Shop around

I don’t think it is about leaving the club, it is about less use of club sites and a contributory reason for apparently lower occupancy. Because people were disgruntled with what was happening with the club it shook up their booking preferences. They just looked to see what else was available. That could have been CLs with t and c better than club sites, it could have been considering commercial sites that they had never considered before. T and c not much worse than club sites, maybe price cheaper. So “let’s give it a go”.  Remember people are not always rational, don’t always read the small print. 

We have not left the Club, and do not intend to, but we have certainly used far fewer sites than previously, none last year and will be only one this year.

While I agree the Club has lost its USP, deposits have not put us off booking, but the ever increasing prices certainly have.  Club prices do seem to have risen a lot more than on many other sites, and that seems to be the main criticism on review sites such as Trip Advisor.

Since we stopped going abroad after 2017, having been used to sites costing only 11-15 euros then, we started using far more CLs, and also some CCC sites at times when we get the discount.  With our present van, and being mainly only the 2 of us, we  found that we were not bothering to use site facilities, so why pay for them?

We are favouring less expensive sites with no facilities to allow us to go away for as many nights as we want, despite inflation and cost of living crisis, but the Club have very few less expensive sites.

I would think that there must be quite a few other members who are either doing the same, or just cutting down their time away to stay within their budget.

Retained memberships don't necessarily mean a lot, members might be reducing their level of club visits, some to commercials, others to CL/THS etc...

offers don't always seem to be for the same tranche of sites, we had a completely different list the other day to the most recent mailshot....

some members may still want to remain loyal to the club despite the booking system issues and the changes deposits and cancellation T/C, however (as PeeDee and Kjell mention) it's the price level that can still prove the sticking point...

I've just been to a Dorset commercial site, three adults and two children, EHU for £25...

there's a restaurant, indoor and outdoor pools, bar, multiple parks for different ages of children, right on the beach, 3rd party security, fully manned reception, etc...and a late stay included....

Except that retained membership, and the highest ever of 385,000 member households this year (which in my view can't all be for non club site use) when multiplied by the membership fee does mean a lot, about £22.7 million. 

we had a completely different list the other day to the most recent mailshot.

BB I didn't notice any different sites? Same sites as before, at least on the offers page? Which one have changed? Certainly the ones I'm interested in haven't. 

And why not name the site to help out others?

I've just been to a Dorset commercial site, three adults and two children, EHU for £25...

there's a restaurant, indoor and outdoor pools, bar, multiple parks for different ages of children, right on the beach, 3rd party security, fully manned reception, etc...and a late stay included....

Whilst the "3rd party security" bit would worry me, (really, on a caravan site?) you voted with your feet. If enough people do so then prices might change......

All we have seen on our trips to club sites this year is sites perhaps at 50-60% occupancy on a Monday & Tuesday and then by Wednesday they start filling up for the weekend and by Friday night seem to be full.  Sadly I can see no reason why the club is likely to reduce prices significantly overall other than a tweak to pricing early in the week. But even that won't entice many more people, some of us still have to go to work......

If it's the site I think it is, that company owns four sites  and I have been receiving 50% discount offers from them all summer. So would you have been happy to pay full price?

It won't be the site you're thinking of😉

As I've said many times, I'm more than happy to pass on site recommendations to my friends and colleagues if I feel they might benefit.👍

You can whisper it to me, YT, and I won't let on. You ken how well I like a good deal.

👂📣

If you want real value for money you really have to shop further afield. 13 euros a night with EHU and good clean facilities for this site. 200 yards to the town center, cafes, bars and shops.

peedee