Caravan club

[dave and mary]

Does any one know the total membership of the caravan club and what percentage of them are m/h. This is the first year we have travelled about in England for 10 years, ( can not believe the cost compared with going over the channel ) and we think there are less caravans on the road than there used to be, may be wrong but if the trend is going towards the m/h then things will have to change.

I think I saw some ware that the CC is non profit making, and that employed over 300 people is this correct ? :drive: :drive:

 

[Channa]

Does any one know the total membership of the caravan club and what percentage of them are m/h. This is the first year we have travelled about in England for 10 years, ( can not believe the cost compared with going over the channel ) and we think there are less caravans on the road than there used to be, may be wrong but if the trend is going towards the m/h then things will have to change.

I think I saw some ware that the CC is non profit making, and that employed over 300 people is this correct ? :drive: :drive:

I cant give you figures, but if you consider post 1997 driving test ......serious restrictions in respect of towing, even the younger end of the travelling community are turning to motorhomes.

The CC being non profit making is a myth, any club,levies its charges to replenish the services or goods a member has taken ( the definition of a club ) , any surplus which I call profit is squirelled away to fund future development

Channa

 

[Tco]

Both clubs give access to a large 5 van network of sites. That is, as far as I am concerened their only virtue. The structure of both clubs is geared towards keeping the club in the hands of a few. For instance, it is not open to anyone to put up for election to their committees. One has to have had at least some time as an officer of one of their local associations. Further you are not allowed to canvass support from fellow members. Indeed if you are caught doing so you will be banned from standing. It follows therefore that the vast majority of members who recieve their ballot papers have absolutely no idea who any of the candidates are, this knowledge is kept within the cliques who run the local associations.

I have been a member of both clubs, ( I don't really know why they still call themselves clubs as they are really just agencies), but only for the CS/CL's. I feel they are a somewhat necessary evil if you want access to the informal sites. Neither of them are particularly democratic, try writing a critical letter to their magazines and see if it gets published. The C&CC do offer a low and mid season OAP's discount which is attractive to some and because their sites have to accommodate tent campers, their clubs sites do tend to be slightly less regimented than the CC. There will of course be exceptions to this.

It becomes a choice of whether you comsider the annual fee value for money for what you get in return.

 

[Channa]

Both clubs give access to a large 5 van network of sites. That is, as far as I am concerened their only virtue. The structure of both clubs is geared towards keeping the club in the hands of a few. For instance, it is not open to anyone to put up for election to their committees. One has to have had at least some time as an officer of one of their local associations. Further you are not allowed to canvass support from fellow members. Indeed if you are caught doing so you will be banned from standing. It follows therefore that the vast majority of members who recieve their ballot papers have absolutely no idea who any of the candidates are, this knowledge is kept within the cliques who run the local associations.

I have been a member of both clubs, ( I don't really know why they still call themselves clubs as they are really just agencies), but only for the CS/CL's. I feel they are a somewhat necessary evil if you want access to the informal sites. Neither of them are particularly democratic, try writing a critical letter to their magazines and see if it gets published. The C&CC do offer a low and mid season OAP's discount which is attractive to some and because their sites have to accommodate tent campers, their clubs sites do tend to be slightly less regimented than the CC. There will of course be exceptions to this.

It becomes a choice of whether you comsider the annual fee value for money for what you get in return.

The politics old boys brigade I can well believe.

The normal rank and file, 2.2 children and a semi detached in surburbia dont give a diamond four x.

channa

 

[TWS]

We were members of CC so we could use the insurance for our dog's,but when they started asking over £600 for each dog it was time to leave the club.
The last time we stayed at one of there site's was in 2004 and we have never looked back.

Wow I have no idea about pet insurance but that does sound jolly expensive TBH !

 

[Arrachogaidh]

Wow I have no idea about pet insurance but that does sound jolly expensive TBH !

Sadly, it is not expensive for insurance of a pedigree dog these days. The cost of Vet surgery etc. is as much if not more for a human. Be thankful for the NHS.

Animals don't have an NHS.

 

[Arrachogaidh]

I belong to both CC and CCC and find there guides invaluable. I also wild camp when and where I feel safe. Sadly in England and Wales this is becoming more or less impossible due to the activities of minorities who irritate Councils and cause chaos for those that "Leave no trace."

This year I have used predominantly CL and CS's but also independent privately owned sites.

It is interesting to note that many "Wild Campers" like to use the facilities provided by the Clubs. If the Clubs didn't have members then there would be no facilities.

:tongue:

 

[dave and mary]

I belong to both CC and CCC and find there guides invaluable. I also wild camp when and where I feel safe. Sadly in England and Wales this is becoming more or less impossible due to the activities of minorities who irritate Councils and cause chaos for those that "Leave no trace."

This year I have used predominantly CL and CS's but also independent privately owned sites.

It is interesting to note that many "Wild Campers" like to use the facilities provided by the Clubs. If the Clubs didn't have members then there would be no facilities.

:tongue:

I think the real question here is that m/h do not need the same facilities as caravans. We use 5c now and again if the price is right but £25 a night on a CC site just to park a vehicle that I bought to enjoy the freedom it gives me is not on. So may be it is time for the clubs to start thinking about m/h users and the different need, as someone pointed out in this thread with the changes in driving licences, more younger people are going for m/hing, so surely the clubs should realise that the membership could get smaller if they do not move with the times. We have just been away for 8 days in Lincolnshire and found we got on quite well by using public toilet for water and wc dumping and never used a site at all. :drive: :drive:

 

[champstar]

Never been a member of the CC but have been in the C&CC for a long as we have had a motorhome..very rarely use club site and even CS's now as the cost has sored. We do rally and were members of the Motorcaravan section Scottish area of the C&CC both holding office. But as you find some people have egos the size of the moon and want titles and glory dining out on the hard work of others (ask Magbrin). We were proud to introduce a THS near to Oban after being told people would not travel that far!!! and held the first C&CC rally on the Isle of Skye. We both resigned our positions to go European travelling and since then been treated very badly by both the Scottish Area and the national MCS even as far as the Director General of the C&CC. We would not go near the Scottish Area MCS again until there have been big changes. However we would still rally with our DA but much prefer wild camping and the wonderful places and scenery we can find esp in Scotland.

Sorry for the rant but we found rallying to be fun until some people decided that the money raised was to be banked instead of being spent on members interests.

The organisation of the clubs is not that of a club they are now businesses pure and simple and run to that effect. The members have no say and the old boys network does operate in the higher offices of the members groups.

Where else could you have a national rally (MCS) where all the area chairmen are treated to a posh meal and the plebs are not invited but ultimately pay for their pleasure through members funds. Who said the class system was dead.

rant over.

If you want to pay £43 pound for access to the 5 van sites then you pays your money and takes your chance.

 

[roblek]

I am a member of c&cc as well as the motorcarvaners club, I do use the ccc club as often as I can, and do find the monthly mag that they send me to be very informative, However all camp sites are becoming very expensive and for that reason I do not use that side of the club said advantage, I do use the local club side as they go away costing around £8 per night which is fine although no electricity, but hey thats what camping/ caravanning is all about, Well it use to be before they became palaces on wheels with microwave, and grand TVs in them. What was wrong with games in the field for the children and drinks around the braai fire, and someone somewhere will own a guitar ( No not ging gang goolly ) anything but that.

 

[Deleted member 967]

Where else could you have a national rally (MCS) where all the area chairmen are treated to a posh meal and the plebs are not invited but ultimately pay for their pleasure through members funds. Who said the class system was dead.

I found exactly the same thing in British Naturism where the executive committee members demanded to be accommodated in the Airport hotel or similar and have their meals and taxis paid for out of funds while the members attend the AGM stayed in tents or caravans at the local club where the event was being held.

I worked tirelessly for BN for 30 years before realising just how the gravy train was in operation. I worked to obtained the their exemptions (the full suit the same as the CC and C&CC hold) at my own expense.

I resigned from that organisation but retained my membership of the a couple of clubs.

It is it seems all big organisations that attract the ego seekers who take on rolls just for the kudos and perks.

 

[Deleted member 967]

Well it use to be before they became palaces on wheels with microwave, and grand TVs in them. What was wrong with games in the field for the children and drinks around the braai fire, and someone somewhere will own a guitar ( No not ging gang goolly ) anything but that.

Thinks have moved on. We are not living in the 1950s now. If people want hotel facilities on wheels then they pay for them.

What is needed is basic site facilities without all the bells and whistles for those who are independent and do not need or wish to pay for the super pitch.

As long as the clubs follow the rising aspirations by providing more and more super pitches the prices to all users will keep going up. Aire facilities with a dump facility is all I need or want.

 

[katebaron]

caravan club

Hi there, I am a cc member and a brand new wild camping member. I find cc sites a bit too manicured but have always been a bit worried about the legalities of wild camping. I have been trying to work my way round this site to find wild camping places in the borders but not hsd much success yet, hope I don, t have to end up going back to cc for a ste.

 

[roblek]

wasted money

Just cancelled my DD for the renewal of my CC membership I think it's now £43.00 per year and TBH I can count on one finger the number of times I've used the CC in the past year. I was just wondering if many members on here are just members and never or use the CC sites. The annual fees have doubled since I joined not to long ago TBH !

Yes I fully agree with you as I too can count the times I use it, I wanted to go the other week-end with my son and grandson, on arrival I was told that my son is not a member and although will be allowed to stay this time as I may not have known the rules, but if I were to bring him again without his own membership card then he will not be allowed to stay. well ok it was nice of the official to allow him and my grandson to stay so as it would not ruin my one night away with them. on the other hand I thought, that's great as for the four years that I have been a member of the camping and caravan club, and the time that I have attended site camp probably adds up to ten times. and now when I want to use the club to go away for a relaxed week-end away, I am stumped by rules, the times that I have gone away with my wife has not attended due to work load and she is a member. Well I can tell everyone that when the membership is due I shall not be renewing it either and shall cancel my subscription:juggle: the rules

 

[Firefox]

Sorry for the rant but we found rallying to be fun until some people decided that the money raised was to be banked instead of being spent on members interests.

I'm failing to see what they do with the money raised from a rally can affect your enjoyment of the rally. Surely your enjoyment of the rally relates to having a good time and socialising with the other members at low cost. They may make some profit from the rally but whether that's later given to charity, banked, or otherwise used within the organisation shouldn't affect your time at the rally.

 

[champstar]

I'm failing to see what they do with the money raised from a rally can affect your enjoyment of the rally. Surely your enjoyment of the rally relates to having a good time and socialising with the other members at low cost. They may make some profit from the rally but whether that's later given to charity, banked, or otherwise used within the organisation shouldn't affect your time at the rally.

It was not the profit made as I used to be a treasurer who knew that the money in the accounts was members money and should have been spent on the members not holed up in a bank account.

Remember that it was members that paid the fees in the first place and should not have to pay over inflated fees so that profits can be made unless for a reason as you state.

Would you want to rally with a bunch that just wanted money in the bank...and continue to go back to be fleeced time after time. Each rally should be run on a break even basis or with a small element of profit for expenses and equipment purchases.

My ethos was that sometimes the members deserved something back usually at the agm with live entertainment and a buffet paid for out of club funds after all it was raised from members.

To your point it should not spoil your enjoyment of a particular rally but once rallied with this bunch might put you off rallying for good.

 

[maingate]

Having rallied at Benderloch with champstars DA (when he was a Committee member), I can vouch that it was a well run THS.

 

[Firefox]

Usually the people that you rally with are just rank and file members of the club. If the rally crowd were all exec members and were responsible for taking decisions you didn't agree with then I can see your point. Seems a very strange rally though!

 

[Deleted member 13867]

We have cancelled our CC membership BUT...

We were until recently Caravan Club Members and used the CL sites extensively but never the Club sites we decided to cancel the membership whilst remaining members of the Camping and Caravanning Club because their weekend meets and temporary holiday sites suit us. However we have stayed on various Caravan Club CL's since cancelling and despite being honest and informing the owner that we were no longer members no one has refused us it seems that cash speaks louder than your membership card just be honest and ask, after all they can only refuse.

 

[Firefox]

Yes, I have never had a problem with CL's they never ask for membership. I even have stayed on CS's although I am not a member of camping club.

Someone will probably come on and say I shouldn't do that as they may lose their site licence, but that's their risk, and to be honest, now they can get re-registered with MCC which don't require site users to be a member of MCC. That's a much better option.

I'd say lets break up the cartel of CC and C and CC officially requiring you to join them to use 5 van site - go down the MCC route and use sites without being a member - a much better idea.