10/2022 07:03 by peedeeI watched it and thought the Treasurers address was a bit odd. Surely it had to be some kind of joke? If it was, it was hard to grasp. My thoughts were, was he referring to motorhome owners who use laybys as overnight stops? Did FLUG refer to Free Loaders User Group? The meeting was recorded so perhaps there will be an opportunity to watch it again?
David, it is hard to see that deposits will make a difference to occupancy after all not many sites are deposit free plus those that are, are not that easy to find. I think the main reason the Club will struggle is the cost of pitches coupled with the rise in the cost of living reducing members disposable income and the ability to pay. The end of staycations will also be a contributary factor. I know I am planning a trip over there next year for the first time since 2018 and I doubt I am the only one.
What was disappointing was nothing about trying to reduce operating cost and the Chair did bang on about new developments but not a word about site closures. I see Marazion is definitely going to close. What a great shame, I for one will remember it fondly.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 10:05
However the point about deposits is that it is the same everywhere now so members who previously might not have looked at commercial sites may be more prepared to do so in future? Some won't like the idea of paying fully upfront a month ahead but putting that aside there is less incentive to remain loyal to the Club? Earlier in the year we stayed at a site called Ladys MIles in Dawlish, we had a large serviced pitch, the site had all the facilities and more, compared to our most recent stay at Seacroft and the pitch in early July was £5 a night cheaper than Seacroft in October!
Of course people will be more willing to travel abroad as restrictions seem to have been lift and lets face it the Schengen rules won't impact on the majority of those that go to Europe as they won't be there long enough. Having said that the Club said they had about 2500 overseas bookings compared to, what was it 300,000 UK ones so even if the number of people going overseas doubled in 2023 it doesn't make a particularly large impact on UK numbers?
I don't think the Club have come to terms with the advent of "Van Lifers" or those who wish to enjoy a more ad hoc style of camping, perhaps a night here or a night there even if that means paying for an overnight car park. It's a style of camping that the Club finds difficult to accommodate so I assume they resort to joking about it?
David
Posted on 30/10/2022 20:29 by DavidKlyneHJA said:- Oh, 2022 will be a good year but 2023 will be a bad year.
Did they qualify that in anyway? From what was said about people using the new booking system it seems as if it's all going swimmingly but to suggest that 2023 could be difficult seems to suggest the opposite? We all know that everyone's financial expectations for 2023 is not likely to be positive but I am just trying to work out if the downturn in 2023 is due to members personal circumstances or the new booking system?
David
Posted on 31/10/2022 10:59 by HjaNo it was not really qualified. I got the impression that it was more that generally we can expect everything to be worse next year, so club finances will follow.
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:18
ISTM that 2023 could be the perfect storm. Difficulties with the new booking system, deposits- (coming as a surprise for some), escalating energy costs, members with less disposable income. Uncompetitive pricing compared with similarly specced sites. We ain't seen nuthin' yet.
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Posted on 31/10/2022 11:04 by JVB66It may also follow that it has been realised that a big mistake was made with the introduction of the new booking system and expected to impact on in come
This site has more empty pitches than I have seen at this time of year before
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:30
I was about town on Saturday evening visiting a restaurant area to have a meal out and it was noticeable how few people were doing the same. I don't think it will be just the C&MC that will see a downturn.
I thought the Treasurer did allude to why he expected 2023 to be more difficult. I do remember hearing him talk about there being a decrease in staycations. He certainly did not say the booking system would be a factor.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:30 by peedeeI was about town on Saturday evening visiting a restaurant area to have a meal out and it was noticeable how few people were doing the same. I don't think it will be just the C&MC that will see a downturn.
I thought the Treasurer did allude to why he expected 2023 to be more difficult. I do remember hearing him talk about there being a decrease in staycations. He certainly did not say the booking system would be a factor.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:41
I would not expect any one at the top table at the AGM to put any blame publicly on anything that this club does 
The DG just glossed over the problems with the booking system debacle
I doubt there are thirty LVs on here today and this is now the only part of the site open
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:30 by peedeeI was about town on Saturday evening visiting a restaurant area to have a meal out and it was noticeable how few people were doing the same. I don't think it will be just the C&MC that will see a downturn.
I thought the Treasurer did allude to why he expected 2023 to be more difficult. I do remember hearing him talk about there being a decrease in staycations. He certainly did not say the booking system would be a factor.
peedee
Posted on 31/10/2022 11:18 by cyberyachtISTM that 2023 could be the perfect storm. Difficulties with the new booking system, deposits- (coming as a surprise for some), escalating energy costs, members with less disposable income. Uncompetitive pricing compared with similarly specced sites. We ain't seen nuthin' yet.
Posted on 31/10/2022 13:37
I do not think it will be deposits that will be a surprise as the vocal few have been singing the praises of such a system for ages
What is going to hit is what can and will happen to them if wanting to amend a booking or need as many of the demographic (as alluded to by some)of the age of this clubs membership and medical appointments and assistance that is often needed
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