What Would a UK Club Type Aire Look Like

I wonder how serviced pitches were introduced? Money, a lot of money was spent in the hope they might, may, won't know till we try and how many. How did the Club know the answer? I never saw a specific survey on the subject. You can say the same about the Freedom Experience.

peedee

Price? Around £15-20 depending on Site/with or without hook up.

Rather wishful thinking I feel, given the club is currently asking circa £27 for non EHU at Cirencester and circa £32  at Moreton in Marsh. Both prices for 2 adults in September and many of the dates are shown as full or low so they must be selling some.

I tend to agree Steve but there is no way I would pay £27 or £32 for non EHU.

If the Club cannot do a "Quickstop" cheaper than that, they should not even think about offering them. £20 to £25 inclusive of EHU would be more realistic given the price of stopping at places like Cadeside and Stover.

peedee

I just can’t see it, even over there prices are going up. A lot of the camping car park Aires, without the facility block provided by the CAMC, are now 15€ a night and a few more popular ones 17 or 19€.

Also the inclusivity of what has been proposed bothers me. Whilst these discounted pitches would be open to caravans and motorhomes alike, how many folk towing a large caravan are going to risk waiting until 5 / 6 pm to secure a place for the night. Now with a 7 metre van I might give it a go, when we had a 12.50 metre rig to find somewhere to park up, not a chance.

Thank you Steve. Such pitches the Club knows it can fill well in advance, so it would be counter productive to discount them.

Also the inclusivity of what has been proposed bothers me. Whilst these discounted pitches would be open to caravans and motorhomes alike, how many folk towing a large caravan are going to risk waiting until 5 / 6 pm to secure a place for the night. Now with a 7 metre van I might give it a go, when we had a 12.50 metre rig to find somewhere to park up, not a chance.

I agree but with a caravan I would suggest a last minute booking is a sensible approach e.g. perhaps on the morning you intend to travel. I would even try to do that with a motorhome.

peedee

A lot was money was spent? Do you actually know that for a fact or just just a subjective feeling?

I don't think it did cost a lot. From personal experience the SP at Troutbeck, where we saw them being put in, they were actually from the static caravans that were there when the club took over the site that were being taken out. The electrics, waste and fresh water needed for a SP were already there so not a lot of money I would say there in addition to making new HS pitches which was going to happen anyway.

People think that SP are a new invention but they were already there when I joined in 1999. At other places SP they were usually near to the toilet block for water I suppose, and of course EHU was already there, these were usually 10 or so pitches close to the facilities block so a lot of money?

But that's a good point how did the club know to introduce EHU, way before SP? And move over to virtually all EHU sites? 

I think the club knew the answer before they were put in, in probably not a sophiscated methods as today but they knew, postal surveys and maybe even looking at the competition.  

Just because you never saw a specific survey about SP doesn't mean it didn't happen of course, and of course surveys by email/online were certainly not a thing in 1999. However I do call posts on here about EF before they were introduced and a definite survey was talked about then.  

Anyway that's in the past, looking forward my point is (again) that if the club has done its homework and thinks it's a nice little earner and won't upset current users which could lead to a loss of income then it should go for it. But I do have to say that you're we won't know till it tried approach, and then a national level even, is reckless.

What's wrong with doing some research?

But I do have to say that you're we won't know till it tried approach, and then a national level even, is reckless.

Trials often involve actually doing things, it's all part of the research process.  Rather like the research trials of ANPR and metered electricity.  In this case is trialing at a national level really going to be massively expensive if it is treated to KISS?

Peedee

Could you not ask the same question about the provision of electricity? I am sure we both remember when only limited pitches had access to electrics but that eventually became virtually all pitches over time. With serviced pitches I imagine it was a question of a trend developing either within the Club or perhaps across the wider camping trends on commercial sites? I think Chatsworth has had various forms of serviced pitches for some time. But also remember that serviced pitches are an enhancement of the overall offer which give added value to the Club. What is being suggested is the complete opposite, its taking away value from the Club. I agree with those that suggest the sort of price level expected by some is wildly out of step with what would be the reality. I made the suggestion that a reduction in the region of 10/20% was more realistic but that would take the price way beyond what some are willing to spend. My reasoning for suggesting 10/20% is that would be inline with current offers being made by the Club. 

David