Cycling UK Forum

leftpoole wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:09am
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...

I'm glad that is not your experience. It is certainly mine.

beeb wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:08am roll on a return to the continent, where you can get more reasonable prices, especially France

Amen! I have cycle camped in France and have never given the slightest thought to booking a campsite. We even turned up in Millau on the same day as the Tour de France. The town was heaving and all the campsites were rammed but they didn't bat an eyelid at the idea of finding room for two cyclists and a two man tent.

leftpoole wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:09am
One should avoid CC and C&CC in my opinion. Look for independent sites.

Don't understand this as a general rule - as stated upthread it seems that caravan and camping club sites can be quite reasonably priced.

leftpoole wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:09am
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?

It's quite common business practice these days to decide that you don't want certain types of customers. All to do with maximising profit/sweating the resources/shelfspace etc.
An entire mega data industry is built on these sorts of calculations.

Sweep wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 3:58pm

leftpoole wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:09am
One should avoid CC and C&CC in my opinion. Look for independent sites.

Don't understand this as a general rule - as stated upthread it seems that caravan and camping club sites can be quite reasonably priced.

I don’t understand it either. Also If CC stands for Caravan & Motorhome Club usually CAMC then there’s a clue in their title as to who they predominantly cater for.

My experience of the C&CC this year has not been good. Either no vacancies because the toilets were not open or the prices were absurd ie over £50. I am sure not all are like that.

I also came across one - near Jedburgh - which claimed to be friendly towards cycle tourists then demanded a minimum 2 night stay.

I've only ever camped in the Netherlands outside of the UK. The busy campsite in Amsterdam was certainly cheap, but remiind me of a festival with tents no more than a couple of feet apart. The other sites weren't busy enough for it to be so obvious.

We don't seem to have this style of camping in the UK. Things are usually quite spaced out without a free for all section where you chuck your tent in wherever you can type field if you are not in a car.

I wonder if legislation is anything to do with it, or just a culture difference. I'd be interested to know if your experience differs from country to country on very busy sites.

If Scotland is another country I like that. I wild camp - at least away from the Borders where it is quite difficult.

beeb wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:08am roll on a return to the continent, where you can get more reasonable prices, especially France

The French municipal sites are a bargain, otherwise in the countries in Europe I've camped, the prices have been comparable with the UK, some to expensive for my taste, some real bargains and the majority in the price range I'm happy with. The dearest campsite I've ever stayed on was in Figueres, Northern Spain, I was on a schedule and I didn't have time to find anywhere else. The dearest I've rejected was in La Rochelle, over 30 Euros, though I think for that it had a swimming pool and entertainment in the bar, I wasn't interested in either so I went elsewhere.
I find the talk of prices being unreasonable, or even extortionate absurd, they're businesses, subject to the same market forces as any other business, do people think they do it for love? If you don't think camping in a car free wildflower meadow is worth £17pppn, go elsewhere. If not enough people think it's worth it the business will have to change to survive. One of my favourite sites is now full of glamping yurts, of course I'm disappointed, but the owner didn't owe me anything, good luck to them, I'll find somewhere else.

PH wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:44pm I find the talk of prices being unreasonable, or even extortionate absurd, they're businesses, subject to the same market forces as any other business, do people think they do it for love? If you don't think camping in a car free wildflower meadow is worth £17pppn, go elsewhere.

I have chosen to go elsewhere. However I don't share your point of view with regard to businesses. I have spent most of my working life running my own businesses and maximising profit has never been my number one priority. I have always sought to provide a good service at a reasonable price and to have happy customers. The reason why we are suffering climate change with all the disastrous consequences to the planet and the lives of so many is because of greedy businesses who's sole interest has been maximising profit.

PH wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:44pm

beeb wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 10:08am roll on a return to the continent, where you can get more reasonable prices, especially France

The French municipal sites are a bargain, otherwise in the countries in Europe I've camped, the prices have been comparable with the UK, some to expensive for my taste, some real bargains and the majority in the price range I'm happy with......

I've found Dutch "mini-camping" excellent value (low price and fantastic service).

Ian

iandusud wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:56pm

PH wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:44pm I find the talk of prices being unreasonable, or even extortionate absurd, they're businesses, subject to the same market forces as any other business, do people think they do it for love? If you don't think camping in a car free wildflower meadow is worth £17pppn, go elsewhere.

I have chosen to go elsewhere. However I don't share your point of view with regard to businesses. I have spent most of my working life running my own businesses and maximising profit has never been my number one priority. I have always sought to provide a good service at a reasonable price and to have happy customers. The reason why we are suffering climate change with all the disastrous consequences to the planet and the lives of so many is because of greedy businesses who's sole interest has been maximising profit.

In this instance you don't know that's what this site is doing. You don't know their costs and expenditure. How much did it cost to terrace that site? How much maintenance does that woodland take? How do you know the price they're charging isn't what's required to make a profit? We do know they've refurbished the bunkhouse, do you know what that cost? Maybe they need to maintain a differential to encourage it's use. Plus of course, there's the pandemic, do you know how much money they lost last year? Do you know how much they need to recoup to survive?
Of course you don't know the answers to any of those questions, me neither, you've still decided to criticise because it came to a couple of quid more than you wanted to pay. There was no need for that, certainly no need to deliberately misrepresent their charging, they're offering something, you/me/anyone can decide if we consider it worth it.

PH wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 8:11pm

iandusud wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:56pm

PH wrote: ↑8 Jul 2021, 7:44pm I find the talk of prices being unreasonable, or even extortionate absurd, they're businesses, subject to the same market forces as any other business, do people think they do it for love? If you don't think camping in a car free wildflower meadow is worth £17pppn, go elsewhere.

I have chosen to go elsewhere. However I don't share your point of view with regard to businesses. I have spent most of my working life running my own businesses and maximising profit has never been my number one priority. I have always sought to provide a good service at a reasonable price and to have happy customers. The reason why we are suffering climate change with all the disastrous consequences to the planet and the lives of so many is because of greedy businesses who's sole interest has been maximising profit.

In this instance you don't know that's what this site is doing. You don't know their costs and expenditure. How much did it cost to terrace that site? How much maintenance does that woodland take? How do you know the price they're charging isn't what's required to make a profit? We do know they've refurbished the bunkhouse, do you know what that cost? Maybe they need to maintain a differential to encourage it's use. Plus of course, there's the pandemic, do you know how much money they lost last year? Do you know how much they need to recoup to survive?
Of course you don't know the answers to any of those questions, me neither, you've still decided to criticise because it came to a couple of quid more than you wanted to pay. There was no need for that, certainly no need to deliberately misrepresent their charging, they're offering something, you/me/anyone can decide if we consider it worth it.

"We do know they've refurbished the bunkhouse". So lets up the charge for campers to subsidise the people staying in the bunkhouse...
Where did I misrepresent their charging?
"Plus of course, there's the pandemic, do you know how much money they lost last year? Do you know how much they need to recoup to survive?" Their situation is no different to any of the other campsites I've looked or that of so many other businesses in that regard. It has been a difficult year for so many and I do sympathise.

iandusud wrote: ↑9 Jul 2021, 8:12am Where did I misrepresent their charging?

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

As already pointed out - they're not offering the same pitches at different prices depending on usage, but different pitches. A car free landscaped wildflower meadow or woodland site for the tented campers, a car park for the motorhomes and caravans.
That's no different to a hotel having different rates for different rooms.

FWIW I have stayed at four campsites in Wales in the last fortnight and three charged £10 pppn and one charged £7 pppn. I would say that all were good value but I will probably avoid the cheapest one in future because there were no flat pitches except those reserved for DoE parties and the showers were dirty and decrepit.