The C&MC and use of electricity.

[Moped]

We have cancelled our CAMC membership which is up for renewal. This is the observation we have included in the further comments section of their online cancellation form:-

“CAMC site prices have risen sharply and you don’t have an option not to use hook up, which the CCC does. As an motorhome owner we can be self reliant and do not always need hook up. Also as seniors the CCC offers us a discount off peak so we have been using their sites exclusively and plan to do so in the future. There are privately owned sites adjacent some of yours that we have used in the past that are around £80 per week cheaper. It no longer feels like a club when club sites are more expensive than local competition. We will monitor your future developments and may consider rejoining if terms for motorhome users and seniors become more favourable than they currently are.”

 

[Wully]

I had a customer take £40 of his bill for us using electric tools to do his job. Chargers plugged into his garage with 4 batteries plugged in for 3 days and a chop saw for cutting some timber. Funny he has asked for a quote for more work so I’ve added a 20% surcharge to his next job. So it will end up costing the nob more a in the long term. We’re living through strange. times and it’s making people do some strange stuff.

 

[Fisherman]

We have cancelled our CAMC membership which is up for renewal. This is the observation we have included in the further comments section of their online cancellation form:-

“CAMC site prices have risen sharply and you don’t have an option not to use hook up, which the CCC does. As an motorhome owner we can be self reliant and do not always need hook up. Also as seniors the CCC offers us a discount off peak so we have been using their sites exclusively and plan to do so in the future. There are privately owned sites adjacent some of yours that we have used in the past that are around £80 per week cheaper. It no longer feels like a club when club sites are more expensive than local competition. We will monitor your future developments and may consider rejoining if terms for motorhome users and seniors become more favourable than they currently are.”

I have two bookings with them in April, membership finishes 30th June, I will be leaving after the bookings. Had enough of them.

 

[Wheelie]

We have cancelled our CAMC membership which is up for renewal. This is the observation we have included in the further comments section of their online cancellation form:-

“CAMC site prices have risen sharply and you don’t have an option not to use hook up, which the CCC does. As an motorhome owner we can be self reliant and do not always need hook up. Also as seniors the CCC offers us a discount off peak so we have been using their sites exclusively and plan to do so in the future. There are privately owned sites adjacent some of yours that we have used in the past that are around £80 per week cheaper. It no longer feels like a club when club sites are more expensive than local competition. We will monitor your future developments and may consider rejoining if terms for motorhome users and seniors become more favourable than they currently are.”

I cant find the cancellation form. I've cancelled my Direct Debit, but probably need to tell them too. Can you point me in the direction of the form? Everything I can find just tells me to phone them, but then I'd have no record of it. Thanks.

 

[merl]

Done! Thanks for the link.

Hope you gave them a bit of an ear bashing. NO Sorry, I'll rephrase that, I hope you gave them some constructive criticism

 

[merl]

I had a customer take £40 of his bill for us using electric tools to do his job. Chargers plugged into his garage with 4 batteries plugged in for 3 days and a chop saw for cutting some timber. Funny he has asked for a quote for more work so I’ve added a 20% surcharge to his next job. So it will end up costing the nob more a in the long term. We’re living through strange. times and it’s making people do some strange stuff.

And of course you'll be rushing straight back out if they call you with a snag eh?

 

[number14]

I cant find the cancellation form. I've cancelled my Direct Debit, but probably need to tell them too. Can you point me in the direction of the form? Everything I can find just tells me to phone them, but then I'd have no record of it. Thanks.

Here you are: https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/contact/. From this page choose 'membership', 'how to cancel my membership', 'email the team', and fill in the form.

Don't make it easy do they? There again, why would anyone possibly want to leave?

 

[wildebus]

Shopped at Go Outdoors yesterday. By being a member of the C&CC, got an extra 10% off. Handy bit of cash off. Don't think the Snobs club offer that (members too posh to go to Go Outdoors probably )

 

[trevskoda]

Shopped at Go Outdoors yesterday. By being a member of the C&CC, got an extra 10% off. Handy bit of cash off. Don't think the Snobs club offer that (members too posh to go to Go Outdoors probably )

WE have go outdoors a mile or so from us, their prices are way over the top, 10 inch trailer wheel £30, i can get them at a market stall for £15, small gas canisters £20 for 5, ebay to my door £5.

 

[wildebus]

WE have go outdoors a mile or so from us, their prices are way over the top, 10 inch trailer wheel £30, i can get them at a market stall for £15, small gas canisters £20 for 5, ebay to my door £5.

Depends what you are buying. I didn't buy a trailer wheel or a gas cannister.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Bill is right.

I checked with my friends who have worked seasonally as wardens for the CMC for the last 15 years. There are now way more motorhomes/campervans than caravans booking into their sites.

Bookings for this coming year are also down.

The site they have just arrived at for the start of the season (I won’t say where) is way down on bookings and it’s in a very popular holiday destination which should be heaving when the season gets going.

I think it’s a case of watch this space and see what transpires as the year progresses. The CMC organisation is actually as bad as Bill describes it - probably even worse than you think! From the various tales I’ve heard over the years about what it’s like to work for them at the sharp end (as opposed to their head office) the firm is run by a bunch of …. well, you get the picture

 

[Fisherman]

Bill is right.

I checked with my friends who have worked seasonally as wardens for the CMC for the last 15 years. There are now way more motorhomes/campervans than caravans booking into their sites.

Bookings for this coming year are also down.

The site they have just arrived at for the start of the season (I won’t say where) is way down on bookings and it’s in a very popular holiday destination which should be heaving when the season gets going.

I think it’s a case of watch this space and see what transpires as the year progresses. The CMC organisation is actually as bad as Bill describes it - probably even worse than you think! From the various tales I’ve heard over the years about what it’s like to work for them at the sharp end (as opposed to their head office) the firm is run by a bunch of …. well, you get the picture

What name do you want the cheque made out to Marie.



Seriously, it doesn’t take a genius to see the C&MC are badly run.

Some of their sites are needing upgrading, and they have failed miserably to keep up with the times. I have only been involved in our pastime since 2016 and even in this short time I have seen a lot of changes.

It’s not sufficient that the two big organisations seem to be sleepwalking into bother. They both need to realise that the days of families towing their vans to campsites then spending a fortnight there are gone. And this is still the basis of how they are run. But when you look down your nose at around half of your members, ignoring their requirements you are storing up issues for the future.
Whats required in our pastime are bodies who support their members, not their own blinkered self interest. They have to realise that that wild camping is growing, and is here to stay. We should not have to rely on CAMpRA to solely do our bidding, and both of them should be consulting more with CAMpRA.
Joined up lateral thinking seems to be missing in our pastime, but hopefully things will change, they simply have to.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Forgot to say - they also seem to be short of takers prepared to work for them on their sites these days … I wonder why?

 

[Fisherman]

Forgot to say - they also seem to be short of takers prepared to work for them on their sites these days … I wonder why?

No wonder they probably only give them a 10% discount

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Our first trips up to Scotland were very much to Skye, love the place, then we did Arran a couple of times but needed new fillings so stopped going, went to Mull, I hated it the first time as it rained every day and the visibility was terrible, but we went again and it was beautiful weather, we stayed there for two weeks just wandering around, a really stunning island, mostly I liked the north west part, camping wasn't a problem for us. We've done Harris and Lewis, didn't rate them much so not been back, plus it isn't a cheap trip.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

No wonder they probably only give them a 10% discount

I think it’s more the fact that they treat their site staff like dirt. There’s a constant and ever-growing number of bigger and longer brushes being attached to their backsides that they are expected to use on top of day-to-day site chores.

My friends are not workshy, safe to say they are workaholics and perfectionists.

But the CMC is treating its site employees more and more like dumb donkeys (or robots?) with the arrival of every new season.

 

[number14]

They both need to realise that the days of families towing their vans to campsites then spending a fortnight there are gone.

Maybe not entirely, Fisherman. My son has 4 boys ("2x mine, 2x yours" scenario). They usually take their caravan to a proper family holiday site for two weeks in the summer either here or France, with swimming pool, games, cafe and entertainment. The boys are therefore kept amused whilst parents chill for a while. We usually join them for a couple of nights. Not our 'go to' choice, of course, at our age but, have to say, the sites are not bad at all and do exactly what they promise.

Not expensive either but, yes, with their sky-rocketing prices and lack of children's entertainment CAMC have surely totally lost this segment of the market.

 

[Fisherman]

Our first trips up to Scotland were very much to Skye, love the place, then we did Arran a couple of times but needed new fillings so stopped going, went to Mull, I hated it the first time as it rained every day and the visibility was terrible, but we went again and it was beautiful weather, we stayed there for two weeks just wandering around, a really stunning island, mostly I liked the north west part, camping wasn't a problem for us. We've done Harris and Lewis, didn't rate them much so not been back, plus it isn't a cheap trip.

Many thanks for this pudsey, Mull is an absolutely stunning island. In terms of wildlife, scenery, and size it actually offers a lot more than Arran. But what Arran offers is a better more pragmatic attitude towards us. But then Arran is not full of English people who reckon that they are entitled to change how a place thinks and breathes, forgetting why they moved there in the first place. The fact that an active alien minority on Mull hate us won’t stop me visiting “our“ Island. Even Argyle and Bute’s abuse of car parking rights won’t stop us. I have to many fond memories of Mull to ever write it off my places to visit, and I and most of us have to much high regard for its beauty to ever do anything to spoil its beauty.

I do however have some sympathy for Tiree, and Barra. Because of the size of these smaller islands and their environmental issues, things need to be managed there. But not on Mull.

 

[Fisherman]

Maybe not entirely, Fisherman. My son has 4 boys ("2x mine, 2x yours" scenario). They usually take their caravan to a proper family holiday site for two weeks in the summer either here or France, with swimming pool, games, cafe and entertainment. The boys are therefore kept amused whilst parents chill for a while. We usually join them for a couple of nights. Not our 'go to' choice, of course, at our age but, have to say, the sites are not bad at all and do exactly what they promise.

Not expensive either but, yes, with their sky-rocketing prices and lack of children's entertainment CAMC have surely totally lost this segment of the market.

Sorry but I did not say this does not happen. What I said was it’s no longer as popular. Of course there are families who still head for a campsite for a fortnight, and there always will be. But to base your whole organisation on that platform whilst ignoring what’s happening around you, looking down your noses at your own members is a recipe for failure. Also some of their sites toilet facilities must be 50 years or so old, badly needing upgraded. But most are fine.
But if your looking for a standard take a look at the facilities at the CCC site in Braithwaite Village.

 

[Biggarmac]

. We should not have to rely on CAMpRA to solely do our bidding, and both of them should be consulting more with CAMpRA.
Joined up lateral thinking seems to be missing in our pastime, but hopefully things will change, they simply have to.

The CaMC are not in any dialogue with CAMpRA. The CCC are speaking to us and looking for more ways we can work together. Like most organisations normal inertia rules, but there are more articles on off grid camping in their magazine. They can only promote wildcamping by stealth as many of their members see us in negative ways. Their "service stop off" regime is great for us.