2020 Monthly Open and Closed CL List

Some one seems to be telling pokies. I've just gone through the lists put out by Maddie and there's more closed than opened, not by a lot but not the trend we want.

David.  

Like Nellie, who has browsed back through the magazine and the open/closed I have been recording the actual number of CLs available to members (CLs showing on the Club website) for a number of years.  These figures - which some might disagree with - show a decline year on year. 

They prompt a number of questions in my mind;

• Is the CL team at HQ adequately staffed and resourced (has enough budget) to not only administer the existing CLs, deal with new enquiries but also to approach potential landowners with a view to persuade them to set up a CL?
• What other choices do these landowners have if they want to enter the tourism industry?  Is glamping a better bet?
• Is running a CL a financially viable and attractive proposition?
• Do we actually need more CLs?  
• Are the ones we have in the right places?  
• Wouldn’t improving the quality of the remaining CLs be a better use of club resources?

The CL network will face a number of challenges in the years ahead: A decline in caravan sales, increasing numbers (for now) of motorhomes (which need different types of site & facilities) and the requirement to charge electric vehicles.

The CL team is working hard to bring new CLs on board, and has achieved some success, and I’m told has many new CLs in the pipeline. 

Lets hope that those applications in the pipeline are commissioned onto the network in time to take advantage of the 2020 season and that we nee an upward trend by the end of this year.

If not CG then they'll have to change their headline grabbing "Choose from over 2200 private sites, exclusively for club members"!!

Nelliethehooker
I think CAMC departments need to agree on how many CLs they actual have, this was in the Feb 2020 magazine!  (see image)

I guess they not updated the benefits list since about 2016!!

Let's be honest, it's a moving and declining target.

It's not fake news but alternative news! Maybe they are including those CLs that have left but are still trading as small independent sites.

They  could tell us which ones they are....now wouldn't that be nice!!

I would like the club to go back to publishing the reason that CLs are closing. There used to be initials next to the closing CL.

It would be good to see an upward figure. On the plus side, we are finding some good ex CLs/CS Sites. I rather suspect that if a CL is looking at putting in major improvements, such as hardstandings, loos, showers etc... makes more sense to come off network, get proper planning consent and add a few more pitches. It’s a double edged sword sadly☹️🤔

Personally, we aren’t bothered about CLs close to towns or cities. However, I know a good few are, and possibly encouragement for those potential CL owners who are a short safe stroll into such might be worth encouraging? Hard standing with a drive over waste, fresh water tap, cdp easy to use. No fancier stuff, so price can be kept minimal. You know where I am going with this, but unlike Aires, welcoming for those caravan tourers who like such as well? 

CLs really will only thrive if they are in the right place. We like remote, scenic, basic sites with lots of things to do and see in the area, plenty of walks and cycle paths. We cycle for pleasure rather than because we don’t like moving our MH once pitched up, but others are different, and perhaps at the moment not as well catered for as rural lovers.

We also have no issue with a CL that has alternative accommodation on site, such as Shepherd Huts, yurts, log cabin, B&B, cottages. We are off to one such next week, in the cottage!

As for new locations for CLs........Hadrians Wall area, South Yorkshire all desperate for new options.

I do think the Club needs to pay more attention to CLs, and recognise just how many members use them, possibly only stay members because of them. The Club has £millions, dedicating a year to being more proactive, working with the likes of the NFU, LAs, Local Parishes Nation Parks, Etc...... might work. It’s getting all the existing set up rather cheap by the looks of things at the moment. A paid position, solely dedicated to this would get my support in terms of Membership money usage, much more so than lots of other things the money is spent on. (Cayton Bay for example) Let the existing staff get on with managing CLs as they are at the moment, maybe with more time and effort, but fund a dedicated short term contract solely to attract more CL set up, and make them diverse, rural, town, city. I would go for a young person as well, someone who might be savvy enough to recognise how touring trends are changing, how technology can help in all sorts of ways.