Campsite Pricing

[iandusud]

I'm in the process of booking up campsites for a touring holiday next month. I contacted Haggs Bank Bunkhouse near Alston to enquire about price and availability. They quoted me £17 per person per night. I queried this with them as their website quotes £30 per night for 2 adults with a caravan (and car) including electric hook up (they also quote camping at £17 pppn but I thought that must mean per pitch per night). They have confirmed that it is in fact £4 more expensive to spend a night there for two people arriving by tandem (or solo, or on foot) that to turn up with a car and caravan, with no apparent limit on size, and use as much electricity as you like. They will not be getting our business.

[horizon]

You have my sympathy. There are very few campsites nowadays that offer per person booking. For cycle camping on your own, this means paying the pitch rate for a car, huge tent plus familiy etc, often good value at around £25.00 - £40.00 but dreadful for one person, a small tent and a bicycle. However, a bit of diligent searching, emailing and telephoning will turn a few up (once you get past the list of attractions within 30 minutes by car ).

[iandusud]

You have my sympathy. There are very few campsites nowadays that offer per person booking. For cycle camping on your own, this means paying the pitch rate for a car, huge tent plus familiy etc, often good value at around £25.00 - £40.00 but dreadful for one person, a small tent and a bicycle. However, a bit of diligent searching, emailing and telephoning will turn a few up (once you get past the list of attractions within 30 minutes by car ).

I'm very happy with the prices offered by other campsites I've contacted, even if I'm paying the same price as someone arriving by car with a large tent. I do however take exception to being charged a premium for not turning up with a car and caravan and NOT using their electricity. For contrast I've been quote variously £5 pppn to £10pppn (on a very good site on Ullswater at the foot of Helvellyn where I would expect to pay a premium in high season).

[simonhill]

That is a bit like the ferry pricing. It is often cheaper for a group in a vehicle than individually on their bikes.

Unfortunately, many campsites (and other things) like to package up a 'deal'. Great if you fit into the deal, but usually bad news if you don't. I have a small Campervan and am usually on my own. Most campsites charge for van and 2 adults as if it is impossible to be in a van on your own. This is often on campsites that charge tenters individually, such as a site I used to use in Rutland (but is fairly typical). They charged me £25 for van, including 2 people even though I was only one - no option. My friend with large tent and car only paid for one (tent) person at £11. She took up nearly 3 times more space than me.

Ironically friends who do camp as pairs often moan when we use a charge per person site, because they pay twice as much as me.

[F70100]

This is often on campsites that charge tenters individually, such as a site I used to use in Rutland (but is fairly typical). They charged me £25 for van, including 2 people even though I was only one - no option. My friend with large tent and car only paid for one (tent) person at £11. She took up nearly 3 times more space than me.

Take a tent with you in the Campervan and pitch it next to your “car”.

[richardfm]

I've just paid £10.45 for one night at a Camping and Caravanning Club site. that was for me, arriving by bike with a tent. I am a member, no doubt it would cost a bit more for non-members.

[Oldjohnw]

I've just paid £10.45 for one night at a Camping and Caravanning Club site. that was for me, arriving by bike with a tent. I am a member, no doubt it would cost a bit more for non-members.

Might I ask which site?

[richardfm]

I've just paid £10.45 for one night at a Camping and Caravanning Club site. that was for me, arriving by bike with a tent. I am a member, no doubt it would cost a bit more for non-members.

Might I ask which site?

It was Wolverley, https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.c ... a54b5eb214

[Oldjohnw]

I've just paid £10.45 for one night at a Camping and Caravanning Club site. that was for me, arriving by bike with a tent. I am a member, no doubt it would cost a bit more for non-members.

Might I ask which site?

It was Wolverley, https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.c ... a54b5eb214

Thanks. Looks interesting. By the end of the month I should be living 40 miles from there.

[PH]

I'm in the process of booking up campsites for a touring holiday next month. I contacted Haggs Bank Bunkhouse near Alston to enquire about price and availability. They quoted me £17 per person per night. I queried this with them as their website quotes £30 per night for 2 adults with a caravan (and car) including electric hook up (they also quote camping at £17 pppn but I thought that must mean per pitch per night). They have confirmed that it is in fact £4 more expensive to spend a night there for two people arriving by tandem (or solo, or on foot) that to turn up with a car and caravan, with no apparent limit on size, and use as much electricity as you like. They will not be getting our business.

That looked a bit odd, so I thought I'd have a look for myself and I'm not sure you've represented it fairly. Your post gives the impression they're offering the same pitch at a different price depending on the usage. That isn't the case, a glance at the website shows the camping is either in woodland or a terraced wildflower meadow, both of which are car free. The caravans and motorhomes are in a car park, which have electric hook ups, though I would assume there's an additional charge for using them.
It is of course your decision whether to stay there, just as it's theirs to set the prices for their business.
http://haggsbank.com/campsite/
There is a campsite in Alston itself, behind the scrapyard, but I really wouldn't recommend it at any price.

[iandusud]

I'm in the process of booking up campsites for a touring holiday next month. I contacted Haggs Bank Bunkhouse near Alston to enquire about price and availability. They quoted me £17 per person per night. I queried this with them as their website quotes £30 per night for 2 adults with a caravan (and car) including electric hook up (they also quote camping at £17 pppn but I thought that must mean per pitch per night). They have confirmed that it is in fact £4 more expensive to spend a night there for two people arriving by tandem (or solo, or on foot) that to turn up with a car and caravan, with no apparent limit on size, and use as much electricity as you like. They will not be getting our business.

That looked a bit odd, so I thought I'd have a look for myself and I'm not sure you've represented it fairly. Your post gives the impression they're offering the same pitch at a different price depending on the usage. That isn't the case, a glance at the website shows the camping is either in woodland or a terraced wildflower meadow, both of which are car free. The caravans and motorhomes are in a car park, which have electric hook ups, though I would assume there's an additional charge for using them.
It is of course your decision whether to stay there, just as it's theirs to set the prices for their business.
http://haggsbank.com/campsite/
There is a campsite in Alston itself, behind the scrapyard, but I really wouldn't recommend it at any price.

I don't know why you assume there is an additional fee for the electric hook up as their pricing indicates that it is included in the £30 charge for caravan or motorhome and two adults. You are quite right in saying that it their right to set the prices for their business as it is mine to choose whether or not to stay there. I will not be staying there. In fact we have booked into a B&B in Alston for the night which for not a lot more provides us with a hearty breakfast before heading up over Hartside
All the other campsites we have booked are charging between £10 and £20 per night for the two of us. £34 is outrageous IMO but maybe it reflects a situation open to exploitation. I noticed that one review from a few years ago said that they paid £8pppn, now £17, That's some rate of inflation.

[Oldjohnw]

IMV many campsites simply don’t want lone walkers and cyclists so they are pricing them out. Some don’t even appear to want family campers. Glamping is far more profitable.

What does that do for families with modest means wanting a holiday?

[beeb]

roll on a return to the continent, where you can get more reasonable prices, especially France

[leftpoole]

IMV many campsites simply don’t want lone walkers and cyclists so they are pricing them out. Some don’t even appear to want family campers. Glamping is far more profitable.

What does that do for families with modest means wanting a holiday?

I have four bookings for 4 nights each time. Difference sites at different times up until October.
All in region of £13 per night solo and I can use a car a motorcycle or a bicycle!
One should avoid CC and C&CC in my opinion. Look for independent sites. Instead of watching Football or whatever else is filling evenings...
As a matter of fact the sites are in Dorset and Devon. Plus due to ill health I am not very likely to use all or indeed any.
The comments that sites do not want lone walkers or cyclists is in my opinion nonsense! Why on earth would a business not want customers?
Enjoy what little Summer is left...

[horizon]

IMV many campsites simply don’t want lone walkers and cyclists so they are pricing them out.

I get the impression that it is going both ways, with, as you say, glamping being the Big Thing but with some sites offering "backpacker/cyclist" rates which they wouldn't have done before. I think everyone is testing the water and trying new things. The tour on my own that I am currently preparing for is coming out at about £12.00 per night on average (the range is £6.00 - £19.00). I'm very happy with that but it does take some laborious research!